MGB 1974 MGB in Florida

[19MGA60]

Good Evening! Please look at the post in the classified for the 1974 MGB for sale in the Orlando area. Al has this 1974 MGB for sale. It has been in a garage for 9 or 10 years, never started etc.. Before parking this car he had it painted and several things were done to the car. Based on the fact that the car had been sitting for 9 to 10 years I made an offer of $500. This seems to have upset Al as he wants at least $3000 and would really like $4600. I thought and please please let me know if I was rude that a 1974 not running or moving for 9 to 10 years is really not worth alot. Maybe 500 to $1000. He thinks because i couldn't get his pictures to load that it would have change my mind. I really think and correct me if I'm wrong that once you hear the car hasn't moved in 9 plus years you can pretty much figure that the car is going to need alot. If I have been rude in any way please let me know and I will apologize. I was trying to help Al get the most from his car by letting him know that if he wanted $4600, the car needs to be running and drivable.

Thanks, Tom

 

[jaybird]

Well, I agree, for $4600 the car should be running and drivable, or in excellent condition otherwise. But I'm not an expert on Bs like many here. I know I gave $4000 (5 months ago) for my '74 1/2 and it runs and looks great. Not showroom, but very clean and well kept.

I'm sure someone else here will have a better idea of price, but it's hard without pictures too.

 

[Bruce Bowker]

You aren't rude. You made an offer. It was refused. Happens every day.

Bruce

 

[Nunyas]

let him keep wanting... Considering the car used to be BRG (according to the original post) I'm willing to bet the new color hasn't been applied to ALL parts of the car and you'll see green all over the place when you start popping bonnets and doors (they at least squirted the inside of the trunk). I've looked at the pictures half of them are too blurry to make out any details, and there are no detailed pictures of those 'crucial' areas that people tell you to check for rust (e.g. the dog legs). That "expensive" paint job doesn't even come close to the quality of paint on aerog's or jerryrosa's cars. The little bit of the exhuast that you can see sticking out the rear of the car is completely rusted. The dash looks like it has one of those plastic "dash caps" on it (mine has one so I'm familiar with the appearance, although I could be wrong) to cover a cracking pad. The package tray behind the seats that the battery cover mounts to has surface rust clearly visible in the pictures. So, I'd question the presence of rust around the other parts of the car not pictured. Plenty of over spray on the tires and the hub of the spokes appear to have been spray painted with black paint, but no rust visible in the 2 pictures of wheels and tires (except maybe the spare). I'm no expert on spoke wheels but they seem to be ok. Steering wheel has had a tan wrap of some sort applied to it (unless MG's shipped with black interiors but tan steering wheels?). Passenger side door mirror is busted. Vinyl soft top appears to have grayed and the windows are discolored, but that's expected for a 10 y.o. part I guess. There's a few other minor things like a broken antennae, missing under dash pads, etc.

You can get a 'B that "looks" just as good as his that RUNS and is drivable for the price he wants for his, I wouldn't buy it. I think your offer was a fair offer considering what you knew when you made the offer. He didn't like the offer; that's his problem, not yours. I think he came to the wrong place to try and pawn his car off for a price that better ones can be purchased.

that's just my opinion on the situation...

 

[rulle7]

Tom,
I just read the thread in the classifieds forum.
Not sure what the seller is ranting about, no reason to be rude while saying no to an offer.
You're not the one being rude, Tom. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[Moose33]

Geez... I was going to post some friendly advice for the seller until I saw that he vented on Tom. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I think everyone knows that regardless of how much $$ a person puts into a vehicle there is going to be some loss especially if it is not in current running condition (there are some RARE exceptions of course).

Unfortunantly in this day and age, unless you really have a history or know a person well, getting his "word", or promise that it's a great car (and to him it probably was) doesn't hold nearly as much weight as it did even 10 years ago.

No Worries Tom, You're in good company /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[Bruce Bowker]

[ QUOTE ]
Unfortunantly in this day and age, unless you really have a history or know a person well, getting his "word", or promise that it's a great car (and to him it probably was) doesn't hold nearly as much weight as it did even 10 years ago.

[/ QUOTE ]

Another good point!

Bruce

 

[jcatnite]

Geez, I thought that guy was going to blow a fuse. Not sure what got him so worked up. I kinda feel sorry for him but then again too much of what he said about his car made me think I was on a used car lot. I hope he finds his sucker. Can't imagine paying that much for something that was in "storage" for so long.
JC

 

[jaybird]

And face it, we rarely recover the money (and time and sweat) that we put into our lbc's when we sell them. Few lucky owners might, but for the most part, we get fair market value for the vehicle, whether we've invested $5 or $5000.

 

[bobmga62]

I know if the car was sitting for that period of time, probably all the seals are gone, the brakes all reed rebuilding as well as master cylinders...

Even if they appeared ago at first, I would be very doubtful about the safety of them... youknow, it never hurts you if you can't start the car.... bu if you can't stop the car.. that's another story...

r

 

[MattP]

Just wait. I noticed that he ranted being 70 ++. Being an obvious type A, a more reasonable person should inherit the B soon enough. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

And what was up with that funky download on the pictures?

 

[Nunyas]

eh... not so funky if you participate in the 'right' portions of the internet community... or the wrong portions depending on your POV. Rar files are commonly used files on the internet in certain circles. Outside of those circles people tend to use WinZIP (quite easily the most common type of compressed archive). The fact that he's using WinRAR and distributing his pictures via RAR file leads me to believe that he's not 70++ years of age... also, his need to bring "age" into the conversation strikes me as preadolescent.

 

[jaybird]

My momma always taught me if you can't say something nice... I'm sorry, but I hate personal attacks, no matter who it is or what the circumstances.

I will say, on niko's behalf, when the car was first posted, I messaged him about looking at it when I'm in the Daytona area in a few weeks. I don't think a preadolescent would be so accomodating and upfront as niko was with me.

Now can't everyone just smoke a bong? I mean get along?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Yep - why don't we leave this one alone from now on?

Mickey

 

[jaybird]

 

[Nunyas]

ok ok ... sorry, I got a little carried away on the age thing... I'm done