What is the pettiest reason you didn’t buy that car?

I passed on one of these because it had a white interior. The guy wanted $1800. 

I passed on one of these because of surface rust, and it didn't run. The asking price was only $125. 

In reply to Toyman01 + Sized and :

That's really a shame, because if I owned it, the interior wouldn't be white much longer than a few days.

My dad returned a car (Carmax) when he learned it didn't have heated seats. 

in 2006 I went to a dealership in my NA Miata, to look at a used NB. I parked right beside the NB.

The salesman was there almost instantly. I asked him the asking price, since there was none listed on the car. He told me $18k. I asked for a test drive, he brought me the keys and let me go. Before pulling out, I opened the glove box to find the sales sheet that listed the price of $16k.      

Salesman.  I had a salesman tell me one time,  "Son You can't afford this car". I was early 20's, had long hair,  but I was single and had a good job. Never said a word to him until I returned from the Dealership in the next town with a Buick Riviera that was better equipped than the one they had.  Went in and politely thanked him for sending me to his competitor for a nicer car. 

I would probably be daily driving a Fiesta ST right now if ALL of the Ford dealers in my area weren't varying degrees of assholios on top of dealer optioning every car on their lots with a sunroof. I needed a new car within a 2 week window after my DD was stolen.

The owner smelled bad. 

Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:

The stupid commercials...

This.

Because grounded to the ground.

No manual gearbox = no sale to me.

ShawnG said:

Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:

The stupid commercials...

This.

Because grounded to the ground.

Don't stick your finger anywhere you wouldn't stick your hootus.

Also this.

Because Love.  

I'm not buying that Love BS, Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd....err...Subaru!

Probably the pettiest reason I passed on a car in real life was: me.  Air-cooled 911, beautiful shape, cool PO, passed because we were $1200 away from where I told myself my top price was.  I had the money -- just a mental block that I wasn't going to spend more than $X. Negotiated price was around $13k and the year was 2013.  Yep, I'm the petty idiot.

I have a couple.  My bride really wanted an XC90 in late 2003.  Went to the closest dealer (~90 miles) who had a few in stock.  We looked and the only one she liked was a crystal green metallic base car.  The dealer decided they wanted $4K OVER sticker.  

Nope.

Was on a business trip to Sacramento a couple of weeks later and stopped at a Volvo dealer and I lucked out and drew a sales guy who was retiring that day and wanted one more sale.  He had exactly the car my bride wanted, except it had stuff we really didn't want.  I ended up getting it for less than the sticker of the more local car.  Still took it to the local dealer for service.  The sales guy came over and asked about where the car came from and why we didn't buy from him.  He was not amused when I told him what I paid for it. *Oh well*

The second was in 1975, a beautiful '63 spit window with a 327 and a 4-speed.  Red with biscuit interior.  Less than 30,000 miles.  Original spare had never been on the ground.  $2,500.  Why didn't I buy it?  I didn't have $2,500...

I was 16 and I already owned a '72 124 Sport Coupe that was a total project. Could have bought an all original, 1-owner, 70 Datsun 510 coupe. The petty reason I didn't buy it? My Dad wouldn't let me have two cars. So petty, lol. He knew I was going to have issues.

Years ago my friend told me about a 69 formula firebird for sale. Great price he said so we went to go look at it.

Hard pass....it was green.

A Ford dealer would not sell me truck until I told him where I got the money. I told him it was none of his business. He didn't budge so I left.

The Ford dealer in the next town dealer traded for the same truck the next AM and took my check, no questions asked.

My first stop was back at the original dealer to show the salesman my new truck. He was not a happy camper.

The first was a Plymouth Champ way back in the day. It was a manual, five door hatchback and I didn't understand how incredibly cool hatchbacks were at the time, nor did I understand having four doors if you have a back seat is better than two doors. 

The second was a two factor nope out.
First, the owner tried to get as close to the entrance of a very busy place and then they didn't properly park it between the lines. They could've parked in the back where nobody was, which is where I took it to give it a looking over.
Second, they went inside to do some shopping while I did a test drive, then didn't return their cart to the corral when they came out. Maybe because I parked in the back of the lot in the shade, but still.

The third was because I strongly suspected that there would be drug residue or lost paraphernalia in the car due to the odor. I wasn't confident I could clean it completely and I didn't want that kind of hassle if I ever got pulled over.

Professor_Brap (Forum Supporter) said:

The owner smelled bad. 

This is not a petty reason if he (she) drove the car...

....see the famous Mythbuster dead pig Corvette episode.

aircooled said:

Professor_Brap (Forum Supporter) said:

The owner smelled bad. 

This is not a petty reason if he (she) drove the car...

....see the famous Mythbuster dead pig Corvette episode.

Like I walked up, they smelled like literal BO and wet ass and I didn't even say hi. 

I'm seeing a lot of "price was too high" and "shady seller" stories. I don't really feel like those are petty reasons. They are, instead, perfectly reasonable and logical reasons not to buy a particular car.

I must be super petty, because all these sound reasonable. 

Colors, not enough $$, blinkers, BO, smokers, too much $$ for your taste.... 

I think that's just discretion. Don't tell anyone this, but if I'm coming to look at your car, I'm pretty much already sold. It's up to you to berkeley it up.

David S. Wallens said:

I passed on a super-clean Tahitian Green CRX Si because I thought that the mileage was too high. It did have some miles but was immaculate and dealer maintained.

From what I heard, the person who did buy it totaled it. 

Oh no, had you heard the term "Miles don't matter with Honda" at the time?

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) said:

1994 new in the country and 25 years old. Went to see a B2K (Calloway twin turbo) C4 Corvette. I think it was an 87 or 88 for around $25k. At the time I was still stupidly and proudly a three pedal only guy so didn't buy it as it was an auto. Still kicking myself today as even NA the L98 Vettes are much better cars with an auto than that dreadful Doug Nash 4+3. Later when I met my wife, my now father in law had an 85 C4 auto and that was the car that showed me that autos can actually be nicer, better, more performance oriented than a manual.

Aren't turbo cars with torque converter automatics always in the boost, technically? That's what they say about Grand Nationals.

67LS1 said:

A Ford dealer would not sell me truck until I told him where I got the money. I told him it was none of his business. He didn't budge so I left.

The Ford dealer in the next town dealer traded for the same truck the next AM and took my check, no questions asked.

My first stop was back at the original dealer to show the salesman my new truck. He was not a happy camper.

 

If they do that, tell them you're buying it with "rug money". Money you got from selling rugs.

I've passed on more than one car because the ad featured photos of their disgusting dogs sitting in the car.

AClockworkGarage said:

I've passed on more than one car because the ad featured photos of their disgusting dogs sitting in the car.

It's ok, my dog wouldn't let me sell it to you anyway. 

It was a parts car at best and Dude was asking driver money. When he said he could get more scrapping it, I told him that sounded like a good plan and walked away.