I was browsing Craigslist for the GFs daughter this weekend. Up popped a diamond in the rough. A 2000 Limited with 98,000 miles and rear locker. Listed for $5,800. I show the GF and said something has to be wrong with it at that price. Ad read typical- everything was good on it. The ad was only up for about 2 hours so we contacted the seller hoping we were the first ones of the day to reach him.
He said the car was available so we made an appointment to check it out. We rearranged some Sunday plans and headed down there. On the way down there I was saying something has to be wrong for that price and those miles. If there wasn't anything wrong I was going to buy it and sell her daughter mine since I drive a lot more than she does and I know mine is reliable.
We get there and the guy already has a story. He's only had it for a couple months since the shop he worked at bought it off a lady. He doesn't need the suv because it's too big for his needs....It was originally from Ohio.... It was a 2 owner car. Right away I am thinking he is selling this car for his "shop" he "works at" and there are too many red flags already.
I check underneath before even looking inside. Frame looks pretty rotted. I check the rear mounts (rear control arms?) and they look separated. I don't see any rust though? Check the other side and same thing. Middle of the frame seems pretty rotted too. I tell the guy seems like a lot of rust. He tells me it's just surface rust. I check mine and there's a solid weld at the rear brackets. I check this car again and notice they have a PIECE OF PLATE STEEL WELDED IN PLACE HOLDING IT ALL TOGETHER!! They spray painted the whole underside and hitch with black paint so it looked like it was clean! That explains why I had a hard time seeing any orange. I didn't even double check the driver side but I don't think it had any repair yet on that side despite the welds missing.
I tell this guy that the frames been repaired and we aren't interested. He acts surprised and I point it out to him. He still tries to sell me car even after I point out that the car is good for the junk yard!
Total scammer. He knew full well what he was selling and some poor person will buy the car thinking they are getting a great deal and be rolling around in a death trap. The post is no longer up so either it was flagged enough or he did sell it.
Future buyers, always check the frame first!
He said the car was available so we made an appointment to check it out. We rearranged some Sunday plans and headed down there. On the way down there I was saying something has to be wrong for that price and those miles. If there wasn't anything wrong I was going to buy it and sell her daughter mine since I drive a lot more than she does and I know mine is reliable.
We get there and the guy already has a story. He's only had it for a couple months since the shop he worked at bought it off a lady. He doesn't need the suv because it's too big for his needs....It was originally from Ohio.... It was a 2 owner car. Right away I am thinking he is selling this car for his "shop" he "works at" and there are too many red flags already.
I check underneath before even looking inside. Frame looks pretty rotted. I check the rear mounts (rear control arms?) and they look separated. I don't see any rust though? Check the other side and same thing. Middle of the frame seems pretty rotted too. I tell the guy seems like a lot of rust. He tells me it's just surface rust. I check mine and there's a solid weld at the rear brackets. I check this car again and notice they have a PIECE OF PLATE STEEL WELDED IN PLACE HOLDING IT ALL TOGETHER!! They spray painted the whole underside and hitch with black paint so it looked like it was clean! That explains why I had a hard time seeing any orange. I didn't even double check the driver side but I don't think it had any repair yet on that side despite the welds missing.
I tell this guy that the frames been repaired and we aren't interested. He acts surprised and I point it out to him. He still tries to sell me car even after I point out that the car is good for the junk yard!
Total scammer. He knew full well what he was selling and some poor person will buy the car thinking they are getting a great deal and be rolling around in a death trap. The post is no longer up so either it was flagged enough or he did sell it.
Future buyers, always check the frame first!
