best deal you've ever come across

[Daren Todd]

Every one comes across that once in a lifetime deal that never will happen again just curious as to what it was?

Mine happened 20 years ago. Needed some wheels and a friend offered to sell me an old nissan pickup for 300$. This guy was notorious for going through a drive thru keeping the cash and throwing the change on the floor. Asked him when I picked it up, I asked if he wanted to go through the truck and get his change. He said nope, consider it a rebate. Probably only 20$ anyway.

Got the truck home, cleaned it out. Filled a mop pail full of change from under the seat. Spent the rest of the weekend rolling it. Ended up with 500$ Dude ended up paying me 200$ to take his truck

What was your best deal?

 

[Tooljunkie]

Im lucky as well. Had a 97 caravan given to me. When engine started giving me trouble, a friends aunt had her 99 caravan towed for me to fix. Didnt want to put trans in and gave it to me. My old van transmission was perfect so i swapped it. Still driving it in winter. Hottest heater i ever saw.

Bought a hoist, was a new still in the crate. Was in transit and truck rolled-writing off the load.got it for1/4 of new not including shipping.
Somehow i get things given to me all the time. I always say thats my favorite color-free!

 

[skeets]

My best deals always happen to somebody else

 

[85Hokie]

Every one comes across that once in a lifetime deal that never will happen again just curious as to what it was?

Mine happened 20 years ago. Needed some wheels and a friend offered to sell me an old nissan pickup for 300$. This guy was notorious for going through a drive thru keeping the cash and throwing the change on the floor. Asked him when I picked it up, I asked if he wanted to go through the truck and get his change. He said nope, consider it a rebate. Probably only 20$ anyway.

Got the truck home, cleaned it out. Filled a mop pail full of change from under the seat. Spent the rest of the weekend rolling it. Ended up with 500$ Dude ended up paying me 200$ to take his truck

What was your best deal?

Been trying to think about this.........nothing jumps out at me....
does finding $10 in an old pair of pants count?????

 

[live_roll]

Noticed an old snow covered 86 F250 club cab truck at a farm I travel past frequently, It had a nice heavy flat deck on it and I thought I would like to have the deck to put on My 75 F250 Highboy. I stopped by and chatted with the lady and she mentioned they were thinking about getting rid of it as it was taking up space and her husband called me later. I told him to give me a non insulting price he said $500.00. I said done. they allowed me to leave it until all the snow had melted. I went to pick it up, totally dead, had it towed home. I put a new bolt through the battery clamp. charged it for 15 minutes a gallon of fresh gas, and it fired up. Got looking around, it had brand new tires all around, the deck to build would be 2-3000.00 decent stereo, apparently a rebuilt 460, it starts and runs so good I plated it and it is now My new / old Rat Rod farm truck has a nice patina, and very very little rust. it pulls good I used it to harrow my pasture this spring pulling 12 foot double spring harrows, as the downside to the truck is the receiver hitch is rusted tightly in place and was hoping by pulling the harrows around I would snag a badger hole and the hitch would come free, but to no avail, so have to go to plan B on that. I am just glad to give that old truck a new home and perhaps another lease on life

Cheers

Roger

 

[Eldubya]

Buddy was selling a 14' aluminum boat, new trailer and 30hp outboard, asking only $1200. - a great deal already! When I went to look at it, the motor wouldn't start, so now we're talking about just a boat and trailer. I low-balled him an offer of $600 and he jumped on it.
Got it home and had the motor running smooth in about 1/2 an hour.
Sold the motor by itself a short while later for $900, so I'm up $300 and have an awesome little boat and trailer!
(I won't mention all of the other deals when I've taken it in the ear to relieve someone of their crap)

 

[olthumpa]

Got a XPG 2 piece suit from Cabelas for $8.20 (reg $500+)
After two years had a problem weith it. Toob it back and they gave me $500 for the suit, (no longet carried it), and gave me a KLIM suit to replace it plus $500 back.

Also many other free or made money on new items. A $1100 Brothers laser for printer $87, -$20 for a Weber grill reg $700+, running Ford 8N free

 

[Daren Todd]

Been trying to think about this.........nothing jumps out at me....
does finding $10 in an old pair of pants count?????

Always wondered why my wife never complained about doing the kids laundry after they got older and jobs. Come to find out she was making an extra 100$ a month cleaning out ther pockets

 

[Lil Foot]

Nothing real high dollar. Found a Husqvarna electric chainsaw at a yard sale, nice shape, $20. Tested it & found the motor tried to run, but chain was locked up solid. Couldn't free it, so the woman said it scared her and she didn't want anyone hurt, so she threw it in the trash can. Was able to talk her into letting me have it to use for parts; took it home & freed up the stuck brake in about 5 minutes. Killer saw, $0.
Wanted to make a trailer for my Rhino, found a Harbor Freight trailer at a yard sale for $50, talked them down to $20. Sold the tires, wheels, fenders, & taillights for $25, then built the trailer below with stuff I had laying around…Up $5 on the deal.

 

[Benhameen]

Not as good as some of the deals posted but I'll throw mine out there.

I was probably 14 or so and wanted a dirt bike. I worked and had my own money and found one in the trader paper. 1976 Kawasaki ke175 for $375. My step dad took my buddy and I to look at it. I knew it was mine as soon as I saw it, it was mint! My buddy checked to out and all was good. Apparently, my step dad noticed my excitement and pulled us to the side. He said, how much are you going to offer them for the bike? I said, $375 it's worth it and I want it. I remember having my money in the bank envelope in my pocket. He said, never offer them what they want for it right off the bat, you can always go up if they say no. So we decided that I would offer them $250 to see what would happen. I made the offer and I thought they were going to knock me over to get the money out of my hand. Step dad said, see probably should have went lower. Turns out little Johnny had been riding it on the street and had tickets to pay for. I ended up with all the fluids I needed along with my own gas can plus gas with the money I saved. We rode every single day we could for a good two years. I sold the bike for $25 more than I paid. Lesson learned!

Oh, I recently bought a $600-$700 welder on craigslist for $200 about a year ago.

 

[Billdog350]

I've had a bunch of good luck, and also had to sell things at a loss as well, so I think I'm about even. Best deals:

-1986 Camaro 6cyl with 55k mi, no rust for $500.
-Brand new Hobart 10kw Genwelder with .5 hrs on it. $3000 new, got it for $2k.
-2006 Kawasaki KFX 400 quad, bought for $1300, installed a new timing chain and a few things and just turned it around for $2k.
-Grizzly 3hp shaper and band saw for $150.
-Dewalt Panel saw for $300

 

[Lil Foot]

Wife reminded me of another- Garage sale again, found a huge rubbermaid kinda storage tub packed with apparently new & slightly used 3 wire extension cords- asked how much & the woman said $1…started going through them to pick out a couple…. woman said no, $1 for the whole tub… end of the day & she didn't want to put it away. Paid my $1, & found I could barely lift it to carry to the truck. Got home & found 175 ft of virtually new 15a cords, 15ft -75ft lengths, a Rockwell belt sander & about a dozen belts, a Craftsman router & 4 bits, & a cased Nailspot air brad nailer & nails.

 

[ipz2222]

Went thru a peroid of restoring '71 ,'72 and '73 mustangs several years ago. One of my employees said his sister had an old mustang in a barn she wanted to get rid of. Turned out to be a '69 428 Cobra Jet. Paid $ 3,000 for it, sold for $28,000 12 years later.

 

[olthumpa]

Went thru a peroid of restoring '71 ,'72 and '73 mustangs several years ago. One of my employees said his sister had an old mustang in a barn she wanted to get rid of. Turned out to be a '69 428 Cobra Jet. Paid $ 3,000 for it, sold for $28,000 12 years later.

I am not a Ford fan but I would take that one! ! !

 

[Profnohair]

Bought a running G6200H and a parts machine G4200H for $600 total. Just about all parts except the motor are a direct swap. the 4200 is whole except for the deck was rusted out badly. Best deal I ever made.

 

[eddiebob]

Discounted company stock. Company started offering stock in 2000. Max of 25k/year. Started buying it yearly. Price was $8 in 2000, it went to $83 and split. Sold it all in 2008 at $53 when the market started getting shaky. Price went down to $13. Bought it all back at $18 and sold it again at $48. Still working there but only for the group insurance!

 

[Daren Todd]

Discounted company stock. Company started offering stock in 2000. Max of 25k/year. Started buying it yearly. Price was $8 in 2000, it went to $83 and split. Sold it all in 2008 at $53 when the market started getting shaky. Price went down to $13. Bought it all back at $18 and sold it again at $48. Still working there but only for the group insurance!

Company I work for now doesn't offer stock options. They have given us a few shares, but ownership of the stocks is heavily regulated, and as an employee we have to be really careful on the timing if we decide to purchase some on our own or else it gets considered insider trading. We had to take a day class on buisiness ethics, and lawyer stuff as a contingency for being hired

 

[D2Cat]

I can only assume by the original post example this "best deal you've ever came across" thread is about material possessions. eddiebob's stock purchases/sales has to be the biggest gain!

I've made my fair share of nice deals, but I think the best deal I've ever come across is my wife! I'll just say i married up! I am blessed.

 

[Daren Todd]

My wife was the result of a shotgun wedding complete with my father in law standing off to the side in his festive suspenders holding his double barrel 10 gauge for her!!!! Not me apparently I made quite the impression seriously though he did show up with the 10 gauge, but it's her familys sense of humor My dad bought fell over laughing so hard when willy pulled the gun out of the car. My mother in law made him put the gun up just before the wedding started. Since he was making some folks nervous. I have to agree, I married right and my wife and her family are the best

 

[jb62901]

Guess Iv had a few in my many years. The latest, a friend told me of a 1995 Harley Davidson Sportster 883, one owner, had 5520 on it for $2500.00. Was not even looking for a bike but when I saw it, thats all it took, like new.