What Should I do?????

A while back I sold an old original-condition barn find 50's Chevy sedan to an acquatence from a car club. I never did much with the car, and only drove it only a couple blocks due to no coolant & no poor/no brakes, running off a lawnmower tank. Seemed like a not-too-bad-car. After that it sat a bit before I sold it to the fellow. I described it as such, and sold it as-is where-is. He had it hauled quite a distance to his place.

Well, the fellow has started working on the car to make it a driver and he found the transmisson broken inside and states the engine will only run on a couple cylenders. The fellow has not made any complaint or request, but I kinda feel bad for him about the car. I consider this fellow a buddy and don't want this car to make things rotten.

Physically its not possible to go get it back from him due to distance, and I don't have anymore spare parts to give him (this Chevy was the odd one out - I have Studebakers). During the months that have p***ed since he bought and paid for the car, of course I've spent the money I got for it.

Whats all you guys thoughts.... should I to go buy an engine and transmission for the guy or should I just give him the money back (that I don't have) or what???? I feel in an odd position.

Kent

 

If he was aware (before he bought the car) that you never drove it much more than a couple of blocks, then he should have no real issues unless you told him or implied that the car was in 'driving' condition.
Ultimately to keep peace in the friend ship, you both may want to compromise. Giving him back all of the money he paid for a projuect car that needs more than he realized is unreasonable, but perhaps a partial reimbur*****t in cash or parts to help the project may relieve some tension between the two of you.

 

If it was a complete solid car that he gave you little or nothing for I say no worries. That would make up for the mechanicals in my book.

Now if he payed you serious coin for a clunker you presented as a good car - bad on you. But you said you were upfront with him so again I say no worries.

Also how long ago did he take ownership?

 

what kind of car guy is this guy, tell him to stop crying and go get another engine and trans. everyone rips them out to get 350 350s, and they can be bought very cheap and almost every state! so tell him to take care of his OWN car and get on the hamb and buy himself a cheap motor.

PS i see yer in michigan.... i could take you to a junk yard with a bout 5 or 6 of those cars...

 

-If you really do feel bad, and think it will tweak your friendship, maybe you could use your resources to help find him a take-out engine and ******. I agree, due to short-sighted people throwing in 350/350's and such-the price should be minimal... Then offer to pay half of the cost of the clunker engine and ******. I don't think that you morally owe him anything, but if it will help you sleep at night, what's a few hundred bucks or so?? -Tony B.

 

When YOU drove it, did it hit on all cylinders? The trans work? If yes, he's ****ed something up, is ********ing you, or the shipper broke it. If the answer is NO to those 2 questions, you owe him money if you lead on that all was good, when in fact it was not. PS- i think his saying it only runs on a couple cylinders would send up a red flag with me. Sounds like BS right from the git. I could see a couple BAD ones, but it only runs on a couple?

 

In my opinion it depends on how you represented the car. If it was truthful, its OK, sometimes stuff happens. Ultimately your conscience is your guide. If you intentionally deceived him and your conscience is getting you, refund what is appropriate. If is is not intentional deceit, well then thats the way it goes with old cars sometimes.

 

Consider how much he paid you for it. Did he pay closer to the price of a "roller " or "driver"?

 

To asnwer some questions, the price paid was "roller-project car" price, NOT "driver" price.

It ran smoothly on six cyls, and I drove it about a block and back again. Never drove it more then that due to the bad cooling system. He was told that. I told him something like this: "its a nice solid car, with 47 K original miles, but don't expect to put a battery in it and drive it across country, it needs work"

Kent

 

Do what you can to keep the friendship, but you really don't owe him anything. You didn't know those things were wrong with it, and he should know that a 50+ year old barn find is bound to need alot of work. That's common knowledge.

 

Don't know anything about this particular car. I bought a Oliver tractor grille from you. It was described as such and when I came to pick it up , sure enough it was. It was as expected after being subjected to 30-40 years of farm use and I realized it was lucky to have survived. Did it look like it did in 1948 when it was new? NO, if it had you would have asked more and I would have expected to pay more. If ,when I use it and I find a dent I hadn't seen before I promise I won't call you and complain. I don't think you owe the guy anything but your conscience might say different.

Frank

 

If you feel an obligation to help him out, maybe post up a want ad here for a 235 and a ****** that are local to your friend. I sold mine with a powerglide for $100...there are tons of 'em around 'cause they came in so many models for many years and they're fairly easy to swap out. It'd be a cool gesture, IMO.

Bryan

 

If you sold it "as is",you owe nothing.Although you feel bad,offering refund of any kind,might make him wonder if you did have more previous knowledge of the problems.Just a thought.

 

Sounds like a little buyers remourse. Unless you sold it with a warranty, or misrepresented it, sleep well.

 

Hey, it's an old car, besides...**** breaks on old cars...dontcha know that!
Ask Kustom7777...he bought a REALLY nice 53 Chevy, extremely clean. On his first long journey with it, to my shop, he blew out a big chunk of engine block. The rod let loose on a "supposedly" rebuilt engine, with almost no miles on the rebuild. That kind of stuff sometimes happens.
Oh, yeah...and when we put in another stovebolt he bought that was "recently" rebuilt, it did not start, NO compression in 3 cylinders, and very little in the other 3. Ask him about THAT fiasco!

 

There was a "good running" 235 W/ aluminum PG trans on the MI Craigslist a day or so ago. IIRC, it was $275.00... -Betruger-

 

A fifty year old used car has no warranty.

 

HOW FAR AWAY IS HE? i have a 216 if you need it to make him happy.

 

My thoughts exactly. I do know where there is a recently rebuilt 235 with powerglide in N.Ohio for $500 if that helps.

 

Its funny when a friend of mine posted a bad buying experience and thought he got screwed everybody on here said he was stupid,should have checked it better,deserved it because he didnt look at it enough plus some real ****ty comments,so as far as I am concerned it should apply to everybody friend or not but if you feel that bad about it,do like they said above and compromise with him for the sake of friendship.

 

I don't think you owe him anything but friends are harder to come by than cars. Ask him straight up what would make him comfortable with the deal.