Craigslist seller won't reply to me. damn.

[legion]

When I was looking for my last fun car, I came across a local Viper for sale. It was in my price range. I wanted to take a look. The seller had a long list of things like "serious buyer's only" and "no test drives without deposit". Well, I was serious so I e-mailed the guy and asked to set up a time to take a look. No response. Oh well, I guess he didn't want my money.

[rusnak]

When you are actually looking for a car, you search everywhere. CarMax(overpriced), Cars.com, etc etc. I can't even remember where I found it, but I bought a Macan S with around 12,000 miles on it from the first owner. Maybe it was CL, I don't remember now because I cast a really wide search. I think I bought it for like $41K. Cant remember that either because there is no loan.

The point was, and I understand, is that when you find a car or what have you that you really want, and the seller goes ghost on you, it is a real bummer. My point is that you can still find what you want, but now you have to really look.

[DanielDudley]

I'm a bit of a fatalist about such things. If it is meant to happen, it will. Doesn't mean you have to settle though.

[sugarwood]

This is very simple
If a CL seller doesn't reply
Either it's a scam or it's sold.
Done. Move on.

[fastfredracing]

On the last 2 cars I sold, the incoming messages were brutal to keep up with . Within an hour of listing I was backlogged 20 messages, each with their own 2 or 3 questions, picture requests etc..
I can understand how someone would give up and not reply, full well knowing that most of the responses are nothing more than a waste of time .
I know I am always happy to sign the title over, and take the damn ad down.

[vash]

i sent a very respectful email. apparently the seller is 75. i respect my elders.

he did reply!! i hope this pans out. lots of moving parts.

[Cajundaddy]

I sold a truck through CL last year and was pounded by 50 lowballers over 2 weeks before I actually got a real buyer. The guy came out, drove the truck, handed me full price, and I handed him the pink. It still can work but the S/N ratio is very low.

My effective tag line as a buyer to move past the scammers and get a seller response: "Ready to purchase, have cash, no games"

If a buyer emails or texts me and says: "Would you take $$$ for it" sight unseen? He gets deleted with no response. You gotta get off the couch and make an offer face to face if you want my stuff, sorry.

[fastfredracing]

That is how you do it Vash! Ive sent more than one message before if I see something still listed weeks later.
And I always reply just like the the ragin' Cajun above .
I try to employ, that I am ready to buy, and if they tell me to come, I will 100% show up . I always state " Cash in hand , local serious buyer. I will not low ball you, or run you around " .
Sometimes, I still low ball them

[vash]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

That is how you do it Vash! Ive sent more than one message before if I see something still listed weeks later.
And I always reply just like the the ragin' Cajun above .
I try to employ, that I am ready to buy, and if they tell me to come, I will 100% show up . I always state " Cash in hand , local serious buyer. I will not low ball you, or run you around " .
Sometimes, I still low ball them

i cannot confirm or deny, but i may have used the term, "custodian"

as in," i would love to be the custodian of your.... plus i promise not to lift it 6" and drop a chevy V-8 into the thing."

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by vash

i cannot confirm or deny, but i may have used the term, "custodian"

as in," i would love to be the custodian of your.... plus i promise not to lift it 6" and drop a chevy V-8 into the thing."

It's a Countach, right?

[quicksix]

Landcruiser or Bronco?

[stealthn]

Reminds me of local ads here (Autotrader), I emailed a guy about his Gallardo for sale (out of my price range but was interested in more info. He only had one picture of it, so I asked for more pictures (it was over $100K, one picture?)

Crickets

4 months later he emails asking if I was still interested as the price was reduced, ah no....

[vash]

Originally Posted by quicksix

landcruiser or bronco?

fj40

[pmax]

Makes sense. Seller's probably out of the Interwebs at this time.

[911boost]

Nice!!

[Baz]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Reminds me of local ads here (Autotrader), I emailed a guy about his Gallardo for sale (out of my price range but was interested in more info. He only had one picture of it, so I asked for more pictures (it was over $100K, one picture?)

Crickets

4 months later he emails asking if I was still interested as the price was reduced, ah no....

Little anecdote.

When I bought my 356C back in '05........it was listed on eBay with a starting price and a BIN price.

It had been listed in the early morning hours and had no bids yet.

There was a description and maybe about 3 photos.

The description made it sound pretty good. But the photos weren't all that great. The seller listed his name and phone number to call for questions....but I knew at the starting and BIN price this thing could be gone real quick.

Took me about a minute to make my decision to just hit the BIN button.

Turned out really great. Car had a working electric sunroof which wasn't even mentioned - nor could you see it in the photos. The engine was being rebuilt at the time of the listing...something also not mentioned. Car had no dents - everything worked - and after the engine was re-installed and tuned up - I caught a greyhound down (Ft. Lauderdale) and drove her back on I-95. She ran great too.

Some people just don't set up their classifieds the way they should. Sometimes it's our gain.

[rusnak]

I found my '84 Carrera on Yahoo, of all places. You have to be willing to go scratch around sometimes. It was on the Calif/ Oregon coast. The guy dropped the price almost 20% AFTER I SHOWED UP. I pulled the trigger then and there. Pants wetters always lose out on deals. It's beyond fantastic in every way. Still have it 20 years later.

[Baz]

I bought my first Porsche (an '81 SC Targa) sight unseen off the Auto Trader. Didn't even get a PPI. Called the guy - discussed it - said I'll take it. My buddy drove me down to Miami to pick it up and I drove her back. Of course within' a year I had to do an engine tear down due to broken cylinder head studs....lol.

I only paid around $9k for it. That was back in '98.

Oh the stories we could tell......

[rusnak]

I paid I think 15.5K in the summer of 2001. I was still replacing the little stuff but DDing it when the Towers were hit on 9/11/01. We were paving the parking lot of a Walgreens that I was having built. Somehow I relate 9/11 with my 911. Weird, I know.