Warning! My Buyavette Experience

[shrekviper]

Well,
I finally made it out to pick up my new 69 from Buyavette.net in Atlanta. If you have specific questions about the dealership, shoot me a message and I'll let you know.
I'll begin by saying the mechanical disposition of the car was quoted as "The car runs good and drives good." The engine, originally a 427, now a 454, does start and run pretty good. Our plan was to pick up the car, spend a few days making sure it was mechanically sound for the trip up to Virginia with a stop in North Carolina for a few days for my sister's wedding. The following is a list of the stumbling blocks along the way.
After a test drive of the car for about 20 miles, a few minor "issues" came up that I wanted them to look at before we leave. There were some vacuum issues with the lights and wipers, the heat was stuck on (not the fan, just the vents), and a few minor issues. They replaced a vacuum regulator and then mentioned that the wiper door has to be manually overridden, then turned on because the elec/vacuum switch is dead, same with the headlights...nice. There was no quick fix for the heat because the control (vacuum driven) regulator's vacuum hoses were trashed (eaten by mice, my belief after finding some droppings under the dash...). The headlights stopped working a few miles later. We trouble shot the lights and found one of the vacuum lines had fallen down next to the alternator belt and rubbed through (thanks for tidying up the eng compartment). Hose replacement was the easiest thing so far. On the drive up, the headlights would open, but not turn on. Pulled the switch, broken plastic pieces all over. NAPA had a replacement w/o the vacuum control (a temporary fix). Tracked a fuel/oil smell to a leaking oil pressure gauge which soaked the driver's side carpet (in almost new condition). We're in NC now and didn't have the facilities to fix anything on our own, so we dropped it off to a mechanic who fixed the gauge. I had them look at the parking brake and speedometer too while they had it, oh, the speedo stopped working. Parking brake needs new shoes and speedo cable is bad behind the console...fix later (GPS for speed...). They pulled the rotors to work on the brake and found the threads on the spindle to be completely stripped. The wheel could have fallen off at anytime. I think it's going to be trailered up to VA from here and we'll have to do a complete front to back mechanical assessment/repair.
I've read other experiences like this and thought it'd never happen to us.
I'm stationed overseas so I went on the description from the dealer and answers to my questions (which took forever to answer). I should have had a third-party inspector/mechanic go over the car thoroughly before. We're keeping it, but instead of band-aiding the car back together, this may have pushed us to a full restoration a few years early.

 

[White75]

Good lord that sounds like a horrible experience. I hope you can get some restitution from them. She's a beautiful car and I hope that you can get all the issues resolved quickly and cheaply and get her back on the road.
Good luck!!

 

[vett boy]

I owned and drove my 69 vert for almost 300,000 miles and they take a lot of time and $$$$ to keep up.

That said there isn't a day that I don't miss her

I like the color of your's ,sharp

 

[shrekviper]

I just picked it back up from the shop. They couldn't get a spindle in time. They rethreaded the old one and spot welded the nut on. Once I can get it home, I'll start planning out the mechanical roadmap on what to tackle first...safety of course. I just see each fix leads to another to a restoration. Should I go ugly early?

I love working on cars, but I love driving them even more. I'll see what I can do with restitution, but they sell all cars As-Is and nothing, so far, is covered under the warranty, short of a blown motor or a tranny that eats itself.

Every time I fix something, another part breaks. I'll have 'til next summer to come up with a game plan on fixing/restoring her. I've got some of the restoration books in storage, but for the cost of the books, I'll get some other copies so I can plan ahead, then sell the extra copies on ebay. I'm sure a lot have had similar experiences. I should have seen this coming. When I was growing up, my neighbor had two '72s in his garage and I'd help him once my chores were done. Only got one ride though...they were "hoods-up" the rest of the time.

I hope I can get 300,000 miles from it.

 

[White75]

Get the service manual and assembly manual. once the spindle is fixed, take it out and try everything that you can and make a list of the things that need to get fixed and use the wintertime to do that. That way you can drive it when it's nice in the spring, summer and fall.
These cars almost always have some upkeep (shoot there over 30 years old) and from experience, working on them is half the fun sometimes.

Hope you don't find any more surprises!

 

[TimAT]

Time to get out your notebook. List everything you can think of like the rear spindle, wipers, headlights, etc. Then divide another page into 2 columns, one titled "Safety Issues", and the other "Known Issues", Then start writing- Taking things from the first page and placing them into the correct column.
Fix the safety things first so you can drive it while you work thru the other things.
Sorry to hear about your experieince. I'm in Atlanta quite a bit and go there to look at the cars all the time. Most of the cars they have always appear to be in decent shape, But after all, they are just another used car dealer.

 

[Evolution1980]

Bummer story, guy.

At least you have an excellent resource ("us!") to help you along the way.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I'll play Mr. Nasty. The car is 40 years old, so some or many of the components have NOT been fully restored ie. they're original, untouched and are subject to wearing out at any time. I am amazed on how many pieces on my '73 have survived for 36 years and still function as new.

Through circumstance, you bought the car sight unseen and uninspected but immediately set out on a long distance trip, one that many owners who know their cars stem to stern would not undertake.

I'm not sure it's fair to bad mouth the selling dealer.

 

[coffeejolts]

I didn't get the sense that he was trashing the dealer. I simply chalk it up as another example of buyer beware.

 

[BruceBed]

I'll play Mr. Nasty. The car is 40 years old, so some or many of the components have NOT been fully restored ie. they're original, untouched and are subject to wearing out at any time. I am amazed on how many pieces on my '73 have survived for 36 years and still function as new.

Through circumstance, you bought the car sight unseen and uninspected but immediately set out on a long distance trip, one that many owners who know their cars stem to stern would not undertake.

I'm not sure it's fair to bad mouth the selling dealer.

I'll play the devil's advocate also. I agree. I've had mine for 35+ and anything can happen. I've been a stickler for maintenance and then out of no where something breaksotfl.

These cars are old and generally used/abused. I think you should've done more research and inspection.

Good luck and enjoy. There's nothing that money and time can't fix.

 

[Red Vette]

I agree, I don't think he was trashing the dealer, just giving us a head's up on his experience. I think that it is a good thing for us to be aware of what is going on with various dealers. I have read of some bad deals with this dealer, one in the Phoenix area, and one in Las Vegas. I purchased three vettes over the internet sight unseen with the understanding that if the car was not as represented, I got the refund. Had three great deals. So I am glad when a fellow CACer gives us fair warning about dealings with dealers, then we can act accordingly.
Barrett

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I didn't get the sense that he was trashing the dealer.

I agree, I don't think he was trashing the dealer, just giving us a head's up on his experience.

The thread shows as : "Warning! My Buyavette Experience
shrekviper "

in the index.

 

[vett boy]

I think that a dealer who specialty is Corvettes should have done a more in depth inspection prior to the sale.Some of these issues (not all) should have been caught before the sale.

There is a dealer most of us know in Old Fort NC that road tests a car for weeks prior to the sale .(He's also from Missouri )

 

[Bob Chadwick]

They are right around the corner from my house so I go there quite often to browse. They have cosmetically beautiful cars there for the most part and are generaly asking high end of the range. They can do what they want but if it were my business I would think that they would make sure that the car drove as well as it looked, enhancing my reputation. Specifically things like spindles.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Not defending the dealer in any sense of the word, but no for-profit business will disassemble a car to the extent required to find things like a stripped spindle nut.

I have concerns also 'a mechanic' who found it necessary to pull a rotor to fix the e-brake- and somehow discovered the stripped spindle nut. Something's fishy.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

This is not the only story I have heard about this place. It's buyer beware. Any used car needs to be checked by an independent mechanic.

 

[shrekviper]

Thanks TimAT. I'm buying every book and manual for the vette and will start mapping out my plan.
Bob, you are correct. The point of this thread was to inform others of my mistakes and experiences.
ALL. This is not a bash on the dealer. I should have had someone locally inspect it before I bought. My fault. My issue was they didn't tell me of known issues if I didn't ask the specific question (does the parking brake work, is manual override the only way to operate the wipers and lights, etc). What really got me was it was listed under their "Quality Corvette" section and not their "Fixer uppers".
That being said. Does anyone know of a conversion kit to change the oil pressure guage to work off an electrical sending unit insted of the oil line and still look stock on the console.

 

[73shark]

If your oil pressure gauge had a plastic line from the engine, then you can replace it w/ copper like the mid-years had and should stop the leak. Just be sure to put a strain relief loop in it. Check someone's mid-year if you can.

 

[gmjunkie]

Not defending the dealer in any sense of the word, but no for-profit business will disassemble a car to the extent required to find things like a stripped spindle nut.

Maybe not in Canada,But you ain't been to my Dealership!!
If the car you bought don't have the "Junked Seal of Approval" it might not make it home!!!
I personally Check,Repair,and Detail every one Bumper to Bumper and road test at least 1000+ miles!!
If they don't earn the "Junked Seal of Approval" they get Parted Out or Sent to the Auction!!

PS But then again,the last 2 years has been purdy much "Not for Profit"!
Too many people now days "Think that Cheaper is Better"!!

Cheap cars ain't Good,Good cars ain't Cheap!!

 

[shrekviper]

73 Shark,
It had a copper line in it already and it was leaking. The quickest fix was to put in a replacement plastic line. We'll see how long that lasts before it melts in the engine bay or something. It would be nice if I could replace the line with a electric sending unit on the engine and a wire to a stock appearing gauge and not have to worry about it.