Last year, I bought a 1997 F350, 4x4, sgl cab sgl rear wheel, auto( I would have preferred manual trans) It had rubber mats, manual windows and door locks, manual transfer case and manual locking hubs. Just exactly what I wanted except for the trans. Already had a gooseneck hitch in it too. 89k miles. What I didn't want was, he had jacked it up and had big ole wheel and tires on it. He paid thouands of dollars to do this to the truck, . I asked him if he the original suspension, wheels etc, but he didn't. He wanted $15k for it, but I offered him $12k, because I was gonna have to spend a wad putting the truck back right. He came back at $12.5 k, and I bought it. Had it a week when this young dude in one of the bands I manage, as given his grandad's 96 F250. He saw mine and said this was exactly what he wanted to do with his truck when he had the money. His truck had 9.00 x 16 CO-OP Grip Spurs on it. I haven't seen them around in 30 years, but apparently there is a place in Dothan that still gets them. So, I told him if he did the swapping out, and got my front end aligned once he did, I would give my stuff to him.
A month ago, I lost a fantastic deal being stupid. Found a 2010 GMC 1500, 4x4, short bed, sgl cab with rubber mats, manual windows, etc. 350 motor, or whatever replaced it...5.3 maybe? 39k miles showing. New Wrangler ATs on it. Dual exhaust just a little bit louder than stock. Was listed at $10.5k. I called the man and arranged to meet him next day, got the serial number and did a Carfax. It had a minor report of a rear-end accident on it. No frame damage or anything. When I met the man at the mall this truck, (white) was clean as a whistle. I drove it and it rode GOOD. It had Chevy emblems on it, Chevy center caps on the chrome wheels, and a Chevy tail gate. I asked the dude why, and he said the man he got it from ( one owner at the time) said he liked Chevy's better and was changing it out...that the grill was next. I told him that no, it had been wrecked, and thats why the tail gate had ben replaced. He went from $10.5 to $9k without me even trying to get him down. It was nearly dark then, so I told him I'd g0 to the bank in the morning, to see if they would loan that ( I had the money in my pocket, but wanted to make myself sleep on it over night) He said he was going out of town, but would leave the truck at his gf's house close by, with the title and bill of sale etc. To call him tomorrow and he'd get with her to arrange a time for me to get it if I wanted it. Damn horse trader in me flared up that night, so when I called him I said that the bank wouldn't do it, buy I had scraped up $8500 in cash, and would come get the truck. He said no thanks, someone else had came that night, and told him they'd buy it of for some reason I didn't. I have been kicking myself in the butt every day since. I couldn't have very well told him " Hang on, I just found $500 under my bed", or anything, so I negotiated myself out of a very good truck I could have made money on. I was STUPID!
