[randyleepublic]

Does anyone know the individual selling this car? Alfa Romeo : Berlina | eBay

I have been trying to get in touch with him or her, but have had no success. I suspect that the seller thinks I am some kind of lowballer or scammer because it appears that they have blocked me from sending messages. It's very frustrating because I want to buy the car, only I won't have the money for about a month and a half. I am not a lowballer or a scammer. It is very unlikely that the car will sell the first go round on eBay as there is only a very tiny number of people who would appreciate the car for what it is. In other words, unless the seller gets discouraged and sells it to a lowballer, it will very likely still be available in a month or two.

I just want to establish communications and tell them to not give up - I'll buy the car for the asking price as soon as I have the dang money which will be pretty soon. If it's really an emergency, I might even be able to come up with the money sooner, so please, if you have any information, contact them and let them know that I am not a danger!

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[Andrew]

You might call Santo's shop in LA and see if they can put you in touch, or Anthony R here (italcarguy).
Andrew

 

[randyleepublic]

Hi Andrew,

I was hoping to discover that the seller is a bbmember, but if not, then your idea is plan c.

Thanks,

 

[randyleepublic]

The seller wrote me today. I hope he gets a bidding war, and gets all his money back, but it is unlikely, so perhaps I am closing in on the Berlina of my dreams.

 

[keeterdenver]

That thing is SWEET!
Best of luck Randy,

 

[randyleepublic]

Thanks. Haven't heard from him yet since the auction, so we'll see.

 

[Skid]

It's back on eBay with a buy it now price $1000 less.

 

[randyleepublic]

Good luck to the seller!

 

[alfagtv74]

It seems he has the two same battling it out.... I wonder if one of them will buy it this time

 

[randyleepublic]

Why would they? They didn't meet reserve last time they were bidding, and I doubt that the reserve has been lowered any. I'm done with it. I don't appreciate being told, "I'll contact you if the car doesn't sell." and then the car doesn't sell, followed by silence. I even sent him a message with my cell phone number. Nothing. Whatevs.

 

[hagen111]

Hi Randy,

It is pretty simple, as there is a buy it now option on ebay...just click the button and the car is yours for $21k.

Go ahead and buy it, it looks like a beautiful car, and agree with the seller you will inspect it before handing the cash.

 

[cabikefreak]

I live in OC. If someone is really serious about this car I can take a look at it this weekend. I'm no Berlina expert though...

 

[randyleepublic]

Hi Randy,

It is pretty simple, as there is a buy it now option on ebay...just click the button and the car is yours for $21k.

Go ahead and buy it, it looks like a beautiful car, and agree with the seller you will inspect it before handing the cash.

There's an answer to this question, but I'll spare the board the boring details. Besides, my instincts were true, as I now have a line on the "one that got away", to my everlasting regret. Now I can answer the question, "Did I make a huge mistake not buying that car?", instead of starting a whole new line of questions.

BTW, the seller is one of those eBay sellers who place what I consider to be silly conditions on the sale. I am almost certain that he would never agree to me exercising the buy it now without first tendering some ludicrous non-refundable deposit. And I don't care anymore. His loss - he will eventually discover that potential purchasers of high end Berlinas don't grow on trees.

 

[passion4audio]

Hello! I'm the guy with the Berlina 4 sale on Ebay

This really is an extraordinary Berlina.

Santos "went to town" on a complete engine and transmission rebuild and it purrs like a kitten. The paint is a work of art... and the pictures don't even come close to portraying how gorgeous this car is in person.

Also, everything has been "properly sorted."

Gets "waves" and "nice car!" everywhere we drive it.

I apologize if I came/come across as evasive (snobby, stuck up, difficult, etc.) with this auction. Although I have been a member of Ebay since 1999, I have never sold anything worth anywhere close to this much. With all the scammers and such out there, I thought it would be prudent to REALLY list some "rules" there at the end of the auction. It was my hope that it would "scare off" some less than ethical bidders.

I had a few people asking if I would contact them outside the Ebay auction, and responded that I'd rather "keep it within the Ebay system." When it didn't sell the first time around, I lowered the price and re-listed it.

At this point, I am happy to speak with potential buyers about this car.

Today I spoke with a very nice gentleman who had asked questions about the engine and transmission rebuild. I contacted Santos and asked him if he would mind it if this gentleman contacted him - because Santos knows how to explain the work he did WAY better than I could, and Santos agreed. The gentleman called me back, said he had spoken with Santos at some length, and was happy with the work Santos performed on this car. He said he'd speak to his wife about it and asked if he could see it in person sometime this week... in which I agreed.

If anyone has any questions at all about this car, I'd be more than happy to talk with you about it.

I can be reached at (562) SEVEN SIX ZERO - 86 EIGHT 9

The current BIN price is actually very reasonable, although I understand it is on the top end of what Berlina's normally go for. This vehicle, however, has been brought to a point - both mechanically and cosmetically (not to mention the KILLER tan leather interior) - which definitely warrants even the BIN price. My wife and I really do have approx. $30,000 into the car... and I imagine it would be extremely difficult (more probably, impossible) to replicate for much less than $30,000.

Again, I apologize if my "approach" to this Ebay listing was annoying to some people. I now know that I CAN communicate "outside the Ebay system" - and still remain within the rules as defined by Ebay while an active auction is taking place.

This car is in Los Alamitos, CA (near where the 405, 22 and 605 freeways converge) - and is AVAILABLE for in-person inspections and test drives... however, SERIOUS ONLY, please.

The car was returned to its original color via an engine-out, down to the bare metal paint process - by the paint guy Santos himself recommends and uses.

Someone is going to have a love affair with this car!

 

[passion4audio]

The re-listed Ebay auction is HERE >>

Alfa Romeo : Berlina | eBay

 

[hagen111]

Somebody is going to buy this for 20k. I can't believe it hasn't sold yet.

 

[randyleepublic]

Hi Todd,

I understand your trepidation when dealing with a high ticket item. Actually the getting paid part is the worst. Try asking "your" banker for a 100% safe way to get paid. That's when you find out that the first rule of banking is that the customer is always right, unless anything goes wrong, then it's all the customer's fault. The best thing I figured is to meet the buyer in your bank. The buyer buys a cashier's check for cash right in front of you, then you deposit the check. Anything else has the potential for a scam, or requires the buyer to trust you, and that's not fair either.

Anyway, you did me a tremendous favor. 3 years ago, I almost bought the most perfectly preserved all original one-owner Berlina I have ever seen. That I didn't buy it, has caused me no end of doubt and regret. I even called the owner this May to see if he still had it. He had sold it. Well, a guy on the BB had recently bought it from the guy who bought it from the original owner. Some repairs have been done, but it is still in wonderfully original condition. The owner saw my comments about your car, and got in touch with me. We have a deal!

Thanks so much!