Can someone in Texas look at a Viper for me? Did I get a good deal??

[DEVILDOG]

Joseph,
Looks like a great deal. I can check it out for you. Please check your Board Private Messages and call me to discuss.
Jim

 

[Toby]

I watched this one too. Good deal if the car is as nice as they said.

 

[Snake Bitten]

Wow...looks like a beaut! BLACK RULES!

 

[Eddie N]

so now the "sell me your solid black GTS" posts will stop? i was starting to actually feel bad for you..

awesome looking car, good price, and an ACR to boot!! i'm jealous..

the ad says it still has the factory warranty but that must be up soon, so run out and pick up the extended warranty now before you miss your window of opportunity to save a few bucks (the extended warranty is more expensive for an out of warranty car)..

congratulations!!

- eddie -

 

[JonB]

CONGRATS !

1) Ad Headline says "NO PAINT" I dont understand.

2) This is the early ACR with Koni "Rattlers" which most track rats will say is the preferred shock over 2000.6-2002

3) This is only about the 3rd time I've ever looked at E-bay-of-pigs, (probably) the world's clearinghouse for fenced/stolen merchandise! Price sounds GREAT !

4) ACR harnesses in this model were RECALLED. If not replaced, I'd like to offer you FREE Team Tech 5 or 6 points.

5) Read the ACR SHOCK MANUAL SUPPLEMENT to better understand your (stiffer) suspension.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

I don't want to rain on your parade, but my opinion of Ebay is right up there with JonB's. Please look at this guys feedback. For a total score of 46 to have already accumulated 4 negatives with comments like "he switched vin numbers" and (twice) "never provided car" is grounds for being careful to say the least! Go into the feedback, click on the users who made the complaints and email them for details, you will quickly learn whether they are flakes or the guy selling is a crook. I hope everythings cool, if it is, I think you got a GREAT deal and BLACK does rule! For anyone going to check on the car for him, it would seem the issue would be match the paperwork vin with the vin on the car and leave with copies of the vin paperwork! It sounds like the comment about switching vins might have to do with a salvage title or mileage. The biggest worry here is winding up with a car with a rebuilt (salvage) title. I also would not take delivery without an inspection by a well known Viper tech who can check the computer to see if the mileage has been tampered with. I'm sure the guys in that area can supply a tech. name. And NEVER let the guy pressure you with bad feedback, who cares, it's a 55k purchase. GOOD LUCK!

 

[TacDoc]

Address search turns up this


Best Autos of Arlington

1844 W Division St # 206

Arlington, TX
Phone (817)274-2821

Tony Arbelaez or David Arbelaez

He posts the plate Tx K92 PYF

 

[monnieh]

There is supposidly a 99 Black ACR with a Arrow rebuild floating around out there that has been wrecked.

I can take a look at it this weekend if nobody else can take a look at it for you.

MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT A 99 OR HAVE THE ARROW REBUILD.

 

[TacDoc]

My 2000 GTS has "sharp" points. This car has blunted points as shown in one of the photos.

quote from earlier thread.

The rounded edge hood thing must have happened in mid 2000. My 2000 GTS has the rounded edges, but I have seen early 2000s with the pointy edge.

 

[snowmann]

I won this ACR on Ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1867864409&rd=1

The address is...

1844 W. Division, #206, Arlington, TX

Does anyone know the previous owner of this car?

Does this look like a good deal?

I looked up the VIN 1B3ER69E5YV605418 on carfax.com and it looks clean, can someone take a look at the car and confirm that is indeed the VIN?

Thanks for the help.

 

[2charmed]

Sounds like a good deal to me.

2Charmed

 

[Kurt 97 GTS]

If you need a good viper tech in the area, I would recommend Keith Laxson at Huffines Dodge in Lewisville. Many people use Keith exclusively!! Send me an e-mail if you need more information. This is a great area to own a Viper. You'll get plenty of help. Let me know what I can do for ya....Kurt

 

[SteveT]

I can go by and take a look tomorrow...

Let me know if you still need a hand.

Steve

 

[Dixter]

I'll see if I can run by there on Saturday....

 

[snowmann]

Thanks to everyone that offered to help out, but I have decided not to get the car. I feel pretty bad about backing out of the deal, but I offered the to pay for the guys listing fee (he wasn't very happy and wants 250 dollars when it only cost 40 bucks to list). There are just too many things about this auction that I don't like. When I would ask these guys 3 questions, they would always come back and vaguely answer one. Their feedback does look a bit odd. The "No Paint" comment is funny too... The fact that they held this as a private auction raises a red flag, the last person I saw have a private auction for a car on Ebay was John Hennesy. I should have thought about this long before I bid on the auction - and it is 100% my fault. Usually I am very much a man of my word, but I don't have enough money to make a 55K mistake. If you guys want to take a look at the car for yourself, go ahead and give the guy a call. He seems pretty friendly and if you live in Texas you can back out much easier than flying all the way out from Colorado. I am just a super cautious person, and I don’t have a good gut feeling about the car (I am super paranoid). Normally a car like that would sell for 58K, and that is a buyer’s price. If anyone does check out the car report back because I am dying to know if I really missed out on a great deal. Good luck to anyone else, but I am too scared to risk 55K, I think I will wait until next year anyways (snow will be here soon in Colorado). I just wish I didn’t have to back out of the deal and look like a scumbag, but I guess it is better than risk buying a 55K clunker.

 

[ewave]

Here's the data from the license plate:

Owner name
DAVID LOWE
Current plate
K92PYF Current reg. expires
09/2001
Owner address
6100 GRAN TERA CT
Previous plate
Previous reg. expired
00/0000
Owner city/state/zip
GRANBURY ,TX 76049 VIN
1B3ER69E5YV605418
Document number
22031136823143140 Title issue date
Nov 7 2000 Title process code

Title bind code
Document type code
01 Vehicle body type
CP Vehicle class code
PASS
Vehicle model year
2000 Vehicle make
DODG Vehicle model
VGT Vehicle ton
0000
Reg.sticker number
8359566WB Reg.trans code
DTAORD Reg.county code
111 Reg.effective date
Oct 16 2000
Previous owner name
DON DAVIS DODGE Vehicle body VIN
Vehicle length
00
Previous owner city/state
ARLINGTON ,TX Vehicle odmeter brnd
A Vehicle odmeter read
6
Vehicle title address

Vehicle sales price
07844000 Vehicle sold date
00000000
Vehicle title city/state/zip
, Vehicle empty weight
003500 Vehicle gross weight
003500


Note that there may have been an other owner that is not yet in the public data base- Look at the expriration date : September 2001

 

[Birvini]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JF58854777:
Thanks to everyone that offered to help out, but I have decided not to get the car. I feel pretty bad about backing out of the deal, but I offered the to pay for the guys listing fee (he wasn't very happy and wants 250 dollars when it only cost 40 bucks to list). There are just too many things about this auction that I don't like. When I would ask these guys 3 questions, they would always come back and vaguely answer one. Their feedback does look a bit odd. The "No Paint" comment is funny too... The fact that they held this as a private auction raises a red flag, the last person I saw have a private auction for a car on Ebay was John Hennesy. I should have thought about this long before I bid on the auction - and it is 100% my fault. Usually I am very much a man of my word, but I don't have enough money to make a 55K mistake. If you guys want to take a look at the car for yourself, go ahead and give the guy a call. He seems pretty friendly and if you live in Texas you can back out much easier than flying all the way out from Colorado. I am just a super cautious person, and I don’t have a good gut feeling about the car (I am super paranoid). Normally a car like that would sell for 58K, and that is a buyer’s price. If anyone does check out the car report back because I am dying to know if I really missed out on a great deal. Good luck to anyone else, but I am too scared to risk 55K, I think I will wait until next year anyways (snow will be here soon in Colorado). I just wish I didn’t have to back out of the deal and look like a scumbag, but I guess it is better than risk buying a 55K clunker.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


First, go with your gut feeling. I recently looked at a car in my area that the guy said was in great shape. It was not in great shape and the guy never titled the car. Red flag!! It's now listed on Ebay.

I know exactly what you mean when you say you ask these people 3 questions and they come back with a vague answer to one. I've been on the phone with one seller on ebay, and he just does not want to answer questions. Seems to me there is alot to hide if you can't point blank answer a question.

 

[Eddie N]

i personally think you're nuts!!

4 people offered to go check out the car for you to make sure it was "as advertised".. of course they were vague in answering your questions.. its a dealer!! they dont know anything about any cars, let alone vipers..

my vote is to let one of these guys check out the car first, and then if you are still nervous pay a local viper tech to take a peek..

its worth a shot since if the car is as advertised its a great deal.. if its not, then pass.. you're jumping the gun!!

- eddie -

 

[dblankenbaker]

Joseph, if a couple people check out the car and it looks good, and you still don't want it... I'll fly down with a check within the next 7 days to buy it.

I was interested in this car the first time it was on ebay... I asked the seller specific questions about the condition and if they had the title in their possession, but got no response. Then they cancelled the auction "car no longer available", but put it back on ebay the next day.

 

[monnieh]

This just seems too screwy. A good ACR with low milage would have sold for $55K a long time ago.


If I get bored this weekend I may drive over there, only like 15 minutes from my house.

I would DEFINTALLY want a Viper tech inspection or better take it to Bobby Archers shop, they do some really good inspection for like $50 bucks or something.

 

[snowmann]

Call David at (817)253-9742 and tell him you want to take a look at the Viper on Ebay that Joseph didn't want. If you are in Texas you have a big advantage since you can see the car. The price and milage are no question a GREAT deal and I am the cheapest person I know. However remember to keep your guard up, most "good" deals on Vipers are not what they seem. But in this economy I imagine it would be possible to fine one. Good luck and maybe someone can come back alive and report what they saw.

 

[dblankenbaker]

Has anyone checked this car out? SteveT? Dixter? monnieh? Beuller?

 

[Dixter]

I'll go by in the morning.... I need an excuse to get the viper
out anyway....

Will let you know how it goes...

 

[SteveT]

I did not have a chance to go take a look (wife had other plans for my day) but if they are there Sunday I will try to go take a look at it.

 

[monnieh]

to be honest, I'm a bit scared to go as if it turns out to be legit I would probally buy it!

What time you going Dixx?

 

[snowmann]

Still no reports back? Are you guys scared your gonna buy it?

 

[Kurt 97 GTS]

Paul,

Good call. You may be on to something!!

 

[snowmann]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ewave:
There are some odd peculiarities about the seller and the "private" auctions:

The seller is constantly relisting cars that apparently sold at really low prices without reserve. Check out the red BMW540

My guess, and it's only a guess, is that the seller is bidding his own items as a form of a hidden reserve. Many of the cars never get high enough, so he keeps relisiting them, because the actually winner is not real.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I agree, when I first saw the Viper I bid on it and the auction got up to 59K (I didn't bid that much). Then at the last second they cancelled all the bids and the auction closed for no good reason. It was relisted again and I won it for 55K, they were willing to sell me the car for 55K - which seemed too low and they acted kinda funny. I am curious to see how the auction will end this time. I really can't prove any foul play with these guys, but my gut gets a funny feeling with them. Like I said before the last time I saw a private auction was when John Hennesy was trying to sell a 1000TT Viper. Not saying John is a bad guy, but when you have a private auction you are trying to hide something (I think we all know what John would like to hide). Funny both John and these guys are from Texas...

 

[Toby]

I have been following this one two since the start. My gut tells me something is not 100% with this car.

Has anybody run the VIN through DC?

Would be interesting if someone did see the car for real to solve the mystery of the "Phantom Viper".

It would be a real surprise if this thing actually was a nice car and a great deal but most likely it's not even close.

 

[andymo1972]

I'd stay clear of this guy. I just did a little research and he "sold" a 1996 boat to a buyer (dcarplace) who has 0 feedback. Dcarplace gave him positive feedback. I assume if someone didn't actually complete the purchase, they would not praise the seller regarding the transaction. Now, he has the same boat, the vin # matches up, for sale again.


Closed auction for boat:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1867610270

New auction for boat:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1870877669

He also had negative feedback on 2 nearly identical Land Rover Discos that he never delivered and he replied "factory mechanical issues w/ item" on both of them...way too fishy for me.

I think you were wise to back out Joseph.

factory mechanical issues w/ item = he forgot to log in w/his other acct and jack the price up

Andy
97 GTS