scammers on craigslist..wow

[NICKG]

so i listed a passat that I have on craigslist for sale. it is a later 01 and I am only asking $3900. I must have gotten 50 emails from people asking ME to call THEM about the car...and then they are all russians who want to export it or scammers who want to get my info or even better nail biters that expext me to take $1500
Jeez...what ever happened to just selling something local

[Porsche-O-Phile]

It's a sad state of affairs when your choices are ebay or craigslist.

On ebay, you're likely to be shilled, flaked on, scammed, etc. On Craigslist you'll have to deal with time-wasters and tire-kickers and low-ballers. Pick your poison I guess.

I tried listing my motorcycle on C-list a while back before I decided to fix it up & keep it. You wouldn't believe the responses I got. I actually put wording in the ad saying "Price is $2,600 FIRM - I will NOT accept trades of any kind - CASH ONLY" along with a KBB report showing that it was actually priced fairly and probably below book value.

I got no less than FIVE idiots trying to trade me non-running cars, plasma TVs, furniture and some other junk for it. I swear either people really ARE that stupid and can't read or maybe it's just that the courtesy of respecting other peoples' time has totally gone out the window. Dunno. I finally got one guy to show up and look at it but then he started haggling over the price "well, I don't know if I can get $2,600 but I've got $2,000 right now". I just told him "The ad clearly states $2,600 firm, if you're interested come back when you have $2,600 but I'm not holding it and no guarantees. Money talks, bull$hit walks". Guy got a little offended by my last remark and actually started getting a bit indignant with me. I just told him to beat it - it was no longer for sale, at least to him, turned my back to him and walked off.

Jeezus, what's with people these days? I think C-list brings out the worst in them.

[cgarr]

Crap, I wish I was local, I am looking for a car for my kid!! Stick or auto?

[TerryH]

300 transactions on eBay and about half that on Craigslist... all good so far. Sure you have to sort through possible scammers, but it's not hard to figure out who they are.

Knock on wood!

[TerryBPP]

Originally Posted by NICKG

so i listed a passat that I have on craigslist for sale. it is a later 01 and I am only asking $3900. I must have gotten 50 emails from people asking ME to call THEM about the car...and then they are all russians who want to export it or scammers who want to get my info or even better nail biters that expext me to take $1500
Jeez...what ever happened to just selling something local

Try your local autotrader. Always worked for me.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

I finally got one guy to show up and look at it but then he started haggling over the price "well, I don't know if I can get $2,600 but I've got $2,000 right now". I just told him "The ad clearly states $2,600 firm, if you're interested come back when you have $2,600 but I'm not holding it and no guarantees. Money talks, bull$hit walks".

I don't know about you but I have never offered full price on anything used. If you're selling an item in high demand, like a Wii just before Christmas, then you can get away with that. But a bike... you only had one guy show up to even look at it. I would have haggled him closer to the original price but then you didn't really want to sell anyway. So in this case who is wasting who's time again?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Autotrader, usually very effective. You only have to deal with tire-kickers and companies wanting to sell your car on Ebay. I normally post on Craigslist as well, without much luck.

[widebody911]

I have a snap-on toolbox on CL right now for $600 - just a few minutes ago I got an offer of $200

[gprsh924]

$250

[NICKG]

we don't have an auto rag anymore..it got eaten by autotrader a few years ago.
the car is a tiptronic btw
here is the ad
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/628370875.html

[NICKG]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

It's a sad state of affairs when your choices are ebay or craigslist.

On ebay, you're likely to be shilled, flaked on, scammed, etc. On Craigslist you'll have to deal with time-wasters and tire-kickers and low-ballers. Pick your poison I guess.

I tried listing my motorcycle on C-list a while back before I decided to fix it up & keep it. You wouldn't believe the responses I got. I actually put wording in the ad saying "Price is $2,600 FIRM - I will NOT accept trades of any kind - CASH ONLY" along with a KBB report showing that it was actually priced fairly and probably below book value.

I got no less than FIVE idiots trying to trade me non-running cars, plasma TVs, furniture and some other junk for it. I swear either people really ARE that stupid and can't read or maybe it's just that the courtesy of respecting other peoples' time has totally gone out the window. Dunno. I finally got one guy to show up and look at it but then he started haggling over the price "well, I don't know if I can get $2,600 but I've got $2,000 right now". I just told him "The ad clearly states $2,600 firm, if you're interested come back when you have $2,600 but I'm not holding it and no guarantees. Money talks, bull$hit walks". Guy got a little offended by my last remark and actually started getting a bit indignant with me. I just told him to beat it - it was no longer for sale, at least to him, turned my back to him and walked off.

Jeezus, what's with people these days? I think C-list brings out the worst in them.

yea..it seems that there are a ring of russians out of brooklyn that keep emailing and calling me...they want to see the car today...even though i am not home(they will steal it basically). it is very frustrating because I am just offloading the car...for gosh near 1/2 the blue book value, i just plain don't need it right now and can use the $$ for the house(not critical there either) i just tell them to bring 3900 cash...i won't take a dime less...if anyone here wants it 3000 and it's yours

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by dmoolenaar

I don't know about you but I have never offered full price on anything used. If you're selling an item in high demand, like a Wii just before Christmas, then you can get away with that. But a bike... you only had one guy show up to even look at it. I would have haggled him closer to the original price but then you didn't really want to sell anyway. So in this case who is wasting who's time again?

What part of "firm" do you have trouble understanding?

[MichiganMat]

Friend of mine had a buyer show up to his place with his family in tow. Car is $1500

They go out on a test drive together, all is good. Guy wants to go out one last time alone....

Car comes back smoking, badly. "headgasket" guy says. Look at the dip, oil is milky. Guy says "$750".

My buddy smells trouble, tells them to hit the road. The buyer poured milk into the oil fill cap to make it seem like a bad headgasket. Friend changes oil, car runs like a top. All that trouble for a $1500 Honda Civic.

[on2wheels52]

Part of my job is selling used stuff, it's a different world than normal retailing. Almost everyone is going to want it for less than your asking price. So you set it higher than you're willing to let it go for. You set it too high and you won't get any response. It's just a little dance some people like to go through, they're just not happy unless they've gotten you to concede something. It's not a game I really enjoy playing, I'm more of a take-it-or-leave-it guy, but after doing it for 25 years I can about do it in my sleep.
Jim