GL was easy!

[Unforgiven]

Yes. Working with GL was not complicated. Maybe I just got lucky.

I purchased an M36 in mid-September. I paid with PayPal. I filled out the EUC. I had to scan it & send it back twice (my fault, not GL's. I overlooked a few check boxes). I waited about 2 1/2 months, which was fine since I had to make room for the new truck anyway.

My PayPal cleared back in September with no problems. Heidi & the other girl (Bambi, Barbie, whatever) were very helpful over the online chat.

My EUC cleared last week. I called Barstow & set up a pickup. Yesterday I drove to Barstow. Dave the GL guy was kind enough to hotwire the starter solenoid for me. It didn't crank even though the ignition was live. He had some handy push-button alligator clip bypass thingy that I put across the starter solenoid. It cranked right up & I was gone!

Dave in Barstow was great. Heidi at GL headquarters was great. The wait was okay for a first time EUC. Honestly, I don't know why people complain about GL. The only thing that annoyed me is the truck would have been mine for about $1200 but some jerk (GL?) raised the bid by $1000 during the last minute of the auction. I really needed the longer M36 frame so I outbid him. But that irked me quite a bit to be outbid in the last minute. I wonder if GL doesn't pad the prices.

Other than that I had a decent, professional experience with GL. I have no problems buying from them again.

Now, this summer the plan is to put this Deuce




This garbage truck 8.3L Cummins/Allison 3560 combo



& this M36 frame together to make the ultimate expedition RV truck.



God I can't wait to get started. My knuckles are getting itchy just thinking about it.


P.S. It was a blast driving that M36 back to Vegas from Barstow. It's a 1981 & the engine is fresh! It pulled Baker grade with only a downshift to fourth at the very end of the grade. It has an engine brake & front LED turn signals as a bonus (although I'm swapping engines, still ...). I'm just glad it started, the brakes worked without bleeding, & the fuel filters weren't clogged. I bought it sight unseen. I just showed up & hoped for the best. Luckily, the only thing wrong with it was the starter solenoid that Dave helped me with.

Total cost with GL fees & taxes was just over $2500.

GL is a totally cool way to buy a truck. I even saw 100 dollar man there, but I didn't talk to him b/c he looked kind of busy at the time.

 

[wreckerman893]

With very few exceptions the GL people out in the trenches are good folks to work with.

Most of my problems have been with mid-level management out in Arizona.

Glad you had a good experience.

 

[davidkroberts]

With very few exceptions the GL people out in the trenches are good folks to work with.

Most of my problems have been with mid-level management out in Arizona.

Glad you had a good experience.

 

[hdexpert]

Can't wait to see the finished product!!

 

[hoopsoft]

There are a so-so bunch, customer service has gotten better I think. I think alot of people that have had problems some were self inflicted. Like money wasn't there when you bid on it, wasn't timely with payment, or turning in paperwork, only checking when it was too late. stuff like that

I've never had too much issue with them, just pictures not matching items.

Congrats looks like a fun project.

 

[markmontana]

Unforgiven- good deal on getting your truck, it looks like a nice one. We saw it in the lot last week when we picked up lonekazoos M109.

It's very common for experienced bidders to wait until the last minute to enter bids. You were obviously willng to pay what you did. I would not call foul on the bidding process. In fact- you can look at the bid history and see how the bidder made those last minute bids. I would bet it was one of us on SS

 

[papabear]

With very few exceptions the GL people out in the trenches are good folks to work with.

I agree...I've had nothing but good to outstanding cooperation from GL folks in GA, AL, TN and KY in getting my own stuff and in picking several items/vehicles for other folks.

In fact I gotta say...the only holdbacks I've encountered with GL management were my fault and they were super in helping me resolve those issues.

I've read some horror stories on here but so far the only issue I've had was a stolen tarp from a deuce...but the deuce was MUCH better than I thought it was...and I don't like tarps anyway...so

 

[markaroe]

I agree with Unforgiven, the Sniper coming in at the last minute makes it look like something is up with the bidding process. I think they should do away with the 20 minute no activity extension, You have plenty of time to set your limit. The extension turns it into an impulse buy, where people could potentially overextend themselves in the heat of the battle.

Down with 20 minute extension.

 

[littlebob]

I've never bought from GL, but I've seen a lot of negative posts, comments. Glad to see someone post something positive. Most of us are quick to point out the negative and voice it loudly. I commend you on making a point of
your good experience. As far as the last minute deal on the price, its a proxy bid. I could be a millionaire(not) and put in a proxy bid for five trucks for more than they're worth and walk away. If my bid is higher it automatically raises mine the minimum to outbid you till my bid is passed.

 

[paulfarber]

SO far so good with the GL thing. Nothing like the horror stories that some have mentioned.... but things still can go south on me.

I really, truly don't think people understand how an AUCTION works. E-BAY != AUCTION!!!!! Say that 1000 times and you'll be ahead of the game.

Heck, I go to the local farmers market and watch them auction off stuff and guys are increasing bids by a quarter to a dollar... but its the auctioneers job to get the HIGHEST PRICE (and also get a larger buyers premium).

Heck even at the Aberdeen meet the auction can be a grind as guys try to outbid each other on the cheap (by a dollar, etc) and the auctioneer just sings away... its all about letting the people PAY the highest price the can.

 

[rocks512]

I bought my M35A2 w/w at the end of September from Fort Carson, CO and picked it up last week, put new batteries in it and it fired right up and drove it home. Brian was a very nice GL representative at Fort Carson. The experiance was good with GL, just took a long time for my first EUC. I will buy again from GL. I have also had good experiances with GSA.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Most GL transactions are reasonable easy. The worst part is usually the waiting. This is my first deuce. I picked it up from GL undamaged and unmolested. It started right up and drove fine. The 118 business days I waited for the EUC was a far higher price than the $1,900 I bought her for.

 

[Unforgiven]

I totally understand it's an auction & it can go tit-for-tat.

What got under my skin is the guy bidding against me waited until there was less than a minute left. I was watching it count down. There was about 20 seconds left when the guy upped the bid.

I'm sorry, but that's just wrong. And he kept doing it every 20 minutes for about two hours. He waited until the last half-minute of the extension to extend the auction yet again. It took hours to get that truck. I guess he was thinking I'd have a bad internet connection or not pay attention or something.

I have no problem with auctions where the highest bidder wins. But trying to time it to win at the last minute is retarded. That might work on Ebay, but all it does on GL is extend the auction needlessly.

 

[acmunro]

That bidding style can get very annoying. If you get in that situation again you can uncheck auto bid and throw
in whatever number you want. That can speed up the process if you have somewhere you have to be.

 

[tcracer]

I even saw 100 dollar man there, but I didn't talk to him b/c he looked kind of busy at the time.

He was picking up my truck I agree, as long as you follow all the steps GL was easy to work with.

-tony

 

[armytruck63]

Mmmm - M36

 

[augiedoggy]

GL nice folks!

My first time EUC cleared in 39 days for my M818. Had a euc revision that was quickly taken care of thanks to the nice lady at GL. Went to see the truck at Wright Patterson and met Andrew who is also super nice!
Gimp and I are going dec. 14 to tow it home and into intensive care.
I was pleasantly suprised by the short wait time as many others have been much longer. Maybe I should play the lottery!
All in all, my experience with GL has been great.
(if i have anymore experiences I'll be renting a doghouse somewhere!)

 

[jbingvtx]

Unforgiven,
A little off topic but the deuce in the first pic...tri-color desert camo..is that a military paint scheme? or your own?
On topic,
I bought my M105A2's from GL and all went well...Andrew at Wright Patterson is a great guy.

 

[flyxpl]

I like the 20 minute rule . That way if someone waits to outbid you the last 5 seconds it gives you 20 minutes to make another bid . Without the 20 minute rule you would not have time to rebid if someone bids that last 3 seconds .

 

[Unforgiven]

Unforgiven,
A little off topic but the deuce in the first pic...tri-color desert camo..is that a military paint scheme? or your own?
On topic,
I bought my M105A2's from GL and all went well...Andrew at Wright Patterson is a great guy.

That's a 1971 Kaiser. I bought it from one of the SS members last year. I have no idea where the color scheme comes from. It's an old Army truck. When the green troop seats are in the bed it looks awesome. I love that beat up, flat, paint-brushed look.

I like the desert camo. The wife likes the new green camo M36. We'll just have to wait n' see what color the combined truck ultimately gets.

Both of them are on the side of the house right now. And believe it or not, both types of camo are very difficult to see from a distance. From the top of the street neither truck is visible. I was surprised. I thought the green would stand out like a sore thumb against my white house with brown trim. Nope. You have to be right on top of it to see it.