Rants

[Steve & Liz Jackson]

Attention John Harvey or Jim Wickel, either needs to write an article for IMOA regarding Truth in Advertising or maybe a class in advertising for “dummies”

How many times have you seen an add for a car that had a “frame off” restoration when the car is clearly a sub-frame car and the frame is not some thing you unbolt and re-attach.

How about RESTORED?  Should that mean returned to it’s ORIGINAL condition?  Maybe re-built would be a better description for something that varifies from the original.

I personally like the term Restomod to describe a restoration/modification.

Anyone else got any to add?  I think this would be some funny reading.

[Anonymous]

How about a good ole’ rattle can restoration?

[Steve & Liz Jackson]

I have done that!  At least it is honest.  I did that on my first car.  Made $100 over what I gave, even said I rattle canned it.

[Steve & Liz Jackson]

Try this ad from Craigs List,

Bike has been setting for many years. Motor does not turn over. Bike is

COMPLETE except missing stator, flywheel, sidecover and headlight. Would

make a great restore project. 400.00 o.b.o. please call or text me

@xxx-x-xx-xxxx. If no answer,leave message,i will return your call. No

emails thanks.

The word complete (much less capitalized) should not even be in this ad.  Do you agree?

[Virgil & Sue Klein]

My friend owns a repair shop in So Cal and at least twice in the last couple of years has had cars come in for repairs that were purchased in an online auction.  The pictures on line looked great and the cars were “exceptionally clean” according to the ads.  They may have been clean but in each case it took over $10,000 to get the cars safe and roadworthy.  If you buy a car online without seeing it first you need to have your head examined.  It is still the ol’ horse trade days out there and certainly “buyer beware” applies in every case.

Oh yeah, and COMPLETE, obviously doesn’t mean complete. 

[Steve & Liz Jackson]

Please tell me why the word “restoration” is even used in this ad.   I looks nothing like it did in the show room.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Mustang-GT-427-1967-Mustang-Fastback-427-FE-side-oiler-frame-off-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4cf11e040aQQitemZ330462790666QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks

All I would like to see is some more honesty used.   I purchesed a truck that was on E-bay.  It is my daily driver and will be my tow vehicle.  It was represented honestly and the buyer and I struck a deal.  I have no regrets as this type of truck is not plentiful in my area.

We, in this field, I feel should lead the way best in representing our cars for sale or describing in photos, we all know our own imperfections and we don’t have to be embarrased by them.

[Steve & Liz Jackson]

While I “rant”, I also would like to add what appears to be a very honest ad for a vehicle, so what if it’s a Merc, we like them here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercury-Comet-CYCLONE-1966-MERCURY-COMET-CYCLONE-4-SPEED-/260654074575?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3cb0318acf

While the lettering is large enough to read from the next room, it helps us older folk read without squinting.  The photos are excellent and cover good and bad on the vehicle.  A pretty fair and thorough representation of the car.

[John & Shirley Harvey]

I’ll work on an article about the words used in ads, and the real meaning you should think about when you read those words.  It may take a while.  I have a couple already in the editor’s hands, and I am working hard on my shop so I can air condition it next summer, this one being pretty well gone.  It has been brutal this year.  I’d go out there at 6 AM, work a couple hours,and my shirt would be dripping wet.  I’d find myself stumbling around from some sort of heat stress by then, so I’d give up, take a shower and go to my paying job. 

[Author]

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