An ethical dilemma?

[nuclearlemon]

for future reference...the cl ad for the 45

Toyota LandCruiser FJ45 Pickup RARE - $13500 (Seattle)

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Date: 2012-09-06, 11:18AM PDT
Reply to this post ttpbd-3254333132@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


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1967 Toyota LandCruiser FJ45 truck Owned by FJ40/45 restoration shop in SE WA
US imported FJ45's from 63-67, the 67 is the desired year with removable hard top. This truck has a clean clear WA state title (will get title back from the state in my name early October)
History of this truck
Bought new in Yakima WA (the high desert) used as a ranch vehicle until 1982-83 when the rear axle lost fluid and locked up at 22,xxx miles. This FJ was parked outside and forgot about. The original owner died in the late 80's. I found this truck through a tip from a local picker, took me 2 years to buy it and get it titled as the family had no idea where the original title was. This truck was about 2 hours from my shop, we have little to no rainfall per year, it's hot, so this truck has no rot, but is sun baked. This is the most rust free clean slate FJ45 I've had or seen. The surface rust will sand off easily, perfect start for a restoration, no bondo or crap paint hiding the truth. Many of these parts are interchangeable with FJ40's, the impossible parts to find such as the hard top and roof are all there and in excellent condition.
The pictures you see in the photobucket link are as I bought it. There are a couple missing and broke parts which I will replace before it's sold, it will be a complete vehicle. The super swamper tires do not come with it, I'll put on a set of used BFG's and white spoke wheels. The original wheels and dry rotted tires are included. I plan to install a new rear axle, get it running and driving, make it complete, change out the broke headlight and lens etc. change fluids. Will be for sale at $13,500. I've owned over 700 FJ40's and maybe 25 FJ45's, this is the absolute best start FJ45 out there, I've sold lesser 45's at the same price range like hot cakes, so please no time wasters or lowballs, wont happen. I plan to get to this truck in 1 month or so, but if it's pre-sold I'll get to it sooner. This will not last on eBay so if you really want it, act now. Thanks!
Link to pictures
http://s953.photobucket.com/albums/ae11/fj40man79/1967 FJ45 Sep 12/





oh, and if that's worth 13500, i've got a great 45swb for 50k

 

[Sea Knight]

...oh, and if that's worth 13500, i've got a great 45swb for 50k

Does yours come with a shovel?

 

[SouthBostonFJ40]

Does yours come with a shovel?

You don't want the one pictured. It's shoveled a tremendous amount of s*** obviously.

 

[crushers]

so much truth is such a short sentence.

You don't want the one pictured. It's shoveled a tremendous amount of s*** obviously.

 

[Sea Knight]

You don't want the one pictured. It's shoveled a tremendous amount of **** obviously.

But seriously, I'll bet he didn't pay over $1K for that 45. What's your guess?

 

[FJ40Jim]

$800 for that rusty old Jap pickup. I'll bring my trailer and do you a favor and haul it out of the weeds. Saves you calling a tow truck.


^^^ What a nice guy! ^^^

 

[Sully73FJ40]

Still waiting on the suspect to speak. Will he or will he not defend himself? Come on please I just want a good laugh!

 

[FJ40Jim]

Can't speak, he's been banned from the forum.

And he won't defend himself. His response when confronted with the facts was classic celebrity defense lawyer:
Ignore reality and make wild counter-accusations.

 

[justbecause]

Still waiting on the suspect to speak. Will he or will he not defend himself? Come on please I just want a good laugh!

I dont think he will be posting on mud....

Same guy and both banned. The software might have done it automatically when he created the second user name.

Or our benevolent leader may be working behind the scenes on the issue.

 

[re_guderian]

I'm obviously not condoning this guy's actions at all, but I kinda don't see how this gets to be an issue. If you're gonna throw 5 figures at a 35-40 year old truck, and are not capable of, or don't want to do, your own inspection...well... that's what gives douchebags like this the opportunity to even exist in the first place. i.e. apparently there's a market out there for people who want things they know nothing about, and are not willing to learn and do before forking over relatively large sums of cash. This outcome will always result from that scenario, whether it's cruisers, guns, watches, houses, blah blah blah...



Before you flame me, I have bought 3 vehicles remotely, all for between 10-20 grand. One I paid for a 3rd party inspection, one I travelled and did the inspection myself, and one I bought sight-unseen until it showed up at my doorstep. I was keenly aware of the risk I was taking, and the myriad of issues that might have cropped up. In reality, I learned things about that car that I wish the seller would have disclosed, but hey, I never asked, so, fool me once...

 

[FJ40Jim]

Rob, you are right, but in the CO's defense, he contacted the PO after observing a few of his "totally restored" fj40's sell on ebay, and the PO's 100% positive ebay feedback. CO contacted PO to ask if there would be more 40's on ebay and PO said "sure, but I have one I just finished that I can sell you now."

So the deal felt like an ebay sale, but was actually made off ebay, so no recourse through ebay/paypal.

BTW, does the PO's ebay feedback seem to be amazingly glowing? Much like the description of every rusty 40 he's selling?

 

[crushers]

the issue is trust ...
some people you shouldn't trust and some you can.
people in general are trusting, pricks like this one prey on those ones.

 

[canucksafari]

Wayne, remember your golden rule?

"Never spend money you can't afford to loose".

Sometimes you get lucky and sometime you don't. I bought on Nissan patrol with a full 3rd party inspection for 11,500 which within 6 months cost me another $2000 for IP rebuild. Not to mention I highly suspect that the odometer had been rolled. I bought another one sight-unseen for $3000 for a parts vehicle. It turned out to be in better mechanical condition than the first one. That said, I always will recommend a 3rd party inspection to reduce the risk. Buying is always a gamble.

 

[re_guderian]

Trust is earned. Ebay feedback has been bogus for years, everyone knows that, right?

 

[Trapper50cal]

I agree that you shouldn't trust someone until they have earned it, but it doesn't make the actions of a bait & switch snake oil salesman acceptable and it certainly doesn't mean that their shouldn't be some kind of realistic recourse for the obvious misrepresentation of high-dollar items. "Truth In Advertising" shouldn't be a sarcastic statement.

...and how could this guy POSSIBLY respond to this thread with all of his (alleged) malfeasance brought completely to light? AND the fact that he called Jim Chenowith a liar? Who doesn't know what he's talking about????

He's already dug a hole he can't climb out of without a complete mea culpa and assumption of fault and responsibility.

So interesting that after being (allegedly) busted for this, he (allegedly) goes to the graybar motel for 30 days, gets a serious slap on the wrist, and then goes back to the exact same ways. Sad really. Seems like 30 days was an un appreciated gimme. (allegedly)

 

[crushers]

actually, i didn't know that feedback is bogus ... but then i don't shop fleabay.

John, agree completely. I was just stating that i have found that people that show up at my door have very little knowledge of what they are driving. the like or love their ride and that is all they know. they are trusting not to get ripped.
the guy that owns that BJ70 i am rebuilding and modifying, he knows very little about cruisers and is very trusting. he was screwed when he bought it, he got screwed when he hired some kid to refurbish it, he got screwed again when he hired a couple "good old boys" to fix up the kids mess ... and now it is sitting here getting redone. he trusted each group of people.
same with the guy that bought the BJ43 out of the states, bought it off fleabay and when i had it over the pit the thing wasn't worth even looking at. he trusted the seller and got screwed completely. the seller wouldn't return calls or emails and washed his hands. the B engine was toast, the body was a bondo bucket, but it shur look'd purdy.
i meet a lot of trusting people and in the cruiser community, most are to be trusted. there are the very few that enjoy hurting others and stealing their money and that ruins it for the rest of the community.

this thread shows the pain that can occur ... i agree, and if you look at this post (it applies to most cruisers): https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/617132-buying-70-series.html
i recommend an independent inspection by someone that KNOWS cruisers and what to look for.

sad, so sad.

 

[canucksafari]

Good recommendation thread there Wayne. You'll save some people who bother to do the research some money and grief with those tips.

The nature of the world is there are gullible trusting people everywhere and there are the leaches who feed off of them. It sucks but that is the way it is. I've been the gullible and gotten screwed. I've also gotten screwed because I didn't do my homework or cheaped out. Even when you think you are doing everything right you can get screwed.

It isn't enough to have a third party inspection. You need to find one that actually knows and cares about what they are doing. Even then, they are not going to find everything in 30-60 mins. When it comes to a 4x4, a good mechanical inspector won't agree to anything less than 2-3 hours of shop time. I've been telling people for years that a 4x4 (esp a diesel one) needs a 2-3 hour inspection which included a leak down test. Still I get people complain that they had a BC automobile association inspection done that didn't discover the problems.

 

[Mattnatti]

Has anyone thought about going by this jerkoff's place and having a " talk " with him?

I think maybe " talking " to him until his hands are broken would be a good way to keep him off the interwebz and away from any 40's for a while.

 

[Gumby]

So interesting that after being busted for this, he goes to the graybar motel for 30 days, gets a serious slap on the wrist, and then goes back to the exact same ways. Sad really. Seems like 30 days was an un appreciated gimme.

He did learn from his time in jail. Like many criminals he learned how to do it better. He no longer sends something a layperson can see as different from what was purchased. He used to sell common engines straight from a junkyard as rebuilt rarities. Now he sells whole vehicles that could be defended in court. Is it a 75 land cruiser FJ40? Was the engine rebuilt? It's no longer open and shut, now it's a matter of degrees. His lawyer can argue with your lawyer about the definition of mostly rust free.

He went from straight up mail fraud to something that VOR has been getting away with for decades.

 

[Gumby]

Has anyone thought about going by this jerkoff's place and having a " talk " with him?

I think maybe " talking " to him until his hands are broken would be a good way to keep him off the interwebz and away from any 40's for a while.

Hey, thanks for the useless and illegal suggestion. I'm sure that will help the CO resolve the situation.