A Bentley owner came to a New Jersey car lot ready to part with his luxury car. By the time the deal was done, an employee was weighing whether to buy it for less than many people spend on a used Honda.
In a November 1 video, George Saliba walks through the trade at J&S AutoHaus. With about 108,000 miles and what Saliba describes as a rebuilt title, the Bentley gets a cold welcome at the sales desk.
Saliba says the owner had paid his mechanic $50,000 for the car without knowing about the title. He later says the owner had wanted $20,000, far above the offer that wins his approval.
Even at the lower price, Saliba has little interest in putting the Bentley on his retail lot. One employee, though, sees a chance to drive something special on a very small budget.
A Tough Number
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Rather than buy the Bentley outright, Saliba first offers to help sell it. He would keep $500 and give the owner the rest, leaving the final return up to whatever a buyer would pay.
For an immediate trade, his number is $2,500. The owner is willing to consider that, provided the deal on his next car works out.
Leaving the Bentley there to sell is still an option. But the owner explains why taking a firm offer appeals to him: otherwise, the car will keep sitting at his home.
Saliba holds at $2,500. Later, while looking over the car with his staff, he confirms that the dealership took it for that amount.
His concern goes beyond finding a buyer. He says the dealership would send the Bentley to auction rather than sell it to a retail customer, calling that sale a liability for the business.
Tempting From Inside
Justin, an employee whose car has broken down, has a more personal reason to take a look. During the bargaining, he offers $3,000 for the Bentley, drawing encouragement and warnings from the others.
Inside, the wood trim and steering wheel win praise. Someone jokes that the wheel alone would look good hanging on a wall, while Justin considers the appeal of arriving at work in a Bentley.
Then comes a fair question: had anyone even opened the hood? Staff members point out that the car was bought before they had started it.
Once they do, someone calls out the check-engine light. “All right. No deal,” comes the response, as the talk shifts to how long such a cheap Bentley might stay on the road.
Saliba compares the purchase with spending $2,500 to rent a Lamborghini Huracán for a few days. Justin counters that he could part the Bentley out and recover his money through Facebook sales.
By the end of the Bentley segment, staff members also identify an oil leak and discuss the valve cover. Justin’s proposed purchase remains unsettled as Saliba moves on to the next customer.