Part two of a series
forensic investigator or forensic pathologist
so I didn't think she'd mind owning
and driving a dead guys car.
Before heading out to look at the Jeep for the first time, I had exchanged emails with a woman named Irma. The details on the care were sketchy, and I honestly thought in the back of my mind I may be getting scammed. After all, how many complete strangers find just what you are looking for and serve it up without asking for something in exchange? But Brent wasn't setting me up. Irma and the Jeep were real. I had an appointment to see the Jeep at 6 pm, but I intentionally arrived an hour early.
(Tip - if you are going to buy a used car, try to set up the appointment so that you go to the car. In that way, you get to start and run the engine when it's cold. Also, show up about an hour before the appointment so you can see if any last minute work is being done to cover up flaws or hide problems.)
When I arrived, I found the Jeep sitting next to a 87 convertible VW Rabbit, in the middle of an empty field. A field that was completely and securely surrounded by a chain link fence. I had no way to get to it save jump the fence. The way I saw it, If I jumped the fence two things could have happened - one; I break my neck or two; the owner shows up and has me arrested for trespassing. So.. I waited in my car. About 10 minutes before 6, a slightly older and a little dinged up Mercedes rolled up to the lot with 2 men and a boy in it. As they piled out, I could see the distinct markings found only on that rare breed creature - Tank Tops, Flip Flops, and suntanned heavily tattooed arms. Ah yes, I thought, the off-road crowd is here. Knowing I hadn't brought any cash with me (thinking I was being set up), and seeing the Mercedes and the occupants, I assessed the situation of them buying the car today and me back to looking for a used Volvo. I watched one man and the boy (with a small toy dog that looked waaay out of place) walk up and down the fence, trying to get a better look at the Jeep. They walked all the way around the fence line. (something I did only I drove it - hey that lot was big) I remember thinking that he looked too much like a tiger pacing in a cage, only in reverse. Too eager I thought - he'll probably offer too much and win. Then, he spots me across the street and comes clop clopping over.
It's a wreck. Mostly Parts. She'll never get $1500.
"Hey, you here to buy something?" hes says while stooping down to peer into my window. "Ya, the jeep" I replied. "Oh." he said as he turned and started speaking loudly to his friend now seated back in the Mercedes "I wonder if she's going to auction it." cop clop clop "Man, she didn't say it was an auction." He then spoke a little more softly to the man in the Mercedes, I couldn't hear what he said, but I knew exactly what he was planning on doing. Sure enough, he jumped the fence. I was half hoping the owner would show up and refuse to sell him the Jeep because he jumped the fence, and half hoping he'd snap a leg and need to be hauled off to the ER, but neither one happened. Before the owner arrived he had returned to standing outside the car, and was speaking a little too loudly. "It's a wreck. Mostly Parts. She'll never get $1500." he said.
Now I'm pretty sure he figured the guy in the leather shoes and button collar shirt was looking for a driver, not parts. I'm was also fairly positive at that point that he was making it sound worse than it actually was. I was also sure that I wasn't going to drive 130 miles NOT to see the car. I'd play it by ear, let him make the first move, and see what develops I thought. The owner shows up in a mid 90s, good condition small truck. She hops out, apologizes to them for being late (remember I was across the street) and opens the gate. They walk in, I follow at a distance, but within earshot of the loud talking tattooed fence-jumper.
The story is this: Her brother, who she tried time and again to help, was homeless and actually lived in what can only be described as a tiny derelict construction foreman's trailer that was plopped down, at an angle, onto the lot. (I kept imagining him rolling down the slope of the floor as he slept like I had done a few times while tent camping.) My dad has a tool shed about the same size in his suburban back yard that I would rather live in. Apparently he had driven the Jeep up to about a year ago when something happened and it quit running. Irma wasn't sure if it was broken or he couldn't afford gas. Broken. Without a doubt something was broken I thought. Anyways, he passed away, in the slanted trailer, and was found a few days later after not showing up at the local donuts shop as usual. The lot was being sold, and the two cars had to go.
Now, I take every story with a grain or three of salt, and once filtered, it came out as this: The jeep is broken, will not run, probably has DMV issues, has been sitting for a year or two, the current owner knows nothing about the car (and could not find the keys on this day by the way), and was selling it. As all this is running through my head, I was becoming more and more astounded at the amount of motor oil that had collected on the bottom of the car. Literally from the transmission back, there was a solid coating of oil and dirt. Just then, Loud Talker chimed in, "I'll give you $500 for it. I mean, it's parts only. No way you'll get any more." I was silent. Irma looked at me and I tried my best to make no notice of her. Then, to her credit, Irma replied, "OK, email me that offer and I'll get back to you." It felt like Loud Talker didn't want to get into an auction situation and I certainly wasn't going to either. Awkwardly, he and his son flip flopped away muttering something about differentials. Now it was my turn.
I knew the jeep was complete. It didn't to have a top or doors, but besides that, it was completely stock. That was a good thing. Too many Jeeps are messed with, lifted, modified. That all leads to problems finding parts and figuring out what you need. Stock vehicles can be fixed more easily and for less money. It had 135K miles, and at 10 years old, that averaged 13K per year. Low miles, but still pretty good for a homeless guy.
Now it was, to me, simply a matter of how much over $500 did I need to go to get the car. That's right. What you read above was all I needed to decide to buy it. Look, I had been looking at jeeps for over a month and had not found any complete cars for under $3500 - running or not. I knew that, worse case scenario, If I bought it for $600, clean it up, spend a little to determine what was wrong, get it running (if even barely) and sell it quickly for $3000. (Sorry Irma, but I'm being honest here.) Sure, I wasn't in this to churn a profit. I was here to get a project car, but it's always better to keep your financial position in mind.
I went through my assessment of the car with Irma and her son: Needs a battery - $100, needs a top - $400, needs doors - $400, needs electrical work and a wiring harness (it looks like whomever took the battery did a number on the wiring harness) - $800, paint and body - $1000, miscellaneous engine stuff - $500. "it's very rough" I stated the obvious. "I may be willing to go $600, but that's about it." I told her. "I'm not sure. I'd like to think about it and email you later. Is that OK?" She agreed. I don't want to sound too calculating or slick here, but I felt it was to my advantage to tell her why I she should sell me the Jeep. After all, Loud Talker had only stated the negatives. I wanted to give her a positive feeling about selling it. "It's for my daughter" I explained. "She's 17 and started driving a year ago. Her mom was in an accident in the car we had bought for her, and it was totaled. I want the Jeep to fix up for her as a father and daughter project. She will learn about how to fix cars and we get to spend time together. I don't want her being taken advantage of by mechanics the rest of her life." Irma immediately responded. I was hopeful. "I know what you mean. My brother wanted to fix it up too, and I have to always find a mechanic for everything I need done on my car. I need a fan belt done right now, and I don't know who to go to." I listened and commiserated, then thanked her and her son for coming out to show me the Jeep. I promised to email her if I wanted to make an offer and left.
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