Took the Beater for a Test Drive
Called the guy yesterday and asked if I could take the beater for a test drive. Without hesitation, he says sure. I arrive at the place; he has some lady's car up on the lift. The lady takes one look at me and yells, "Hellloooo! I haven't seen YOU in a while!" Have no idea who this woman is. She looks and sounds like any number of women around here. Ugh! I just want a key and take the car out, but no, I have to hear out this lady, whom I may have met 20 years ago, go on about how great this guy is with her car and blah blah blah...never do get to say much with these folks. Mr. Fixit keeps hammering on something around her rear wheel. Each time my eyes jump. Finally, he gives me the key.
Car unlocks okay, good. Power adjusting seat works, good. Turn it on, starts right up. Probably a quarter inch of gas in the bottom of the tank though, the warning light is on. Put it in gear and hit the gas. The valves knock and clatter up the bank to the road. Car shudders when I stop but keeps running. Wonderful. Turn onto the main road, the back wheel is making a high-pitched grinding noise. Mr. Sunshine says it's rusty brakes; he'll clean off the rotors when I buy the car. Certainly can't be a bad wheel bearing. Mr. Honest would tell me that, yeah? Even though when he talks to me, he sounds exactly like my husband used to, mostly full of c-r-a-p. Drive the thing up the long steep hill near my house and onto the straightaway, worried I will run out of gas. It does OK, better than my present car. Wish I could have driven it with some fresh gas in it though.
I come back and he says it will probably need a timing belt. Of course. I can see the cha-ching in his sparkly little eyes. That, and a wheel bearing, the list grows. Rusty brakes. Sounds like the time the tires were squealing on our minivan, and my husband tried to convince me it was because they were the kind that required less air than regular tires. I went to a service station to put air in them. The guy at the garage came out and did it for me. He was shocked! Absolutely shocked! That I was driving around with only ten pounds of air in my tires. I told him exactly what my husband said. The guy was getting ready to scold me until I told him that. He turned it around then and acted like there was nothing at all unusual about it.
Haven't made a decision about the beater yet. Maybe shop around a little more. Look for a beater with a new timing belt, no rusty brakes.
Car unlocks okay, good. Power adjusting seat works, good. Turn it on, starts right up. Probably a quarter inch of gas in the bottom of the tank though, the warning light is on. Put it in gear and hit the gas. The valves knock and clatter up the bank to the road. Car shudders when I stop but keeps running. Wonderful. Turn onto the main road, the back wheel is making a high-pitched grinding noise. Mr. Sunshine says it's rusty brakes; he'll clean off the rotors when I buy the car. Certainly can't be a bad wheel bearing. Mr. Honest would tell me that, yeah? Even though when he talks to me, he sounds exactly like my husband used to, mostly full of c-r-a-p. Drive the thing up the long steep hill near my house and onto the straightaway, worried I will run out of gas. It does OK, better than my present car. Wish I could have driven it with some fresh gas in it though.
I come back and he says it will probably need a timing belt. Of course. I can see the cha-ching in his sparkly little eyes. That, and a wheel bearing, the list grows. Rusty brakes. Sounds like the time the tires were squealing on our minivan, and my husband tried to convince me it was because they were the kind that required less air than regular tires. I went to a service station to put air in them. The guy at the garage came out and did it for me. He was shocked! Absolutely shocked! That I was driving around with only ten pounds of air in my tires. I told him exactly what my husband said. The guy was getting ready to scold me until I told him that. He turned it around then and acted like there was nothing at all unusual about it.
Haven't made a decision about the beater yet. Maybe shop around a little more. Look for a beater with a new timing belt, no rusty brakes.
Replies
Ah, the beauty of cars. At least he didn\'t give you the little old lady and church thing. The clatter could be the bad fumes in the tank, or a bunch of squirrels running for dear life. I think you\'re right about the rear wheel. Maybe a little more looking around is in order. Good luck, it will turn up!
Good luck, but it doesn\'t sound like a good deal to me. Of course, I know nothing about cars. Do you have someone to come with you? Sharon
There are great cars online in your town look online too! Dont buy rusty clattery clap trap!
As a lifetime New Yorker, I don\'t even have a driver\'s license. But for a few years in my teens I lived in PA, between Wilkes-Barre & Scranton, on the side of a mountain, and I needed a car there.
I don\'t know if this helps, but the brother of a very good friend sells used cars in Norfolk, VA. I trust him. DM me if you want more info. His name is Joe Longobardi, and the web site is http://www.hajjiswholesale.com Joe is a great guy, a Wounded Warrior, he just had one leg amputated below the knee.