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Damaged Goods!!

By: Dan Caperton
Sometimes we need to look past the cliché of “If it is marked Damaged Goods it’s not worth buying” Let me tell you about my experience purchasing my 2002 T-Bird.

When Ford reintroduced the T-Bird in 2002 I knew someday, somehow I was going to own one. You see back in the early 60’s I was promised I would be allowed to purchase a 1957 Bird that an associate of the family had stored in their garage and was holding for me. WOW! How cool it would be to cruise in that 1957 Black T-Bird, top down and buzzing all the local hangouts. All I needed to do was be sure I had a job making at least $50.00 a week clear, get my drivers license, and keep my grades up. Not a big challenge since I had the job and my grades were in good shape, the last hurdle was to get my drivers license and I already had my beginners, I was home free and could see myself cruising. (I did daydream from time to time, after all I was in full blown adolescence) I met my end of the bargain I was ready to fulfill my dream! Not! I never was told why but was told that I wasn’t going to be able to get the car, I felt crushed and devastated, how could this be? I did get over the hurt, or at least I thought I did, when in 2002 the two-seater reappeared and all that emotion came rushing back into my life. How was I to handle this feeling! I didn’t need to cruise around anymore, the hangouts have become Cracker Barrels, but the desire was there. I toyed with the idea for two years when I thought it would be neat to look at eBay to see if any of the newer Birds were up for auction. To my surprise, there was several, I actually bid on one knowing I wouldn’t get it, I didn’t. I called on a few listed in local papers but none I felt warm and fuzzy about. Then it happened! On eBay, way down the list was my Bird just sitting there on my monitor as if saying I am yours. I read the ad it said “Damaged Goods” (it broke my heart) so I passed it up and kept searching. I went back to the site the next night and browsing down the list I stopped at “Damaged Goods” once again this time I read the entire ad. It seems she was damaged in a DOT accident in transit to the original Ford Dealer. The Semi had caught on fire destroying all vehicles on the trailer, (except mine) DOT rules declared total salvage on the entire load. A body shop in Virginia went to look at several cars marked salvage, he needed parts for his shop. Upon closer evaluation of the Bird he realized that the dog house and grill had been blistered from the heat (that’s all) and picked it up, replaced the doghouse, grill, lights, etc. two years later placed it for sale with not many miles on it.

I took the chance and placed a bid well below what I thought it was worth and with the option of knowing if it wasn’t what the sellers had proposed I didn’t have to buy. A month went by and I checked the bids on the last day, I was still in the hunt, but the reserve had not been met, I raised my bid slightly and just over the current leader and waited. When I logged on just after the time lapsed, I was met with big, “Congratulations you have placed the winning bid.” I was speechless! The arrangements were made, my son and I flew out to pick up the Bird and drive her home, That experience alone was worth the purchase.

You see being damaged goods doesn’t mean unusable goods or worthless goods, We just need to look at the reasons behind the labeling. By the way T-Birding is a beautiful thing!

Happy ThunderBirding,

Dan Caperton