| January 27th, 2012 by Admin If you’re a vintage car lover and you’re also looking for a pretty good engine to go with your purchase, buying American muscle cars for sale is a pretty good investment. However, since these American muscle cars for sale are already used, you need to be extra scrutinizing when you’re looking at the condition of the car. Of course, a 30- or 20-year-old vehicle wouldn’t look and run as smoothly as a brand new car. The point is that you |
Make the call
Even before coming to see the car, you should already have asked as many questions as you can about the vehicle over the phone. You should know the car’s color, make, and year even before scheduling a meeting with the seller. While it’s totally alright to walk right into the shop if the car’s being sold in a big used car garage, it’s still better for you to know the details before the visit. This saves you and the seller time since you wouldn’t want to decline the sale just because the vehicle isn’t the right shade of green.
Aside from the color’s make, year, and color, you should also ask about any damages, any parts that have been replaced (most muscle car collectors prefer original parts to replacements). If there’s a damaged part under the hood or a bent panel, it’s better for you to know before you drop by to look at the car. You can also ask about how bad the rust of the frame is, although it’s least likely that you’ll find a muscle car that old without any trace of rust. You’d want to purchase one with as few rust patches as possible. Also, make sure that the car has a spotless title. If the car’s title seems shady, decline the offer and move on to another seller in your area.
Purchasing companion
When it comes to used cars, even muscle cars, it’s pretty risky to make the purchase on your own. Sales men can be pretty aggressive and convincing when they know that you’re not very knowledgeable about the car’s make and model. Aside from your preliminary research which should cover the car’s features and its market price, you should also bring a mechanic friend with you during the test drive. S/he can help you make out any odd fume odors and/or sounds while the car is running.
Muscle cars will probably give out visible exhaust since it’s an old model, but it should faint. If the exhaust is too dark, it can be a sign of a broken carburetor. You should also be the one driving the car during the test drive. If the seller drives the car, s/he may attempt to hide any defects with the engine. However, don’t give the seller a heart attack while you’re doing the test drive. Just drive as you would be driving during license examinations.
Negotiations
If you’re happy with the test drive, you can now move in to negotiate. If you aren’t, then make sure that you decline the offer politely and thank the seller for his/her time. Negotiating is a craft that involves a lot of balancing out. Most sellers would advertise their vehicles for a lot more than it’s actually worth to make room for negotiations. As a buyer, you may also attempt to get the car for a price a notch less than its market price. Of course, the only way to go here is the middle way. As much as possible, you should compromise between the price you can afford and the price that the seller is willing to let the car go for.
