These Are the Reasons You Didn't Buy the Car That Got Away

Oof. This one hurts.

2007. I’m at the dealer to buy a 1984 Grand Wagoneer as I need a daily driver and winter beater - my Firebird was being track prepped, and definitely NOT a winter candidate in CO anymore, and I couldn’t take it offline without a backup car.

In the front of the dealer, at $94,5, is a used early model 2005 Ford GT. Slightly higher miles (26k, IIRC). Definitely a driver, not a garage queen. Needed new tires too.

Technically, I could afford it. I’d be car poor. VERY car poor. But I could have stretched it. I was pretty sure promotions and pay raises were coming (they were; salary went up by 45% over the next 2 years), but I wasn’t positive.

So I passed. I bought the Jeep. Met my wife in it. Fell in love in it. Died on the side of the road because early-80's Chrysler/AMC disaster. Swapped it for a GTI.

That GT? Sat for another 3 weeks, and sold. Now they easily go for 400k+. Jesus. I do NOT regret the Jeep. I regret passing on that beast.

OOOOOOOF. That’s all I can say, man. I’m happy you loved your Grand Wagoneer, but I’m not sure if I could sleep knowing I could have had a Ford GT. That’s too much of a cross to bear, even for me.

Submitted by: Lopoetve

In 2015, my ‘06 M5 had yet another transmission issue. I brought it to BMW hoping to sell it. I often tell the story about how BMW’s horrible sales team led me to buying a brand new Nissan Frontier and towing the M5 home, but that’s half the story.

With the M5 in the service bay, I was shopping for another BMW, something sporty, a little more down to earth, but particularly needed a M/T, and I wasn’t going to settle for anything less. The BMW sales team could not oblige to getting me ANY M/T without me ordering something from the factory and waiting 2 months. I needed a car, now, and I had my trade-in ready to go.

What led me to the Frontier was an online ad from a Nissan Dealership. They had a red 1st gen MR2 on the lot and it was posted on their own website for a great price. I gave up on BMW, went to their lot, checked it out and fell in love with it. I wasn’t even going to negotiate, where do I sign???

I hung out in the dealership for some time when they came back with a slight problem: They couldn’t sell it. I don’t exactly recall the excuse they gave me, but I told them that I didn’t care what was wrong, just give me the paperwork to sign and I’ll hand over the money. Nope, they couldn’t sell it, there was something wrong in their system and they would not be able to transfer the title to me.

I’m guessing that someone working at the dealership or service center called dibs, but it’s anyone’s guess. I ended up walking around for some time when I began looking at 2015 Titans and Frontiers. I came up with the brilliant idea of just getting a small pickup truck, borrowing my coworker’s trailer, and taking my toys home (aka, the broken M5).

I very much regret not dumping the M5 on the BMW dealership, I kept it for another 5 years of constant repairs, and misery. I am happy with the Frontier, though.

Man, that’s dicked up, but good on you for realizing you were talking about the 2nd gen SW20 in a later comment. It’s peak 90s melty soap design. In the long run, the Frontier was probably the better way to go, but damn the Mister 2 is cool.

 Submitted by: Ninety-9

Was shopping with my dad for my first car at age 15/16 in 1991 and we went to see a 1967 Chevelle. It was factory original in a green-blue color, black vinyl interior. Only modification were hand controls for the brake and gas (easily removable) because its current and original owner was now an old lady. I think asking price was about $4,500. Had a little bit of rust in the rockers and in the trunk, which is why we passed on it. Still regret it, though I probably would have wrecked at 16 anyway.

Yeah... not getting a Chevelle at 16 is probably a good move. If you did, you would probably be dead. And if you were dead, you wouldn’t be commenting on the post. If you weren’t commenting on the post, I wouldn’t be including it in today’s answer. If I didn’t include it in today’s answer, your ghost would be sad.

Submitted by: Zippitydoo

Im dealing with it right now. Carmax had a great deal on a 2010 GT500 in Grabber Blue with under 15k miles and bone stock. I watched it all week, after a few beers with the boys on Friday night they got me hyped up to get it coming, then it was gone. Yesterday I’m checking again and its back! I think on it again, sober this time, decide to do it anyways, and its on hold again. SO sad.

Nothing in particular kept me from pulling the trigger, just spending $43k on a 12 year old car, but its somewhat of a dream car for me, and in the right color.

If it comes back for sale again, I demand you buy it. There’s no other way around it. You must. I will be disappointed and will personally chastise you if you don’t.

Submitted by: PLindsey

Shopping for my first car, about 20 years ago, I really wanted a Fox body Mustang - I had even found what seemed to be a reasonably clean GT with 175k kms for like $3500. I was all set to go see it after I finished a Saturday morning shift, which is exactly when the car sold. I should have pushed through and found another one (they weren’t particularly rare back then), but I got sidetracked and ended up with a Chrysler Intrepid.

Would I do it today? Good 5.0 Foxes are starting to get a bit more expensive, but SN95's aren’t bad yet, and should be a similar driving experience. Probably not a forever car, but I’d still like one for a year or two. That said, 4th gen Z28's with the LT1 seem to be obtainable enough in reasonable condition, and if anything, that was what I really wanted, but they were well out of budget.

I just want to know how it’s even possible every single car gets sold about five minutes before someone is ready to make their own purchase. It doesn’t make sense to me. It’s one of the most cruel fates in the universe.

Submitted by: Maymar

About 5 years ago, IS300 Sportcross with reasonably low miles. I went to the used car lot to check it out. Used car dealers here in South Florida are a sketchy bunch and this was no exception. I had called ahead but still the Sportcross was at the back of the lot blocked in by other cars. I poked around and asked about a test drive. The dealer flat out refused to allow a test drive until we agreed on a price and wanted me to sign a purchase agreement. I walked away but still think about that Sportcross sometimes, especially since their values have spiked in the last 5 years. Can’t say I made the wrong decision but with a clean PPI I would have happily bought that car, and still would today.

This unfortunately was the right call to make. That’s some sketchy head-ass behavior from the dealer. Keep looking, you’ll find your Sportcross one day.

Submitted by: FloridaMan

Many years ago, I was looking for an Opel GT. Called the seller, told him I was coming to look at the car. Got there 1 hour later just to literally watch the car drive away with its new owner. I look at the seller who was still outside and told him WTF man!

That’s messed up, dude. The seller sounds like a real bucket of worms. It’s just messed up, is all I’m sayin’!

Submitted by: minardi

Common sense. But I still regret it.

I’m retired, but I spent my life in the car business. Sad to say, even though I’ve loved cars all my life, they are really just iron. They come and go, and if the one you like isn’t here anymore, then there will be another one soon.

Back about 25 years ago, we took in on trade an old Mercedes diesel. Which model, I forget (I’m old). It was single headlight, though, maybe a 200D? And this car was PERFECT. It was like it came out of the showroom, it was so clean. 4 cylinder, engine bay was spotless. No rust, original paint, maybe a couple stone chips that were touched up by hand.

Vinyl seats. Crank windows. No A/C. 4 speed. A freakin’ MANUAL CHOKE. Becker AM radio. THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND MILES.

I drove it around for about an hour. It felt like it had been machined from a solid block of metal. Not a squeak, not a rattle anywhere. It had that great old European car smell.

I forget what we put in it, but it was between $2k-$3k. I could have had it for cost plus $100.

But why? I couldn’t daily drive it, we already had two cars. I didn’t have any garage space, it would have to sit outside. And I was saving for a Miata. (I still have my ‘97, bought in 2000.) The money would have had to come from that fund. I couldn’t spend family money.

I let it go. If I was going to have a fun car, it would have to be more fun than that. But that old MB was probably the finest single automobile I’ve ever seen, equipment be damned. To this day I have great respect for that machine and that owner. His Tahoe (or whatever) is most likely long gone, but the Benz is probably over 500k by now.

You made the right choice, but that stinks. I dunno, can you really ever have enough cars? I guess the answer is yes, as I have two. That’s too many for me.

Submitted by: Mosca

Car : 1999 Saab 9-3 Viggen coupe - blue

Year : Circa 2004-ish

Reason : Found out it has a salvage title, got spooked

In retrospect, probably an excellent decision

Yeah, good move there.

Submitted by: Margin of Error

I thought it was my wife…

She would say stupid things like “you already have 4 other cars, and you hardly drive even 3000 miles a year.”

I let many a cool cars slip away including a batch of 3 clapped out Volvo 544’s for $500/ea. (Needed some serious work).

Turns out it was just me being too timid and asking for permission, not forgiveness. One day I just brought home a volvo 444, and she said “that’s cute.” And that was that… no doghouse or anything.

Now I still hardly drive (even less than before because of the pandemic), and I have 5 cars and not enough space… so until I find more space, I think that’s my excuse.

Considering your username, I feel like you’ve still had plenty of cars that didn’t slip away. Always look on the bright side, buddy!

Submitted by: redneckrob and his flock of Volvos

Back in late 2003 early 2004, I can’t remember exactly, I happened to be at a VW dealership in Houston, looking at their specimen of the newly released R32. I was browsing all the other new cars, when the sales manager asked me if I had heard about the new W12 Phaeton. I said no, so he took me over to see the one they had on the showroom floor.

Opening the door revealed how solidly built it was, in keeping with its Bentley heritage. The engine bay looked like a dining room set for Thanksgiving.

He offered me an outstanding deal on it, knowing I was going to buy a new car, and he wanted to get it out where it would be seen in the medical center; ostensibly to sell more units after folks saw it in the doctors’ parking lot.

The choice I made was the R32, as I had an hour commute, and the expressways in Houston require a bit of speedy in-and-out. Plus, I was working with a charitable organization, and felt that such conspicuous consumption would be sending the wrong message. So I didn’t buy it.

Looking back, I should have done so anyway, simply because of the uniqueness of the vehicle. Even if I didn’t use it for commuting, it would have been a wonderful heirloom to keep in the family. I goofed.

Buddy, I don’t know what to tell you other than you made the right move. The R32 was sick, and the W12 Phaeton would have spent more time in the shop than on the road. Yeah, I guess it would have been cool, but still. You were right to not pull the trigger.

Submitted by: DocotorNine

In 2008 I stumbled across a 1994 Mazda RX-7 R2 in the iconic red paint. Bone stock, one owner, perfect condition, full records, the whole nine yards. 24K original miles. Asking $12,995.

I was a sophomore in college. I fawned over it for days trying to figure out how I could throw my life savings ($1,500?) at a loan and what full time job I could jump into right then and there to make it mine - I was already failing down to a 1.5 GPA and at the tail end of how long the college would let me go with a major undeclared. If I was going to flunk out, I was flunking out with my dream ride.

I still think about that car to this day. But more importantly, I think about the call I had with my dad soon after I had a couple interviews lined up, detailing my plan, and how he inspired me not to give up on school after I self-deprecated into thinking it wasn’t worth trying anymore. The next morning I canceled my interviews and talked with the school counselors to figure out how I could fix the situation I was in and graduate on-time. By the time I picked a major and set the new course the following week, the car sold.

Maybe I don’t have an RX-7 right now, but I have the space in the garage in the house I own with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees hanging in the office for the day I decide to write the check. If he could see it all, I know he’d be beyond proud. Rest in peace pops, and thank you so much. <3

Shit, man. That’s beautiful. Good for you, and your pops is definitely proud! You made the right decision, without a doubt in my mind.

Submitted by: Turbolence1988 Loves Magic Turn Circles

Pontiac Solstice GXP COUPE!

The day before going to the dealer to put down a deposit on an order, I heard Pontiac was getting the axe. It freaked me out and this was my first new car purchase, so I had no idea how that would be handled. I went in the next day like planned, talked to the sales guy I had talked to before, I don’t remember what all was said, but he wasn’t not very reassuring. I left without putting down a deposit.

BMW 1 M Coupe

I really wanted the car, but wasn’t sure about spending that much. Went through the finances, found out I could do it, but waited a little bit just to save a little more for the down payment... 1 month later, I was laid off.

One day you’ll learn. Just put the trigger next time, man. I encourage it.

Submitted by: SlickS30r

I’m not sure either of these really count, since I still ended up with something exciting, but: the assholes sold them out from under me.

Was looking for my first car. First was an ‘88 IROC (350 L98 car), nice family selling the car. Went and looked at it with my buddy (it was a solid 30-40 minute drive away), test drove it, liked the car - interior was in good shape, newer paint that looked nice. Said nice family agreed to hold it for me until my dad and I could come back the next morning to finalize the deal. Called me the morning of “Oh, someone came with cash so we sold it” - my dad was livid.

Second was a ‘95 Z28. My dad and I looked at it this time, drove it, put a small deposit down on it (like $50, all we had on hand at the time), would be coming back with the actual funds in a day or two...tried calling him a few times within the next few days and he eventually answered...with the same shit answer.

In hindsight, the ‘88 had some rust bubbling up here and there under that newish paint (that I was happy to ignore because excited 17 year old). May have been minimal, maybe not. The ‘95 was far worse off - oil spray all over the engine with a nice low oil light, and the owner kept trying to impress me by telling me how he was married to a stripper.

Ended up with an ‘86 IROC (305 LB9 car) which I probably paid too much for, which also had oil issues (balancer came loose and wore a hole in the timing cover, had to be fixed right after buying it), but dammit I loved that car. So all in all, the other two may have not really “gotten away”, but were more than annoying to me at the time.

People are so shitty, man. But, glad it worked out for ya!

Submitted by: MP81

I have always (and still do) wanted a jeep wrangler. Love the look and the open air everything, and because I’m a big guy it’s really the only convertible I fit in. So about 25 years ago I took one for a test drive- it was really cool, loved it, I could totally see myself driving this thing off into the northwoods with a canoe on top and my dog by my side, top down and unshaved chin collecting bugs... right up until the salesman sitting next to me said, “now, on this upcoming section of road, the wranger is gonna do something we call porpising,” a term I had never before heard and on a section of road I had driven on daily with my regular boring car, a saturn SL1, and had never even noticed before. A moment after he said it, the Wrangler began to buck wildly back and forth like I’d just driven over a set of curbs. I looked over at the salesman and asked. “WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?” And he was like, “Ah, you get used to it...” And that was how the dream jeep wrangler got away from me. While I’m sure that Jeep has probably fixed this in the last 25 years, everytime I think about a jeep I remember that moment and realize, this thing is not built to do what I need. And then I open the sunroof on my Outback and I sigh a little, knowing that I won’t be getting any bugs stuck in my teeth today.

My brother in Christ you can still buy a Wrangler — one that won’t do that nightmare of a move. Do it. You will not regret it.

Submitted by: Buckfiddiousagain

In 2010 my old 1991 Mercedes 560SEL was barely usable as transportation; I ended up giving it away for free (in retrospect it needed a new engine but the interior and exterior were in perfect shape so I could have parted it out for good money, since a lot of the parts were unobtanium, but, alas). I didn’t technically need a car, since I lived in Brooklyn, but I’m a gearhead and wanted something fun. I was still single and had gotten a raise and had a little bit of money burning a hole in my pocket, so after going back and forth between two cars, I bought a new Porsche Cayman. That car was an absolute lemon, and spent most of its time in the dealer service center. I got rid of it the moment the warranty was up. Have absolutely no fond memories of that car whatsoever.

The car I was dithering about buying instead of that Cayman? A CTS-V wagon. My mom convinced me that Cadillacs were “old-man cars.” Pretty sure if I had gone with the Caddy I’d still be driving it today and loving every minute of it.

Gadzooks, I would set myself on fire.

Suggested by: neverspeakawordagain