I had come across a car which had been abandoned for over a year at a
motel about 60 miles from where I live.
 I was interested in the car and wanted to get it for a project for me
and my son.
 The motel manager didn't want to let it go, since it wasn't in their
way where it sat, plus everyone had seen it there by now; they just
didn't need to move it.
 It was unlocked and had all documentation in the glove box.
 I sent a registered letter to the address of the owner, offering to
buy it, with my contact information--email, cell #, snail mail, etc.
 I recieved back the USPS card saying they'd signed for my letter, and
thus recieved it, but never got any actual reply from them.
 So I gave up...and noticed about 6 months later the car was gone.
Turns out the motel had gotten a new manager, who promptly had it towed
away.
I contacted the towing service who had it in their impound yard.  He
said he didn't have a title or a key, and would let me have the car for
$250, and he'd deliver it!
 I accepted his offer and left him my number to call when he was ready
to do this.  At that time it was snowy & very cold and his towing
business was busy with customers for starting, towing, etc.
 Anyway, about a month and a half goes by, and I'd been trying to get
ahold of him repeatedly but he was never there, and then FINALLY I reach
him and he refers me to one of his drivers.
 I call the driver and he says he's got to have $350 for it now, since
he's got that much in it from doing a bunch of legwork trying to get the
title from the owner --which he never did get.

 I told him that:
1.  We had an oral contract when he offered the car to me for a set
price and I accepted the offer
2.  I wouldn't be getting anything extra for the additional $100 he was
tacking onto the price
3.  He shouldn't have been messing with trying to get the title since
I'd already agreed to buy the car AS IS to begin with

 He said he'd call me back after he talked to the boss (whom I'd
originally dealt with).
  He called me back the next day to tell me he now DID have the title
in his hand (still no key).
 I told him that I'd even give him his $350 now that there was an
actual title--still a good deal.  He says he'll talk to the boss again.
 He called me back the next day to inform me that his boss "decided
he's just going to _pass_ on selling you that car."

 Seems unethical to me.  I don't think that's the way it works.  I say
he was obligated to stand by his offer, instead of deciding he was
letting it go too cheap and avoiding me.
 It was a car he'd gotten for free anyway, for Gawd's sake.
 I was trying to get that car long before they ever got ahold of it.  I
probably have as much money in it as they do, even now.
 The car was a Volvo 760 Turbo intercooled wagon, no rust or dents,
loaded, leather, sunroof.  Paint was somewhat faded.
 Initially I tried to get it for free from the motel where it say,
which is what piqued my interest on it in the first place.
 But it still would have been worth well over what they wanted for it,
even for parts.