Just because he tells you there is nothing wrong with it does not mean he is right.

Especially when you have a diagnosis from an independent shop.

Did you inform him of the reset CEL?

And now you are seriously considering spending $2-6k to fix it in hopes of getting more $ out of it.

Which just reinforces, the buyer was wrong, there is something wrong with it.

There's a saying, "bulls and bears make money, pigs get slaughtered."

Hopefully karma is kind to you.

What an odd little man you are.

You get + 20 points for advertising it honestly, but you get - 1000 points for not taking your asking price. I think you should call the guy, and say that you have thought about it and accept his offer.

There is a time honored tradition of asking more than you want for an Item. In the off chance that there is way more interest than expected you can refuse to negotiate and stand firm on your price. That is really the upper limit of acceptability.

One other note - hoping to start a "bidding war" without advertising it as such is incredibly tacky. Want a bidding war? Put it on EBay.

I don't understand why the buyer told you there was nothing wrong with the car. If he was willing to pay $8500 for it why didn't he whip out his checkbook and make the deal?
I don't understand why, after having a professional diagnose it "at considerable cost" you believed some guy in your driveway instead of the professional. I hope it works out for you, but nothing adds up here.

When I bought my truck the guy was selling it cheap because he was told it needed a valve job. He said he would have it tuned it up and it ran great but within 1000 miles it ran like crap again. I noticed the battery was in backwards, but I sure didn't diagnose the problem for him. I bought the truck for the offered price. I think that was fair to both of us.

And OP calls the buyer "a smooth operator".:rolleyes:

You advertised the car at a certain price. That is not giving your word on a deal. If he offers $8,500 and you shake his hand, that's a deal. Go on with your life, conscience clear. He's an idiot and should have kept his mouth shut.

Call the buyer back and tell him you accept his offer to pay your asking price.

Karma already in action.

Not in "my" world, but everybody's "word" might different...YMMV. Me..I'd be calling the "buyer" back, tell him I'd thought about it some more and would be willing to sell it at the price I advertised it for. Karma...

↑↑↑ THIS ↑↑↑

Totally agree. Your greed is showing a bit here. The car has issues and you know it...should've sold it to the guy for what he offered.

You say the car is worth $16k. The buyer offered you $8600. The fix will cost $3000.

Obviously you should advertise it for $27,600.

Dealing with the 85th percentile private party to buy a car is worse than dealing with a shady dealership, and this douchewiffle move solidifies yourself in the fat part of the curve. Well done.

After you sell the car, how much are you paying him for his services and his honesty?

Actually, a "stealership" couldn't get away with advertising a price then not honoring it.... there are laws specifically against that sort of thing.

You listed a car at a set price hoping for a bidding war? :rolleyes:

That would be called an auction. I would be pissed.

You owe me a pair of underwear. Laughed so hard I just shat myself.

How many got Guy when he organized the Pelican Secret Santa? :D:D:D:D

2001 with 45k miles might need an IMS bearing. My 1999 with 32,000 miles did.....

And of course it's incumbent on the guy that offered you full asking price to come back and make the same offer again. Or maybe he should come back a third time?

And somehow I don't even believe the above statement anyhow.

You were a dick. Karma would have been a grenaded engine during the 45 minute test drive. Maybe next time.