why yuou dont trust a dealers description

michael-king

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
4,132
It's amazing how dealers will put a spin on a car, there is a Tiger on ebay B382002531 ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Othe...6671819?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item256fa1e8cb ) which appears a quite solid and decent car... and while the car might be "unrestored" as the dealer suggests.. I am not sure about "Guaranteed to be one of the most original, unmolested, and rust free Tigers you will ever find" .. well it's certainly had a lot of parts replaced and repaired incorrectly.. and why would that have all happened in 43K miles? .. pitty they dont leave the spin behind and descriibe the car for what it is.

The seats have been redonr incorrectly, door trims and GT rolls replaced with incorrect parts, soft top not original or colour.. at least they havent thrown the air cleaner housing out it's in the parts.. not sure where the radiator shroud is.. also the elevation pictures make the left rear fender look a different colour to the rest of that side...

Looks like a good starting point for a nice car... but certainly not unmolested.
 

65beam

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
1,827
tiger

there are 18 bids so far. maybe someone that is capable of doing the work sees something that can be made really nice. take it apart and dip it and then restore. every part you mentioned would be replaced anyway during a restoration. you gotta start somewhere!
 

michael-king

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
4,132
Bob.. if you read the first line of the post " appears a quite solid and decent car" .. it probably doesnt need restoring.. you can drive it as it is.. but it is a good start for a concourse car too.
 

65beam

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
1,827
dealer

michael,
it's a solid car which is why i would restore it if i were to buy it. it wouldn't be the first original car i stripped down and restored. but i would make a few changes. one thing i like is the dark blue with a white top. wait! i think we own a midnight blue car with a white top. looks great with light blue interior. this tiger would be a great starter car.
 

Moondoggie

Gold forum user
Messages
569
I agree with what Michael is saying, Dealers who know nothing about the car
write all these flowery summaries of the condition of the car or restoration job
that are in fact very misleading. When I bought my TIger it was "restored to a very high level" which was BS because I have now totally had to redo everything because of crapola parts and workmanship...So Buyer beware !!!

Moondoggie
 

65beam

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
1,827
dealer

as i said. it's a starting point. if you want everything right to start with,be prepared to pay 50 to 100 k. otherwise buy a car like this for the right price and restore it your way.
 

TigerBlue

Gold forum user
Messages
827
This was about the dealer not the car

Michael was on target with the crap Dealers insert as stock phrases in the description of the car that sound good but have little in the way of firm definition. They use them to assure response to the ad and to maybe catch a sucker who would believe and buy without fact checking.

"Looks like a good starting point for a nice car... but certainly not unmolested."

Michael's quote from the original posting. "unmolested" was a claim made by seller about this car. The photos indicate "somewhat molested" or "not unmolested" would be more accurate.

Pointing out the car has value is a red herring. That was acknowledged in the original posting.

Best wishes all.

Rick
 

65beam

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
1,827
dealer

any type of sales has to do with marketing and getting the attention of the potential buyers. not being an expert on sunbeams ,he may have stated what was told to him not knowing that someone would take offense to what he said and start complaining. politicians do it all the time but you still support the wrong person sometimes and elect them. anyone want to bet that this car sells?
 

Warren

Gold forum user
Messages
3,872
Rube Goldberg

Had his way with the car. Nice ball valve in place of the stock heater valve looks like Rube's work. Seller is careful to not show the top of the air cleaner, I would not bet on it being cherry or even the real thing. Some parts are not monkeyed with. If it has 43,000 miles I will am a monkeys uncle.
 

steven

Gold forum user
Messages
875
I may be one of those that were sucked in, the add showed a car with right side damege, also stated the car was a stored unit from the 80's. So far, yes damage to right side fixed, yes car has no structual rust or body rust. What was not stated, it was also hit on the left front at some time and repaired, that is what I am going to fix next. So I have more to fix than expected however it is not over the top.
My previous rebuild from a private seller hid the fact that the body was quite rusted and had been damaged and all body panels had been bogged up and painted. That took me 9 years of part time rebuild.

This Tiger should be ready for paint in 6 months, total of 12 months, best part, all new metal fitted by ME:D
 

Cal44

Gold forum user
Messages
428
There are always two things too remember concerning dealers.

A) they are so crooked, they can hide behind a corkscrew

B) shifty eyes.......and bad shoes.


The difference between a car salesman and real estate agent.......

some zeros.
 

0neoffive

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
2,853
There are always two things too remember concerning dealers.

A) they are so crooked, they can hide behind a corkscrew

B) shifty eyes.......and bad shoes.


The difference between a car salesman and real estate agent.......

some zeros.

I wuz wonderin' if you were still lurking out there . . . . . .
 

67 Tiger

Gold forum user
Messages
298
For more than 50 years used car salesmen have been satirized in TV comedies, but getting ripped off is no laughing matter. Here in So. Cal. there were real crooks. Cal, who still sells cars ,but not in L.A. County or Ralph, both caught breaking the law. I just hope who ever gets this car is aware of what they are getting, and the costs involved. Remember CAVEAT EMPTOR.
 

Duke Mk1a

Gold forum user
Messages
1,673
So that oil filter completely drains ever time the engine is stopped. That would cause ~5 seconds of little/no oil pressure when starting the car each time while it is filled. The opposite of a pre-oiler.

Also very messy to change.
 

hottigr

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
816
There might be a check valve in oil filters to prevent that...the Tiger owners I know that have their filter mounted that way have to poke a hole in the base of the filter to drain the oil that is trapped in the filter before they can change them.
 
Top