Look Inside before you pay

I went to my first pick that I was going to pay for the computers. 1 complete XT system (OLD) and 3 towers. So only the 1 monitor
I was told no harddrives on newer systems. RAM and CPU still there. One was a Windows 98 machine so I am thinking maybe 486 if I am lucky. Plus told the XT system works.
So I pay and load up the car. When I get them home I open the 98 machine to see what CPU. Hmmm no RAM and stupid Celeron – green fibre. Look in other one Celeron – green fibre and no RAM. Look in last one slot processor and no RAM. OK not going good.
Hook up the XT system and turn it on. It goes through the memory check then trys to read off the floppy. Since I do not have a boot disk cant test any farther. But it is not trying to boot off harddrive. Not a good sign.
So moral of the story LOOK inside before you pay! Yea RAM is not a deal breaker but I was told it was still there. I would have paid less if I knew.
With any luck I will still do OK with the XT on the Vintage Computer forum.