Peter Holmander
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- 77
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- 11/19/2025
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The "Sight Unseen" Gamble
- Thread starter Peter Holmander
- Start date
FWurth
One Millionth Post
- Last Subscription Date
- 10/31/2020
My surprise wasn't mechanical, it was... biological.
Bought a cheap SUV out of the Pacific Northwest. The seller said it had a "musky smell" but he hadn't detailed the interior yet. I figured a good shampoo would fix it.
Got the car. It smelled like wet dog and death. I pulled the seats and the carpet to shampoo them. Under the driver's seat, I found a colony of dead mice and about 4 pounds of acorns they had stored in the heater box. The "musky smell" was decomposing rodent in the ventilation system. I had to tear the entire dash out to clean the HVAC ducts. 0/10, do not recommend.
Bought a cheap SUV out of the Pacific Northwest. The seller said it had a "musky smell" but he hadn't detailed the interior yet. I figured a good shampoo would fix it.
Got the car. It smelled like wet dog and death. I pulled the seats and the carpet to shampoo them. Under the driver's seat, I found a colony of dead mice and about 4 pounds of acorns they had stored in the heater box. The "musky smell" was decomposing rodent in the ventilation system. I had to tear the entire dash out to clean the HVAC ducts. 0/10, do not recommend.
1936JDB
Subscriber
- Last Subscription Date
- 03/12/2026
This happens more than you think with older cars sold by non-car people. I bought a vintage Porsche 914 from an estate sale. The photos were dark and dusty. The listing said: "Old car, sat in garage for 10 years, doesn't start."
I towed it home, put fresh gas and a battery in it, and it fired up immediately. Then I started digging through the service records in the glovebox. The previous owner had spent a fortune on it before he got sick—fully restored suspension, stainless steel brake lines, and a recent professional respray in the original color.
The family just wanted it gone. I ended up with a $30,000 car for about $6,000.
I towed it home, put fresh gas and a battery in it, and it fired up immediately. Then I started digging through the service records in the glovebox. The previous owner had spent a fortune on it before he got sick—fully restored suspension, stainless steel brake lines, and a recent professional respray in the original color.
The family just wanted it gone. I ended up with a $30,000 car for about $6,000.
JWK10
Subscriber
- Last Subscription Date
- 01/23/2026
1936JDB
Subscriber
- Last Subscription Date
- 03/12/2026
This one happened to my dad too ! Lol..same website world wide commerce auto sales, he did the minimum bid for an RV and he won it as the higher bid quit..Things like that are pretty rare
FWurth
One Millionth Post
- Last Subscription Date
- 10/31/2020
Nice! :D How much did you bid for it?
Darren Gunderson
Subscriber
- Last Subscription Date
- 01/23/2026
I bought a 1990s Toyota truck specifically to use as a beater winter vehicle. The ad said the clutch was slipping and the 4WD didn't work.
Got it home, jacked it up, and found that the 4WD issue was just a disconnected vacuum hose under the battery tray (took 5 minutes to fix). The "slipping clutch" was just a loose linkage adjustment on the pedal.
The truck was immaculate underneath—zero rust. I drove it for free for five years and eventually sold it for more than I bought it for. I still feel guilty about that one.
Got it home, jacked it up, and found that the 4WD issue was just a disconnected vacuum hose under the battery tray (took 5 minutes to fix). The "slipping clutch" was just a loose linkage adjustment on the pedal.
The truck was immaculate underneath—zero rust. I drove it for free for five years and eventually sold it for more than I bought it for. I still feel guilty about that one.
Peter Holmander
Subscriber
- Age
- 77
- Last Subscription Date
- 11/19/2025
My best surprise was finding out the previous owner was a hoarder of OEM parts.
I bought an old Volvo 240 wagon. The car itself was decent, but a bit tired. When I went to clean out the trunk, I found it was absolutely packed to the ceiling with spare parts. Not just junk, but NOS (New Old Stock) trim pieces, a brand-new set of floor mats still in the plastic, three extra radiators, and a set of rare factory fog lights that haven't been made in 20 years.
I sold the excess parts on eBay over the course of a few months and essentially made the car free. Best feeling ever.
I bought an old Volvo 240 wagon. The car itself was decent, but a bit tired. When I went to clean out the trunk, I found it was absolutely packed to the ceiling with spare parts. Not just junk, but NOS (New Old Stock) trim pieces, a brand-new set of floor mats still in the plastic, three extra radiators, and a set of rare factory fog lights that haven't been made in 20 years.
I sold the excess parts on eBay over the course of a few months and essentially made the car free. Best feeling ever.
FWurth
One Millionth Post
- Last Subscription Date
- 10/31/2020
bought a Jaguar XJS that was listed as "having electrical issues." The price was rock bottom because the owner couldn't figure out why the battery kept draining.
I trailered it home, expecting a nightmare wiring harness. I popped the hood and started tracing wires. Turns out, the previous owner had mounted a massive aftermarket amplifier in the trunk, but instead of wiring it to the accessory switch, he had wired it directly to the constant 12V power. It was a 5-minute fix to rewire it to a relay.
The car was showroom quality otherwise. I drove it to a Jag club meet the next week and people thought I had spent a fortune restoring it. All it cost me was the price of a roll of electrical tape.
I trailered it home, expecting a nightmare wiring harness. I popped the hood and started tracing wires. Turns out, the previous owner had mounted a massive aftermarket amplifier in the trunk, but instead of wiring it to the accessory switch, he had wired it directly to the constant 12V power. It was a 5-minute fix to rewire it to a relay.
The car was showroom quality otherwise. I drove it to a Jag club meet the next week and people thought I had spent a fortune restoring it. All it cost me was the price of a roll of electrical tape.
1936JDB
Subscriber
- Last Subscription Date
- 03/12/2026
90's toyota are really tanks
Ultradog MN
Registered
Bought a drift car project from a guy who was moving overseas in a week. He just wanted gone. The listing was: "Nissan 240sx. Lots of mods. Come take it."
No list of mods was included. When I got it home and put it on a lift, I realized it had a $3,000 Helical LSD in the rear end, adjustable arms at every corner, and high-end coilovers. He had easily spent $15k on the suspension and drivetrain. I bought the car for $4,500.
I haven't had to buy a single suspension part in three years of beating on it at the track.
No list of mods was included. When I got it home and put it on a lift, I realized it had a $3,000 Helical LSD in the rear end, adjustable arms at every corner, and high-end coilovers. He had easily spent $15k on the suspension and drivetrain. I bought the car for $4,500.
I haven't had to buy a single suspension part in three years of beating on it at the track.
Peter Holmander
Subscriber
- Age
- 77
- Last Subscription Date
- 11/19/2025
FWurth
One Millionth Post
- Last Subscription Date
- 10/31/2020
Except me hahaha
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