Page 79 - Issue 44

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Finding the proper new home can be tricky. I think some diligence here is required.
The weight of needing to sell something you When it fi nally comes to selling, do you
have poured part of your automotive life in can make a deal with someone you know? A relative
be heavy. The gravity increases that weight even? The lasting question you need to answer
when you’ve fi nally made the decision and the fi rst is this: can you handle seeing what they
task turns to fi nding a new home, a good home will do to your old ride even though it’s not
for your ride. The questions are many: are they yours any longer? Selling to a friend/relative
going to take care of your ride like as much as might give you a certain sense of calm, peace,
you did? Do they plan to drive it in the winter contentedness, but I have seen more go wrong
salt? Are they going to let their seventeen-year- in similar scenarios than right. Maybe you had
old child ever be in possession of the keys alone three friends become possible buyers eyeing
(or worse, with a group of friends)? You can up your vehicle. You are forced to decide on
one. Do you want to be in this situation? I get it
When it fi nally though…when life is a little nicer to you and your
bank account has a little extra cash, the chances
comes to selling, do of buying something back are better when you

you make a deal with know where it went.
One fi nal point: the popular car shows on
someone you know? cable that specialize in buying and fl ipping cars
don’t sit well with me. A common storyline will
A relative even? The go something like this: the buyer (the show’s
host) will get a tip on a classic vehicle for sale
lasting question you in a small town they just happen to be driving

need to answer fi rst through. Their home offi ce will set up a meeting
with the owner and have cash in hand. The host
is this ... will listen to the owner tell about the car and
how long they had it, what work they did to
it and how much they would like to get for it.
The host then proceeds to talk them down to
already feel the regret setting in even before you as cheap a price as possible before the deal is
have handed over the title to the new owner. eventually made. Then the new owner already
This feeling is normal but can be magnifi ed when has it sold for a nice profi t before the next
forced to sell to someone less than ideal. commercial break. I wonder what the original
I know I am not the only rodder that feels owner feels like when they watch that episode?
this way. It warms my heart to see a vehicle I don’t have an issue with someone buying
for sale with a set of criteria a prospective and selling a car, but when you can see how
owner must meet even before a test drive can much that car meant to the previous owner, it
be scheduled. Often the current owner will has to be treated like more than just a hunk of
want to make sure the future owner will have iron exchanged in a business transaction. A car
ample garage space, some basic mechanical has a soul. A car is your constant companion,
know-how or at least an appreciation of the getting you to where you need to go and home
history carried by those four wheels and tires. again. If many consider their pets to be their
It shouldn’t be as hard as fi nding a spouse, but children, why can’t your car be one, too?

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