Ron J
Active member
Figured I'd talk a bit about wheeling / dealing. I am sure everybody has done it a few times in their lives? 
My younger brother, Paul, and i have been dealing with cars or car related parts all our lives. Guess it started when building Model cars, Amt kits, Mfc , Revell etc.
Growing up on the Bass River, we both had 12 or 14 ft Lapstreak Amesbury Dory's, that our Father had purchased somehow for us. During the season, like April to November, we,and all our friends would be in them, rowing our skin off. Then "graduated" into having outboard motors on them. We didn't have to go far, just walk down the backyard, to the pier, and hop on them. If the tide was out, we didn't care, we would push them out, sliding them over the mudflats, barefoot, i might add! We never really left the River. To go out in the Harbor, we would venture with Dad, on his lobster boat, for that.
Just across the river, from our house, there was a used car lot. Two Salesman were always there, Tony "CARR" Caramagno, and George Judd. We all became good friends. I think they enjoyed our company, seeing us enjoy are young freedom's of not being tied down to a job, Yet!
As we grew older,and started driving our own cars, we could get a decent deal from both of our friends. In fact i dealt with Tony for maybe twenty years.We learned a lot from those two! Tony was somewhat straight with you, even though he needed the money. George was a tad on the sneaky side, being just what you would picture a typical snake car salesman back then! We respected each other.
Well, anyway, between my brother Paul, and i, we just couldn't keep the same car all the time. Either one of us may go for a ride, after supper, and come home with another car, either selling what we were driving for a profit, or getting a junker to fix up and sell. My parents would flip out when we did this, but after a year or two, kind of got used to it.(I think) I know i had gone through 50 or more cars before i was 19. My insurance agent would go nuts, but he liked gaffing me for the registration fees.
I grew up driving Olds, Pontiacs, and Cadillacs. People always bugged me about driving my Dad or Mom's cars. They wouldn't believe they were mine. My Parents were old school! In 1955, they bought a brand new 55 Ford Fairlane, 4 door, metallic green body, light green roof, of course, 3 on the tree, six cyl. They would have kept this thing forever, but a dumptruck rolled down the hill, one night and almost pushed it into the first floor of our house! They then went to Winn Chevrolet, and bought a 1960 Chev Nomad. They only kept it two weeks, it was such a pig on gas.They didn't know what they had, it was 3 on the tree of course, but had a 348 in it. That was a monster engine at that time. They traded it on a brand new 1962 Chev Biscayne, 4 door sedan, 3 on the tree, 6 cyl,and no power steering.Being old school as i mentioned, they bought what they could afford.
At this time, Paul and i weren't old enough to drive,but we knew cars! That 60 they had for the short period...it had the flags between the V on the hood, which designated the 348. Wow! We knew it when they bought it, so whats the big deal about gas prices, at about 20 cents a gallon? We didn;t care, about economy, but guess Mom and Dad were.
In 1965 they purchased a brand new Impala Convertible! Maroon, black top, Automatic!! and a 283 v8! Don't know where they got the $$, but maybe Dad, wanted to please my Mom? Now was the years, (1964) that i started driving. They had offered me the 62 Biscayne, but i wouldn't get caught dead driving that PlainJane. Nope, i got a 1957 Olds Super 88, Blk with White top Convertible, while i was still on my learners permit! Will never forget that car! Didn't want to start after it was shut off, with a hot motor, till it cooled down,but i put up with it...for awhile..
..and thats when the Wheeling / Dealing started...Cars, cars, and more cars..Then Paul followed suit, getting into 55 Chevys, He must of had a half dozen 55/56/57 Nomads! Used to beat the hell out of them. Worth mega-bucks now. When i graduated from Beverly Trade School, i left driving my 57 Caddy Convertible, dark metallic green,blk top, and wire wheels. And the list went on and on.
Now to the Present....about two months ago, i got rid of my truck,hated it, too many headaches,so i blessed it, adios, sold it short. I searched on Craigslist for a few weeks, studying prices and to see what i could get for 5 or 6 grand. Checked my Brother Paul;s lot a few times, but did not find the right veh. I wanted a Tahoe or another Suburban.
One Saturday last month, i figured i would drive to Haverhill,Georgetown area to maybe find something. I eyeballed a few trucks and a couple of Suburbans, but all looked either worn out,gone thru the mill, or taken care of. I decided to drive along rte #110 for awhile to sightsee or maybe bump into something on the side of the road.
After a few miles, i drove by a closed 7/11 store, but there was a 2000 Suburban sitting in the lot with a forsale sign on the window. Hmmm. Music to my ears! I got out and eyeballed it. Needed a round of rubber, a small dent behind the bumper. Interior was decent, no leather, but everything else, a/c, disc player etc. Not bad... The price on the window was $5600. Has some miles, but looks like it was taken care of.
I called the number, and a guy answered. I started drilling him about the truck. Does the A/C work? (if it didn't it was over) He replied everything works, and he owned it for a few years, and had too many vehicles.Again , Music to my ears! I always try to "read" a person, to sense a couple of different things...Is he full of bull? Does he need GREEN? Will he talk? . I sensed the latter two.. He did sound sincere, I responded by saying " What will you take for the truck? Right Now?" (if I'm looking at something, the green is in the pocket,cash,C notes..no checks or deposit crap) He reply was, " i am firm, i just lowered the price from $6500" My response was "so? I am asking what will you take Right now? I am talking C notes in the palm, now, not later, or I'll be back crap.All i ask is you come down with the key, reach in, and start the engine." His response was" i need the $5600." I responded " Have you got any real offers" His "Yes, a few,but too ridiculous" Mine.." Okay, look, i am gonna make a serious offer, once, You know how the economy is, how many people are gonna call, with the green, in the pocket.It need a round of rubber, and i don't like the dent. I'll offer you $4500 now, but you gotta start it, thats all i ask." His Response, with a little chuckle," Your killing me You won't go more? Will you split it? " Mine.." Look, i am not trying to kill anyone, and I'm not splitting anything. Tell you what, I'll go another hundred, $4600, and thats it. I am going to buy a truck or Suburban today, whether its this one or another. Your choice." His reply " I'll be there in 10 minutes."
Chris showed up as he said in a few minutes. We introduced each other. Chris unlocked the door, reached in, started the engine. Sounded good to me. I told him "sold". I followed Chris to his house a couple of miles down the street. Counted out the greenbacks, and had the title in the palm. I felt good! part 2 later... Rj
My younger brother, Paul, and i have been dealing with cars or car related parts all our lives. Guess it started when building Model cars, Amt kits, Mfc , Revell etc. Growing up on the Bass River, we both had 12 or 14 ft Lapstreak Amesbury Dory's, that our Father had purchased somehow for us. During the season, like April to November, we,and all our friends would be in them, rowing our skin off. Then "graduated" into having outboard motors on them. We didn't have to go far, just walk down the backyard, to the pier, and hop on them. If the tide was out, we didn't care, we would push them out, sliding them over the mudflats, barefoot, i might add! We never really left the River. To go out in the Harbor, we would venture with Dad, on his lobster boat, for that.
Just across the river, from our house, there was a used car lot. Two Salesman were always there, Tony "CARR" Caramagno, and George Judd. We all became good friends. I think they enjoyed our company, seeing us enjoy are young freedom's of not being tied down to a job, Yet!
As we grew older,and started driving our own cars, we could get a decent deal from both of our friends. In fact i dealt with Tony for maybe twenty years.We learned a lot from those two! Tony was somewhat straight with you, even though he needed the money. George was a tad on the sneaky side, being just what you would picture a typical snake car salesman back then!
We respected each other.Well, anyway, between my brother Paul, and i, we just couldn't keep the same car all the time. Either one of us may go for a ride, after supper, and come home with another car, either selling what we were driving for a profit, or getting a junker to fix up and sell. My parents would flip out when we did this, but after a year or two, kind of got used to it.(I think)
I know i had gone through 50 or more cars before i was 19. My insurance agent would go nuts, but he liked gaffing me for the registration fees.I grew up driving Olds, Pontiacs, and Cadillacs. People always bugged me about driving my Dad or Mom's cars. They wouldn't believe they were mine. My Parents were old school! In 1955, they bought a brand new 55 Ford Fairlane, 4 door, metallic green body, light green roof, of course, 3 on the tree, six cyl. They would have kept this thing forever, but a dumptruck rolled down the hill, one night and almost pushed it into the first floor of our house! They then went to Winn Chevrolet, and bought a 1960 Chev Nomad. They only kept it two weeks, it was such a pig on gas.They didn't know what they had, it was 3 on the tree of course, but had a 348 in it. That was a monster engine at that time. They traded it on a brand new 1962 Chev Biscayne, 4 door sedan, 3 on the tree, 6 cyl,and no power steering.Being old school as i mentioned, they bought what they could afford.
At this time, Paul and i weren't old enough to drive,but we knew cars! That 60 they had for the short period...it had the flags between the V on the hood, which designated the 348. Wow! We knew it when they bought it, so whats the big deal about gas prices, at about 20 cents a gallon? We didn;t care, about economy, but guess Mom and Dad were.
In 1965 they purchased a brand new Impala Convertible! Maroon, black top, Automatic!! and a 283 v8! Don't know where they got the $$, but maybe Dad, wanted to please my Mom? Now was the years, (1964) that i started driving. They had offered me the 62 Biscayne, but i wouldn't get caught dead driving that PlainJane. Nope, i got a 1957 Olds Super 88, Blk with White top Convertible, while i was still on my learners permit! Will never forget that car! Didn't want to start after it was shut off, with a hot motor, till it cooled down,but i put up with it...for awhile..
..and thats when the Wheeling / Dealing started...Cars, cars, and more cars..Then Paul followed suit, getting into 55 Chevys, He must of had a half dozen 55/56/57 Nomads! Used to beat the hell out of them. Worth mega-bucks now. When i graduated from Beverly Trade School, i left driving my 57 Caddy Convertible, dark metallic green,blk top, and wire wheels. And the list went on and on.
Now to the Present....about two months ago, i got rid of my truck,hated it, too many headaches,so i blessed it, adios, sold it short. I searched on Craigslist for a few weeks, studying prices and to see what i could get for 5 or 6 grand. Checked my Brother Paul;s lot a few times, but did not find the right veh. I wanted a Tahoe or another Suburban.
One Saturday last month, i figured i would drive to Haverhill,Georgetown area to maybe find something. I eyeballed a few trucks and a couple of Suburbans, but all looked either worn out,gone thru the mill, or taken care of. I decided to drive along rte #110 for awhile to sightsee or maybe bump into something on the side of the road.
After a few miles, i drove by a closed 7/11 store, but there was a 2000 Suburban sitting in the lot with a forsale sign on the window. Hmmm. Music to my ears! I got out and eyeballed it. Needed a round of rubber, a small dent behind the bumper. Interior was decent, no leather, but everything else, a/c, disc player etc. Not bad... The price on the window was $5600. Has some miles, but looks like it was taken care of.
I called the number, and a guy answered. I started drilling him about the truck. Does the A/C work? (if it didn't it was over) He replied everything works, and he owned it for a few years, and had too many vehicles.Again , Music to my ears! I always try to "read" a person, to sense a couple of different things...Is he full of bull? Does he need GREEN? Will he talk? . I sensed the latter two.. He did sound sincere, I responded by saying " What will you take for the truck? Right Now?" (if I'm looking at something, the green is in the pocket,cash,C notes..no checks or deposit crap) He reply was, " i am firm, i just lowered the price from $6500" My response was "so? I am asking what will you take Right now? I am talking C notes in the palm, now, not later, or I'll be back crap.All i ask is you come down with the key, reach in, and start the engine." His response was" i need the $5600." I responded " Have you got any real offers" His "Yes, a few,but too ridiculous" Mine.." Okay, look, i am gonna make a serious offer, once, You know how the economy is, how many people are gonna call, with the green, in the pocket.It need a round of rubber, and i don't like the dent. I'll offer you $4500 now, but you gotta start it, thats all i ask." His Response, with a little chuckle," Your killing me
You won't go more? Will you split it? " Mine.." Look, i am not trying to kill anyone, and I'm not splitting anything. Tell you what, I'll go another hundred, $4600, and thats it. I am going to buy a truck or Suburban today, whether its this one or another. Your choice." His reply " I'll be there in 10 minutes." Chris showed up as he said in a few minutes. We introduced each other. Chris unlocked the door, reached in, started the engine. Sounded good to me. I told him "sold". I followed Chris to his house a couple of miles down the street. Counted out the greenbacks, and had the title in the palm. I felt good!
part 2 later... Rj