Just a cautionary tale here about buying cars off of Bring A Trailer (BAT).
In prior years/decades I've purchase two cars off of BAT and it was a good outcome in both cases. The sellers in both cases were very honest about the car's shortcomings and faults, and plenty of descriptive/illustrative pictures were provided. Both cars were exactly as described and good value.
I recently purchased a third car off of BAT (1972 Mercedes 280se 4.5), and I paid top dollar for it. The car looked fantastic...and does look fantastic. The cosmetics are excellent. However, the mechanicals are a basket case - the transmission won't go into reverse, the exhaust was falling off and leaking badly, the door locks don't work, only two windows work, one door one frozen shut, the car blows blue smoke (badly)....the list goes on. None of this was disclosed. The seller (a dealer) presented the car as an excellent car in good working condition. He did point out a couple tiny rock chips as the cars only flaws...again, of course, the implication being that everything else was good. The dealer indicated they had repaired a few things, but my impression now it it was just enough work such that the car would drive down the road for a video to show that it would actually move under its own power.
Now this is just outright fraudulent misrepresentation. Why this dealer wasn't honest and straight forward is not my business. But it seems to me that over the last 10 years or so there's been a gradual decline in the level of honesty (and diplomacy!) one can expect from their fellow human being. The bar has gone so low now that we seem to be at the point of "if you can get away with it then it's fine." I'm old enough now (57) to know that it didn't used to be that way...at least most of the time.
I'll spend the time and the money to fix the car properly in all respects because that's how I am. If I wasn't able to do the work myself I would be looking at a $15,000-18,000 repair bill at least. I think many others would just sell the car on due to the high repair costs, perhaps giving it back to the same dealer to run the scam again.
So, net, don't buy a car off BAT without inspecting it in person first. Unfortunately, your own eye balls and hands are really all you can rely upon now.
Good luck!
In prior years/decades I've purchase two cars off of BAT and it was a good outcome in both cases. The sellers in both cases were very honest about the car's shortcomings and faults, and plenty of descriptive/illustrative pictures were provided. Both cars were exactly as described and good value.
I recently purchased a third car off of BAT (1972 Mercedes 280se 4.5), and I paid top dollar for it. The car looked fantastic...and does look fantastic. The cosmetics are excellent. However, the mechanicals are a basket case - the transmission won't go into reverse, the exhaust was falling off and leaking badly, the door locks don't work, only two windows work, one door one frozen shut, the car blows blue smoke (badly)....the list goes on. None of this was disclosed. The seller (a dealer) presented the car as an excellent car in good working condition. He did point out a couple tiny rock chips as the cars only flaws...again, of course, the implication being that everything else was good. The dealer indicated they had repaired a few things, but my impression now it it was just enough work such that the car would drive down the road for a video to show that it would actually move under its own power.
Now this is just outright fraudulent misrepresentation. Why this dealer wasn't honest and straight forward is not my business. But it seems to me that over the last 10 years or so there's been a gradual decline in the level of honesty (and diplomacy!) one can expect from their fellow human being. The bar has gone so low now that we seem to be at the point of "if you can get away with it then it's fine." I'm old enough now (57) to know that it didn't used to be that way...at least most of the time.
I'll spend the time and the money to fix the car properly in all respects because that's how I am. If I wasn't able to do the work myself I would be looking at a $15,000-18,000 repair bill at least. I think many others would just sell the car on due to the high repair costs, perhaps giving it back to the same dealer to run the scam again.
So, net, don't buy a car off BAT without inspecting it in person first. Unfortunately, your own eye balls and hands are really all you can rely upon now.
Good luck!
