So yes,
I have no doubt this has happened in the past and will happen again, so I will do my best to prevent people from suffering from the same fate I have.
I should have known when doing the groundwork, I found that he had listed the car a few years back HERE is that listing. Why didn't it sell then? I have a good sense as to why.
Here we go:
So, upon initial contact to Bob on or about October 22, 2014, I spoke with Bob about his post and expressed interest. I told him I would come by to see the car the very next day. On the 23rd I went out to meet with Bob and inspect the car. While there, we discussed many things about the car, the history, why he was planning on selling the car etc. I liked what I saw and we decided to negotiate a price. He went through great pains to tell me that while he was working, negotiating was a "big part" of his job. Great. Fine. Wonderful. I came prepared with every recent comparable transaction and listing I could find. My goal was to be as open, transparent and fair for both parties as possible. Bob's request is that I give my "best and final" straight away and he would decide based on that number and would not try to bargain against the price. This was agreeable to me and I gave him my price, which I knew was fair market. Bob agreed that the price was fair and he decided that he wanted to sleep on it and now wasn't sure he wanted to part with the car at all. With that, I said that's fine and if the answer was that he wanted to keep the car, that would be fine too.
The next morning on October 24th, I received the following email (direct cut and paste):
"I am going to keep it.
Sorry"
To which I replied:
"No need to apologize. I'd make the same choice, obviously!
If or when you change your mind, I hope you reach out to me first.
All the best"
Ok, fine, no hard feelings, I will continue to search for my NSX.
Except, on October 31st, I receive the following:
"Kind of rethinking this. You find one?"
To which I responded:
"I have not. Did you ever get to the bottom of all those check engine lights?"
And Bob responds:
"$407 gets oxygen sensor. Will schedule it to be done with the service. I know I said I wouldn't counter but if you want to come up by $1,000, I will sell w oem wheels and tires"
GET THAT!!! He's already re-negotiating the deal. So I call him on the phone and discuss with him that as part of our original conversation, he would make sure all the services and maint. was up do date and would be fully reflected in the agreed upon price. Well so much for that, on the call he decides that not only would he not include the service work (about $3,000 worth of maint. to get everything up to date; yes TB/WP is due), but he wanted another $1,000 on TOP of that. Despite the very obvious re-negotiation, I decide to meet him MORE than half way by absorbing the maint. costs myself but keeping the price the same; so in effect, I came up by $1,500. Fine, I'll deal. The car is close enough to me to make it the convenience worth it and I want the transaction to be smooth. Post this discussion, we arrange for me to come by again on November 5th to do a full PPI so I can pick up the car on Saturday the 8th.
So, I reached out to Larry B in hopes he's able to come with me to perform the PPI. I talk with Larry, and he's able to make it! Great news! Luckily Larry works mid-way between the location of the car and my office. I meet up with Larry on the 5th and we head on down to Bob's. I warn Larry, I'm not sure which Bob we might get here; the nice Bob or the confrontational Bob. We arrive there and Larry does his thing (quite the wizard) and I discuss with Bob That I will pick the car up (as discussed) on Saturday and the time subject to logistics. To which he agrees. The only issue is that he's "unsure" as to whether he's going to allow me to drive the car home on his plates. Might I add, there are other issues that need to be addressed on the car (yes, in excess of $1,000) and I don't even bother trying to re-negotiate the price. Again, I'll deal. Ok, I already know where this is going, but I hope against reason that Bob will agree to save me yet a 4th 3 hour round trip between our residences. Well, no such luck obviously despite my best effort to try to reason with him or arrange an alternative that would save me a 4th trip. I get the following email:
"Plates
I'm not comfortable having you take them. Call me tomorrow and let's talk"
SO, today I call Bob and he demands that the only way this will happen is if I come by on Saturday, pay him in full, then I could pick up the car approximately 2 weeks later since he will be down in Atlantic City. Ok, now we are really getting unreasonable here and Bob becomes VERY defensive and vitriolic. I again try to reason with him reminding him that I have tried to do everything possible to give him comfort that I will work with him and that I've done nothing wrong here by him. This sets him off and says he will call me in a few hours. Ok, now I play the waiting game. After about 2 hours I receive one of the best emails I've ever gotten; and here it is:
"I agree
You have done everything right and I have been a jerk, impugning your character as you have reminded me so I am letting us both avoid further frustration . We are done.
Good luck"
HOLY COW!!!
My response:
"Bob.
At no point did I say or imply that you are a "jerk" in any way. The only point I have made is that from the very start I have done nothing but show you I was fully committed to the deal with you and that I was willing to work with you on your terms. I'm really not sure why you are upset here.
I'm committed to putting the frustration aside and doing this on your terms."
Well, to say I'm disappointed here is quite the understatement. I've wasted my time and money on this and Larry B's time as well. In exchange for my time and money, I basically got nothing more than condescending emails/takings to and the biggest run-around I've personally ever seen. On the bright side, I got to hang out with Larry for the evening to talk cars, music, life etc. In all, something positive did come of all this. I'm sure my car will come along soon enough and I have to imagine that this experience was totally anomalous when it comes to buying an NSX. In the mean time, I would fully expect that soon enough, Bob will again attempt to post the car in the for sale section in which event, I'd really like the mods to seriously consider disallowing that post. I have been lurking on the forums here for a long time and I really truly respect what a great community it is. So, unfortunately, this is a hard way for me to make my "introduction." I hope to be driving with the rest of you come the spring!
So as a final word, yes. I'm still in the market for a 97-01 with mileage on the lower side and preferable in the North East!
PS. I'm happy to provide all emails to the Mods as absolute proof
I have no doubt this has happened in the past and will happen again, so I will do my best to prevent people from suffering from the same fate I have.
I should have known when doing the groundwork, I found that he had listed the car a few years back HERE is that listing. Why didn't it sell then? I have a good sense as to why.
Here we go:
So, upon initial contact to Bob on or about October 22, 2014, I spoke with Bob about his post and expressed interest. I told him I would come by to see the car the very next day. On the 23rd I went out to meet with Bob and inspect the car. While there, we discussed many things about the car, the history, why he was planning on selling the car etc. I liked what I saw and we decided to negotiate a price. He went through great pains to tell me that while he was working, negotiating was a "big part" of his job. Great. Fine. Wonderful. I came prepared with every recent comparable transaction and listing I could find. My goal was to be as open, transparent and fair for both parties as possible. Bob's request is that I give my "best and final" straight away and he would decide based on that number and would not try to bargain against the price. This was agreeable to me and I gave him my price, which I knew was fair market. Bob agreed that the price was fair and he decided that he wanted to sleep on it and now wasn't sure he wanted to part with the car at all. With that, I said that's fine and if the answer was that he wanted to keep the car, that would be fine too.
The next morning on October 24th, I received the following email (direct cut and paste):
"I am going to keep it.
Sorry"
To which I replied:
"No need to apologize. I'd make the same choice, obviously!
If or when you change your mind, I hope you reach out to me first.
All the best"
Ok, fine, no hard feelings, I will continue to search for my NSX.
Except, on October 31st, I receive the following:
"Kind of rethinking this. You find one?"
To which I responded:
"I have not. Did you ever get to the bottom of all those check engine lights?"
And Bob responds:
"$407 gets oxygen sensor. Will schedule it to be done with the service. I know I said I wouldn't counter but if you want to come up by $1,000, I will sell w oem wheels and tires"
GET THAT!!! He's already re-negotiating the deal. So I call him on the phone and discuss with him that as part of our original conversation, he would make sure all the services and maint. was up do date and would be fully reflected in the agreed upon price. Well so much for that, on the call he decides that not only would he not include the service work (about $3,000 worth of maint. to get everything up to date; yes TB/WP is due), but he wanted another $1,000 on TOP of that. Despite the very obvious re-negotiation, I decide to meet him MORE than half way by absorbing the maint. costs myself but keeping the price the same; so in effect, I came up by $1,500. Fine, I'll deal. The car is close enough to me to make it the convenience worth it and I want the transaction to be smooth. Post this discussion, we arrange for me to come by again on November 5th to do a full PPI so I can pick up the car on Saturday the 8th.
So, I reached out to Larry B in hopes he's able to come with me to perform the PPI. I talk with Larry, and he's able to make it! Great news! Luckily Larry works mid-way between the location of the car and my office. I meet up with Larry on the 5th and we head on down to Bob's. I warn Larry, I'm not sure which Bob we might get here; the nice Bob or the confrontational Bob. We arrive there and Larry does his thing (quite the wizard) and I discuss with Bob That I will pick the car up (as discussed) on Saturday and the time subject to logistics. To which he agrees. The only issue is that he's "unsure" as to whether he's going to allow me to drive the car home on his plates. Might I add, there are other issues that need to be addressed on the car (yes, in excess of $1,000) and I don't even bother trying to re-negotiate the price. Again, I'll deal. Ok, I already know where this is going, but I hope against reason that Bob will agree to save me yet a 4th 3 hour round trip between our residences. Well, no such luck obviously despite my best effort to try to reason with him or arrange an alternative that would save me a 4th trip. I get the following email:
"Plates
I'm not comfortable having you take them. Call me tomorrow and let's talk"
SO, today I call Bob and he demands that the only way this will happen is if I come by on Saturday, pay him in full, then I could pick up the car approximately 2 weeks later since he will be down in Atlantic City. Ok, now we are really getting unreasonable here and Bob becomes VERY defensive and vitriolic. I again try to reason with him reminding him that I have tried to do everything possible to give him comfort that I will work with him and that I've done nothing wrong here by him. This sets him off and says he will call me in a few hours. Ok, now I play the waiting game. After about 2 hours I receive one of the best emails I've ever gotten; and here it is:
"I agree
You have done everything right and I have been a jerk, impugning your character as you have reminded me so I am letting us both avoid further frustration . We are done.
Good luck"
HOLY COW!!!
My response:
"Bob.
At no point did I say or imply that you are a "jerk" in any way. The only point I have made is that from the very start I have done nothing but show you I was fully committed to the deal with you and that I was willing to work with you on your terms. I'm really not sure why you are upset here.
I'm committed to putting the frustration aside and doing this on your terms."
Well, to say I'm disappointed here is quite the understatement. I've wasted my time and money on this and Larry B's time as well. In exchange for my time and money, I basically got nothing more than condescending emails/takings to and the biggest run-around I've personally ever seen. On the bright side, I got to hang out with Larry for the evening to talk cars, music, life etc. In all, something positive did come of all this. I'm sure my car will come along soon enough and I have to imagine that this experience was totally anomalous when it comes to buying an NSX. In the mean time, I would fully expect that soon enough, Bob will again attempt to post the car in the for sale section in which event, I'd really like the mods to seriously consider disallowing that post. I have been lurking on the forums here for a long time and I really truly respect what a great community it is. So, unfortunately, this is a hard way for me to make my "introduction." I hope to be driving with the rest of you come the spring!
So as a final word, yes. I'm still in the market for a 97-01 with mileage on the lower side and preferable in the North East!
PS. I'm happy to provide all emails to the Mods as absolute proof
