Festiva Parts: Yes, sometimes seconds matter....

[Twistiva]

OK, so I've been on the phone several times with a guy who has owned about 5 Festivas over the years and was selling 2 of them plus a bunch of parts. I told him I'd see him today so I arrange my schedule to leave work about 2PM to see him at 4.

Unfortunately the student I was flying with didn't do so hot and he needed a long debrief. Then I stopped by an ATM on base to get cash in case I decide to buy anything from this guy. No dice on the ATM, it's out of service. Then I needed gas. Throw in about 6 gallons and run inside to hit up the ATM at a different gas station and grab a cellophane-wrapped sandwich. Off I go, about an hour and 45 minutes late. I drive to his place at about 62mph instead of 65 (yes, this matters to the story) so I don't tear up my little 4-spd engine. BTW, I've got no cell phone on me.

Well, I drive for almost 2 hours to get to his place and I'm within a hundred yards of his home and I see 2 guys walking down the dirt road I'm on, out in the middle of nowhere, and they wave at me and I wave back. I pull up to the guy's house 30 seconds later just about sunset and he meets me at the gate and he says he just sold BOTH non-driveable Festivas and a ton of parts to those 2 guys I just waved at for a whopping $350. $350!!!!

I swear he must have shook their hands on the deal about a minute before I got there. :nightmare: He said he didn't think I was coming like I told him so he sold everything to them. Not his fault at all but I was pretty mad at myself.

Well.....the story does have a happy ending, though. He took me down the road to where the 2 guys live and introduced me to them and the 2 guys agree to sell me the stuff I really wanted for a great price. They said they're not Festiva enthusiasts and just want something to tinker with.

If the 2 brothers didn't want to sell anything, I'd have been SOL all by about 60 seconds.

Next time I'm bringing a cell phone....

[skimsucka]

ahh one of those occasions, they suck ! but you made out with some good items atleast. If you can always have cash and cell phone on hand for deals

[TheresGabe]

I can't go to the gas station without my cell phone. I didn't realize "without a cell phone" was still an option in today's society... Glad they let you get what you wanted!

[bravekozak]

That happened to me with a set of Wilson staff golf clubs once. By the time I came home and went back to the store, the clubs were gone from the rack. A dad was buying them for his son at the front counter.
I mentioned that three properties I wanted to buy a couple of weeks ago all sold on the same day I asked. Both days were consecutive.

[hasteranger]

I always call if I'm going to be late, just as a courtesy. I hate flakey people. If I made an appointment with someone for my job, I'd expect them to call if they couldn't be on time, and if they didn't, I wouldn't work with them anymore. Certainly if someone made an appointment with me I wouldn't expect them to work with me if I didn't show up. And I expect the same for people when doing other kinds of business as well, though obviously thats setting the bar pretty high.

But calling in this case would have saved your bacon. No cell phone? Pay phone at most gas stations...

[Oren09]

There actually aren't many pay phones around here anymore.

Payphones and US Mail boxes have gotten scarce. I hardly ever see one out in the wild.

[Twistiva]

That happened to me with a set of Wilson staff golf clubs once. By the time I came home and went back to the store, the clubs were gone from the rack. A dad was buying them for his son at the front counter.
I mentioned that three properties I wanted to buy a couple of weeks ago all sold on the same day I asked. Both days were consecutive.

Yeah, it sucks when that happens.

I always call if I'm going to be late, just as a courtesy. I hate flakey people. If I made an appointment with someone for my job, I'd expect them to call if they couldn't be on time, and if they didn't, I wouldn't work with them anymore. Certainly if someone made an appointment with me I wouldn't expect them to work with me if I didn't show up. And I expect the same for people when doing other kinds of business as well, though obviously thats setting the bar pretty high.

But calling in this case would have saved your bacon. No cell phone? Pay phone at most gas stations...

Not too many pay phones around any more but, yeah, calling him (borrowing someone's cell phone or something before I left work) would have been smart. I got lucky that the new owners were willing to sell me what I needed. I don't like depending on luck....

That won't happen again.

[Movin]

What a story wow and lucky lol

[Larry Hampton]

Where are these new owners?....... Is there anything left? I need a couple driver fenders, one white and one blue.

[bobbyspider]

that kind of stuff just makes you wanna punch a small defensless animal :shock: