1978 CdV d'Elegance - 27,000 miles - Cleveland. No reserve.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Appears to be an exceptional original. Even fillers are still original but replacement may well lie in store at some future point. Very highly equipped including Astroroof, and rare dual power reclining seats.

Couple of minor flaws but would be difficult to find one much better. Color is Arizona Beige.   

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Cadillac-DeVille-NO-RESERVE-dElegance-One-Owner-Very-Low-Miles/223217790495?hash=item33f8d12e1f:g:YVAAAOSw4c5b32l6:rk:4:pf:1&vxp=mtr&frcectupt=true

[Joe V]

 Definitely a good looking car. But auction has a couple warning signs including extremely high deposit at end of auction  and title questions around in the estate yet the person still has the title in their name.  This is one where you want to see the car, the title and whatever paperwork the seller has that  authorizes the sale and title transfer from whatever estate  is being settled  before bidding IMO.

If the person is alive and has the title in their name why would it be linked to estate settlement?  I would understand a divorce settlement though .

[chrisntam]

This part is confusing:

This car is being sold without reserve, as I feel this is the only fair way to sell a car at auction.  If you have any questions, please call me (Ken) directly (quickest and preferred) at 513-403-7386, or email, and I will help you.  You do not have to wait for the auction to end.  The family is accepting offers.  If this is the car for you, call me and make an offer today.

So, is it a no reserve auction or make an offer?

I bet the auction will end early....  So much for it being "the only fair way to sell a car at auction".

We'll see.

It is a nice looking unit.

[Joe V]

 My guess is that the $2000 it's good old Kens finders fee and he'll offer $3000 to the family for the car.  Offer him less and He will decide if it's worth reducing his finders fee. Maybe I'm just suspicious by nature  but if titled in the name of the deceased it's not always one that can just be handed to you upon payment. Not necessarily free and clear  as advertised. Plus you will be  committing to pay someone who doesn't actually own the car as a result of the auction.

Checked his other auctions and they all say "family excepting offers". So definitely a reseller but all buyers submitted positive feedback

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I don't see how it can be affirmatively established the car is being sold by a reseller simply because the family is open to accepting cash offers, let alone speculate whatever commissions the ebay member and the owners have agreed to - assuming they exist at all. What difference would it make anyway?

The car is worth what it's worth and if the family gives the entire proceeds of the sale to the person listing the car for them, that has no bearing on what the car is worth nor should it have any bearing on what someone is willing to pay for it.

[BJM]

It muddies the water and creates suspicion, which is why Joe and others pointed it out.  Just be honest - he is a pseudo dealer with money to make for helping a family.   I have done that many times for free. 

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Just be honest - he is a pseudo dealer with money to make for helping a family.   I have done that many times for free.

How do you know this? Do you know the terms between the parties concerned? In any case, I really don't see what its relevance is.

Otherwise, the terms of the offer are pretty clear: The listing is made without reserve unless a buyer shows up in the driveway with cash in hand with an offer that's acceptable to the owner - which is pretty much the case for any eBay listing. As they say, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[Dan LeBlanc]

How do you know this? Do you know the terms between the parties concerned? In any case, I really don't see what its relevance is.

Otherwise, the terms of the offer are pretty clear: The listing is made without reserve unless a buyer shows up in the driveway with cash in hand with an offer that's acceptable to the owner - which is pretty much the case for any eBay listing. As the say, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

BINGO!  My 70 was listed on eBay.  Got it the exposure it needed to get me out of it and into the 77 Brougham with some cash in my jeans.  The deal was done off eBay.  Guaranteed this wasn't the first time, nor will it be the last time it happens.

Oh yeah, when I bought the 70, same thing.  I made a deal off of ebay even though the car had bids.  Seller was someone hired to sell of a bunch of the owners cars.  Didn't bother me any.  Seemed highly irrelevant also.  I only spoke with the owner of the car once - and that was after I took delivery.  Before that, I dealt with his intermediary and the owner's secretary.

I don't know why people get their noses so bent out of joint over it.

[gkhashem]

I agree.

If I buy the car, I do so freely for the price I feel fair. It matters to me little what the seller does with the proceeds. Totally irrelevant to me if I am the buyer.

All I care about is if the car is in the condition I want for the price I want to pay, period end of story.

[BJM]

The off-auction transaction is common and usual with BJ and Mecum and ebay.  I get that. 

We can terse words back and forth regarding this seller, but it appears there is a history of similar ebay auction set ups.  You are correct, some of us are filling in the blanks and his transactions and involvement may be totally legitimate.  Or not. 

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

As one who found out how frustrating it is to pay for a car and find out that "it's not really yours, yet" when the "seller" ignores your request for the title, I am going to be "quite suspicious" in future about  any "story" the seller comes up with relative to paperwork. There are too many cars out there to put up with guys trying to fleece you. If the "seller" can't send you a picture of the title while you are dealing for the car, tell him "thanks" and forget about that one.

Remember that these guys have absolutely no conscience at all. The seller of my '91 had the gall to send me an email several months later asking for a loan. While I felt somewhat sorry for the plight he found himself in, I wasn't "sorry" enough to take him up on his request. (He had seen the inside of my garage with two old cars in it, so I was "rich.")

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Seller has maintained 100% positive feedback score for 120 sales of old cars (quite a feat in itself) - with buyers' comments among the most uniformly laudatory I've ever seen for a car seller. 

Ya - he's a real bum alright 

https://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=nbcgibbs&ftab=FeedbackAsSeller&ftabfocus=true&searchInterval=30

[BJM]

Sometimes Eric we have to agree to disagree.  I have a 100% ebay feedback too, it's not hard these days.

ebay protects sellers IMO.  This seller places language in his presentment which drew some of our attention.  We commented on that language.   The car is another story, it presents well and is interesting.

As someone noted, few cars sell on this forum from our postings. Most of us have the cars we want. Rather, it's a topical discussion of the cars we see, which was not available 20-30 years ago.  I am thankful for that.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I have a 100% ebay feedback too, it's not hard these days.

120 transactions - ALL OLDER CARS - 100% positive.  Very hard to achieve given that unpredictable nature of old iron (let alone 120 of them) and impossible unless the seller's descriptions are accurate.

Sorry but this is no small achievement for an old car seller.

[gkhashem]

I guess I am confused as to why the seller is so suspect.

I have seen many auctions where they pull them down before it ends since the car is for sale locally or whatever. So if he pulls it down, he pulls it down I guess.

So is the issue he is soliciting offers too on a no reserve auction?

[BJM]

George
I don't know any more. But it's not worth fighting in a forum, so I give up. the seller is awesome and I am 100% wrong for any inference I have left possibly disparaging his auction. 

[kevinanderson]

And no one mentioned the rear fillers don't match the body paint!?

[D.Smith]

A friend just wrote me that he bought this 78 d'elegance this morning.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

And no one mentioned the rear fillers don't match the body paint!?

Most were slightly off color when new and very typical for them to fade as they age, as these have since they are still original. A good polishing usually restores the color but sooner or later they'll need to be replaced as the vast majority have been of this era.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

A friend just wrote me that he bought this 78 d'elegance this morning.

Congratulations to him. Looking forward to hearing more about the car when he gets it.