Ed Maitre, Partner of All About Detail and I decided to start a Detail Business in a most unlikely place, Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Clearfield absolutely fits the description “Not the end of the world, just close enough to see it”. We did not have high expectations concerning too much work. We knew that a population that is attached to Pick Up Trucks for the most part would not be clamoring to get those trucks washed. After all it takes a long time to get those trucks to the correct state of muddiness and who would want to wash out the evidences of the latest hunt or road kill.
Never-the-less we moved forward. Never did we expect that we would have to turn work away and we were absolutely correct. But we were a little too correct. More correct than was acceptable.
We thought we better figure out how to advertise on a shoe string budget. Two ideas struck us: 1.) We could purchase a Classic Car or Truck that we could place a business ad on, bring it to car shows and possibly use it for hauling mobile detail equipment and/or 2.) We could place strategic ads on the internet, Penny savers, the local newspaper classified ads, or billboards. Did I mention our shoe strings? All of these were too expensive and were without any assured results. We ended up using the idea but developed our own free website: All About Detail.
Never-the-less we moved forward. Never did we expect that we would have to turn work away and we were absolutely correct. But we were a little too correct. More correct than was acceptable.
We thought we better figure out how to advertise on a shoe string budget. Two ideas struck us: 1.) We could purchase a Classic Car or Truck that we could place a business ad on, bring it to car shows and possibly use it for hauling mobile detail equipment and/or 2.) We could place strategic ads on the internet, Penny savers, the local newspaper classified ads, or billboards. Did I mention our shoe strings? All of these were too expensive and were without any assured results. We ended up using the idea but developed our own free website: All About Detail.
With a lot of work that is starting to prove fruitful. But the first idea struck us in a different way; it took some of our shoestrings and did not give us a return on investment (ROI).
After months of bidding on vehicles on the internet we were not able to get the sellers of cars or trucks to move to our shoestring budget and we had become a bit disillusioned. Then all of sudden there she was. A dream, she was beautiful. She could draw attention; she could get someone to turn their heads. What fine lines. I had to have her.
She was a beautiful screaming Red 1975 Volvo 164 E. I read the description carefully. It had been owned by a fire chief, the mileage was extremely low (53K), the pictures indicated the seats and the carpet and the paint were excellent. The only problem was the heater fan switch was not working. That is minor, we could fix that in a few minutes and then she will be perfect, a 10.
As the eBay auction’s end drew near, I placed a bid, and I got ready for a snipe, a last minute bid that would make her mine. That’s when my wife interrupted with “we got to go now”. Ok then, I knew what I had to do; I would set my high bid to the end of the shoe string, punch it in, leave for my appointment and let fate take over.
The next three hours dragged on. Finally we arrived home; I rushed to my trusty computer, brought up eBay and found that I had won! I had won! She was mine (ours if you have been following the story) and all I had to do was pick her up.
I went to PayPal plunked down my $500.00 deposit and called the seller. I knew the deposit was non-refundable but why should I be concerned. After all, the car was perfect. Well perfect except a heater fan switch. Anybody with a little mechanically ability could have that fixed in a few minutes. The carpet was good, the seats were leather, and the paint was screaming red.
Any time I search for cars or trucks on eBay I always check the private seller’s button. I would never purchase a car or truck on eBay from a dealer. I called the private owner and a man answered the phone and announces “Ferati's Car Care Center”. That was the first indication that she, my beloved Volvo, may be wearing a lot of make up, she wasn’t a 10 after all. I spoke to Mr. Ferati and we made up some sketchy plan to get the car picked up by a Car Carrier but that conversation left me with a sinking feeling, I felt sick. What kind of Car Care business could not fix a heater fan switch prior to listing on eBay?
I had the Business and its owner’s Name and I started to do research on them. If my $500.00 was gone I did not want $5,000.00 to be gone. What I found was not good; for example look at these reviews found on Topix . In fact one review had complained about the same problem I was having. This business had held itself out as a private owner giving the would-be-buyer a false façade. I knew I had a problem.
I called and e-mailed Mr. Balkizf Ferati giving him an opportunity to explain the poor reviews and to return my $500.00 deposit back. He justified his holding himself out as a private owner saying that he had been using the car as his private vehicle.
So he has my $500 and I have a life lesson: Do not trust sellers on eBay and Always "Kick Tires"
Kicking Tires are one of the services All About Detail provides. If you can't “Kick Tires” because of logistics or because you do not feel qualified, we will "Kick Tires" for you.
As mentioned in our previous blog, our web site offers free classified listing for private Classic Car Owners. It is a great place to sell or buy a Classic Car.After months of bidding on vehicles on the internet we were not able to get the sellers of cars or trucks to move to our shoestring budget and we had become a bit disillusioned. Then all of sudden there she was. A dream, she was beautiful. She could draw attention; she could get someone to turn their heads. What fine lines. I had to have her.
She was a beautiful screaming Red 1975 Volvo 164 E. I read the description carefully. It had been owned by a fire chief, the mileage was extremely low (53K), the pictures indicated the seats and the carpet and the paint were excellent. The only problem was the heater fan switch was not working. That is minor, we could fix that in a few minutes and then she will be perfect, a 10.
As the eBay auction’s end drew near, I placed a bid, and I got ready for a snipe, a last minute bid that would make her mine. That’s when my wife interrupted with “we got to go now”. Ok then, I knew what I had to do; I would set my high bid to the end of the shoe string, punch it in, leave for my appointment and let fate take over.
The next three hours dragged on. Finally we arrived home; I rushed to my trusty computer, brought up eBay and found that I had won! I had won! She was mine (ours if you have been following the story) and all I had to do was pick her up.
I went to PayPal plunked down my $500.00 deposit and called the seller. I knew the deposit was non-refundable but why should I be concerned. After all, the car was perfect. Well perfect except a heater fan switch. Anybody with a little mechanically ability could have that fixed in a few minutes. The carpet was good, the seats were leather, and the paint was screaming red.
Any time I search for cars or trucks on eBay I always check the private seller’s button. I would never purchase a car or truck on eBay from a dealer. I called the private owner and a man answered the phone and announces “Ferati's Car Care Center”. That was the first indication that she, my beloved Volvo, may be wearing a lot of make up, she wasn’t a 10 after all. I spoke to Mr. Ferati and we made up some sketchy plan to get the car picked up by a Car Carrier but that conversation left me with a sinking feeling, I felt sick. What kind of Car Care business could not fix a heater fan switch prior to listing on eBay?
I had the Business and its owner’s Name and I started to do research on them. If my $500.00 was gone I did not want $5,000.00 to be gone. What I found was not good; for example look at these reviews found on Topix . In fact one review had complained about the same problem I was having. This business had held itself out as a private owner giving the would-be-buyer a false façade. I knew I had a problem.
I called and e-mailed Mr. Balkizf Ferati giving him an opportunity to explain the poor reviews and to return my $500.00 deposit back. He justified his holding himself out as a private owner saying that he had been using the car as his private vehicle.
So he has my $500 and I have a life lesson: Do not trust sellers on eBay and Always "Kick Tires"
Kicking Tires are one of the services All About Detail provides. If you can't “Kick Tires” because of logistics or because you do not feel qualified, we will "Kick Tires" for you.
We also offer Broker/Marketing Services and Inspection/Appraisal Services.
