For those importing: A seller to watch out for ...

[Russ]

The seller's eBay name is Motor Mentor (http://members.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=motormentor). Also known as Just Muscle Cars or Rose Motorsports - and operate out of Ft. Meyers, Florida.

They have listed a lot of cars on eBay Australia over the past 12 months, directly targeted at Aussies wanting to import from the US. Chances are a few of you have come across them in your searches.


Bloke from Vic just bought a 'Cuda through them as a car that was advertised as fully restored in 2005, but has turned out to be a bit of a dud. Here's a few of his issues:

They were fantastic to deal with at the start of the transaction, but once they had the cash it all changed.
I received the car with a stuffed trans and stuffed power steering box and missing parts.
The car will need a full front end steering rebuild.
I guess that is normal but at the same time I was told it was in A1 condition all round and drove beautiful, so I think its only fair I would expect it to be driveable.
It was claimed to be a numbers matching car and it isn't.
At some stage of its life it has had damage to the rear tail light panel that has been bogged really poorly and I am now fixing as well. (one hit with the hammer and all the Bog fell out).
Was also told the body has no damage at any stage of its life.
They have made no attempt to help at all .
Sent me a few nice emails with long winded reasons and totally looking to pass the buck.

... and to add insult to injury, some sh!t-birds knocked off some trim pieces from it on its journey over here.


Anyways, just though it was worth noting in the hope it saves someone else getting f*cked over.

They usually have some fairly nice looking vehicles and offer an attractive deal - definitely something a first time importer could get sucked into.

So be careful, and as always - if you're unsure, ask around - and always hire an independent 3rd party to inspect before buying something you yourself can't physically get to.

[oldschool67]

Spot on, my son lived in Florida and they do have a bad rep for this type of thing. Bog them up and make a quick buck off the unsuspecting. Stay well away!!!

[rodent]

Lets not tar everybody in Florida with the same brush :(
There's good and bad everywhere :)

I bought a car from this guy http://myworld.ebay.com/edsfloridacars and the car was exactly as described plus he went well out of his way to do extra things for me :)

[xxxtowing]

Yep Motor mentor is a big scammer i had a guy buy a 1953 chev from him saying it had no rust when it landed it did not have any rust nor did it have any floor pans they were cut out were the rust was and sold of like that




stay away the yanks know us aussies are buying up big now coz of the dollar being so good so they will do anything to get a sale

my 5 cents worth

[pinkchrome]

9859well i just want to say in my own defense we are sellers as well as collectors i know we had a 68 gtx once we sold it to a guy as a newly painted bare shell well the guy repainted it as well as mostly finished it lacking only final touches ,that was its condition when he traded it back to us so we in turn put the final touches on it and man she was beautiful ,we sold it sight unseen to a guy in new york he wired the money and sent his shipper,smooth as can be my dad was thrilled couldnt believe that a car deal could work so simply over the computer,well a week later we heard from the buyer that he took the car to his garage to make a nice car into a show car i guess,[not sure what that consists of]but when he took the seats out the guy seen something about it didnt look right so he preceeded to remove the seat covers and found that the middle was completely rotton and someone had just covered it up ,needless to say he was very upset we didnt know what to think,should we have taken the car apart to check these things out ,maybe ,all i know is that i try and tell anybody that im trying to sell a car to everything i know about it ,i dont want someone to spend that kind of money and not be thrilled to death even if we are broke and could definetly use the money ,we are human just like everybody else and are completely prone to making mistakes all i can tell you is that if you ever want to buy a car from me ask everythung you can think of ,i dont care to take pics of every inch we have access to lifts that we can use to get pics of underneath ,if you want me to take the seats out i will ,it does me no good to screw you in a deal cause the money i make off you will be the last when word gets around so that to me is stupid and believe it or not im just not that kind of person i couldnt sleep at night knowing you were unhappy about the purchase and that its my fault so guys heres an american seller telling you i can promise one thing that i will do the very best i can

[ToughChevy]

Just stumbled across this old thread and I couldnt believe what I read.
A freind of mine is in the market for a 67 Mustang Fastback and contacted a few dealers in Melb and Gold Coast on what they had available.
TGS muscle cars in Vic are advertising 2x 1967 Fastbacks that are on their website as USA stock
http://www.tgsmusclecars.com.au/eighteen.html
http://www.tgsmusclecars.com.au/twentytwo.html

He emailed me the pics and I thought the locaton and green building behind the cars looked familiar, so to my suprise I checked the Motor Mentor/Just Muscle cars/Rose motorsports website and yep, they are the cars!!

http://www.justmusclecars.com/

Seems like Motor Mentor etc has a new distributor in Aus!!
Beware unless u can see it with your own eyes!!
Noticed TGS is advertising a few more of their cars including a Challenger.

[chevelle]

Lets not tar everybody in Florida with the same brush :(
There's good and bad everywhere :)

I bought a car from this guy http://myworld.ebay.com/edsfloridacars and the car was exactly as described plus he went well out of his way to do extra things for me :)


I agree, there is good and bad. Attended the Orange County Barret Jackson auction this year and some of the cars i would stay well away from that were there.

Especially this one. It had a rare one piece plastic floorpan and sill panels. Buyer is a well known Los Angeles car dealer.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=623.1&aid=423&pop=0

11596

[Classic Custom Imports]

I'ts like anything in this world, there is good and bad everywhere.
I have never and will never buy a car sight unseen from a stranger. It's way too risky as I have seen cars advertised in the US as "show quality" and in real life they are lucky to be an ordinary driver. We are lucky to buy 1 out of every 10 we inspect over there. Their definition of top paint and body is world's apart from our's here in Aus.
Its amazing how deceiving pictures can be!

[anychevy]

If you're going to buy "sight unseen" get it inspected by someone that knows what they're looking at :rolleyes: and then get it inspected by someone else !
6 months and 10 Pieces of crap later, I'm still looking :confused: As above "anything looks good in a photo"

[Classic Custom Imports]

If you're going to buy "sight unseen" get it inspected by someone that knows what they're looking at :rolleyes: and then get it inspected by someone else !
6 months and 10 Pieces of crap later, I'm still looking :confused: As above "anything looks good in a photo"

Dave, if you dont mind me asking, what car are you looking for? I might be able to help.

[anychevy]

I might be able to help.
You have a PM

[Shermatt]

Here’s a tip

Fully restored = new paint and some carpet to most over here

Photos are BS. To those that are in the game of importing and/ exporting (in our case) you tend to know what to look for in a photo before committing to jump into an inspection.

Dont look at the centre of the photo...look around the edges of the photo..."what AREN'T they showing you"

Most of the time you will see flakey paint and door rubbers hanging off, wires hanging down, fuel tanks painted silver (thats a big thing at the moment)...looks like a new one in the photo's, over spray on oil filters the same colour as the engine, masking tape hanging off key areas

If you dont find any of that stuff, then the car is doing good.

However, I have done 5 inspections where I have got caught and wasted my time.

One happened to be 4 hours drive to Ft Lauderdale to inspect a 70 BOSS 429 fastback from the above mentioned (nothing against the guy) and although it drove fine and looked great in the pics, it was a driver at best....very shabby and a lot of work. I shi7canned the inspection...I later found a 9.8 out of 10, 1969 Mach1 390 for close to the same money from a private seller

But to give you an idea of the condition of the car, this is the inspection I did for our client that was considering buying the car. You can see at first I was talking "half" nice about the car as the owner was standing by, but after a bit, I made it very aware that we would not be buying this car for him

Video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jwp95fz-8E

We ended up buying this one instead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqB-kY3Xtw0

Video is way better than photo's I believe. You get real time and commentary describing what your pointing the camera at

The second, was a dealer again!!

1969 RS SS 454. Candy apple red...car was awesome in ALL of the pics...the dealer told me that it was show quality and more of a trailer queen even.

I even tell my client "he's not buying this car"

You be the judge...asking $39,500..offered $33,000 via email prior inspection

Video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fUwpXeqWmg

Video 2...under chassis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE3sVUF4zSY

Ended up buying this TUFF unti for $10k less. This car was AWESOME

Video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdW9uWT5CJI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZsOWMuG5aE

Just thought I would share a few videos that are pretty well chalk and cheese videos.

Just be carefull fellas. A said above, The US knows were buying up big and they have priced their classic's according to the best pics they have of the car

Ask the seller for specific pics of what you want to see...if they cant produce..its not worth the gamble. Ask for a video if they have nothing to hide or are willing.

Another tip if the seller isnt being helpfull with your questions, get ya mate/or yourself with another hotmail account to come in from a different angle asking the same sort of questions from the getgo...see what he responds with!

Remember, they are 40 odd years old, your going to find something...but its the surprises that hurt the most...get it inspected first (and not one of those American owned BS 4 page reports that are generic for newer models and 100 photos)...there not worth jack from the ones Ive seen.
...."gorilla hair and fibreglass does not substitute as being a solid floor pan!!!

There are plenty of Ozzies in the US that are shopping for Ozzies and know there classics

Classic car inspections are in a league of their own in my opinion

As for sellers, dealerships selling classics should know better, they have been doing it so long and should know what there selling

Private sellers are a mix, you get the guy that resprays the car, throws in a new dash pad and some carpet and its now fully restored.

Then you have the fella that bought a car and did a bit each week to it but knows nothing about sheet metal and tells you its original steel because its the same shape as the car should be...not their fault...they just dont have in their head what you do as "original"

Then their is the "flippers"...buy a classic, paint all the bits the colours their supposed to be (tart it up) paint the tank and exhaust silver, paint the engine bay and block with spray cans...peel the tape and take the pics

Minimal cost, maximum profit ebay ready cars

If its too good to be true....then put some more thought into it!

And remember you get what you pay for

90% of all classics advertised are out there with the overseas buyer in mind. No inspection and no repercussions from the buyer...they can tell you what you want to hear

Hope some of that information helps

Matt


.

[The 65]

Great advice Matt, thanks.

[tezza101]

Great advice Matt... and pretty obvious when you think about it....

[Benny]

100% agree with Matt & others comments, Us Aussies are a "Fussey" Bunch and have to expect minor issues with the age of the vehicle, but then again we don't want to out lay big $$$ on "Jambed up Junk".

Hey Matt have you seen any of the dealer- Ted Vernon- South Beach Classic cars in person?, Just from watching the T.V show on Foxtel, the cars look very average-Drivers.

[Shermatt]

Ben

50% of those cars are a pile of shi7 mate. Im sure (now Ive seen the guy) I will see him at the Turkey rod run up in daytone next month.

The show aired for 2-3 weeks and was shi7canned here in Florida. I think I googled his name and found exessive negative results

I thought it was very tacky the way his wife rolls up with video cameras to some dudes house selling a car for $8000 and offers him $2000 on TV straight off the bat.

Its not much different from what we do for our clients, but atleast we buy em a drink first!! :)

I dont like it when one of our clients send us to a classic car dealer. We all know they got it the car $10-$15k cheaper through a private sale, but sometimes its the only car on the market that tick all the boxes that has been advertised for the last 3 months

Still, you gotta put your game face on and go in with $10,000 LESS, "CASH OFFER"...believe it or not, it sometimes works. Even dealerships need to put food on the table and a cash offer is a done deal. No waiting for funds to arrive and all paperwork is done the same day.

Were heading to SEMA this week (actually going all round the USA for a week buying cars, then ending up at SEMA) and then I have 22 days to re-assemble a 65 mustang ute (yes...a ute...cut down from a coupe) that is being painted while Im away so I can get to the turkey rod run up in Daytona on the 25th

I will start a thread with all the pics from SEMA and post pics from the rod run aswell

Matt

[anychevy]

Here’s a tip
Photos are BS. To those that are in the game of importing and/ exporting (in our case) you tend to know what to look for in a photo before committing to jump into an inspection.
Just be carefull fellas. A said above, The US knows were buying up big and they have priced their classic's according to the best pics they have of the car
90% of all classics advertised are out there with the overseas buyer in mind. No inspection and no repercussions from the buyer...they can tell you what you want to hear

Here's recent example.

http://sanfranciscosportscars.com/1967-corvette-stingray-convertible/

Needs a total, back to glass respray, badly scratched, chiped and checked.
Matching #s engine, had a "rattle can rebuild" and blows smoke.
Original powerglide gone, now has a T350
Holes on fibreglass floor pan you can put your fist through.
Side pipes rusted through and falling apart.
Oil leaks from everywhere.
Lots of incorrect stuff under the hood and the engine bay was a mess.
Chrome, stainless and glass was o.k. driver quality.
I could go on, but you get the idea.
looks like a glamour dosen't it ! :mad:

[guffer]

Here's recent example.

http://sanfranciscosportscars.com/1967-corvette-stingray-convertible/

Needs a total, back to glass respray, badly scratched, chiped and checked.
Matching #s engine, had a "rattle can rebuild" and blows smoke.
Original powerglide gone, now has a T350
Holes on fibreglass floor pan you can put your fist through.
Side pipes rusted through and falling apart.
Oil leaks from everywhere.
Lots of incorrect stuff under the hood and the engine bay was a mess.
Chrome, stainless and glass was o.k. driver quality.
I could go on, but you get the idea.
looks like a glamour dosen't it ! :mad:

Just out of curiosity what was the asking price ?

[anychevy]

what was the asking price 59K :rolleyes:

[71RS]

Especially this one. It had a rare one piece plastic floorpan and sill panels.
11596

Funny, it reminds me of a Chevette we had when I was a kid. You could see the road through the holes in the floor on the passenger side. One day my Mom had had enough worrying about losing a child out the floor. Dad and his friend set about replacing the floor with new steel. After much measuring they found a spare shovel blade "fit like a glove". They sawed off the handle and welded it in. My Dad's initials happen to be GM and he always referred to the new floor as a genuine "GM" part.

As for "a seller to watch out for...."

Dont trust a complete stranger who wants your money on their face value, their honest word and a few photos.

Two days ago I experienced it again for the umpteenth time. The promise of a rust free 1972 Z28 Camaro only to find "swiss cheese" rust in the dash under the pillars(forgot to photograph) and at the bottom of the front fenders(and who knows where else). With a thud thud tap, the rear quarters sounded like solid Cedar tree trunks under the new paint. Other little tricks included freshly installed Dynamat so I could not pull up the carpet and see the holes in the floor. Included in the deal was a ton of junk in the trunk to discourage me from pulling the mat up and looking at the trunk's floor.

The Kicker...

The seller knew everything about a '72 Z28 Camaro and could decipher from memory the Trim Tag Codes with ease. I paused when he then told me he was unsure if the engine was original and matching numbers. I went straight to the engine stamp to find a thick and very fresh coat of neatly applied grease to the area. An easy wipe with my thumb revealed the obvious truth that the engine code was way wrong. Did I mention the engine was also "fully rebuilt"! Well that was another good story as when I switched it off it slowed as if almost freewheeling with no friction.

The seller was the owner of a transport business, well mannered and very professional in attire. I was totally sucked into the mirage until I got to his place and saw the car in the light of day.

Dont trust those nice shiny pictures. We are the fish and the cars are the lures. If you cant see it in the flesh then send someone to do it.

I always ask for extra Hi-Res photos of certain areas to be emailed which seems to seperate the few good from the lot of bad.

1972 Z28
http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae290/ehbobeh/CIMG3940.jpg
Trim tag code says so
http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae290/ehbobeh/CIMG3928.jpg
Bottom of fender looks ok from the side.
Ahh, there it is! Notice the cracked and deeply sanded filler.
http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae290/ehbobeh/CIMG3935.jpg
Engine number after wiping. Busted Custard!
http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae290/ehbobeh/CIMG3938.jpg

What other suprises lay in wait for the new owner..who cares? My times wasted and I'm leaving.

[Tambo]

........Hey Matt have you seen any of the dealer- Ted Vernon- South Beach Classic cars in person?, Just from watching the T.V show on Foxtel, the cars look very average-Drivers.


Stay away from this guy Benny.

[Benny]

Stay away from this guy Benny.

You don't have to tell me that, Just by watching that show, I detected what kind of a character he is & the quality of cars are.

I think one of the episodes there was a Aussie checking a 1st gen Camaro out, He then walked out of there. hint hint.:)

[camaro_1967rs]

Lets not tar everybody in Florida with the same brush :(
There's good and bad everywhere :)

I bought a car from this guy http://myworld.ebay.com/edsfloridacars and the car was exactly as described plus he went well out of his way to do extra things for me :)

Jim which one did you buy, lovely looking Hyundai SUV there. :p

[victorypark]

Hey Matt in your experiences as an appraiser have u had the opportunity to check out any Willys, say 1940-1941, either fibreglass or steel body and what is your general opinion with regards to how they r advertised as opposed to their actual condition.

Anyone for that matter who has had experience with these can assist.


Thanks all.

Wonder how hard/easy it would be getting one over????? :confused:

[anychevy]

Hey Matt in your experiences as an appraiser have u had the opportunity to check out any Willys, say 1940-1941
Cool car :cool: Anyone remember this movie ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=I_ZKgBEC3_0

[victorypark]

Yep sure do remember that movie. I always make a point of seeing as many movies I can depicting cars I am interested in at the time. Went thru a Mustang phase etc. etc.

Yeah the Willys is an interesting one as far as being able to get one over here is concerned mainly due to the tightening of import laws and given their extremities as far as mods r concerned.

There aren't many over here let alone for sale, then it needs to be within budget and in good nick. Definately biding my time with this one.

Anyone on here have any experience with the '40-'41 Willys or know someone that does or may have one????

Thanks all.