Your opinion on a carfax/ should i buy this cruiser

[thc187]

Hi,

Looking at a 1988 62 with 140k for $3800, no rust.

The carfax seems a bit strange though, here is the part that is perplexing me:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]03/12/2001[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]132,445[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dealer Inventory
Highland, IN
[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Vehicle offered for sale

[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]05/14/2001[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dealer Inventory
Englewood, CO
[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Vehicle offered for sale
[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]05/16/2001[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]132,768[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Auto Auction
[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sold at auction
in Mountain Region
Listed as
a dealer vehicle
[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]07/13/2004[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]133,695[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Auto Auction
[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sold at auction
in Mountain Region
Listed as
a dealer vehicle
[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

If you look at 5/16/2001 there are 132,768...3 years later at 7/13/2004 there are only 133,695. So it was at an auction house as a dealer vehicle, right.
Whats to stop the dealer from making it a DD, disconecting the odometer, putting on 35k-40k miles for 3 years, then reconeccting spedometer and selling at auction with no one the wiser?

Am i being paranoid.? whats your opinion....

also, the side panel in the front seems a slightly different color blue than the front door (just a pinch, but i saw it). Is this a fading issue, or should i be concerned about major body work (carfax shows no accidents)

thanks
[/FONT]

 

[Cruisergreg]

With all of those auction sales and mismatched paint I'd walk away. That price isn't really a bargain unless it's an exceptional example.

 

[thc187]

so on average, a 60 and a 62 in exact some condition, mileage etc....the 60 has the premium price?

because many buyers would scoop up a similar 1986 60 with 140k and no rust for $3800

landcruisers- the only car where a manual is worth more than an automatic

 

[Tinker]

I think you need to get a few definitions: "dealer vehicle" & "no accidents", for starters.

Also, mismatched paint on an 18-yr-old vehicle is not uncommon. Check underneath the hood & the truck for overspray. Use a fridge magnet (flexible kind) on all the corners & above the rear wheel wells to check for bondo. If the magnet doesn't stick, there's over 1/8" of bondo, definitely not a "rust free forever" rig.

There are federal & state laws about turning back odos, etc. Nothing would prevent a private owner from disconnecting a speedo cable to accomplish the same thing.

What do you expect for $3800, anyway? Professionally restored examples are over $20K.

 

[fjman]

Actually, I htink 62s usually get more $

 

[calphi27]

My speedo cable was unplugged for a year bc, I was not able to plug it back in. I logged at least 12,000 miles on it.

My old girlfriend's dad owned a Ford dealership in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was given a new mustang every 6 months. I drove one and found out the Speedo was not working. And what else did I find, the odometer was not working either!

It is easy and tempting to do if you are a dealer. I would avoid the cruiser and Ford as well.