Offer to Buy While Driving?

[Rothko]

Anyone ever been driving your Pagoda and have someone want to buy it from you?

I was driving my 280 this weekend down Worth Avenue in Palm Beach (a beautiful day for a drive; weather was perfect) and a guy pulls up next to me in an SUV, rolls down his window and asks if I'd sell my car to him.  He rattles off the paint color of the car and even identifies the correct year of my car, so he obviously knows his stuff.  I tell him I'm not interested and he keeps insisting that I think about selling it.  I finally smile, say "No" again, and drive off.

It's actually not the first time something like this happened.  A number of years ago someone followed me for a mile or so until he could get up next to me and also asked if I would consider selling to him.

Both times, I made sure to drive around for a while to ensure I wasn't being followed before I headed home.

[Alex D]

Yes multiple times. I tell them price starts at $100k and does not go down, they get the hint and walk away. Once I had large black Cadillac SUV wave a hand full of cash at me while driving down the highway.

Everyone sees a nice #2 Pagoda (per Hagerty definition) and delusionally thinks you will sell it to them for $25k   Two months ago had some nice weather drove it to work one day, had some contractors working in the facility, I walk out the are looking at the Pagoda, offers me $20k cash, told him no problem just put a 1 in front of the $20k and we can talk. What do think happened?

[Mike Hughes]

Yep, sounds familiar.  Many guys in SUVs weaving sob stories about how they need to buy it for their dad, uncle, wife, girlfriend. Once a guy in a silver Bentley weaved from one lane to another while waving cash out the driver or passenger window and yelling, "I want to buy that car" while in 55+ MPH rush hour traffic on the Washington Beltway.

[MikeSimon]

Wow! He was looking at the car while driving by and knew the year? What would give it away?

[Jonny B]

All red taillights? Would at least cap it to 1969.

[Bonnyboy]

This happens more often than you would think.  Especially at one specific shopping centre in the neighbourhood nearby where the "rich" people live.   

My standard response is    Cash doesn't excite me - bring me a '75 Carrera in similar shape and we can talk. 

Most seem to be "posers" trying impress me with their knowledge - a common first line is that I have the wrong badging and hubcaps for a 230. 

[JamesL]

 

My standard response is    Cash doesn't excite me - bring me a '75 Carrera in similar shape and we can talk. 
 

There's a silver targa on Bring a trailer...

[Bonnyboy]

Thanks James,  I'm watching them all on BAT but don't really need one as my Pagoda does just fine at the moment.

 Its just that the 75 Carrera has a special place in my heart so if someone was to offer to trade me one for my Pagoda - I might just do it - otherwise not much interests me.  I have what I want right now -  boats and motorcycles and wife included. .

[waltklatt]

Yep, it happens to many of us.
Regardless of the car we drive, as long as it's a real classic car.
Had a guy in a Viper ask for a trade with my 220SL diesel, but I turned him down.
Walter

[johnk]

Sorry to be dumb, but what is a 220sl diesel?

[BobH]

Sorry to be dumb, but what is a 220sl diesel?

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=3134.0

[john.mancini]

I’ve been lucky enough to have owned many, many collectible cars over the past 40 years. Every so often, someone would ask, “Is it for sale?”. But, the one vehicle, which I still own, my “keeper”, is my 30K mile, unrestored, 1956 Ford F100 pickup. I bought it from the original owner, a farmer, about 20 years ago. Almost every time I take it out, I get cash offers! Just can’t sell it.