Protection from scam when buying at a distance

[sandman64]

Hi guys, I’m new at this game and considering the purchase of a 30’s Packard.  All I have is a few 5yr old pictures and a description. The seller has only offer a PO address, email and cell no.  The Packard is half way across the US and would cost me $3000 to personally go fetch it.  And I work 5-6 days a week.  Shipping would cost $1400.  Aside from flying out there and securing the title with a cashiers check and notary, what would be the best way to conduct the transaction without being scammed.  Should I request to see a photo of the seller’s drivers license and title.  Will the bank’s record of the cashed check protect me?  
 

I’m sure this comes up quite often among AACA members and am looking for a smart way to avoid a long haul.  Thanks for some ideas.

[Matt Harwood]

Don't let your desire for a great deal override your common sense. If it smells fishy...

[SC38dls]

5 year old pics, a description & a P O Box sounds like a possible scam. Get a picture with a current paper front page on the car. If you are using a bank that is nation wide see if they have a service that will check the title and the car I D numbers ( serial # as it was before VIN existed) before they hand over the check if not call a lawyer in the area. 
if you told us where the car and you are located you might find a member that will check it out for you. There are professional appraisal guys but they usually are not well talked about on this forum. 
dave s  

[Bloo]

If you can't go buy it and take possession of it in person, don't buy it.

[Fossil]

Seeing is believing. Anything less is a shot in the dark. 

 

[rodneybeauchamp]

When buying a ‘38 Buick interstate I asked the seller for some extra photos of the spotlight mountings and a few other weird obscure things. He complied easily so I was able to confirm he owned the car and was not “just photos” from the internet.

 

Also getting physical addresses is important also.

[pkhammer]

I'd ask for physical address and if it'd be ok for someone to come and inspect the car. Also ask for more photos of specific items as mentioned above. If seller won't comply then it's a scam.

[John_S_in_Penna]

9 hours ago, Bloo said:

If you can't go buy it and take possession of it in person, don't buy it.

That is excellent advice, but plenty of knowledgeable 

people have bought cars that they never saw.

 

One alternative:  Have someone else examine the car for you.

I don't mean an appraiser--people here have poor thoughts of

most appraisers--but a fellow hobbyist.  You could ask someone

here on this forum;  or contact a car-club member near the car

and pay for his time.  Someone who knows 1930's Packards

would be ideal;  so you could check with AACA members or

members of the Classic Car Club of America, or best of all,

members of Packard Automobile Classics.

 

Mr. Sandman, since you're new to the hobby, do you know

enough about the ownership of 1930's cars to jump into a

Packard?  That can be like a novice speedboat owner taking his boat

out into the ocean.  Packard's initial expense, the expense of repairs

(possibly tens of thousands of dollars), the search for parts,

the expertise needed for a car of that age may not be for beginners.

  Cars of the 1950's and up can be worked on more readily,

and many more mechanics have knowledge of them when you need it.

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

9 hours ago, SC38dls said:

5 year old pics, a description & a P O Box sounds like a possible scam. 

I'm inclined to be suspicious too.  Before having someone

see the car, or going out yourself, get current pictures that

you know are legitimate.  Get his address.  Maybe check in

the community to see that the seller is reputable.

 

9 hours ago, sandman64 said:

The Packard is half way across the US... Shipping would cost $1400.  

Shipping will cost more than that, probably $2000 or more

from a good company with an enclosed trailer.  You don't

want a nice car shipped open, exposed to the elements or

theft;  and don't use merely a broker who finds the cheapest

and questionable foreigner, with substandard equipment and

little knowledge of Packards.

[Akstraw]

I agree with all of the above, though I have purchased a number of cars sight unseen (but with many photos) and had them shipped.  The one factor that made me most comfortable each time was real-time phone discussions with the seller.  On the ones I bought, I came away from one or more phone calls feeling that I was talking with a true “car guy” who was being straight up with me.  On the ones I didn’t buy; well, you complete the sentence.  
 

This past winter I talked with two different sellers who arranged to put the car on a lift and then FaceTime with me, showing me anything I wanted to see.  So there are alternatives that are “the next best thing to being there.”  

[JACK M]

Take a day off, buy a plane ticket and rent a car.

Cheap insurance and a mini vacation.

If you are so glued to home how are you going to enjoy that new (old) car?

[Peter Gariepy]

BUY AND SELL

DON'T BE SCAMMED! BUYER BEWARE! Don't send money without real photos and a phone call! Please use common sense! REPORT SCAMMERS!

---

Buy and Sell Rules

DON'T BE SCAMMED! 

BUYER BEWARE!

Don't send money without real photos and a phone call!

Please use common sense!

REPORT SCAMMERS!

 

 

[TTR]

With all due respect to OP's (alleged) concerns, but how does this community know he (or she ?) is not another scammer fishing for information how to become better at it ?

I mean, just joined and only asking questions about "smart ways" to avoid scams and everyone is falling over each other to advise/help...

[Bloo]

36 minutes ago, TTR said:

With all due respect to OP's (alleged) concerns, but how does this community know he (or she ?) is not another scammer fishing for information how to become better at it ?

 We don't know.

 

17 hours ago, sandman64 said:

All I have is a few 5yr old pictures and a description. The seller has only offer a PO address, email and cell no.

No current pictures. No physical address. This is 99.98% a scam. People in this thread so far are being nice about it, on the 0.02% chance that the seller is a person not technically inclined, possibly older, possibly physically unable to do the things considered normal to sell a car today. I get that. It might be so, and my aunt Mavis might be an astronaut.

 

That could be sorted out by going to meet the seller, looking at the car, knowing ahead of time what combination of title, registration, and/or bill of sale constitutes legal ownership in the states or provinces involved, buying the car, loading it into a trailer or onto a slideback, and leaving with it.

 

What are you going to do otherwise? Send money to a post office box? Wire the money via Western Union to my long lost half-brother? You can trust him. He's royalty in Nigeria you know. Notice the giant bold type and multiple links in Peter's post above. Scams are pervasive on all car forums today. Peter has posted warnings all over. Nobody reads them. This subject comes up constantly AFTER another person gets scammed. Don't be a statistic.

 

[SC38dls]

Bloo - When is aunt Mavis  going to the moon? Will she be mission commander or just riding alone as a specialist doing experiments? 
dave s 

[60FlatTop]

I have purchased a few cars online without problems. I am cynical. That's one of the best weapons you can have against a scammer. I do not expect to get any more than I pay for. As part of the purchase I figure out how much I am willing to lose if the car does not meet my expectations. I use all my life's experience to read into the seller's language and have a pretty good feel for stereotypical traits I have seen in the past. There are certain language accents I will hang up on at the greeting. (You know the old game show where you recognize the song from the first note). I have heard the song.

I don't reply to "serious buyer only".

I don't waste any time of those asking not to have their time wasted.

I don't inquire when no price is listed or an offer is requested.

If a gas station in town sold gas for one tenth of a cent more than others I would buy all my gas there.

 

When I do pursue a car I work in my question list:

1. Do you own the car and have legal proof?

2 Is the paperwork clear and free of liens, unbranded?

3. How long have you owned the car?

4. Is the car currently licensed and insured?

5. Can it be driven on the road, legally, today?

6 Is the car in storage? If so, how long has it been stored?

7. How many miles did you drive it during the last 12 months?

8. Have you done any major work on the car since you have owned it?

9. What and when was the most recent service or repair?

10. If you decided to keep the car what improvement would you consider important?

If they don't have time for a few I don't have time for them.

 

In general sellers make poor presentations. Good ones stand out. I can say that I have bought cars that "did not meet my expectation". I sold those cars and did well by making a better and usually more honest sales presentation. Therefore I have never really regretted a purchase, just disappointed. And selling helped me get over that.

 

And remember what the old sailor said "When in doubt bail out."

 

 

[Bloo]

1 hour ago, 60FlatTop said:

I don't reply to "serious buyer only".

I don't waste any time of those asking not to have their time wasted.

I don't inquire when no price is listed or an offer is requested.

Yes. That cuts through most of the wild goose chases and cars that are not really for sale. FWIW the last time I went tire kicking, I went back a couple weeks later and bought the car.

 

1 hour ago, 60FlatTop said:

When I do pursue a car I work in my question list:

1. Do you own the car and have legal proof?

 

2 Is the paperwork clear and free of liens, unbranded?

 

3. How long have you owned the car?

 

4. Is the car currently licensed and insured?

 

5. Can it be driven on the road, legally, today?

 

6 Is the car in storage? If so, how long has it been stored?

 

7. How many miles did you drive it during the last 12 months?

 

8. Have you done any major work on the car since you have owned it?

 

9. What and when was the most recent service or repair?

 

10. If you decided to keep the car what improvement would you consider important?

That gets right to what is important. Good advice.

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by Bloo (see edit history)

[TTR]

Against my own better judgement, based on some comments since my last one and not much to do with OPs concerns, here's another $0.02.

First, I'm happy and keep busy with my cars, have a shop full of client projects + a long waiting* list, so I don't have time to waste on browsing for sale listings/offerings or tire kicking of random cars and currently have no interest in anything I could afford.

I'm not looking for any "deals" or something to "fix and flip".

 

Only times in recent years I've looked into acquisitions of any old cars have been very specific makes/models my clients or close friends have expressed interest in and asked my advise/assistance with willingness to compensate me if needed.

 

While I don't condone it, but if some random person I don't even know gets taken advantage or scammed, why should I care ?

Probably happens to millions of people everyday in all types of dealings, not just with old cars, and in most cases, they have but themselves to blame. 

 

* In last two days I've been approached by three different individuals with cars I'm quite familiar with, but I had to turn each one down because they just are too big of projects  for me take on anymore.

One sad thing is that each of these individuals are 20+ years older than me and each have owned their car(s) for decades and another sad thing is that I don't have anyone else I could recommend** for them either, so it's a fair chance none of them will see their prides and joys fully restored. 😢

 

** One of them asked if I'm familiar with the “fancy”(?) shop just about a mile down the road from mine and I told him not much more than that they went out of business over two years ago and if I recall correctly, even before the start of this pandemic, so nothing they could blame on it.

 

Unfortunately, couple of colleagues I could/would even consider recommending, both recently told me they’re fully booked for few years and not taking on new clients either.

Edited June 19, 2022 by TTR (see edit history)

[sandman64]

Thanks for all the great advise guys!😊 Lots of accumulated wisdom which I will mull over and make a decision.  Round trip plane ticket would cut risk and disappointment.  I posted this because a I had the unfortunate experience of loosing a 1962 MGA in the 70’s.  While in the Air Force, I had a mechanic rebuild the engine. I then headed off to California for flight training (boom operator).  But the engine had other ideas, it was seriously lacking power and overheating, and I limped into SaltLake city knowing I would never make it over the Sierra Nevadas.  When I returned to retrieve the car after training, a got a quizzical look and a reply that the ‘owner’ had already taken it. I presume it was parted out.😵 My uncle who was a Judge at the time, said there was not much recourse for me shy of taking up SL residence.  I have asked for a photo of the ‘patent date plate’ on the firewall, but from my research this will only confirm the model and production number.  The manufacturer’s serial number embossed on the firewall or the engine serial number hopefully will be on the title.  Otherwise, it might take awhile to link the title to the car. At any rate a title search is in order. As regards to ‘do I know what I’m getting into?’  I do have an engineering background; flight engineer w/degree, and have CLA ‘d a few 70’s Nikon camera and lens. The parts for engine, clutch and brakes are available at reasonable cost, and I have the time an temperament.😊

[SC38dls]

No one wants to be negative on this forum if at all possible to not be that way. The red flag to most of us is the PO Box address. To many have gotten burned for parts and cars and the majority of sales pitches with a PO Box address are scams. Just don’t send money before you are absolutely sure it is legitimate. You may want to check out the for sale forum here on the AACA site. Touch the top bar saying “General Discussion” until it says Home or Forums then slide down the list. Lots of nice cars for sale and you may find something you like more than this car. 
dave s 

[TAKerry]

Sandman, its a shame about the car that was 'stolen' from you. I hate to hear stories like that. Not that its any consolation but I have read more than a few times about guys sending their cars to a paint shop etc. only to find months down the road that the shop is closed and everything mia. 

To answer your original question the only way to protect yourself 100% is to get there in person. Next best thing is to find someone local that you can trust. There was a blip on this forum (pretty sure I read it here) that a guy buying long distance actually called the sheriff in the town to see if he could verify. Turns out the reply was positive and the guy bought the car which was way worse than described. The sheriff turned out to be related to the seller.  So, even that is risky. There are reputable dealers nationwide and through clubs and places like the AACA you should be able to find a great car that youre looking for. But the one you are speaking of has nothing but red flags to me.

[gossp]

I have seen that telling the seller that you are coming to see it in person and getting their reaction tells you everything you need to know. 

[Trulyvintage]

My last vehicle purchase was in December of 2021 off Facebook Marketplace.

I had a phone conversation with the Seller.

I arranged a Facetime call to do a cold start in real time and vehicle walk around.

I was there the next day to buy the vehicle with cash in hand.

 

Common Sense Dictates:

 

You Can't Have a " Con ' Without A " Mark ".

Don't Be A " Mark ".

 

If it sounds too good to be true - chances are it isn't as good as it seems.

 

You Get What You Pay For.

Sometimes You Don't Like What You Get.

 

If You End Up Getting Conned ....

 

Don't Blame The Con Artiste' ....

They are just doing their job.

Blame Yourself.

 

 

JIm

 

 

 

[Peter Gariepy]

On 6/18/2022 at 11:13 AM, TTR said:

With all due respect to OP's (alleged) concerns, but how does this community know he (or she ?) is not another scammer fishing for information how to become better at it ?

I mean, just joined and only asking questions about "smart ways" to avoid scams and everyone is falling over each other to advise/help...

 

Even if this was a fishing expectation by the original poster, common sense can not be superseded.

Can't sell something you don't have.  IE if you are a buyer VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY that the seller in fact processes and owns what he's selling, and its what you want to buy.

#1: GO SEE THE PART OR VEHICLE YOURSELF!  (can't get there? Then see #2-4, but... maybe you should consider NOT buying it!)

#2 HAVE SOMEONE YOU TRUST INSPECT IT FOR YOU.  (happens all the time on this forum)

#3 Additional photos, videos, FaceTime walk arounds, and phone calls all help verify the item and owner is real.

#4 Documentation goes a long way.  A photo of an actual title for example.  Or photo of a vehicle registration.  A vin number you can do a search on. The sellers full contract info.

 

*caveat emptor
the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

 

Bitching and moaning if you got scammed is proof YOU DIDN'T DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

 

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

 

 

[Billy Kingsley]

PO boxes are not scams. I've used my PO Box since 1995 or so, got tired of having my mail stolen out of the mailbox by the criminals that used to live down the street. So all important stuff got sent to the PO box. 

 

There are also places that don't have home delivery, if you want your mail you have to go into town and pick it up. My uncle was postmaster in one of those towns, just outside Peekskill NY. 

[Matt Harwood]

Yes PO boxes are legit but if you have a car to sell, the car isn't stored in a PO box. It has a physical location. If the seller won't share that location and make the car available for viewing, it should raise some eyebrows.

 

I figure that if the OP said to the seller that he was coming to inspect the car personally, there would be some song and dance routine about not being available to show it, or being in the military and deployed, or it's his elderly mom's car and she doesn't know how to open the barn door, or he's out on an oil rig, or it's already crated and ready for shipment and he can't uncrate it, or some BS like that. There are a million excuses, all designed to make a buyer send a deposit to lock up the deal of the century. Scammers aren't trying for one big car-sized score, they just collect $500 deposits from 20 suckers.

 

If it smells like BS, do you really need to taste it to be sure?

[Bloo]

54 minutes ago, Billy Kingsley said:

PO boxes are not scams. I've used my PO Box since 1995 or so, got tired of having my mail stolen out of the mailbox by the criminals that used to live down the street. So all important stuff got sent to the PO box. 

 

There are also places that don't have home delivery, if you want your mail you have to go into town and pick it up. My uncle was postmaster in one of those towns, just outside Peekskill NY. 

 

True enough. There are several towns in Washington like that still. It doesn't change anything. From the original post, we don't know if the seller has a Packard. We only know he has some 5 year old pictures of a Packard and a post office box.

 

The original poster says there are various reasons he can't go look. That is unfortunate. I would say either find a way to go look, or don't buy it. The seller should welcome that. Call me a cynic (which I am), but I don't expect the seller to welcome that. I expect some cock and bull story from the seller about how there are multiple people interested, and the original poster needs to transfer some funds right now to secure the sale. Why? because the seller probably doesn't have the car at all.

 

All this could be sorted out by going to look at the car. It would also sort out another possible issue, that being that if the seller does have the car, and paperwork proving he owns it, it's condition may not be the same as it was 5 years ago. If this is an honest seller, there should be no problem having a look. It's a shame the original poster can't.

 

[Peter Gariepy]

30 minutes ago, Bloo said:

 

True enough. There are several towns in Washington like that still. It doesn't change anything. From the original post, we don't know if the seller has a Packard. We only know he has some 5 year old pictures of a Packard and a post office box.

 

The original poster says there are various reasons he can't go look. That is unfortunate. I would say either find a way to go look, or don't buy it. The seller should welcome that. Call me a cynic (which I am), but I don't expect the seller to welcome that. I expect some cock and bull story from the seller about how there are multiple people interested, and the original poster needs to transfer some funds right now to secure the sale. Why? because the seller probably doesn't have the car at all.

 

All this could be sorted out by going to look at the car. It would also sort out another possible issue, that being that if the seller does have the car, and paperwork proving he owns it, it's condition may not be the same as it was 5 years ago. If this is an honest seller, there should be no problem having a look. It's a shame the original poster can't.

 

 

One of the benefits of this forum is reaching out to forum uses to look at a car for you.  It happens all the time.

[TTR]

10 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

Even if this was a fishing expectation by the original poster, common sense can not be superseded.

Can't sell something you don't have.  IE if you are a buyer VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY that the seller in fact processes and owns what he's selling, and its what you want to buy.

#1: GO SEE THE PART OR VEHICLE YOURSELF!  (can't get there? Then see #2-4, but... maybe you should consider NOT buying it!)

#2 HAVE SOMEONE YOU TRUST INSPECT IT FOR YOU.  (happens all the time on this forum)

#3 Additional photos, videos, FaceTime walk arounds, and phone calls all help verify the item and owner is real.

#4 Documentation goes a long way.  A photo of an actual title for example.  Or photo of a vehicle registration.  A vin number you can do a search on. The sellers full contract info.

 

*caveat emptor
the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

 

Bitching and moaning if you got scammed is proof YOU DIDN'T DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

 

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

 

 

While I fully agree with you, I’ve been involved with old cars over 40 years, restored dozens, worked on many more, owned 100+, bought/sold 1000+, some sight unseen from halfway around the world, but also seen countless people buying vehicles they never should’ve had and many have been scammed or taken advantage of due to their lack of willingness to do adequate due diligence or other stupidities, so excuse me if I can’t feel sorry for them all.

And let’s not forget old cars are far from only subject people get scammed for or taken advantage of every day, all around the world.

[kar3516]

In the past year I have purchased two 1937 Packard sedans from Craigslist ads with no phone number provided.  Both ads were lacking as to presentation and adequate information but responses via Craigslist emails with phone numbers and subsequent conversations with the respective 77 and 80 year old sellers gave me enough confidence to proceed.  The first car was absolutely everything I hoped and more.  The second wasn’t quite as good but well worth the asking price.  I also tried recently to purchase a high end enclosed trailer from a Craigslist ad; it was exactly what I had been looking for.  I told the seller via Craigslist email that I had a friend an hour away that would come inspect the trailer and verify title before I wired funds.  Crickets....

[Bryan G]

This thread brought to mind a neighbor of mine who had an image in his head of the car he wanted. He found one locally, some rust but mechanically sound and really not bad overall. But, he kept dreaming, and one day he shows up with an old Polaroid, and not a very good one (taken from 100' away.) Yeah, neighbor, might be okay, I dunno though. Well, he sent the $$$$ and before the rollback had even hit his driveway, he knew he'd been had. One thing, though, he actually DID get a vehicle. Which is more than you might get.

[SC38dls]

Sometimes there are other reasons for a bad ad. The 38 I bought (I did go see it) was in Hemmings for 3 months with one very bad picture from 20 feet away showing the front of the car only in a dark barn. After going to see 2 cars, I lived in KY one was in VanCouver and one in NJ, this was a half days drive from home. I decided to call the number. I asked the owner to send me a couple more pics and a better description. I got the description but no pics so I was about to write it off. I called just to be sure he knew how to send the pics, but got his wife instead. She said she would send them while we were talking as her husband was out. Got the pics and told her I would like to see it that weekend. No problem come on up and if you like it I’ll reduce the price by $3,000 as we need to sell it asap. I got there and they met me, he wasn’t to happy but she was the boss. 
When we went for a ride he told me he didn’t want to sell it but she wanted her car in the garage and he didn’t want his 1932 dual cowl packard that was restored to be outside while he worked on the Studebaker. It was stored in a friends barn. I bought the car right away.
The follow up is the important part, go see it or have someone you trust go see it. If that’s not possible get a picture showing the serial number both on the car and on the title, especially if it is a PO Box only. Yes I took the discount. 
dave s 

[Akstraw]

I like the list of questions from 60FlatTop.  I would add one more; “Why are you selling the car?”  With most honest car guys, this one question will bring out the seller’s entire history with the car.  A curt answer with no details would be a warning sign to me.

[Bryan G]

10 hours ago, Akstraw said:

I like the list of questions from 60FlatTop.  I would add one more; “Why are you selling the car?”  With most honest car guys, this one question will bring out the seller’s entire history with the car.  A curt answer with no details would be a warning sign to me.

I'm a quiet guy, generally, but ask me that question and it's hard to shut me up! I've had that happen a few times now. Let me talk and you'll hear the name of the dealer who sold it new, why I bought the wheel cylinders from the place I did, the best stations to hear on the original AM radio...

[MarkV]

I just sold my 82 imperial (not the Sinatra) to a gentleman in Washington state. He was weary of a distance transaction and so was I but here is how we did it:

 

1. I sent all the photo and video. I even did a live video call with the car and dated photos and video.

 

2. I sent photos of the records

 

3. answered any questions

 

4. he wired me the money

 

5. upon receipt I fedexed the title, records and one set of keys to him.

 

6. it took 6 weeks for a car carrier but I let him know the car belonged to him and he had to have it insured

 

7. car carrier picked up (someone along the way attempted to steal the car and drilled the gas tank and broke the steering wheel and damaged the starter) thankfully he has insurance. I had video of the car dated and timed to the last second it was loaded and I gave it to him as part of the evidence for the insurance company

 

he told me I described the car to a T and is very happy. But why? Because I kept in nightly contact and was transparent about the car.

 

he is now buying more parts from me for the car! So it was a good transaction (carrier issues aside).

 

if anyone does any less than this you need to walk.

[TTR]

15 hours ago, MarkV said:

 car carrier picked up (someone along the way attempted to steal the car and drilled the gas tank and broke the steering wheel and damaged the starter)

See kids, here's another good reason (or two) why one shouldn't contract cheapest transporters.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to learn the driver of this rig had eastern European, or more specifically, Russian-language influenced accent.
Seems to be pretty common in that industry nowadays.

Edited June 22, 2022 by TTR (see edit history)

[MarkV]

5 hours ago, TTR said:

See kids, here's another good reason (or two) why one shouldn't contract cheapest transporters.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to learn the driver of this rig had eastern European, or more specifically, Russian-language influenced accent.
Seems to be pretty common in that industry nowadays.

then it would have been easy to steal the car as they had the key!

 

I think we have a crime syndicate patrolling these corridors where a car transporter may stop and stay overnight. I think with everything unraveling it will get worse.

 

but who would think anyone would be interested in my little imperial? Seriously! 

[TTR]

15 hours ago, Bills Auto Works said:

Unfortunately there are a lot of "Bottom Feeders" in my industry & it really pisses me off because they make the good ones look bad!

 

God Bless

Bill

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nationwide-single-car-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

I wholeheartedly agree and know it’s not much of a consolation, but these “Bottom Feeders” are quite common in all service industries, including mine, i.e. restoration, and the reason is simply because the consumers prefer to focus on perceived savings (a.k.a. being cheap) rather than quality. 
Examples of this “being cheap” are far more common than many realize, but how else would all these “Bottom Feeders” exist & thrive ?

 

 

[TTR]

16 hours ago, MarkV said:

I think we have a crime syndicate patrolling these corridors where a car transporter may stop and stay overnight. 

While some of this ^^ is (more than) likely true, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fuel tank drainage was done by some junkie (due to easy access on an open trailer) and busted steering wheel & starter was caused by careless loading/unloading personnel.

Like the saying goes “You get what you pay for”.

 

16 hours ago, MarkV said:

but who would think anyone would be interested in my little imperial? Seriously! 

Why do criminals or junkies steal (or scam) anything ? 
Catalytic converters, fire hydrants or whatever you can think of… ?

Edited June 23, 2022 by TTR (see edit history)

[MarkV]

19 minutes ago, TTR said:

While some of this ^^ is (more than) likely true, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fuel tank drainage was done by some junkie (due to easy access on an open trailer) and busted steering wheel & starter was caused by careless loading/unloading personnel.

Like the saying goes “You get what you pay for”.

 

Why do criminals or junkies steal (or scam) anything ? 
Catalytic converters, fire hydrants or whatever you can think of… ?

Apparently the starters wires were crossed

 

the steering wheel lock was broken and the ignition was as well