The Conservative Cave

Interests => Around the House & In the Garage => Topic started by: franksolich on July 19, 2014, 02:17:10 PM

Title: good price or not?
Post by: franksolich on July 19, 2014, 02:17:10 PM
I decided to get a disposable deer-hunting vehicle.

1988 Chrysler mini-van, 186,000 miles on it, excellent body--no rust, no dents--nearly new tires, needs: new battery, new tie-rod on one side, oil change.

It's from a mechanic's stockpile.  It'd been used in a $5 [sic] drive-off from a self-service gasoline pump, and when the state patrol nabbed the guy, it was parked at the mechanic's place.  That was, like, two years ago.  The previous owner never came back to pay storage fees and claim the vehicle, and so the title passed on to the mechanic.

The mechanic wants $400, and then whatever replacing the battery, the tie-rod, and oil costs.

The mechanic's a younger guy but with a long-established excellent business reputation.

Good price or not?
Title: Re: good price or not?
Post by: marv on July 19, 2014, 02:24:25 PM
Sounds like a good price given your description - if you hunt for venison at the local meat market. But maybe you could buy it, and then trade it for a PU.
Title: Re: good price or not?
Post by: franksolich on August 16, 2014, 07:35:55 PM
This is what I ended up buying last night (Friday night), for $700:

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/august/1998_Oldsmobile_Intrigue-2_zps9bbf4c8b.jpg) (http://s1100.photobucket.com/user/Eferrari/media/august/1998_Oldsmobile_Intrigue-2_zps9bbf4c8b.jpg.html)

1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue, exactly as pictured, and exactly that color.

It's a really nice car--the only exterior damage being a few dings from a hellacious hail storm this area had in June--with 188,000 miles on it.

It belonged to the wife of a truck-driver, who suddenly decided she preferred a van.

People keep motor vehicles out here, and yes, I use those too, but I needed my own for use during deer season (which for me is 12 months a year, after dark every day).

It's been inspected and tested by my regular mechanic; the previous owner had just installed new struts and new tires, and the mechanic says he can't see any current problems.  Apparently the truck driver used to do all the maintenance himself.
Title: Re: good price or not?
Post by: Chris_ on August 16, 2014, 07:39:27 PM
Looks like a good find.  You can't beat the price.
Title: Re: good price or not?
Post by: franksolich on September 12, 2014, 10:15:54 PM
<<<had the serpentine belt and water pump replaced today (Friday).
Title: Re: good price or not?
Post by: JohnnyReb on September 13, 2014, 07:40:34 AM
Quote from: franksolich on September 12, 2014, 10:15:54 PM
<<<had the serpentine belt and water pump replaced today (Friday).
Gotta do that to the son's new ('93) pickup today if it stops raining.....I'm a shade tree mechanic. :-)