HOW DO I BUY A CAR AT SWAP MEET?

[LEFTY2]

I?m new to this forum, and relatively new to this hobby. A little extra money has come my way recently. I plan to visit the large swap meet in Portland, Oregon April 13,14,15? That would be Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hoping to find a car I would be proud to own.

I am completely at a loss as to how one buys a car at a swap meet? Do I bring cash? I am prepared to spend 10 to 15 Thousand Dollars. I would not feel comfortable carrying that much cash. Would one leave cash deposit with a perfect stranger and arrange to pay balance on Monday? It would seem to me that whether they were local or from out of town could be a factor. I live in Portland. I would like to hear from any one that has purchased a car at a swap meet and how it worked for them? Any Advise will be greatly appreciated.

[Peter Gariepy]

Its as much up to you as it is the seller.

I would never suggest having 1000s of dollars on you.

If possible simply take the seller to the bank and have a certified check cut. While your at it, have him transfer the title, the bank will have a notary.

Also, consider a personal check. If you are in the same town as the seller many times they will accept one.

Just my thoughts.

Peter

[Mark Shaw]

Usually a mutually agreed deposit amount can be reached to hold the vehicle until bank arrangements can be made. Just get there early and be prepared to make a decision to buy early. Many cars are sold before the swap begins. It pays to have a vendor badge.

[Guest BJM]

One thing to consider is that they are coming to your town with the car so you won't have to travel. I am assuming you are buying a nice, running driving car. If not, then the vehicles usually come to the meet on a trailer and probably the seller would drop off at your place on that same trailer.

At a swap meet you can walk around the car as much as you like, etc. Typically I have seen overpriced cars sit there all 3 days and if you notice that, on a car you like, then a deal can be had usually on that 3rd day. However, note the comments for the Chickasaw event on this same forum, the cars seem to being selling like hotcakes.

I wouldn't "come determined" to buy but just to look. If you come determined then emotions take over, you'll pay too much for less of a car. IMO I would narrow your focus on what you want, do the research through periodicals on ebay etc then get a car.

[Oxnard Montalvo]

Get there early and bring $500 cash. If you find something you want you can place a deposit and make arrangements with the seller for final payment.

Wear old clothes so you can lie on your back and look for rust on the undercarriage of any prospects. Look at the floors, frame, quarter panels and rockers. Look everywhere. A car may appear perfect topside and be a total rust bucket underneath. Bring a flashlight. A magnet wouldn't hurt either, you can touch it to the body and detect filler. Wrap it in electrical tape so you won't scratch the paint. RUST IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE. Mechanical defects are relatively easy to fix, rusted out areas are very expensive to repair and even then aren't always sound.

Bring a knowledgeable friend to bounce things off of.

Good luck.

[tbirdman]

Being an annual visitor of the Portland Swap meet, most of the prices I see on the cars are way out of whack, though it's surpisingly you can find some good looking cars in the 7-15K range. So if you have a car/model you are looking for, it pays to do some research. If you go with the intention of buying whatever suits your fancy, you may overpay.

[alsancle]

My one piece of advice is to not buy anything right now. Take some time and cruise the forums and go to some shows, chat people up and get a lay of the land. There is a lot of subtleties going on around how cars are valued and getting a good one at the correct price is not easy.

A.J.

[1937hd45]

It would be helpful to know what you plan to buy, or what era you are interested in.

[Rusty_OToole]

Happens I bought one (a 1951 DeSoto Custom club coupe) at Barrie Flea Market last fall. Here is how I did it.

1) Don't even plan on going. Call a friend at the last minute. Find out he has to work Saturday so decide to go on Sunday (last day of a Thurs to Sun event).

2) Take $100 for mad money. Drive up and arrive around 10:00 am. Peruse around the place for a couple of hours, buy some old brochures and magazines. When you don't see anything interesting, go back to the car and wait for your friend.

3) After reading old brochures and magazines for an hour and a half, go looking for a cold drink and possibly your friend.

4) Spot a cool car with the price in the window, $4500 slashed out followed by $3500, $2500, make offer.

5) When you can't find the owner ask the lady at the next booth. After a couple of hours of talking you finally get out of her, that the owner is her husband's buddy. He towed the car in with his Suburban, then the Suburban broke down. Buddy and husband are out trying to get the Suburban fixed and should be back any minute.

6) Hang around for a couple of hours. When you get tired, open the door and sit in the car. When the guy from the booth on the other side comes over to see what's up explain that you are waiting for the owner because you want to buy the car. The guy will explain that he is the owner's father and has the authority to sell the car. Somehow the lady forgot to mention this, although she told you everything else under the sun. And the old man did not notice you standing around for 2 hours.

7) Offer $2000 and have him accept almost before the words are out of your mouth. Give him a $60 deposit, all the cash you have left.

8) Go back to the car, find your friend waiting. Borrow all his loose jack. Drive around to 3 or 4 cash machines and get the rest of the cash you need.

9) Go back and pay for the car. Call the Auto Club, wait for 20 minutes until the tow truck arrives. Have the car towed home for free. The tow truck driver remarks that the normal charge would be $700.

Drive home, get home about 10 PM and help unload the car in your driveway.

I'm not saying this will work for everybody but that's the way I did it.

[A by the sea]

How much money are you prepared to lose??

You are going to a show with no experience and no research and you are ready to drop $15K. Man are you ready for a ride, bend over and enjoy.

Many of the cars at the shows for sale are poorly done and significantly over priced. I can go on with the people I have run across that have bought cars for premium bucks and found significant and costly repairs. I know one guy that bought from a 'professional' restorer at premium buck a car that needed another $7000 to make safe to drive. Plus the car was just not correct in details.

I am sorry, but you are just asking to waste a large amount of money.

Do some research and learn about a type of car you like. Then go and drive some and talk to the guys who drive thousands of miles a year in that car to find out how they should drive and what to look for in a car.

Good luck.

[Pontiac59]

Treat it just like any other used car purchase from a private owner. Make a deposit pending having the car inspected by a knowledgeable mechanic. Someone versed in that particular era or make would also be helpful if you want to be sure the car is correct.

Or better yet, put $10,000 in the bank, buy a $2000 or under running car, spend a little fixing it up, and enjoy it while you get your feet wet in the hobby. It should be possible to buy a late 50's or early 60's V8 powered 4dr sedan that you can drive right away for less than $5000. I bought a running '50 Chevy last year for $200 from a guy who walked up to me at a show and asked if I knew anyone who wanted to buy one. If you're not fussy on the make it should be fairly easy to locate a good deal.

Heck my friend here in NY has a '55 Chrysler New Yorker 4dr with the Hemi, runs, goes, should have the brakes gone through and needs a paint job, but $3500 would take it.

The point though is to get something you can enjoy and won't lose your shirt on if it turns out to be a piece of junk that needs a bunch of stuff rebuilt on it.

[LEFTY2]

Thanks everyone for some very good advice. I have had a few ?maybe? Classic or Special Interest cars in the past. I know they all need work or at least a lot of TLC.

Last year I bought a car on EBAY, I knew needed work. Although it drives it needs a complete restoration. I decided that was not what I wanted to spend my time on. I am looking for a car that is a daily driver that Just needs a little TLC.

I have 3 or 4 makes & models that I have a fondness for. I will take a friend and if we spot one, we will look it over carefully, and buy only if the price is right.