So it looks like I'll be buying a 1985 GSL-SE with my $4000 insurance check (in a wreck) for $2000. Mint condition. The guy bought it new off the lot back in '84. 105k miles. Maroon interior. Beautiful, BEAUTIFUL shape. My dad told me to buy it right off the bat. He hates RX-7's. Maybe because of my age and it's age. I'm 18, it's 22. We go to check it out, it is being stored at our local mechanic's shop, getting an oil filter/oil cooler gasket. Everything's done, we go outback to see it, the owner fires it up, the usual warmup and smoking ensue. My dad looks it over, him being the policy holder and my dad, seeing if it would be a good 'fit' for me. Side note: I already have an '85 S project, so he knows it will be .

Now, the owner is asking me questions, describing the car. He asks if I have a garage. Yes. How old am I? I tell him. He won't let me drive it. We agreed on a test drive, but fine. That'll come. I can understand that. We go on a test drive, him driving, he doesn't even floor it. I think my mom would have been there telling him to go! move it! (my mom's a very slow driver.) If he has driven it like this since it was new with the occasional blast, wow. I gotta buy this car. We come back to the shop from our little spin, I ask how much you're asking, he says $2500 but I'm really only asking $2000. We go inside, I talk to my dad, he goes back out to the car to do something, set the brake, put in gear, etc. I ask him if it's ok to make an offer. I get the go-ahead. I tell the owner, ask how he'd like the money, and when we can make the sale. He says "oh, i have other people looking at it too" Ok, we can still buy it, give you your original asking price. "Well, I'll let you think about it", we tell him I've been looking for a 79-85 model, we'll buy it. "Ok, I'll give you a night to sleep on it, make sure". I say "okay, that's fine, would it be possible to test drive it, I am very serious about buying it". "Well I can call you later today or tommorrow about it, but think about it" and I say "okay, I have my cell on me all the time, so if I don't answer leave me a voice mail". We thank each other, nice to meet you, see you soon, etc.

It almost seems like he is reluctant to sell it to anyone. Maybe it's just my age? I hope it's not. That would be a terrible reason. I am a mature 18 year old, I keep my racing for the track and not the street. I just want a nice street car that I can use as an occasional autocrosser. Can anyone give me advice on convincing the seller to sell it to me? I'm 18, a safe driver, the accident I was in wasn't even my fault, I was going through a light and she turned into me. That may have scared him.

UPDATE: As I wrote this post, the owner left me a voice mail asking me to test drive the thing today after school. I hope I can!! I hope I can buy it!

Sorry for the long rant, I'm just worried about this. I've been without a car for a month or two now.

 

Paragraphs are your friends.

 

I'd be worried on the condition of the car if he was too easy on it for the time he had it. It's entirely possible that it has problems when driving harder than he drove it and he's covering those up with his driving. That can cause problems just as well as being too hard on it. Trust no one when buying a used car.

There's not much you can do if he doesn't want to sell to you though, just gotta be an easy talker and show him that you do know what you're talking about.

 

I just got a voice mail and I am getting to drive it. I wonder how I should, though. Should it take it up to the buzzer?

 

Get her warm first, go smooth at first no sudden WOTs, work up to it and get it feel for how it sounds and runs then get a little more aggressive to see how it goes once you feel pretty comfortable that everything seems right.

 

The good thing is, he warms it up. He said that it'll be a minute because it must warm up, then we'll go.

 

Don't redline the thing, just drive it normal like he does. The guy sounds like a paranoid **** retentive.lol

 

LOL that's what my dad said. He was nice though. I hope I can buy it, i cant wait to get out of school, yeeah yeah!

 

In the settlement of the accident, did you buy back your other car?

 

No I didn't get to. I am getting 'compensation' for my injuries... completely a surprise on my part. I have no injuries, just a minor headache for a few days after. Oh well, I'll buy a racing beat suspension package!

 

Take it easy and just drive like you normally would, not like you stole it!

 

Test drove it and it went like a dream. And I'm buying it!!! I get it monday or tuesday.

 

Congrats, we now need some pics.

 

Whenever I get the car, ya'll get some pics. I only have a bad cell-phone quality one. Gotta find my USB cable now.

 

congrads dude looking foward to seeing some pics. Glad to hear u got a decent setalment from your insurance i know i shure didnt

 

i never got a claim i sent the car to the crusher haha

congrats and pics are a must

 

As soon as I get it, pics pics pics!! I only have one picture from a distance (it was in a fenced in area) from a cell phone, but it shows the car. No rust, needs a tuneup though.

 

Also: I got a very, ahem, generous settlement...I just wanted my car back and they came back and said, "we'll give you (insert very generous amount here) for your trouble and X (fair price) for your car". And I'm getting the GSL-SE for a very fair amount.

 

100bucks

 

A little more than that

 

Heh, finally found my usb cable.

 

That is the one i am getting either tommorrow or tuesday. 1984 GSL-SE. Beautiful shape...the only thing is, the radio doesn't work too well. Anything I can do?

 

Looks good! In fact, it looks just like my SE!

 

haha for a radio problem if its a project just rip it out and wire it all your self...if you want the stock look do what i did i custom fitted my deck inbetween the equlizer and te head unit lol removed tape deck..if u want totaly stock stereo autowreaker and just check the wiring mine was a bit iffy when i had recived the car but some idiot owned mine and slicked everywire in site.

 

So pull the tape deck out and put a head unit in there? How do i custom fit it to make it look stock? I will most likely have to completely rewire it. Also, it's going to be my DD for a few months.