Buyer beware!
11-21-2001, 12:39 AM
#1
8th Gear
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Buyer beware!
Anybody looking to purchase a 928 beware of Daniel Schmitt & Co. in St. Louis. Despite having heard of some questionable practices on their part, I went ahead and put a deposit down on a very nice 91 S4. Of course the deal was pending a prepurchase inspection. The inspection revealed a few things (a/c and taillight lens) that Schmitt agreed to fix. After anxiously waiting for word that my shark was ready to pick up, I get a call from the salesman that his manager (who initially approved the deal) changed his mind. The deal is off and I'm sending your deposit back he says - I'll find you one that doesn't need any work. Ya, right - - either they sold it over the weekend or he found out the a/c was a bigger job than anticipated. Sure, I could go to a lawyer but I just hope to get my deposit and the inspection money back and be done with them. Sorry, a bit longwinded but thought you might want to know.
Chris Bales
still looking
Chris Bales
still looking
11-21-2001, 02:48 AM
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Chris,
There's been lots of dialog about that outfit recently. Sorry to hear you got stung. Hope you get your deposit back in full. Also hope this unfortunate episode doesn't discourage your shark hunting activity.
Good luck.....
There's been lots of dialog about that outfit recently. Sorry to hear you got stung. Hope you get your deposit back in full. Also hope this unfortunate episode doesn't discourage your shark hunting activity.
Good luck.....
11-21-2001, 04:04 AM
#3
Chris,
EBAY?
Sorry to say: "I've been THERE".
All the dreadful wreaks I traveled to see aside. I bid on two where I ended up a non-paying buyer because I would be on site in 24 hours with all the cash yet the seller was e mailing me that I was pulling some kind of bull**** because I wouldn't deposit $2000.00 in 48 hours. Go Figure...
Were they that thick or was I about to get screwed when I actually saw the car?
In any case I would never put money down on a car sight unseen. I spent so much time and money driving/flying/expenses that my wife told me "not to come home without one because this is your last trip". My boss who was real understanding about my blasting out of town on a moments notice said , more or less, the same thing. And my cash was depleteted from a 86 1/2 to an early 80's model/year. I traveled to both coasts and alot in between. Twice, I damn near ended up in a genuine fist fight I was so mad -parts cars-.
All in all , roughly, 7 concentrated months and damn near $4000.00 till I found Pattycakes. When I joined the 928OC I wrote to the membership administrator that EVERY 928 owner I had met so far was an ******* and I hoped that since I now owned one that it wasn't contaigious. But, finally, the sheer pleasure and enjoyment not to mention the constant admiring comments of complete strangers coupled with out of sight performance and handling - did I mention these are ...beautiful cars? - make all of the aggravation seem like a fading bad dream.
It's worth the effort Greg. Don't give up.
Just don't make deposits!!!
Good hunting.
John S. 82' Weissach, Auto., Pattycakes
EBAY?
Sorry to say: "I've been THERE".
All the dreadful wreaks I traveled to see aside. I bid on two where I ended up a non-paying buyer because I would be on site in 24 hours with all the cash yet the seller was e mailing me that I was pulling some kind of bull**** because I wouldn't deposit $2000.00 in 48 hours. Go Figure...
Were they that thick or was I about to get screwed when I actually saw the car?
In any case I would never put money down on a car sight unseen. I spent so much time and money driving/flying/expenses that my wife told me "not to come home without one because this is your last trip". My boss who was real understanding about my blasting out of town on a moments notice said , more or less, the same thing. And my cash was depleteted from a 86 1/2 to an early 80's model/year. I traveled to both coasts and alot in between. Twice, I damn near ended up in a genuine fist fight I was so mad -parts cars-.
All in all , roughly, 7 concentrated months and damn near $4000.00 till I found Pattycakes. When I joined the 928OC I wrote to the membership administrator that EVERY 928 owner I had met so far was an ******* and I hoped that since I now owned one that it wasn't contaigious. But, finally, the sheer pleasure and enjoyment not to mention the constant admiring comments of complete strangers coupled with out of sight performance and handling - did I mention these are ...beautiful cars? - make all of the aggravation seem like a fading bad dream.
It's worth the effort Greg. Don't give up.
Just don't make deposits!!!
Good hunting.
John S. 82' Weissach, Auto., Pattycakes
11-21-2001, 06:44 AM
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Chris,
Sorry to hear about your experience. Just as sorry that Dan is an ongoing blight on the automotive community. If you have missed the recent article that has been linked on (gadzooks!) another board go to riverfronttimes.com and search for the infamous Schmitt. (Sorry, I'll try to post a link later). Dan and his father Charlie have a long and storied history of relieving the well-heeled but not so well-informed of their money in STL. Cognoscenti in the local car community wouldn't touch one of their cars with a 10 foot pole. The Schmitts are but the masters of hyperbole and hustle and sadly, the fish in the local pond learned. Now they go fishing nationally.
Be thankful if you get your deposit back, more than a few people have not been so fortunate.
As John said, hang in there and get LOTS of digital photos before you go anywhere. It took me 2 months, and several cars that could make you ill, before I found one that worked for me.
Greg
Sorry to hear about your experience. Just as sorry that Dan is an ongoing blight on the automotive community. If you have missed the recent article that has been linked on (gadzooks!) another board go to riverfronttimes.com and search for the infamous Schmitt. (Sorry, I'll try to post a link later). Dan and his father Charlie have a long and storied history of relieving the well-heeled but not so well-informed of their money in STL. Cognoscenti in the local car community wouldn't touch one of their cars with a 10 foot pole. The Schmitts are but the masters of hyperbole and hustle and sadly, the fish in the local pond learned. Now they go fishing nationally.
Be thankful if you get your deposit back, more than a few people have not been so fortunate.
As John said, hang in there and get LOTS of digital photos before you go anywhere. It took me 2 months, and several cars that could make you ill, before I found one that worked for me.
Greg
11-21-2001, 09:54 AM
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Chris,
Sorry to hear about that. I too am actively searching for a nice 928(86-89) and I saw the ones that Daniel Schmitt have on E-bay. It is good that you got the word out on these scumbags and their shady dealings. Good luck in your continued search.
Eric--Anyone have any leads in the PA/OHIO/WV area??
Sorry to hear about that. I too am actively searching for a nice 928(86-89) and I saw the ones that Daniel Schmitt have on E-bay. It is good that you got the word out on these scumbags and their shady dealings. Good luck in your continued search.
Eric--Anyone have any leads in the PA/OHIO/WV area??
11-21-2001, 10:05 AM
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There was a very clean red 88 S4 at Northland Porsche Audi in Cincinnati, Ohio
Call Dave Roland at 513.851.5900
It was the cleanest I have seen in a long time. Problem is it has an automatic trans. Mileage was very low....20 some odd thousand.
Call Dave Roland at 513.851.5900
It was the cleanest I have seen in a long time. Problem is it has an automatic trans. Mileage was very low....20 some odd thousand.
11-21-2001, 10:06 AM
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You can buy nice cars from ebay. I've put two Porsche's on ebay, a '90 911 and a '91 928 S4. Both were nice cars.
My advice would be to get as many pictures as possible and talk extensively with the seller. While some people are great liars, you can usually get a feel for a person and the car. But you have to talk more than a couple of minutes with the person. I had no problem staying on the phone as long as a prospective buyer wanted or taking additional photos if requested.
My advice would be to get as many pictures as possible and talk extensively with the seller. While some people are great liars, you can usually get a feel for a person and the car. But you have to talk more than a couple of minutes with the person. I had no problem staying on the phone as long as a prospective buyer wanted or taking additional photos if requested.
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11-21-2001, 10:50 AM
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Greg, et al- here is the link Greg referred to in "Riverfront Times". Sounds like a dealer who never met a satisfied customer.
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/issue...l/1/index.html
Donald
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/issue...l/1/index.html
Donald
11-21-2001, 11:57 AM
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Donald,
Interesting reading. I checked out Schmitts' feedback on E-bay. All responseS(18) are listed as positives. In reading through them, three people have "revised" their feedback since they initially posted. All of the revisions mentioned things like"lies", "vehicle mis-representation", "needing major repairs", etc. You would think that would be enough to scare most people away.
Eric
Interesting reading. I checked out Schmitts' feedback on E-bay. All responseS(18) are listed as positives. In reading through them, three people have "revised" their feedback since they initially posted. All of the revisions mentioned things like"lies", "vehicle mis-representation", "needing major repairs", etc. You would think that would be enough to scare most people away.
Eric