NGC buying a Citroen SM, sight unseen

[Lannis]

One possibility is so it looks good at car shows.

That's true.   But unless the seller's description includes "The Tow Hook is just Bondo'ed to the body so it looks good at car shows - the frame is too rusty to weld it on" then the seller is a liar and a fraud ... and for all the money that Bring A Trailer makes off of fees to assure "integrity" of the transaction, they ought to make sure that the buyer gets his money back if he wants it back.

Lannis

[sdcr]

If you follow the SM’s new owners story, (7 installments so far), you will see that there are many issues not disclosed, in addition to the “bondo” parts.

Yes, there was a lack of transparency from the seller of this SM. The new owner has maintain a great attitude about this, and is continuing to restore the car.

[Lannis]

If you follow the SM’s new owners story, (7 installments so far), you will see that there are many issues not disclosed, in addition to the “bondo” parts.

Yes, there was a lack of transparency from the seller of this SM. The new owner has maintain a great attitude about this, and is continuing to restore the car.

I'm glad he has a good attitude about it.   

I had a 1973 MGB that was basically in good shape, the top, windows, instruments all worked, the engine, transmission, and overdrive were smooth and quiet.   Drove it for many years, but the unibody rust finally got dangerous.   The floor pans, inner castle sections, and rocker panels were rusted through, and the only thing holding the back end of the car to the front end were the transmission tunnel and the driveshaft.  It got to where it was sagging so bad you couldn't close the door if you were sitting in it.

In retrospect, I really should have thrown about $5000 at a brand new unibody, bolted all my good parts onto it, and had a decent car that I might still be driving today.   But I was done with it (as you do sometimes), so I sold it to the supervisor of the welding department at the factory where I worked for $300.   He had a shop full of gas, MIG, TIG and who knows what all sort of welders at home, and he tucked into it.

A year later he gave up.   There just wasn't enough good metal left to weld anything to, and he couldn't think of a way to lay 200 pounds of weld metal to make up for what had oxidized away and flaked off.   The car got parted out.

I hope that our Citroen guy doesn't run up against that.   It's possible, no matter how hard you try and how much you'd like to "git 'er done".   And I hope that BaT, with their fees, guarantees, and massive selling prices, "lives and learns" from this, otherwise people will start to talk.   Well, more people; we've already started.

Lannis

[sdcr]

“   And I hope that BaT, with their fees, guarantees, and massive selling prices, "lives and learns" from this, otherwise people will start to talk. “

Lannis,

What are the “guarantees” that are offered by  BaT ?

[huub]

actually in europe the SM would sell at double the price , so if he wants to recoup his money , simply sending it over would do the trick...
.

[Lannis]

“   And I hope that BaT, with their fees, guarantees, and massive selling prices, "lives and learns" from this, otherwise people will start to talk. “

Lannis,

What are the “guarantees” that are offered by  BaT ?

Whatever it is that makes people pay the fees they charge, causes them to reject nice but unworthy bikes, and then causes buyers to pay double the going price for the same bike on other sales or auction sites.   Whether the assurance of a quality buying experience is express or implied, people don't pay out a lot of extra money for nothing.   Well, sometimes they do for a while, but not for long!

Lannis

[sdcr]

Well, I don’t think that BaT “guarantees” anything, implied, or expressed.

What they do, do, is bring a large, worldwide audience, that sometimes show that dumb people have lots of money to spend.

Whatever it is that makes people pay the fees they charge, causes them to reject nice but unworthy bikes, and then causes buyers to pay double the going price for the same bike on other sales or auction sites.   Whether the assurance of a quality buying experience is express or implied, people don't pay out a lot of extra money for nothing.   Well, sometimes they do for a while, but not for long!

Lannis

[Lannis]

Well, I don’t think that BaT “guarantees” anything, implied, or expressed.

What they do, do, is bring a large, worldwide audience, that sometimes show that dumb people have lots of money to spend.

If trusting that a fellow motoring enthusiast is telling the truth about what he's selling, and hasn't filled the radiator with oatmeal, the differential with sawdust, and glued the bumpers on with bubble gum, THEN takes your money and laughs about it ...

... then I'm afraid that I've qualified as "dumb" at times.

Lannis

[John Ulrich]

If you follow the SM’s new owners story, (7 installments so far),

I'm glad that was mentioned.......... .
https://bringatrailer.com/member/crosslepdx/

[pebra]

Coincidentally, this photo popped up in a story from my motorbike and car owners' association that I read today
Does anyone here recognise this man?
I must admit I was admit I was a bit surprised that he drove this car and not a Lambo or Ferrari, but then again it was known to be the most comfortable car in the world, to drive yourself.

[Lannis]

Coincidentally, this photo popped up in a story from my motorbike and car owners' association that I read today
Does anyone here recognise this man?
I must admit I was admit I was a bit surprised that he drove this car and not a Lambo or Ferrari, but then again it was known to be the most comfortable car in the world, to drive yourself.

Awfully young man to be normally driving a Ferrari, so I'd have to guess a European film star or someone with his own family money .... ?

Lannis

[LesP]

Awfully young man to be normally driving a Ferrari, so I'd have to guess a European film star or someone with his own family money .... ?

Lannis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Cruyff

[pebra]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Cruyff

Creative, individualistic, stubborn, both Citroën and Cruyff?
If nothing else, they've both brought beauty and joy into the world!

[sdcr]

Along with Cruyff, another notable person that has owned a SM, would be Bill Wyman, of the Rolling Stones. I believe his SM and Aston Martin Lagonda were auctioned off a few years ago.obvioulsy, a man of acquired taste.

[pebra]

^ oh, obviously!
I'm certain Bill Wyman has excellent taste in girls, too!