"Ran when parked"

[wildmanjoe]

What phrase chaps the hide of anyone looking to buy a used car?

"Ran when parked"

Who was the offender that inspired this rant?

This guy: http://stcloud.craig...2831238108.html

Good condition for parts or restore. Was going to restore myself but have health and other issues (mental issues?) and must sell quickly. My loss is your gain. Engine ran when parked last year, uses oil though. Rebuilt cylinder head, rebuilt transmission. Only 3,000 miles. New windshield just not yet installed. Needs left rocker and 1/4 panel work and paint. Passenger rocker and panel have been repaired. The floor is solid, minimal rust. Some other small things have been repaired/cleaned up already. Original paint and original interior. Interior is a med brown. Have all parts, some new. Been siting inside a storage garage so its a bit dusty I want it gone

Or more specifically, this:

For those not versed in the dark arts of car repair, here's five things I can tell just looking at the picture:

1. Supposedly rebuilt cylinder head that obviously hasn't seen a machine shop or the paint would be gone in order to better check for cracks.

2. Water pump with a mounting bolt hole broken off.

3. No rag stuffed into the coolant hole in the head, so who knows what has fallen in there.

4. Carb is missing.

5. No oil filter, so probably no oil either.

Given this information, why should I or anyone else care that the engine ran when it was parked, when it clearly is in no shape to do so now? It's one thing if a car is left untouched, but based on what he's said about it using oil and the careless storage, the engine is going to have to come apart. That's like saying it ran when it came off the factory floor or that time he drove it to his nephew's wedding 10 years ago. How is any of that relevant to its current state of disassembly?

Plus, who is this guy's market? It's not someone looking for a cheap daily driver. It's not car guys, they'll see it and laugh him off. It's not British car guys, they're probably trying to sell an identical project in similar shape. Who is he trying to fool?

Not to mention, "ran when parked" is a useless descriptor anyway. It says nothing about how long the vehicle has been parked, how it was stored or how well it was running when it did run. "Ran when parked" is only useful if other information is also divulged. For example.

"The car ran when parked, but that was that was 75 years ago during the great depression."

"The car ran when parked, but it was parked at the bottom of Great Salt Lake."

"The car ran when parked, but wouldn't idle so I had to drive it everywhere at 7,000 rpm."

So what do you think? Should the phrase "ran when parked" be relegated to the wrecking yard of irritating phrases, or is there a legitimate reason to mention it when selling a car?

[balthazar]

If the car has sat less than --say 5 years--, I think the phrase has SOME meaning... as long as the motor is still together (NOT like above).

Otherwise, yes; as more & more time passes, it conveys less & less. If it's apart, don't bother.

One phrase that sets me on edge is "needs restored". HOW can SO many people get the tense on that so consistently wrong???

[z28luvr01]

"Good condition for its age" or any variation thereof. As if I should accept the fact it has dings, scratches, rust, blows smoke, leaks like a sieve, and has a ratty interior just because it's more than five years old and still pay full KBB value on it.

[daves87rs]

"Good condition for its age" or any variation thereof. As if I should accept the fact it has dings, scratches, rust, blows smoke, leaks like a sieve, and has a ratty interior just because it's more than five years old and still pay full KBB value on it.

+1

[SAmadei]

To me, 'Ran when parked' only means that the drivetrain is relatively intact and the engine is probably not siezed. Obviously, visual inspection will tell you how tampered with it is.

When talking classics, being intact can be worth more than actually running. All those detail pieces, are important to some people, even if they need to be completely replaced, you at least know what you are looking for. Nobody is going to plan a restoration of a car sitting for a decade without expecting major drivetrain disassembly or replacement. (Well, maybe Black-Knight... ;-) Just Kidding!)

In WMJ's case, I bet this guy would show you a bare, rusted out frame and claimed 'Ran when parked'. Most terms that involve the seller's opinion are normally way off. "Runs good"... riiiiigggghhhht.

Edited February 19, 2012 by SAmadei

[Camino LS6]

If the car has sat less than --say 5 years--, I think the phrase has SOME meaning... as long as the motor is still together (NOT like above).

Otherwise, yes; as more & more time passes, it conveys less & less. If it's apart, don't bother.

One phrase that sets me on edge is "needs restored". HOW can SO many people get the tense on that so consistently wrong???

About how I see it.

The phrase itself doesn't bother me.

"Needs restored" , or any other such description, elicits an immediate comment of "moron" from me. At that point, I call into question the quality of any work done by the owner...

[balthazar]

To illustrate: I bought my first car in '86. It undoubtedly 'ran when parked', but that was 1971. Aside from having to swap out the gas tank/fuel filter due to solidified gas, & rebuilding the carb (I definitely consider these things to be minor) the car ran fantastically.

Then again- it was a vintage Pontiac...

Edited February 19, 2012 by balthazar

[Camino LS6]

Well, how about my Corvette firing up and running after a 30 year sleep?

"Ran when parked" is worlds better than "it died, so I parked it".

[wildmanjoe]

Like I said before, I need more information.

Was it parked in a barn? Then I know to check for mouse damage.

Was it parked outside? Then I know to check for a seized fuel pump.

Was it parked in the weeds? Then I know to check the fuel/brake lines and floor/frame for rust.

Only including "ran when parked" can mean anything from "just needs a new battery and fresh gas" to "the wiring is chewed up, the the fuel system is full of varnish; and I left the hood up with the aircleaner off so the crankcase is full of water." How hard is it to hook up some jumper cables and tell me if she cranks?

[Camino LS6]

The phrase certainly raises questions, I'll give you that.

In the example you posted, my first question would be about when it was using oil. Before or after the head work?

Has it run since?

Why is it still apart?

And so on.

[G. David Felt]

This is one car that is more or less ready for the scrap pile.