Favorite Project Truck Sales Pitches

[Ricko1966]

Ran when parked...

I always loved this at the machine shop. We did carry in rebuilds, We had a labor price for taking them apart and evaluating them and another price for reassembly + parts and machine work. People would ask how much to rebuild we'd say 250.00 plus parts and machine work. We had so many where they would say,well shouldn't need much it was running real good before it blew up.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Well since Rick brought this thread back up and I missed out on the fun I'll share my real life tale from 2016. This is when I was looking for a Jeep, and this is just the epitome of why I hate buying cars.

I never saved the ad, but basically it read that the 5.2 engine runs great, the transmission shifts strong, was a daily driver until about 2 years ago when they bought another car and the Jeep became a spare. Now it needs to go because it's taking up space in the yard. I think he was asking $2K for it.

He tells me on the phone how nice the Jeep is and what a great vehicle it was for them good tires, great interior.

I get there and this thing needs to be deposited in a wrecking yard.
It's an AWD and has the spare on the RR and looks like it's been driven on quite a bit. The interior behind the front seats looks like it hasn't been near a vacuum in years. Pop the hood, and literally everything is worn to heck, oil is black as you can get it and a quart low. Still I tell myself if it runs and shifts good and he's willing to come down in price it might be ok. And what the heck I'm there I may as well drive it. I fire it up and the thing had a rod knock so loud you can hardly talk over it. I turn the engine off shut the hood and leave.

 

[Trucksareforwork]

Another one I have seen quite a few times is “lost title.”

What, like in a poker game?

 

[GTX63]

I still don't understand why "Ran/drove when parked" bugs so many people. As long as they are truthful, it's a good sign that it will run/drive again without too much effort.

I just want honesty.

More and more I am seeing one or two pics on marketplace of the vehicle for sale, chained on a trailer.
Text follows with something like "Bought to restore, changed my mind/no time/life/etc.
That's fine, but you could also just say you bought it at an auction 2 days ago
with the intent to flip it as is and you won't hurt anyone's feelings.

"Barn find" is mostly bogus. They are typically pulled from backyards, fields, out of business auto repair shops, estate sales, vacant/foreclosed properties and open fields. "Barn find" has been a popular myth since most were fished out back in the 80s and 90s.
Barn finds don't have the paint burned completely off the hoods and the upholstery exploded from sunlight, nor rusted to the door handles.

Every truck I have sold, including part outs, if the engine runs, I take a iPhone video of my hand reaching in and starting the truck, then a quick swing back to show the tail pipe, then under the hood to see and hear it.

 

[vr1967]

When trying to buy something, “Make me an offer” Most of the time the offer is met with “Oh that’s too low” to which I reply, “So you do have a idea of what you have to have to sell it”

Or when selling I always list a price but get replies of “I can get that for ***” (usually 1/3 to 1/4 of what I’m asking) to which I usually reply “So why are you even responding” or “Please let me know where they are so cheap, as I’ll go buy a few”

The “What’s the lowest you’ll take” usually gets a higher than the listed price. They reply that I was only asking *** to which I reply “Stupid questions receive stupid answers”

Lots of tire kickers out there, especially now with the internet. Way more than the old days of when you just listed your number in the add of the paper

 

[SirRobyn0]

I guess since I told the other Jeep story I'll tell the story of the one I bought.

This guy was super honest and honestly represented the Jeep and I bought it.

The only problem was that the title was in his mothers name and she was deceased. He signed the title, and showed me the death certificate, so I was comfortable with all that. Went to the DMV to discover that they need proof of her death, and a few forms filled out by the estate.

This dude could have screwed me over in a hurry, but instead the very next day he met me at the DMV, with the needed paperwork and he transfer was done.

So there's a positive purchase experience from CL.

 

[Soundmound]

I just bought a snowmobile trailer for $50 from a widower. Paperwork was all available and legit, YET Washington state still found a way to F#%k me. They apparently cannot use the state issued title to register it because, get this $h!t, THEY changed the system and clerks can no longer override a manufacturer name. So, my state issued title from 2011 says NDRNS for manufacturer and they can't figure it out from the list and cant use the existing info on the title to register it, which means- now the burden of proof is on me! They said what does the trailer say. My answer was its a 44 year old winter sport trailer covered in decades of rust and paint, it ain't saying $h!t!!
So, now I get to arrange a virtually impossible to get state Inspection and hope they have a way forward. This means, I'm either out $250 for trailer and tires or I sink more into it to get right with a B$ state run by a$$hats. So while Craigslist is full of crooks, your government has even more on the payroll.
F#@k Jay Inslee!!!

 

[Ricko1966]

I just bought a snowmobile trailer for $50 from a widower. Paperwork was all available and legit, YET Washington state still found a way to F#%k me. They apparently cannot use the state issued title to register it because, get this $h!t, THEY changed the system and clerks can no longer override a manufacturer name. So, my state issued title from 2011 says NDRNS for manufacturer and they can't figure it out from the list and cant use the existing info on the title to register it, which means- now the burden of proof is on me! They said what does the trailer say. My answer was its a 44 year old winter sport trailer covered in decades of rust and paint, it ain't saying $h!t!!
So, now I get to arrange a virtually impossible to get state Inspection and hope they have a way forward. This means, I'm either out $250 for trailer and tires or I sink more into it to get right with a B$ state run by a$$hats. So while Craigslist is full of crooks, your government has even more on the payroll.
F#@k Jay Inslee!!!

Look around , I think it was PA.you could get tags via the internet no title required. I had a trailer title problem years ago and I found these guys on the internet. I'll look for the info. It was Maine there are multiple services online and you can register for multiple years no taxes.

 

[Ricko1966]

@Soundmound I went round and round on this deal. Do some research some states had super lenient qualifications as to what was a homemade trailer, some states don't require a title for a trailer,this has been awhile back and it was 2 different trailers,in Kansas under x pounds a trailer cam be bought,sold,registered with a bill of sale,with an option of having a title printed in your name, I used a bill of sale used the maximum legal weight and had them print me a title. So if I ever want I think I can take my title and register it at the proper weight. I think Arkansas was a no title state. Giving you this info in case you have buddies in more lenient states that can sell you that trailer,homemade,no title. I was going to do that out of Arkansas. But my friend disappeared.

 

[Soundmound]

@Soundmound I went round and round on this deal. Do some research some states had super lenient qualifications as to what was a homemade trailer, some states don't require a title for a trailer,this has been awhile back and it was 2 different trailers,in Kansas under x pounds a trailer cam be bought,sold,registered with a bill of sale,with an option of having a title printed in your name, I used a bill of sale used the maximum legal weight and had them print me a title. So if I ever want I think I can take my title and register it at the proper weight. I think Arkansas was a no title state. Giving you this info in case you have buddies in more lenient states that can sell you that trailer,homemade,no title. I was going to do that out of Arkansas. But my friend disappeared.

No title isn't the issue, I have the WA state issued title. The issue is they screwed up with abbreviations and changed the system. Now, I'm screwed because even though I have a title with VIN, THEY refuse to recognize their own paperwork. Of course, the VIN decal is long gone and that further complicates it. Maybe I can Vermont loophole it.

Anyone in WA want a snowmobile trailer with new tires cheap?

 

[SirRobyn0]

I just bought a snowmobile trailer for $50 from a widower. Paperwork was all available and legit, YET Washington state still found a way to F#%k me. They apparently cannot use the state issued title to register it because, get this $h!t, THEY changed the system and clerks can no longer override a manufacturer name. So, my state issued title from 2011 says NDRNS for manufacturer and they can't figure it out from the list and cant use the existing info on the title to register it, which means- now the burden of proof is on me! They said what does the trailer say. My answer was its a 44 year old winter sport trailer covered in decades of rust and paint, it ain't saying $h!t!!
So, now I get to arrange a virtually impossible to get state Inspection and hope they have a way forward. This means, I'm either out $250 for trailer and tires or I sink more into it to get right with a B$ state run by a$$hats. So while Craigslist is full of crooks, your government has even more on the payroll.
F#@k Jay Inslee!!!

They will the inspection will be easy. I have a 4X6 trailer that was built by my grandfather in the 40's. It was handed down to my Dad in the 70's and he stopped licensing it in the 80's.

I got it in 2016, and thought I would use it on the road. I showed up to the DMV with the old school Wa st title I think they were yellow and red. Anyhow I had to run that thing though state inspection and it had a number of violations as my inspector called them. Things that would not be acceptable on a modern trailer. He put down homemade for the manufacture and made an exception for the way the safety are setup and the marker lights.

Unfortunately I used it twice on the road and since then have used it on the farm only and stopped licensing it again.

In the early 2000's I had to run an 86 Oldsmobile Calais though state inspection as it was from Oklahoma and any out of state vehicle has to go though. Again there was something that they questioned me about and IDK what it was now.... But they let it slide.

I really doubt you'll have an trouble getting the trailer licensed and the inspector will give it the ok to be licensed, even though it's not on their list. Before you go if you can find a vin plate, generally on the tongue or frame that you can show him that would most definitely make it easier to prove it is what it is.

 

[Ricko1966]

No title isn't the issue, I have the WA state issued title. The issue is they screwed up with abbreviations and changed the system. Now, I'm screwed because even though I have a title with VIN, THEY refuse to recognize their own paperwork. Of course, the VIN decal is long gone and that further complicates it. Maybe I can Vermont loophole it.

Anyone in WA want a snowmobile trailer with new tires cheap?

I understood that I'm saying try again with just a bill of sale and register it as home made. If you can't maybe you have a buddy in a no title state on trailers they register as home made apply for a title,you reimburse them for their registration and when it expires buy it from them. Now you have the paper trail and registration paperwork sayingbits a homemade trailer. That or use an online service to register in Maine. 3 year tags no property tax it will probably save yoi money in the long run.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Vermont is getting ready to end their mail order title services, IIRC July 23 is the last day. Been some news stories on Jalopnik and The Autopian about this. Apparently they finally decided it was being abused by too many crooks retitling stolen cars....

 

[SirRobyn0]

I understood that I'm saying try again with just a bill of sale and register it as home made. If you can't maybe you have a buddy in a no title state on trailers they register as home made apply for a title,you reimburse them for their registration and when it expires buy it from them. Now you have the paper trail and registration paperwork sayingbits a homemade trailer. That or use an online service to register in Maine. 3 year tags no property tax it will probably save yoi money in the long run.

In Washington he'd have to apply for a lost title. In other words they will not accept just a bill of sale. They will only grant a lost title to the person that previously owned it, or to possibly to new owner but there is a 3 year waiting period and I don't really know the details on that. I do know that all new built HM trailers have to be inspected before they can be licensed. So they'd still want to inspect a HM trailer that in from that prospective, has never been licensed.

This is why I have commented before that in Washington, a vehicle that does not have a title is of no value. I'm not saying that about your trailer Dave, seriously this is just a bump in the road. Yes it's a pain to get the thing inspected, you'll flush most of a day (depending on how far you have to go for the inspection) and then it's over and done and you'll move on.

 

[Ricko1966]

@SirRobyn0 ,good news, Washington does have provisions for registering a vehicle with no title, so don't pass up good deals on no title vehicles. I also read a bunch about trailers. There's some cool loop holes there for trailers also,especially under 3000 lbs. @Soundmound Google specifically unidentifiable trailer washington state,trailer registration,no title washington state ,homemade trailer washington state,see if you can weed the rules to see if you can make any work for you. 3 year registration no title washington state. Anyways there are ways you just have to be creative. 3 year registration no title sale,using a bill of sale and writing it up to use a trailer manufacture they recognize. There's way to much out there to post here.