Too good to be true??

[unclemiltie]

This seems like a very good deal.  The lack of description raises flags re scam or something radically wrong.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163545580876?ul_noapp=true

[Gunslinger]

That car has been advertised on eBay a number of times for quite some time.  That strikes me as a red flag.  It may be legit but with such a lack of information it screams for looking at it personally before committing.

[studegary]

Note that the seller has zero feedback.  Not necessarily a bad thing.  

If the car can be personally looked at, including the frame and driver's seat, and it passes muster, I would buy it.   These Chevrolet frames are known to rust as bad as Studebaker frames and they have less material to start with.  

I purchased a 1987 Avanti new and I remember the other red 1987 convertible that is also currently on eBay.   

[studegary]

Is there someone here that resides reasonably close to Boynton Beach Florida that could personally check out this Avanti?  There are too many unknowns for me to buy it sight unseen.  

[Mistro]

I agree that there are red flags with the buyer and a 0 feedback and really no discription and not a lot of pictures either. Carfax shows the car in NY for most of its life and a mileage discrepancy which might just be clerical. And it shows a FL transfer in about 2004 and very few miles since then... Inspection is a must for sure. And it didn’t sell with a different seller last year when it was offered for about $15000. Still tempting.

[mfg]

Plan on L&R rear quarter window regulator repair right away!

[studegary]

7 hours ago, Mistro said:

I agree that there are red flags with the buyer and a 0 feedback and really no discription and not a lot of pictures either. Carfax shows the car in NY for most of its life and a mileage discrepancy which might just be clerical. And it shows a FL transfer in about 2004 and very few miles since then... Inspection is a must for sure. And it didn’t sell with a different seller last year when it was offered for about $15000. Still tempting.

Thanks for this information.  The "...NY for most of its life..." makes me think that the frame is probably shot.  If that is the case, I am definitely not interested in it.  In the past, I have gone to Florida to look at collector cars, including Avantis.  I have given up on that.  I know that there are exceptions, but many of the cars retired to Florida with their owners from NY, NJ, MI, OH, etc.  The last Avanti (1963) that I went to look at in Florida was one of these cars (didn't know it when I went).  The first thing that I did was get down on the floor and look at the frame and torque boxes.  I could immediately see a change in the seller's expression.  It turns out that the owner and Avanti had recently relocated from Ohio.  The Avanti was very rusty (I didn't even make an offer on it)

[Mistro]

it’s been looked at and it’s very rough. Maybe at best a parts car. More to follow.

[Mistro]

Well, it's gone and I say good riddance. I hope that if someone got it, they got a smoking deal well below the asking $11500.

Here's part of an email I got from someone who had knowledge of the car via a report from an Avanti club member.

"... He just called to tell me the car is beyond rough.  The paint looks like a $300. job.  The interior would need either replaced or re-dyed.  There are cracks in both front and rear bumpers.  The rear windows have not worked for 20 years.  The top works but is patched.  The owner is selling it to buy another either '87 or '88 Avanti conv.  In other words, he would rather sell it and buy another one, than fix this one." Also in a subsequent conversation, there was significant interior water damage noted and a non-standard gauge... I had three knowledgable Avanti Club members telling me to walk away. I never was that serious with the mileage discrepancy noted in the CarFax, so it was easy to accept their recommendations. Just too much to try and bring back.