Looking at a Countach tomorrow

I guess you want to keep your car for as long as you are around.

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Good choice....cant' go wrong with the most "bling bling" Diablo made. Seen to be seen with the top off.

The chicks complain it messes up their hair....but do they look good with the hair flying around as they try to brush it away from their face. I know, I know...I should be looking at the road.

....a great car for the money.....every exotic car can say that now !

...I guess the girls I know are getting a bargain. Hmm....I even have to pay for their drinks too....except the ones under 21.

Hey...I use my computer for valuable things....Porn !

I still say, buy one great exotic and drive it everyday....in all weather. Why have....

"I will continue to enjoy my fleet of mediocre, slow, old, smelly, loud cars."

When you could...

"i will continue to enjoy my exotic, fast, sexy, older, loud car. "

Don't worry we'll still be driving our exotics in 10+ years. It's just what we put into the tank might be different. We may have to buy additives or add modifications to the fuel system but they'll still be on the road.

....at least I'll still be driving my VT Roadster and Testarossa.....hide your daughters !


So....PDC....did you ever think you'd have so much fun on this thread?


Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

Years ago, I offered to take it off of his hands !

At the time, my offer was over market.

I guess he is happy with the car ? lol

___________


It would be interesting to guess, what a first time potential exotic owner, is looking to find when they drive the Countach, for the first time. It is not exactly the same, as jumping into a rent a car at the airport and driving away.

The car takes some time to get comfortable with. The car requires effort to drive. It does feel good at speed, on fun fast roads.

 

hi Emilio, I have to agree with your coments re a test drive, i would never spend that amount of money without a test drive and an inspection, If i was looking at a specific car, and was to spend 25 hrs on a plane to get to the USA to look at a car i would want a brief test drive with the owner.
As you can see i'm in New Zealand and i am planning to purchase a car in the not to distant future, from the comments others have made it looks like you gotta be real carefull who you buy from.
Can you guys suggest a check list of things an overseas buyer should be careful of,as it looks like the laws, taxes seem to vary state to state, ie would there be taxes to pay in a state if a car was being exported etc.
As an overseas buyer i have looked at cars on the web and find car reports attached, that have suggested that perhaps a lien may be held over a vehcle how does a overseas buyer find out the truth, last thing i want is to pay $100kus get the car ready to export home, and then find there's money owing somewhere, or the guy selling may not actually own the car. What paper work should i ask for to prove ownership etc. and what is the safest way to pay a deposit and full payment etc.
How can i protect myself from this, NZ is a very small place and the USA is huge, how would one go about getting all the paperwork correct as far as ownership, and say the car is in a town somewhere in the USA, what's the easiest way of getting an CT expert to check it out, because the car might be in a small town hundred of miles from a Lamborghini dealership, you need someone who's opinion you can trust. A female friend bought a 1959 Cadillac a couple of years ago and got burned bad, had the car inspeced by an old guy in the cadillac club of america who said good car buy it, which she did, got it home to find she was't allowed to even put it on the road, full of rust in the floor, ended up in a body off restore costing 20k. These CT cars sell fast sometimes, is there a procedure one should go through in the USA to check all this legal stuff out, i am a CT enthusiast and i know my way around most mechical stuff in a car, so i think i would spot a lemon, just trying not to get burned.
Best regards
Graeme

 

Graeme,

Different States in the USA do indeed have different laws. I am in Georgia for example. where i live, you do not need a Title to register a car made before 1985, although most people with any brains would want a real Title to a valuable car.

Upper Georgia, in the Atlanta area requires emissions testing, but i live in the southern part of the State, and we do not require emissions testing or inspections.

Not to add to the confusion, but it may help others to help you, if you could share what NZ required YOU to have to register the car there. that way you may be able to eliminate cars or States that will not meet your needs as a buyer. Shipping prices are super cheap right now. i was recently told you can get a car to Miami and ship it fully enclosed with other cars for under $2000, and that included getting it picked up on the east coast, and sent all the way down to Miami!

It would be helpful to know if a clean , clear Title, (which means the car has no liens), is the "MAIN" article you need to register a car in NZ if it is from the USA.

Carfax reports are not always helpful, and they dont work on cars with pre 1987 vins as far as i know.

good luck to you in your search.

Michael

 

You are asking good questions. It is important that the seller hold a "clear title" to the car in question and that any liens are satisfied. This isn't my area of expertise.

As far as checking the car over, it will depend on where it is located and what facilities are available nearby. I wouldn't be fixated on using a Lamborghini (Audi) dealer (old cars aren't their focus). Most important would be finding someone knowledgeable about the car's innards that can give you an objective heads-up regarding condition. If you are traveling half-way around the World to buy a car you might want to employ your own consultant to meet at the destination.

 

Some will. It happens all the time.

 

Whilst Peter's selling procedure is kinda hardcore, its his procedure, and one must respect that, or else you're not going to see his car, period. I have seen this position taken by sellers who have special cars, and they tend to make concessions or let their guard down once proceedings get underway and they realize that the buyer is genuine. Unfortunately though, the marketplace is proliferated by dreamers & time-wasters and that's just a fact of life, so Peter's attitude doesnt particularly surprise. Thats what works for him, and who says he needs to be as relaxed as the next guy?

On a more serious note, a REAL circumstance which occurred recently with a Lamborghini that we should all be concerned about: A person posing as a buyer came into town ostensibly to buy a well-known Lamborghini. The seller had heard of this person, so he allowed him to drive the car. Long story short the person posing as a buyer damaged the car significantly during the test drive. The so-called buyer promised to purchase the car and then fix it for himself. After reneging on this, he later promised to repair the damage he caused. To date several months later he has done neither, and this is about to become a full-blown legal matter. Can you see how there can be a case of seller-beware, and not just buyer-beware? Bottom line is the seller should have never let the alleged buyer drive, but rather should have just taken him out as a passenger. This is a very tricky area when you are speaking of powerful cars and prospective buyers who are not known to the seller, and there is a lot of mutual trust to be established. Its not a one-way street in favor of the buyer at all.

 

When I was looking i was happy to just ride along. ONE guy offered to let me drive and I refused. I didn't want the liability. Let the owner drive you around. If that goes well
then let him drive you all the way to the PPI.

 

excellent idea.

 

HAHAHA!
A potential buyer, that I have never met or seen before, shows up to look at the car and maybe has never driven one. I let him take it for a test drive and he curbs my Bravos. Yeah, you people think I'm being harsh....hahaha get real......these are not M3's or z06's.
Who's stuck with the Bravo bill? 4 could cost 20k IF you can find them.

 

Peter,

it is ok to not let anyone drive it

...but to have a deposit just to look at it...well, that is really like "i am not much interested in selling it"

 

A legitimate sentiment by a legitimate Countach owner.

 

No, Emilo, I would not want a deposit just to look at it, only to drive it. But if I couldget money from people just to look at it....that would be soo cool!
A deposit says "I've inspected the car, I love it, I had ppi done, I want to buy it, here's a deposit to purchase based on driving it and loving it". "if I wreck it while testing, the deposit gets kept".

I'm guessing the legal aspect of it is, according to Judge Judy , is if the test drivers has permission to drive it, well, then the problem is mine because I gave permission and I know the risks involve when you let someone behind the wheel of your exotic. Unless, I had something in writing that states the test driver is responsible. Sound right?

 

One procedure which I use both as a buyer and a seller is to allow or take a test drive only after the car has passed all other qualifications for purchase, including PPI, and agreement in principal on price. Not always the way things go, but I've found that even the suggestion to the other party on following this protocol helps weed out tire kickers.

 

I think it all depends who shows up to buy the car, But the rule should be nobody can drive the car at first , He comes , you take him for a ride . Thats it , Then a PPI sure ,But he can`t drive it till its paid, Everybody else is just dreaming, why Buy it if you just drove Countach ,( or any other exotic ) This rule should be in effect for 99% of the time , Anything other than thats is just to risky.I have expierience .

 

Peter: conversely, the person taking the test drive assumes risk as they are the one behind the wheel. Also, in most cases there will be no document giving the prospective buyer express permission to drive the vehicle, they will simply be the one behind the wheel when the damage/incident occurs. The bottom line is if you damage someone else's property or injure someone else you have liability.

The fact is that the real occurrence I documented in post number 134 is a serious matter that anyone selling a car either privately or in the trade has to consider.

Going forward I would have to say that my procedure will have to mirror that of some who have posted, with one extra step: view images, review history & records, inspect the car, have PPI performed to the satisfaction of buyer, agree price, sign sales agreement with a clause covering purchase or damage compensation, place a non-refundable deposit of a mutually agreed amount, and then (and only then) allow the prospective buyer to drive the car. Funding of the balance can follow and can be subject to any adjustments the buyer & seller agree are needed following the buyer's test drive. At any point along the aforementioned steps the procedure can be cut short if the buyer feels this is not "the one", or, if the seller feels this is not "my guy". Its a step-by-step two-way street. Any seller who does not follow these steps is subjecting themselves to huge risk IMO.

 

When you spend more time with the car on the road, it will become easier to drive, as you gain more hands-on experience with the Countach.

 

true, very true

first drive in a countach is...an interesting and a bit demotivating experience
just get some confidence with the car and all will become easy and fun

 

Sounds more like your dad trying to talk you out of one.

Obviously this "dealer" has other cars for sale that he'd rather sell first.

 

Emilio,

How true!!! They day they delivered my Countach, I stalled it twice getting out of the parking lot!! Thank God nobody was around to see it, except my wife! hahahhaa...

After I got it home and spent time playing with the seat and steering wheel position, the next time I took it out was much, MUCH more enjoyable!

Mike

 

I bet there was nothing older than 2002 in his inventory.

Best of luck in your search!

 

Mike,

Typical story that everyone can relate to. Consider driving the car around town like a truck, in an effort to save the life of the clutch. When driving in the city, try to look ahead several hundred meters and attempt to time the traffic lights.

When leaving from a complete stop, the car needs little or no gas, to drive away.

Good luck with your new car !