Recent acquisition. 1991 Ford Escort, two
local owners since new, 103,000 miles, always in this area.
Been searching for a back up vehicle for
three months. Doesn’t need to be a daily driver but needs to be reliable. I’ve
had other Escorts and had good luck with them. Readers of this blog will know I’m
a cheapskate (and proud to be).
The seller’s asking price was reasonable.
Me, being the kind and generous type, offered him 2/3rds of his asking price.
Dead silence for two days and then he came back with an offer 80% of his original
price. The deal was made.
There are a lot of strategies in
buying/selling that I use. If it is something I need, is scarce and likely to
be gone if I wait, I suck it up and pay the price.
What I strive for is to not need it
immediately and to maximize my position by having cash in fist. My usual offer
is 2/3rds of what they are asking. Once I make an offer, I shut up. I will
never, ever, be the first to speak. In this case, the silence was two days.
So far, I’m out a set of wiper blades.
Used ½ a roll of paper towels and ½ a bottle of window cleaner getting all the
scum off the glass enable to see clearly. Not smoke, just neglect.
The last
driver was a pig.
Tomorrow will be emissions check and
title/license.
15 comments:
What does the engine wear look like (water pump, alternator, etc)? How about the electrical?
A timing belt, water pump, and tensioner was done at 75k. The battery is a year old. Escorts aren't known for electrical problems.
Escort timing belts are usually good for 80k but break more from age than use. Since the 1.9 is a non interference engine, when one breaks it is an annoyance.
The serpentine belt is new. I've done an alternator change in an Escort. About as simple as you could hope for.
It has new struts in the front but needs the rears done. No problem with the CV joints. The tailgate needs new lift struts. Around $40 and ten minutes.
Will probably have the transmission flushed. Nice to have a self shifter.
Nice find, and LL asked the question I was going to, so good news, and a reliable backup. :-)
There are several small jobs I want to do on the Mighty Max. Small things like taking the steering wheel apart to get to the horn buttons. Redoing the windshield wiper transmission. Fixing a hole in the floor board. Maybe putting on a Weber carburetor. Rather not be needing to drive it if a job takes longer than planned (and it always does - thanks Murphy).
I don't dicker(until the third date) if I can help it. But it seems to be in your blood. I do like the idea of a back up ride, though. Glad you are happy with it.
Looks like a winner!
When my wife's little Sentra needed rear struts, I got the whole shebang from Monroe as an "Easy Strut Replacement", I think.
New springs, shock insert, bushings, everything. Looked just like you pulled a complete strut assembly right off the assembly line 30 seconds after somebody installed it.
Cost a bit more, but my son and I had both of them done in about an hour, with ZERO frustration and grief.
Just what you want for your beater.....
You will soon have a hole in the floor under your left foot in this one. Don't panic - somebody didn't steal your clutch. don't forget the safety tape on the the rear bumper.
Sisty
It is a sin to pay full retail.
When the time comes will have a friend do it. He can't work because of an accident and needs the money.
Do I detect a hint of sarcasm? Or is it envy?
I'm going with helpful hints laced with sarcasm
Thank you for the clarification.
You have emissions testing in Colofornia? WTF. Nice score. I am going to run the wheels off my car. Then when it is labeled a hoopty, I will run more off of it.
Not everywhere , just along the Front Range.
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