Is it too good to be true or is it a good deal?

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This being a scam aside, some of these "high end car" sellers are just moving garbage along. I got a call from a friend who's well known in the Cruiser world who had a client looking at a 40 that was located at one of these places in Denver (many people can probably guess the name). "Hey Jim, if this place is nearby do you mind running over and taking a look at this thing for my client? The photos present pretty well." I think the asking price was $20-30k and it was a total joke - looked great in their "white warehouse aesthetic" photos, but was just trash. It was completely slathered in bondo and a 1-day paint job. The upholstery had been poorly replaced in the 90s (judging by the print pattern) and was falling apart. Mechanical stuff underneath was done wrong, bolts were a mis-match of original Toyota stuff and hardware store junk and some were visibly loose. They started the truck up and while looking at it run I noticed an electric fan in place of the fan clutch setup - and the electric fan had a wiring connector dangling. It wasn't even plugged in so I told the guy to shut it down. The motor sounded serviceable, but likely wasn't ever rebuilt and had a ton of miles on it. Lots of engine bay stuff was cheapo parts store replacements. The cherry on top was that the guy kept assuring me that is was a US-spec 40, despite the VIN plate clearly saying it was built in 1985. 100% a South American vehicle (lack of heater was another giveaway). I wasn't expecting a $50k+ BAT auction truck - although some of those have questionable work as well - but it certainly wasn't worth the asking price, or even half of that in my opinion.

All this from a VERY reputable "classic car dealer" with a huge nationwide online presence. Look at a vehicle before buying.
 
Dragos80 said:
The windshield wipers being at the bottom indicates some changes were made. Where? South America?
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Pighead said:
That looks really, really nice. Even has a heater.
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This was obviously a US import originally.
A Pillar plaque was for the US market. Heater would have been standard in the US. The 8/80+ center console with the optional rear heater was probably never used in South America. Front heaters weren't used. Someone spent some time sourcing and installing late Land Cruiser parts into a 74 FJ40.
 
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Just for s***z and giggles I emailed and this was the response:

Thank you for your interest in my vehicle, and apologies for the delayed response. I work as a cargo pilot and am currently on a long-haul rotation, which means I’m often deployed on extended international trips with rest periods away from home.

The vehicle is still available and is in excellent condition. I’d be happy to send you detailed photos if you’d like.

I’m selling it because it’s not used very often, and I’d like to reduce my monthly expenses. At the moment, the vehicle and all related documents, including the title, are in Massachusetts and are being held by a shipping company that will manage the sale on my behalf.

If you’re still interested, please let me know and I’ll be glad to share more details.

Perfect AI
 
A lot of cruiser guys in and around the mass ports … respond back that you’re going to look at it … get the shipping company location :)
 
I emailed someone years ago about an 80 series that was too good to be true. The response included the vehicle was boxed up and ready to ship. LOL. That was obviously from an country that had a different language which things changed in translation. I like this one how he is away all the time but can provide more pictures. Those with probably be from the ad. Want anything in particular would use the excuse he not there to take and shipping company doesn't take pictures. I would respond saying you want pictures of the three VIN locations to be sure they all match. Scammer probably doesn't even know where the three places are. Other things would be worried AI could be used.
 
:rofl:

The Response:

(all the additional photos are from the 6-year-old posting.



Thank you for your interest in purchasing my vehicle. I've attached some photos of the vehicle for you to review its condition.

To ensure a secure and transparent transaction, and because I am unable to handle the sale in person, I have arranged for an authorized logistics company to manage the entire process on my behalf. In accordance with standard consumer-protection and distance-selling regulations, they will handle the shipping, full documentation, and payment procedure in a legally compliant manner.

Please note that although on-site inspection at their facility isn’t possible (as it is strictly a shipping and processing hub rather than a public warehouse), the vehicle remains fully insured while in their custody and throughout delivery. The company has already performed their technical verification and confirmed that the vehicle is in excellent working condition.

Additionally, I have a formal agreement with them that grants you a 2–3 day inspection and evaluation period upon delivery. If, for any reason, the vehicle does not meet your expectations, you may return it during that window without penalty, in alignment with standard return-policy guidelines for remote transactions.

The vehicle is in excellent condition, and I stand fully behind its quality.
If you remain interested, please let me know.

Best Regards


Capt. William Henry

Boeing 747 Freighter Captain

Cargolux Airlines International S.A.

william*henry@cargolux*delivery

www.cargolux.com

Luxembourg Airport (LUX) · L-2987 Luxembourg
 
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Pay me then you can inspect it LOL
 
Spike Strip said:
Just for s***z and giggles I emailed and this was the response:

Thank you for your interest in my vehicle, and apologies for the delayed response. I work as a cargo pilot and am currently on a long-haul rotation, which means I’m often deployed on extended international trips with rest periods away from home.

The vehicle is still available and is in excellent condition. I’d be happy to send you detailed photos if you’d like.

I’m selling it because it’s not used very often, and I’d like to reduce my monthly expenses. At the moment, the vehicle and all related documents, including the title, are in Massachusetts and are being held by a shipping company that will manage the sale on my behalf.

If you’re still interested, please let me know and I’ll be glad to share more details.

Perfect AI
Click to expand...
What?
He is not a Nigerian Prince?
 
Spike Strip said:
:rofl:

The Response:

(all the additional photos are from the 6-year-old posting.



Thank you for your interest in purchasing my vehicle. I've attached some photos of the vehicle for you to review its condition.

To ensure a secure and transparent transaction, and because I am unable to handle the sale in person, I have arranged for an authorized logistics company to manage the entire process on my behalf. In accordance with standard consumer-protection and distance-selling regulations, they will handle the shipping, full documentation, and payment procedure in a legally compliant manner.

Please note that although on-site inspection at their facility isn’t possible (as it is strictly a shipping and processing hub rather than a public warehouse), the vehicle remains fully insured while in their custody and throughout delivery. The company has already performed their technical verification and confirmed that the vehicle is in excellent working condition.

Additionally, I have a formal agreement with them that grants you a 2–3 day inspection and evaluation period upon delivery. If, for any reason, the vehicle does not meet your expectations, you may return it during that window without penalty, in alignment with standard return-policy guidelines for remote transactions.

The vehicle is in excellent condition, and I stand fully behind its quality.
If you remain interested, please let me know.

Best Regards


Capt. William Henry

Boeing 747 Freighter Captain

Cargolux Airlines International S.A.

william.henry@cargolux.delivery

www.cargolux.com

Luxembourg Airport (LUX) · L-2987 Luxembourg
Click to expand...
That reply checks every single box as a scam...
We need to move this thread to chat and we need a scambaiter.
 
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Sure, Jan. Sure. I think it's time to just tell them to F.O.

Another Response:

The shipping company is not a dealership. Their role is strictly limited to transporting and storing vehicles, they don’t handle inspections. They also aren’t authorized to accommodate inspection requests, as coordinating them could disrupt their regular operations, given the high volume of vehicles they manage.

On the bright side, the vehicle is fully prepped and ready for transport. The purchasing process is simple and straightforward.

To begin, please provide your full name and address so I can forward your details to the shipping company. Once they receive this information, they will start the process and send us the sales contract, bill of lading, invoice, and tracking number for the transaction.

When these documents are issued, the transaction is officially underway. At that point, you will need to review, sign, and return the documents, along with a 50% payment of the total vehicle cost to the shipping company’s bank account.

Once you receive the vehicle, you will have 3 days to inspect it. If for any reason you are not satisfied, you can request a refund, and a representative from the shipping company will arrange to collect the vehicle. In that case, your payment will be fully refunded within 24 hours.

If you are happy with the vehicle, which I’m confident you will be, you will then send the remaining 50%, and the vehicle will be officially yours.

This is a standard, widely used process designed to make the transaction safe and smooth for both sides.

Please let me know your thoughts and send me your details so we can proceed.

Best Regards
 
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