A great opportunity or a seller looking for some suckers?

[auburnseeker]

I saw this on Craigslist.  I would love to go and may even have the Jingle to be serious, but the ad turns me off and has looking for suckers with blank checks to leave common sense at the door and let me fill in any amount I see fit, written all over it.   Could be wrong.  I would like that Pontiac Woody or any of the rag tops.  THe 42 Hudson would even get me excited even that 33 Chrysler gets me going. 

That 39 Buick Sedan also appears to be a Convertible coupe? 

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/d/classic-car-collection-open/6230066840.html

 

"OPEN HOUSE for a classic car collection located in Hartford County, CT.This collection has been amassed over decades by a real car enthusiast but it is time to sell! The collection includes 7 Packards (including a 1955 Caribbean not pictured) years 1941-1955, 2 Chevys, a 1971 El Camino and a 1949 Styleline, a 1933 Chrysler Coupe RS, a 1955 Lincoln Cosmopolitan, a 1948 Oldsmobile convertible, a 1948 Pontiac Woody Wagon Silver Streak, a 42 Hudson Coupe(not pictured) and a 1939 Buick Sedan.This pre-marketing OPEN HOUSE in CT. will be held on Saturday, August 12th10am-1pm weather permitting. Attendance will be limited to the first 15 qualified respondents with one guest per respondent allowed. We are looking for serious buyers only for this event as they will be given an opportunity to have a first look at the contents of the overall collection and the opportunity to buy BEFORE online marketing is initiated.Interested and serious buyers must call for a pre-screening and to register for the OH. Once the 20 participants have been secured and confirmed the CL ad will be removed and the Open House will be closed. We will provide updates following the OH for those interested in knowing if cars are still available.Don't miss your opportunity to attend this unique event! Call Nick or Breeda today!"

 

[edinmass]

Wouldn't surprise me if it's real. Someone thinks they have something better than they actually do.  Eclectic bunch of good looking cars that are all difficult to sell. Greed will get them nowhere.

[George Smolinski]

There's more vehicles than what's in the ad. I see a pair of Chevy/GMC pickups. May be more stuff. I would venture to say that Nick & Breeda are heirs or reps of heirs & the heirs want the money, not the cars.

"Attendance will be limited to the first 15 qualified respondents" --- How do you qualify?

"Once the 20 participants have been secured and confirmed" --- Is it 15 or 20?

[midman]

Yea, it seems to me it is kind of silly to restrict your pool of "qualified" people to 15 or 20. If you are prescreening them why restrict it at all. 

But then again it's their show. Though as edinmass said they think they have more than they do.

 

[Frantz]

They're just making it feel exclusive. If they want to take in 30 people they'll make 30 people feel special and as though they are nearly saying yes before bidding begins. If they woke up in a "meh" mood, they can turn down the first fellow who calls and make that guy feel like he's on to something hot so he'd better show up. And it works, look where it's being shared! Neat looking cars that appear worth checking out if they fit your collection (or empty garage)

[auburnseeker]

My problem is I'm a very serious buyer.  I like to know the price before hand.  Then I know it won't be a waste of my time or yours before i show up.  As a few of you know,  when I set out to buy a car,  I come home with one but I do my diligence and won't overpay so I know pretty close to what cars are worth before i even inquire.   Few Qualified people got to where they did in life by being extravagant and not knowing the value of a dollar.  Seems many older car collectors who would be in the position to buy many of these cars earned their money and don't go throwing it around.   

Kind of a shame because it's not exactly around the corner from me and would represent a 4 hour ride atleast each way.   I would also be quite disappointed if I showed up as appointment #15 and #14 just walked out having bought every car I was interested in.  How does a seller justify that?

I have never gone to look at a car that another guy was going to be looking at right before me and I could show up when they were suppose to be done. Or everyone will be here at 3 when I get out of work,  you can come then.    I might if it was across the street , more to watch the chaos, but not if I have to drive any distance. 

[Bhigdog]

It sounds like this limited "open house" is only to look at the cars before they advertise them for sale (Ebay?) to the general public. WTF?..........Bob

[Frantz]

I think it's a bit silly, but I can be sympathetic to the idea. They probably are worried they'll get a bunch of low ballers with a straight sale. Anyone who responds to an ad like this is likely going to be willing to spend more money. So maybe that weeds out 90% of the market, but it also narrows in and gets contact with 10% who maybe would be willing to overpay, whatever that really means. They may not be in any sort of rush to sell and many only accept top dollar at this point. They may find they are horribly disappointed, but at the same time, they may make some good money on a few of the nicest cars and then unload the remainder.

[joe_padavano]

1 hour ago, auburnseeker said:

My problem is I'm a very serious buyer.  I like to know the price before hand. 

 

This is marketing 101.  When the asking price is higher than market value, the seller won't advertise the price, since you'd just tune out.  Now you have to get engaged, and once the seller has potential buyers on the hook, it's easier to reel them in.  Realtors do this all the time.  There are three pieces of information you want when looking at real estate ads - location, size, and price. Nearly every ad will only list two of the three, so you have to call and talk to the agent.  Same principle here.  I don't like it, but it's been proven to work with human nature.

[Rusty_OToole]

I can't get over the number of people who want to read an ad and mail off a check with no further inquiry. When I see an ad all it tells me is someone has something to sell and an American with something to sell is not under oath. If I am interested I will make further inquiries by telephone or Email and if it sounds legit and I am interested, make an appointment. More than half the time I turn around without even opening my mouth and go home, because the seller is so full of it and the item for sale is no where near what he described. But, if I am interested and can make a deal, I always make sure I bring a truck or trailer big enough to load up and take the goods away on the spot. Because I do not trust the seller not to pick the car clean, sell it to someone else or change his mind before I can come back.

 

Yes it would be nice to live in Heaven and just have all your wishes come true but come on.

[victorialynn2]

3 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

 

This is marketing 101.  When the asking price is higher than market value, the seller won't advertise the price, since you'd just tune out.  Now you have to get engaged, and once the seller has potential buyers on the hook, it's easier to reel them in.  Realtors do this all the time.  There are three pieces of information you want when looking at real estate ads - location, size, and price. Nearly every ad will only list two of the three, so you have to call and talk to the agent.  Same principle here.  I don't like it, but it's been proven to work with human nature.

Being in the real estate industry, I was thinking this sounds like something a Realtor would do. I also think that the people that will respond to this will be the more serious and interested parties. If something really was on someone's bucket list to get, they'd probably go see it. These may not be the kind of cars that would be as desirable as say, a muscle car or early Bronco, etc. If they were, I think this ad would be more effective. Just my humble opinion. 

It also creates some urgency. It tells the people that show up that they need to buy it if interested or risk loosing it. 

Edited July 22, 2017 by victorialynn2 (see edit history)

[1912Staver]

All the comments above are spot on. The real estate comparison is somewhat true except the bank's appraiser has the final say regardless of how much the prospective purchaser has fallen for the property.  In the old car market many fall for new paint and chrome over a car with hidden problems.  And if the seller is a "salesman" there is often no one to protect the buyer from his own gullibility.

 I think most of us here are as aburnseeker suggests, serious buyers. We are probably as informed in our own areas of the old car hobby as anyone.  And I agree , a up front asking price is generally quite important.  If nothing else it prevents us from wasting time and money looking at cars we are interested in but have owners with delusions of a way above market sale.

 At least if you are looking at houses a drive to the other side of town is probably as far as 99% of us are going to range. With old cars we are frequently looking at prospective purchases a substantial distance from home.

 If the car in question is definitely on the potential "shopping" list; and it is a car that rarely appears on the market, then it is probably a good practice to view any that are offered if only to get a read on the market. Otherwise for me at least the asking price is one of the basic pieces of information I must have.

 

Greg in Canada

[padgett]

Sounds like one way to get a free appraisal.

[bobg1951chevy]

If me, I would call either of the two listed names, then obtain the asking prices for vehicles of interest.

If there is no asking price released, I would then expect a "mini auction" between 20 individuals ....... if they show up.

Very nice cars, however.

[auburnseeker]

Unless someone has a real bad lust for one of these cars and price is no object.  I could probably tell you what almost every car will eventually sell for in the end without a true auction.  Though many are desirable to many of us here,  According to almost every old car prediction everyone of them falls in the category of potential buyers exiting the hobby.  Either by choice or by life forces. 

The yall appear to have nice paint and chrome,  but what about the 3rd most expensive aspect,  the mechanics. 

If it were an hour away I might go  look. 

As it is I spent 4 hours on the road today on a done deal that had a last minute snafu and I came home empty handed. 

Very similar thing happened last weekend.  Another 4 hours shot.  

All to the same city.  I even woke up after one night having had a dream that I was headed home from my old shop , about 4 miles away,  and ended up in that same city 2 hours from home.  

I almost had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't real. 

[Guest]

I have owned over 200 cars and never bought one that didn't have an advertised price beforehand. I skip right over those ads.  It always amazes me when I read an ad for a car that has two full pages of info about the vehicle but no price. 99% of the time it's because the price is too high.

[JV Puleo]

I'm curious as to how you are supposed to "pre-qualify"? Send them a copy of your Fidelity statement? It would be a cold day in hell that I'd share my financial information with a complete stranger. That said, I have never responded to a "price on request" advertisement.

 

The most idiotic part, to me, is that some of the most successful (and affluent) people I've known didn't look the part and several I've known that looked the part were pure BS. There was a very nice, and exclusive jewelry store in Providence years ago, in business for more than 100 years, that made a fetish of NEVER treating a customer any different no matter how they were dressed. I was in their one Christmas to buy a present for my grandmother. Next to me, at the counter was another gentleman, obviously a mechanic of some sort... he was looking for a present for his wife and inquired after a pair of diamond earrings. I think the price was something in the nature of $20,000. When he reached in his pocket and pulled out a huge roll of $100 bills, absolutely no one showed any expression of surprise.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Right in my back yard and not that I know every collector car in CT, but I don't recognize any of them.  I think I would pass on this sort of marketing approach.  "Let me kiss your a__ for the opportunity to maybe purchase a car from you"?  To Ed's point nice cars but not anything that is appreciating at 10 - 15% per year and inciting bidding wars.  The clippers look interesting, but not a car you cannot find elsewhere.  Seeker you won't get a price on any of these if you follow up, and I am sure someone using this approach would have no qualms about letting you drive 3-4 hours to check out a car - they just sold an hour earlier knowing full well you had made arrangements to see it.  

[auburnseeker]

I'm getting tired of putting forth all the work to buy something then again have to put forth all the work to sell it.  I have cash I'm ready to travel for the right thing but don't waste my time or yours.  I'm starting to feel this way about both the cars parts and literature that I buy.  

I have found with the literature,  that it's a real  small number of guys actively buying any sizable collections.  

It's even getting to be that way with guys buying parts.  I sold 4 or 5 large lots of my own parts last year to empty my shop,  making sure I put enough stuff to make sure the pile was a deal.   I had almost no interest and for the $1000 lot I had advertised.  Each time more than a pickup would hold and a large majority NOS,  I had only a couple inquires  and many even at the $1000 mark wanted to know every number for every part in the pile so they could make sure they were buying for .10 on the dollar.  One of the buyers was even a guy I buy stuff from at shows.  I gave him a ton of good deals one day and he went home for a few hundred more dollars with a second load of trim and other very marketable parts.  Either you want to sell the stuff or not.   When I bought a few items from him at a show this spring,  I didn't get any kind of deal,  though he said he would remember what I had done.  

Oh well all part of the game I guess. 

[mcdarrunt]

There are some sites that you MUST list a price or they won't list; they are the only ones I shop on. When I sell one I price it fair and if some one offers more than the set price then it's a scam. Something else I have always wondered about is when someone wants a change in price it's always for a lower amount but when I ask them if they think I should change the price and then raise it they think that is unfair.

[capngrog]

What we have up to this point is just a bunch of speculation.  It would be nice if someone in the vicinity of Ct would contact the seller in an attempt to become one of the

 " ...  first 15 qualified respondents ..."  It would be entertaining to learn what the "qualification" process entailed.  If the process involved revealing personal financial/credit information ... run like hell away from this one!

 

As to my personal speculation, Craigslist doesn't seem to be the venue for this sort of "high falutin'" type of sale.  This makes me somewhat suspicious of the whole thing ... not that it could possibly be a SCAM.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[John_S_in_Penna]

15 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

 I like to know the price before hand.

Then I know it won't be a waste of my time or yours before I show up....  

Kind of a shame because it's not exactly around the corner from me

and would represent a 4 hour ride, at least, each way.  

 

Good points, Auburn Seeker.

 

My impression is that the cars are in the family, but that

the sellers don't know much about antqiue cars or how they're

sold.  They sound sincere but unknowledgeable,

overestimating  the demand.  They sound like 2 family members

who don't live all that close, getting together on one day at the 

collection.  

 

Somehow, they came up with this idea on their own,

thinking that they have to manage the hordes of potential

buyers who will call, and who would otherwise storm the place.

They don't realize that it insults the people who would be interested.

 

If anyone is interested, they should "call Nick 774-289-5814

or Breeda at 508-944-2108" and maybe feel a little sorry for

their family situation.  Maybe they'll ask your advice and loosen up a bit.

Edited July 23, 2017 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Trulyvintage]

If you run Nick's number in the CL link:

 

@ http://www.carusoclassiccars.com/vehicles-for-sale/used/1967/Chevrolet-Stingray Convertible/969192

 

On that link you find:

 

CARuso Classic Cars LLC427 Columbia RdHanover, MA 02339Contact: Nick SantamariaPhone: (774)289-5814

 

 

Jim

[Vila]

I never look at or buy anything from Craigslist.  To many rip off artists and not enough craigslist controls for me.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Vila (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

15 hours ago, GregLaR said:

I have owned over 200 cars and never bought one that didn't have an advertised price beforehand. I skip right over those ads.  It always amazes me when I read an ad for a car that has two full pages of info about the vehicle but no price. 99% of the time it's because the price is too high.

 

You are spot on.  Invariably, no price is listed because the asking price is so high that disclosing it would scare off most potential buyers.  I also ignore ads like this.  Of course just as bad are the ebay auctions where a car that is clearly worth five figures or more has a starting bid of $100 and an undisclosed reserve price.  Again, why even waste one's time on this.

[60FlatTop]

I have sold a lot of cars, but I am not a true salesman. I have never offered a car for sale without boldly stating the price. A true salesman needs an opportunity to justify the price rather than display it and have the potential customer walk away. That's his job.

 

The price is one method I use to screen buyers. I do not put cars in public locations for promotion locally. Most introductions are by phone. It may sound harsh, but certain dialects and accents may get an "I'm sorry, it's sold." That is not a personal thing and solely based on experience with numbers of similar people whom have come before. Body language appears to be an absolutely forgotten term. I still use it to judge a buyer.

Key words in the first phone call are flags. "Will you take less?" may forfeit your invitation to visit or my question "How do you know you might not want to pay more when you see it?" Do you think I am not competent in pricing my own car? One buyer came back a week later and gave me an extra $50 because a cheap car was better than he thought. Mention of "the wife" on an inquiry is not good. I usually tell them to stay home if they say they are waiting for the wife. Last year a guy about 60 miles away said he had to wait for his wife to get home and come with him. It was a project car. I told him not to come. She wouldn't like it. I knew of a good restaurant near him and told him to take her there instead. All three of us would be a lot happier. They came, they looked, he got permission the day after. It sold as they were driving away.

 

Buying a collector car, for me, is a fun, casual, and very discretionary way of playing. Dead seriousness and formality have no place in it, for me. If the occasional buyer wants it I will play along.  They will know the airs are put on for them.

 

Too much presale gyration makes my instinct sense fear. Maybe I am like the dog with the mailman. But there is fear many times. Fear of not getting enough money. Fear of exposing personal wealth. Fear of liability. Fear of implied warranty. Lots of fear out there. And it drives the sale many times. Do you think the dog ever teases the mailman?

 

Well, MY Wife is taking a nap. When she gets up I will ask her which one of the cars in my signature she would like to take for a ride and lunch. I am thinking about selling four of them AND the tractor. Interested in anything?

Bernie

Edited July 23, 2017 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[MarrsCars]

34 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

The price is one method I use to screen buyers. I do not put cars in public locations for promotion locally. Most introductions are by phone. It may sound harsh, but certain dialects and accents may get an "I'm sorry, it's sold." That is not a personal thing and solely based on experience with numbers of similar people whom have come before. Body language appears to be an absolutely forgotten term. I still use it to judge a buyer.

 

I always enjoy your sense of humor and quips, but this is indeed "harsh" to use your words. When we wonder why the hobby is primarily limited to older white men who are dying off and taking the hobby right along with them, yet complain loudly that we aren't attracting younger, modern enthusiasts to carry the torch, I have to believe this sort of thinking is partly responsible.

[mike6024]

Call Breeda for more information 508-944-2108, same person in the CL ad

http://myclassicgarage.com/marketplace/cars/all/Ford-Victoria/173054/media/2729288

1956 Ford Victoria $35,000

[vermontboy]

It is being brokered by

 

http://www.carusoclassiccars.com/

 

 

[Frantz]

Quote

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria

Take a look at this All original 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria. This beautiful car was restored 20 years ago prior to current owner. This car has been meticulously maintained by the current owner and has no issues or flaws. Vehicle has been kept in a heated garage and has never been in the elements. The engine was replaced with a 390. Cobra Head Gaskets. There is also an additional radio with CD and Amps. no AC but the heat and wipers work

What a CF of a description!

[1912Staver]

Cobra head gaskets ?  Personally installed by Mr. Shelby himself I assume.

 

Greg in Canada

[60FlatTop]

23 hours ago, MarrsCars said:

 

I always enjoy your sense of humor and quips, but this is indeed "harsh" to use your words. When we wonder why the hobby is primarily limited to older white men who are dying off and taking the hobby right along with them, yet complain loudly that we aren't attracting younger, modern enthusiasts to carry the torch, I have to believe this sort of thinking is partly responsible.

 

In this forum I am reading and writing to entertain myself and a lot of those "white men" like me. Many times I write the things those people think, but won't say. Concurrent with working I taught an apprenticeship program for 18 years (helping young people become competitive enough in their careers to snatch a job and the groceries away from other candidates).

 

Sometimes it is the outrageous statement that needs to be made to put the status quo into perspective.

 

Before cell phones my home phone was wall mounted next to the kitchen stove. I recognized a similarity in replies to ads I had placed before and did not want a repeat of the same song. I didn't lay my hand on the hot stove either.

Bernie

[auburnseeker]

Seems they have changed the ad a bit.  Here is the new ad.  Maybe they realized people didn't want to have to be put under the microscope before given the chance to even view the cars. 

 

"Classic Car Collection located in Hartford County, CT. This collection has been amassed over decades The collection includes 7 Packards (including a 1955 Caribbean not pictured) years 1941-1955, 2 Chevys, a 1971 El Camino and a 1949 Styleline, a 1933 Chrysler Coupe RS, a 1955 Lincoln Cosmopolitan, a 1948 Oldsmobile convertible, a 1948 Pontiac Woody Wagon Silver Streak, a 42 Hudson Coupe(not pictured) and a 1939 Buick Sedan.We are looking for serious buyers only."

[C Carl]

Mightn't it be a good idea for one , any/all of you guys who are somewhat interested in/fairly close to , these cars , to : contact the sellers by phone and alert them to this conversation for comment or fine tuning their sales tactics ? There is abundant speculation about the motivation of the sellers here. Some assumptions will prove to be more accurate than others. But with a telephone feedback channel available for a reality check , why just proceed on assumptions ? I will assume that these fine folks  would like to sell these cars , are fairly normal and rational , and can use any constructive comments including this thread , and are the kind of people who don't bite. Chances are that they have enough in common with many of us that they could be good friends with same. I say treat them as friends who need a bit of assistance. Eventually these cars will sell for a price agreeable to both buyer and seller. YOU could be the buyer. As I think I have said elsewhere , I bought my 1924 Cadillac from an ad in Hemmings almost 30 years ago. No price , no phone number , no address. Just R. Pierce with a P.O. Box in Akron - Canton Ohio ; (Did any of you know Ray ?). Turned out to be the most joyful automotive acquisition ever , since my first back in 1959. Try to operate based on as much fact as reasonably possible , assuming little. This works out in other life situations too. GO FOR IT , GUYS ! The rest of us will be curious to see how this plays out. There are a couple cars I would have been interested in back when I was young , energetic and healthy , wealthy , and , perhaps embodying varying degrees of wisdom.     -  Carl

[countrytravler]

On 7/23/2017 at 7:32 AM, Vila said:

I never look at or buy anything from Craigslist.  To many rip off artists and not enough craigslist controls for me.

We have sold many items on CL with no problems. Have about 20 items listed as we speak.

[Guest BillP]

6 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

"We are looking for serious buyers only."

Actually, the broker said that, but that's how the quote thing works here.

 

How does one achieve the status of "serious buyer"? It seems to me that that would be an award bestowed AFTER the sale has been consummated. Like many people here, I've read thousands (millions?...a bazillion?) ads for cars and trucks for sale in my lifetime. "Serious buyers only" is one of those absolutely worthless phrases that says more about the seller and his attitude than it has any power to weed out the ones with only casual interest. And who is to say that the one tire kicker (another stupid phrase) won't hit the lottery tomorrow and suddenly be transformed into a very serious buyer. Why weed out ANYONE from the buyer pool? Get everyone in, buy them hot dogs, let 'em kick those tires. There may be a pleasant surprise in store for you, Mr. Professional Broker.

[victorialynn2]

7 minutes ago, BillP said:

Actually, the broker said that, but that's how the quote thing works here.

 

How does one achieve the status of "serious buyer"? It seems to me that that would be an award bestowed AFTER the sale has been consummated. Like many people here, I've read thousands (millions?...a bazillion?) ads for cars and trucks for sale in my lifetime. "Serious buyers only" is one of those absolutely worthless phrases that says more about the seller and his attitude than it has any power to weed out the ones with only casual interest. And who is to say that the one tire kicker (another stupid phrase) won't hit the lottery tomorrow and suddenly be transformed into a very serious buyer. Why weed out ANYONE from the buyer pool? Get everyone in, buy them hot dogs, let 'em kick those tires. There may be a pleasant surprise in store for you, Mr. Professional Broker.

When you have a few to sell, you waste a lot of time with people who just want to look at them. No offense, but it takes up way too much time. You should be able to weed some people out with a phone conversation though. I realize all sales are a numbers game, but if I had $1 for everyone that has wasted my time with the cars... it's much worse than what I deal with in real estate. At least with real estate, you can make sure they are pre-qualified to buy before they look. There is also a safety, security factor in some cases. I prefer eBay because if they can't pay, they shouldn't even be bidding. Every one of my sales completed. I was lucky.

Edited July 25, 2017 by victorialynn2 (see edit history)

[Guest BillP]

There are many ways to sell things. If these people are not comfortable talking to people, they might better hire an auction company and get the check in the mail. Trying to pre-qualify the buyer of an old car by some magic process is generally wasteful of time. More wasteful than talking to everyone who comes along. The conversation has to be managed, like everything else. A 4 or 5 sentence introductory conversation allows the seller and buyer to size up the deal form both sides. Managing the process is key. People usually respond well to frank talk.

[60FlatTop]

14 hours ago, victorialynn2 said:

You should be able to weed some people out with a phone conversation though.

 

Enough phone calls and one begins to recognize a pattern. I know. One could almost begin to stereotype.

 

Selling, for me has almost always been a hobby, even a sport. I focus on discretionary purchases and there is as much fun in selling as the rest of the hobby. A long time ago I made a conscious decision that selling a person a car for daily transportation carried a level of moral responsibility that I did not want to be involved in. I will stick with selling a guy his fourth project with no engine and two wheels that don't turn. We both have fun (or should) and the money has no affect on the household. When I was young people carried money in their wallet. My Grandfather had a strict rule of never takes a customer's last dollar. Their wallet never closed empty after a sale. That has stuck with me. And the idea that every dollar UP TO the last was fair game.

 

I have sold professionally, not a lot, but some. I never consider anyone to be anything but a serious buyer or part of a sale. A dealership in my town is owned by a person who yelled at my friends and I to stay away from his cars when we were young. I have driven right past his place and spent over $50,000 on new trucks in another town because of my good memory. I was doing Chevy sales through an early network new car referral service just before the turn of the century. I was on a call talking to a young boy on a Corvette inquiry, ready to send out a brochure as a courtesy. The dealership owner walked up and asked for the phone. A few seconds later he hung up and told me it was just a kid wasting my time. It was right before Thanksgiving. I had imagined him taking that brochure to the big family dinner and proudly showing all his Uncles while he told them where he got it. I know I did.

I can go on stereotypes, on a whim, or calculated aiming; however the mood suits me. Some say inconsistency is a sign of insanity. I know I only do what I enjoy and I smile a lot.

 

It is fun to read the stuff about sales, estates, collection disposals, and all that stuff. I have written before, my Wife has a list of very low prices for my cars if I am dead, not cheap otherwise. She also knows and has my approval on this to give away and who to give things to.

 

One thing I have seen time after time, leaving one or many car or other hobby related things left in passing on develop into the family curse in a very short period of time. Advance planning is a lot more important than screening "serious buyers".

Bernie

[countrytravler]

I worked at Paul McGlone Chev on Joy Rd in Detroit in 1965. I was 13 and my job was to prep cars. One of the new car salesmen would talk to anybody. One day he was talking to a blind man walking down the street. The next thing I know, I was prepping 2 1965 big block Vettes for this guy. He had twin sons that were graduating from high school. This salesman, named (Don Massy) ended up owning numerous dealers generating over a Billion dollars a year in sales. Don took me under his wings and was teaching me the ropes. He wanted me to come work for him when I turned 16. I should have taken up his offer.

 

PAUL MCGLONE CHEVROLET, Detroit, MI/ Closed

Paul McGlone Chevrolet was located in Detroit during the 1960s. The location immediately conjures up the 'joy ride' concept, because the real address was 19000 Joy Road! There must have been plenty of joy in the dealership between 1958 and 1960 when McGlone was the number one Chevrolet dealership in the world. The General Manager of McGlone, Don Massey went on to built up his Plymouth, MI Cadillac dealer into number one position in the world.

DON MASSEY CADILLAC, Detroit, MI/ Closed

Don Massey's graduated from General Manager of McGlone Chevrolet to the owner of a highly successful Cadillac dealership in Plymouth, Michigan named Don Massey Cadillac. During the 1980s and 1990s be bought up Cadillac and Olds dealerships creating an empire named Don Massey Cadillac Auto Group which now included Saturn dealers amongst others. In 1996, he bought out his local competitor, Dreisbach and Sons Cadillac renaming it Don Massey Cadillac. The Massey Cadillac location on Grand River was noted for a revolving showroom floor. It was built in the 1960s as a round building to house the unique showroom. After doing business in the 1960s as Klett Cadillac, then Dreisbach Cadillac. Don Massey bought it out and managed to keep it going despite the erosion of business going on in Detroit. Finally, he had to close the doors in 2010.

 

 

http://www.autonews.com/article/20110610/RETAIL07/110619987/don-massey-venerable-detroit-dealer-dies-at-83

 

I learned to sell cars from this guy. But no one could sell like Don. RIP Don.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2017 by countrytravler (see edit history)