Here's a real good one!!

[AUdubon5425]

In the mid 90's I noticed a '70 T-Bird for $3500 on the used lot of the local Saturn dealer. Had to pull in and check it out. It was obviously garaged, salesman said the grandson inherited the car and traded it in on a new Saturn, story was believable, the car even had the sticker from Canal Ford on the bumper.

I ask them how much they would give me for my Lincoln Mark V if I traded it in, they drove it and told me $500. I don't think so, but let's drive the T-Bird. It CATCHES FIRE before we get out the lot! The fuel line at the carb was so dry rotted it was spraying gas everywhere.

The porters attempts to extinguish the fire came straight from an episode of Amos & Andy. One guy running with a bucket of soap water trips and spills it all on the other porter, who stops and sprays him with the fire extinguisher, all while the salesman is trying to beat the flames out with his sportcoat.

[Arkay]

Originally Posted by AUdubon5425

In the mid 90's I noticed a '70 T-Bird for $3500 on the used lot of the local Saturn dealer. Had to pull in and check it out. It was obviously garaged, salesman said the grandson inherited the car and traded it in on a new Saturn, story was believable, the car even had the sticker from Canal Ford on the bumper.

I ask them how much they would give me for my Lincoln Mark V if I traded it in, they drove it and told me $500. I don't think so, but let's drive the T-Bird. It CATCHES FIRE before we get out the lot! The fuel line at the carb was so dry rotted it was spraying gas everywhere.

The porters attempts to extinguish the fire came straight from an episode of Amos & Andy. One guy running with a bucket of soap water trips and spills it all on the other porter, who stops and sprays him with the fire extinguisher, all while the salesman is trying to beat the flames out with his sportcoat.

That would have been completely hilarious...if the poor car hadn't been burning the whole time! Hope the fire got put out quickly enough to prevent serious damage.

[AUdubon5425]

Originally Posted by Arkay

That would have been completely hilarious...if the poor car hadn't been burning the whole time! Hope the fire got put out quickly enough to prevent serious damage.

It was pretty funny, if only because the salesman had built the car up so much in his pitch. I knew exactly what I was looking at but kept my mouth shut. There wasn't much damage beyond a few wires, some hood insulation and the salesman's pride. BTW, that was the last time I ever test drove a car without raising the hood first.