Now mind you, we haven't settled on a selling price but, initially, I was agreeable to $5,000 (after having seen similar cars on the 'net for anywhere from $7,900-$15,000) (but *those* cars had lower miles and were - ahem - "running!"). So we were going to drop Scarlet off for "Early-Bird Service" and I managed to get myself out-of-bed and functional before 7:00am (No Easy Feat!!!). I went out to the driveway, inserted the key and cranked the engine... She spluttered to a start and, almost immediately, coughed-and-died.
Do-Over...
Splutter. Start. Cough. Die.
Do-Again...
Splutter. Start. Cough. Die.
The Dealer is only about 3 miles from home, but clearly we aren't getting there under our own power!
Scarlet is, essentially, undriveable.
Hubs - at my urging - calls a tow truck and they showed up with a big ol' flatbed...
Poor Scarlet!!!
Scarlet gets loaded up and dropped off at the dealer...
Now, when Hubs dropped her off, he told the dealer "I'm 'giving' this car to my wife..."
The dealer initially quoted $145 for "Trouble-shooting" - but after 2 days with no resolution (they couldn't even get their electronic gizmo to "read" her trouble-codes), they doubled the "Estimate" price... And it took them several days to figure out...
I *knew* that Hubs wasn't paying the bill for this, so I got a little nervous every time he agreed to pricing increases!!! But $290 is still within my Comfort Zone. So I didn't b*tch too much!
At the same time, I *did* get a little "mileage" out of the fact that he was claiming he was "giving" the car to me. I had also posted, on Facebook, that I was "buying" the car from my husband - and several "friends" [who don't *know* Hubs] were posting, in response, that DH should *give* the car to me!!! To which I replied "LMFAO!!!"
Anyhooooo... After about a week, the Dealer determined that the ECM ("Computerized Brain" I think), as well as the PROM (some kinda "Performance" sub-brain Electronic Gizmo) were hosed and needed to be replaced. The ECM was relatively easy, but the PROM was not "stock" so we had to go online and find a place that carried it, and would be willing to "overnight" it to us...
In the meantime, DH was carrying on about how Scarlet would have to be covered, if kept in the driveway. Both our sprinklers, and the neighbors' sprinklers would wreak havoc on her pristine paint. Hubs sent me to a Corvette-Specialty website where I could purchase the "Typhoon" (or "Monsoon" or "Hurricane Katrina" or "Armageddon" - I can't remember!) model of car-cover (for over $200!!!).
I opted for a somewhat-lesser model of waterproof car-cover (I'm sorry, we don't get Typhoons here. Nor do we get 12+ feet of snow per year!) (And I need to purchase something that I can wrestle-off, single-handedly!).
Anywaaaaaayyyy... Between the car-cover, Chevy-Dealer "Estimate," new PROM and new ECM, I am already "into" the car for well-over $1,000.00, right?
Now... The following weekend - which was LAST weekend (car is still in the shop, right?), my College Buddy D came to visit, and we went out Sailing last Saturday... We had a FAN-Freaking-Tastic Time... But while we're loading up the truck, a guy pulls up in his 1987 Red Corvette. Hubs goes to chat with him (completely forgetting that he'd met the same guy, previously, at the Dry Boat Storage yard). The guys start chatting about their respective Corvettes while I'm standing there, listening...
Guy tells Hubs "I paid $600 for this car... Had to put $3,000 into it to get it running, but it's running real good - don'tcha think?!!"
I'm sure Hubs was wanting to cringe and die at this point because we haven't "finalized" our negotiations!!! (and, to be fair, I wouldn't put Scarlet in the same "category" as this '87 Vette. She is *clearly* in better shape. But still...!)
Nevertheless... I felt that $5,000 was a bit "aggressive" - given her issues. Had she been *running* when I bought her, then Yeah, Maybe! But she wasn't. Annnnnd... While she was in the shop, Hubs asked the dealer to *also* look into her Oil Leaks and provide an add'l estimate (Again, I'm thinking, *I'm* paying for this!!!).
Well, Long-Story-Short: We got the new PROM (Fed-Ex'd from some Corvette Specialist in Tennessee), got the new ECM (from the Dealer), and got "Estimates" for her 3 oil leaks ($1,600+). I paid for all of that to the tune of >$1,000.00. NOT including repair of the 3 oil leaks!
THEN we started pricing negotiations....
Yes, I did get *some* mileage out of the fact that he told the dealer he was "giving" her to me (as well as the comments on my Facebook post!). I also dredged-up the fact that "Mr. 87 Corvette" only paid $600 for *his* car...
The negotiations were rather comical - in retrospect. Hubs kept mentioning prices which I agreed to (far too readily - hindsight being 20/20!), then when I'd drag out my checkbook, he'd raise the price!!!
We finally settled on $3250.00 - which is acceptable. She still needs her oil leaks addressed, but I can do that at my leisure.
In the meantime, we are attempting to address the A/C leak in "Red." (I may have my friend's son, Chris, try to trouble-shoot that). Annnnnd, I'm trying to sell Albatross - our 16.5' sailboat - so we can clear some space in the driveway....
Initially, I thought I would try to sell CreamPuff, Mom's Sebring Convertible, but she is the "most reliable" car I've got right now - so that would be kinda silly.
I just can't bring myself to part with Red - I love the car too much! Plus, there weren't many Sunfire Convertibles made - so she *might* be worth something, someday... Luckily, my friend, P, has a Mobile Home with an open parking space, so I can park a vehicle there - at least temporarily!
The Fun just Never Stops!!!
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