Buying a morris without looking it over.

[london deep]

Hello there..
Aquestion about purchase.
Do all morris owners check on cars prior to purchase..at the location.
When people are selling their cars,they show general pictures of bodywork,interior and a bonnet up shot.
Most of the detail is in the wording..is that good enough to go ahead with a purchase and have it delivered.
Or would you consider driving to the car ( miles and miles ) and looking at it physically..( bearing in mind that it is an old car and it ain`t gonna look new ).
Has anyone bought just on photographs.?
I have a general thought that most enthusiasts are very honourable folk.!
Am I right.?

[Blades]

London

You should all ways go and have a look in the flesh, a photo will give you a good idea of what the car is like but not the full picture (no pun intended), also you will need to have a test drive in it and ask the owner any questions you will have

If the car is a long way from where you live some one near by might be able to look at it for you on your behalf

Nick

[ianmack]

Never, ever, buy an old car without examining it thoroughly. The pictures and description you mention are important in narrowing down your choices, but the real issue with a Minor and most other classics is rust underneath. With the Minor mechanical repairs are all feasible but serious rot in structural sections can be disastrous. Research where the holes can appear and look and prod thoroughly before buying. There was a thread on here recently from someone who bought an expensive and supposedly restored Minor with holes in the bottom and the hassles that followed.

There are always plenty of Minors available so you shouldn't have to travel too far unless you want an unusual variant.

Most enthusiasts are decent folk but you can't be too careful, a rising market can always attract the dodgy people.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

I would suggest finding your local branch of the MMOC and get talking to some of the members. They will know of cars for sale locally and who can work on your car as well. As said before there are lots of minors still about and prices vary hugely.

I bought a spares car that had only a the previous year been purchased on the strength of photos, delivered to the docks at Liverpool and put on the boat to Belfast and the owner was happy as it looked great, 2 months later the drivers side torsion bar came up through the crossmember which he had repaired followed by the same happening on the ps which finished the car off as it had terminal rot everywhere. So always check before you part with cash!

Just another point, have you driven a minor before to see if you like driving it OK? If your used to only modern it can be a shock to the system to get into something without servos brakes and power steering. That said a properly sorted minor doesnt need those and should be a nice car to drive

[charlie_morris_minor]

read this thread.. i think it answers your question.

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59557

[ManyMinors]

Think of it as gambling if you're not prepared to go and look first. How much is the car? Can you afford to throw that much cash away? If the answer is yes, then go for it BUT......I have to ask. WHY don't you simply go and look first?? If you haven't got the time to go and look at it, how will you find the time to look after and repair it Also - How do you know the seller even HAS the car??

I did agree to buy my last Minor without seeing it (by bidding for it on ebay) BUT I did go with the cash to collect it on the basis that if the car was MUCH worse than the description I'd have good reason not to complete the purchase. As it happened, the car was just as expected and described and has done me well but I'd say that is probably not the case at least half the time?

[ianmack]

read this thread.. i think it answers your question.

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59557

That's the thread I was thinking of. Actually I did once buy a mog unseen but it was a £50 parts car and the seller told me it was rotten. He wasn't kidding!

[SteveClem]

I got my first Minor unseen on Freecycle. The owner had moved house,lost his garage etc. It had stood in a car park for ages,covered in bird poo etc. looked awful but turned out to be dead solid underneath. I was very lucky, a free car ( although I bought them a meal out) and got a good 'un. Of course I have subsequently spent far too much money on it...respraying,new seats,headlining and so on but between us we saved the car for the next umpteen years. Can't take it with you,as they say.

[bmcecosse]

If it's too far away - forget it, and find something nearer to hand. Far away- would you be able to take it back if it turned out to be a hopeless wreck when you drove it home ? Also make sure any car has a brand NEW MOT. It may not mean much - but it should give some comfort that the car is roadworthy, and a year to put it right!!! Even if the car 'doesn't need' an MOT (pre 1960) INSIST on one anyway.....or run away! There are many many rogues out there - buying Minors cheaply on ebay and flogging them mercilessly for huge profit to unsuspecting mugs...be very aware... You can probably take some comfort on cars advertised for sale on this forum - PROVIDED the seller has many many posts to their name....ie not just 1 or 2.... I would say several thousand !!

[MrIan]

Depends what you're buying. If you're buying a project car ok maybe at a push buy unseen. If on the otherhand it's to be used asap then you need to look it over in the filler !! Oops I mean flesh and have a drive ideally.
As an example I bought what looked like a straightforward project 80s mini, looked ok in the pictures and descriptio said it needed a bit of work. I sent a transport firm to collect it and on delivery didn't even think it was the same car!!!
What looked like a sills n wings job has turned into a full strip to bare shell which is braced as sills / floor /subframe/ heel board / inner wings / a posts both sides / scuttle / upper and lower dash rails / inner rear arches all rotted past the point of repair.
Good job it's a rare one and was bought as a restoration , but certainly wasn't expecting the car to be like that from the pictures.
Be warned.

[london deep]

Never, ever, buy an old car without examining it thoroughly. The pictures and description you mention are important in narrowing down your choices, but the real issue with a Minor and most other classics is rust underneath. With the Minor mechanical repairs are all feasible but serious rot in structural sections can be disastrous. Research where the holes can appear and look and prod thoroughly before buying. There was a thread on here recently from someone who bought an expensive and supposedly restored Minor with holes in the bottom and the hassles that followed.

There are always plenty of Minors available so you shouldn't have to travel too far unless you want an unusual variant.

Most enthusiasts are decent folk but you can't be too careful, a rising market can always attract the dodgy people.

Thanks for the advice...I guess it is the right thing to do..

[london deep]

I would suggest finding your local branch of the MMOC and get talking to some of the members. They will know of cars for sale locally and who can work on your car as well. As said before there are lots of minors still about and prices vary hugely.

I bought a spares car that had only a the previous year been purchased on the strength of photos, delivered to the docks at Liverpool and put on the boat to Belfast and the owner was happy as it looked great, 2 months later the drivers side torsion bar came up through the crossmember which he had repaired followed by the same happening on the ps which finished the car off as it had terminal rot everywhere. So always check before you part with cash!

Just another point, have you driven a minor before to see if you like driving it OK? If your used to only modern it can be a shock to the system to get into something without servos brakes and power steering. That said a properly sorted minor doesnt need those and should be a nice car to drive

hi..No I haven`t ever driven one...So it will be a new experience,I am looking foward to.!!
I work part time at the docks in Liverpool and see classic cars heading across the sea to Ireland.Maybe that is were the idea to buy one has come from.I will look now for local MMC .

[neilmorey]

I would always suggest look before buying. I bought a 20 year old Range Rover on EBay in North Wales, arranged to travel down by train the next weekend, set up insurance. 2 days before picking it up seller phones to say transfer box has gone so he has removed front prop shaft. As he had advertised car with A+ gearbox I insisted he source and fit a replacement transfer box, on the day of collection he phones to say he has to go to A&E as has hurt himself badly and can't finish fitting it.
I got off the train at next station, luckily 10 miles from my cousin's house and put it down to experience. Had a great inpromptu afternoon with my cousin and went home next day at more cost.
Always buy a return ticket if you do decide to buy unseen, you can at least get home if the car isn't as advertised.
The seller did send me some money towards my wasted travel costs and I got to see family for first time in a few years so wasn't a total disaster.
However, when researching Range Rover transfer box issues later I discovered the same seller had posted about a problem 3 months before advertising it!
Buyer beware.

[mike.perry]

Some people would spend more time examining vegetables in the market than they would take to look over a car

[kevin s]

It depends what you are after, If it is a total restoration project like ours you can make a pretty good assessment of how complete and original it is from photos and by asking questions, assume everything needs repairing and what doesn't is a bonus!

If you find your ideal car a long way from home the other option is to ask on here if someone is local and can take a look.

[Thegoverner1965]

Hi all,my moggie was bought without viewing it.as it had a fresh mot on was a plus and the seller pointed out the good and bad points.i said I will transfer £100 into your paypal account and on delivery and after inspection I will pay the asking price.so he drove about 80 miles and when it arrived I checked over the car and was satisfied with it so then drove him to the local train station shook he's hand and said thankyou.ok I would have lost £100 but by him delivering it and telling porkies he had much more to lose than me.
Happy moggieing all
John[frame][/frame]

[london deep]

Hi all,my moggie was bought without viewing it.as it had a fresh mot on was a plus and the seller pointed out the good and bad points.i said I will transfer £100 into your paypal account and on delivery and after inspection I will pay the asking price.so he drove about 80 miles and when it arrived I checked over the car and was satisfied with it so then drove him to the local train station shook he's hand and said thankyou.ok I would have lost £100 but by him delivering it and telling porkies he had much more to lose than me.
Happy moggieing all
John[frame][/frame]

Nice car...I do have this idea that anyone with a morris minor are thoroughly decent kind of folk.I guess distance is a big factor with buying classic cars.
But I am going to look at a car this weekend and not too far away.

[london deep]

It depends what you are after, If it is a total restoration project like ours you can make a pretty good assessment of how complete and original it is from photos and by asking questions, assume everything needs repairing and what doesn't is a bonus!

If you find your ideal car a long way from home the other option is to ask on here if someone is local and can take a look.

Nice advice Kevin...thanks

[london deep]

I got my first Minor unseen on Freecycle. The owner had moved house,lost his garage etc. It had stood in a car park for ages,covered in bird poo etc. looked awful but turned out to be dead solid underneath. I was very lucky, a free car ( although I bought them a meal out) and got a good 'un. Of course I have subsequently spent far too much money on it...respraying,new seats,headlining and so on but between us we saved the car for the next umpteen years. Can't take it with you,as they say.

Good story..I never thought of looking at free sites...
Guess where I am clicking next?

[faversham999]

Spend a bit of money making under the bonnet look good. Underseal the rust make it neat .A nice new carpet ,even a cheep re spray , Then sell it as an unfinished project , bet someone will buy it.