<VV> Easterners Buying Western Cars

[Steven J. Serenska]

VVers:
> Simple answer, they're scared of the transportation logistics, expense, and
> shipping problems. I agree it doesn't make sense, especially when I see
> southerners parting out really nice bodied cars. But that's the dynamics of
> it, strange as it may be.
>   
While I'm not scared of any of those things (well, maybe expense...), I 
am definitely afraid of buying a pig in a poke, just as I'm sure 
westerners are.

Over the past 10-12 years, I have identified several vehicles that were 
located in California, but I've never pulled the trigger because I 
didn't feel strongly enough about any of them to ask someone on VV to do 
me a favor to take a ride over to see the vehicle. 

Last summer, I saw a nice looking Rampside for sale outside of Redding, 
California.  If that truck had been anywhere I could have driven to from 
Rhode Island, I would likely own it today.  As it was, the concept of....

 1) Asking someone from VV to sacrifice all or a part of his weekend day 
to take a look at it for me didn't seem right

 2) Adding $1000 to the purchase price to ship it home made the vehicle 
less competitive with restored models available locally

 3) Not being able to eliminate the risk that I might be disappointed 
when I finally laid my own two eyes on it ....

....all worked together to keep me from pulling the trigger.

Anyone on this list can know what it's like by asking themselves this 
question: Would you buy -- sight unseen -- a completely restored '64 
Spyder Turbo Convertible located in *Alaska* for $4,850?  Even if you 
had been assured it was an original Arizona rust-free car that had been 
kept in a heated garage?

The thing I think most Easterners are afraid of is the "sight unseen" 
factor.  I know I am.

Steven "humans tend to behave rationally, believe it or not" Serenska

1965 Monza Convertible, 110/4
1966 Corsa Coupe, 140/4