I just backed out on a Car deal that I shook hands on . Thoughts ?

[fastfredracing]

I cannot give out too many details, but long story short, Guy was supposed to bring cash, shows up , really knocks me down, on the $ beats me into submission . I finally take a low offer, a lot lower than I would have wanted, but I am thinking, cash, right here, right now, done deal , see ya. We shake hands.
He does not have the farkin money on him !!!!! Gives me the run around , and is supposed to come back first thing in the morning with the $. I ask him for hand money to hold it , and he says he only has 400 on him, and needs it to get back home. This is a fairly large sum deal mind you . " I thought you said you were bringing cash" I turned down 10 other prospects waiting for this guy . I tell him, o.k, no biggie ,see you in the morning .
Then, in casual conversation after all this, he tells me how is going to change the vin # s from the car I am selling to a car he already has. He says he has friends in law enforcement, and the DMV, and knows people who will help him get this done . without any issues, and that I do not need to worry about anything on my end. WTF?
He leaves, and I am starting to get nervous. I have that sinking feeling in my gut. Seems like he is either a really ****ty criminal, or a cop of some sorts. He was however from out of state .
An hour later, he calls me to tell me, that he cannot make it back in the morning, and we will have to make the deal happen later in the week .
I sat on it and thought about it over night, and emailed him back first thing, next am, and told him sorry, no way. Not getting involved in any felonies , no how , no way.
He is pissed, and tries to give me my original asking . I told him that double my asking price is not taking this car , sorry charlie.
He calls, and gets super pissed at me on the phone,. I tell him no way, no how, and no ammount of money will make this deal happen, c ya.
I have always been a man of my word, but this time, I feel no guilt , or remorse in backing out. If he would have brought cash like he said,, and shut his mouth, he would have taken the car home with him, and I would have never been the wiser
I could not sleep the night after he left, and my gut was just telling me that selling to this clown, was just not in my best interest .
Just another fine Craigslist transaction, fwiw, this was one of the shakiest feeling deals I had ever been involved in. I am sure he was some sort of a scammer.
.

[JD159]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I cannot give out too many details, but long story short, Guy was supposed to bring cash, shows up , really knocks me down, on the $ beats me into submission . I finally take a low offer, a lot lower than I would have wanted, but I am thinking, cash, right here, right now, done deal , see ya. We shake hands.
He does not have the farkin money on him !!!!! Gives me the run around , and is supposed to come back first thing in the morning with the $. I ask him for hand money to hold it , and he says he only has 400 on him, and needs it to get back home. This is a fairly large sum deal mind you . " I thought you said you were bringing cash" I turned down 10 other prospects waiting for this guy . I tell him, o.k, no biggie ,see you in the morning .
Then, in casual conversation after all this, he tells me how is going to change the vin # s from the car I am selling to a car he already has. He says he has friends in law enforcement, and the DMV, and knows people who will help him get this done . without any issues, and that I do not need to worry about anything on my end. WTF?
He leaves, and I am starting to get nervous. I have that sinking feeling in my gut. Seems like he is either a really ****ty criminal, or a cop of some sorts. He was however from out of state .
An hour later, he calls me to tell me, that he cannot make it back in the morning, and we will have to make the deal happen later in the week .
I sat on it and thought about it over night, and emailed him back first thing, next am, and told him sorry, no way. Not getting involved in any felonies , no how , no way.
He is pissed, and tries to give me my original asking . I told him that double my asking price is not taking this car , sorry charlie.
He calls, and gets super pissed at me on the phone,. I tell him no way, no how, and no ammount of money will make this deal happen, c ya.
I have always been a man of my word, but this time, I feel no guilt , or remorse in backing out. If he would have brought cash like he said,, and shut his mouth, he would have taken the car home with him, and I would have never been the wiser
I could not sleep the night after he left, and my gut was just telling me that selling to this clown, was just not in my best interest .
Just another fine Craigslist transaction, fwiw, this was one of the shakiest feeling deals I had ever been involved in. I am sure he was some sort of a scammer.
.

Gotta look out for number 1. Fook um. He sounds like a goof.

[sc_rufctr]

You did the right thing.

[craigster59]

Let him know this should be a learning lesson. Make sure you have the cash available when doing a deal and keep your effing mouth shut if you plan on doing anything illegal afterwards.

[jyl]

You were fully within your rights. And I think you made the right decision. Life is too short to get involved with weirdos, flakes, and suspicious characters.

[speeder]

Sounds like you dodged a major bullet and you did not go back on your word at all. He said he was bringing cash, he did not. Car is therefore still for sale.

There is another important lesson in this; do not ever be desperate in life and grab your ankles for anyone. If someone offers you less than what you need and believe is fair for something, tell them "thanks anyways" and walk away. The most powerful thing in any transaction is the ability and willingness to say no. You have to be willing to walk away. It's your integrity, (business integrity), and believe me, they will either see things your way or you don't want them to. He demonstrated that he was willing to pay your price all day, he just wanted to "be the boss" in the transaction and beat you down on price.

I price my stuff fairly on CL and when some gypsy scumbag lowballs me, I tell them that I'll throw the item in the dumpster before selling to them. That usually ends the "negotiation". You don't need these people or their energy in your life. There are plenty of good people to do business with.

[RANDY P]

**** him. Walk.

1) - the deal was based on right here, right now. He didn't deliver.

2)- he's a greaseball. OK to screw him.

Switch vins, sell a wrecked car, keep a nice one. He didn't deliver, tell him to GFY.

rjp

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

He backed out, not you.

First he didn't have cash on hand, and then he didn't come back when he said he would.

I would sleep well knowing he didn't get the car.

This would have been enough for me, toss in the potential criminal behaviour that was to come, no brainer, c'ya.

[dtw]

You made the right call. No question, Fred.

Selling a car on Craigslist attracts the weirdest characters...such a time suck.

[1990C4S]

You should have 'backed out' for one reason: he did not follow through and pay you.

What he does with the VIN, after you make a legal sale, is not your business. Although, he is an idiot to tell you he intends to alter the VIN. The reality is this is a fairly common practice.

He broke the deal, not you. Move on.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by speeder

Sounds like you dodged a major bullet and you did not go back on your word at all. He said he was bringing cash, he did not. Car is therefore still for sale.

There is another important lesson in this; do not ever be desperate in life and grab your ankles for anyone. If someone offers you less than what you need and believe is fair for something, tell them "thanks anyways" and walk away. The most powerful thing in any transaction is the ability and willingness to say no. You have to be willing to walk away. It's your integrity, (business integrity), and believe me, they will either see things your way or you don't want them to. He demonstrated that he was willing to pay your price all day, he just wanted to "be the boss" in the transaction and beat you down on price.

I price my stuff fairly on CL and when some gypsy scumbag lowballs me, I tell them that I'll throw the item in the dumpster before selling to them. That usually ends the "negotiation". You don't need these people or their energy in your life. There are plenty of good people to do business with.

+1. if I get even a whiff of any last-minute BS negotiate-after-the-price-is-set and play games with seller I kill the deal, instantly. I don't chase buyers, and as far as I'm concerned that's a weasel tactic. I don't panic over a lowball offer given by a unethical haggling greaseball. I don't even like doing business with people like that on any level.

I just don't have the tolerance for it. Yes, I've been yelled at by buyers for not chasing along, then I don't answer the phone anymore.

rjp

[look 171]

go and get some sleep, you don't need that in your life.

[speeder]

BTW, you would have been fully within your rights to pull the plug on the deal if he did have the cash on him once he told you about his illegal intentions. And it would have been the right thing to do.

"Oh really? No way, pal. See ya. Don't like it? Would you rather have this discussion at the police station? Later, fool."

[KevinP73]

I totally agree with the others. This clown was just wasting your time. I wouldn't lose any sleep or self esteem over telling him to take a walk.

[ckelly78z]

Good for you, in the same situation I would have done the same thing. That niggling little voice in your head is usually right, about when somebody is a scumball.

It's possible, that by him telling you his intentions, and you going ahead with the deal knowing his plans, you may have been an accesory to the felony he was committing, and been contacted by the authorities asking about your involvement.....Yea, you dodged a bullet !

Not only, could you get into trouble, but the person notorizing the title could see some heat (not likely, but possible).

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by speeder

There is another important lesson in this; do not ever be desperate in life and grab your ankles for anyone. If someone offers you less than what you need and believe is fair for something, tell them "thanks anyways" and walk away. The most powerful thing in any transaction is the ability and willingness to say no. You have to be willing to walk away. It's your integrity, (business integrity), and believe me, they will either see things your way or you don't want them to. He demonstrated that he was willing to pay your price all day, he just wanted to "be the boss" in the transaction and beat you down on price.

I price my stuff fairly on CL and when some gypsy scumbag lowballs me, I tell them that I'll throw the item in the dumpster before selling to them. That usually ends the "negotiation". You don't need these people or their energy in your life. There are plenty of good people to do business with.

^^^There is a whole bunch of words to live by right there.

BTW, if I had 10 other prospects I flushed for this Rube, when he failed to produce the lettuce the only negotiation we would have had is which door was going to hit on the a&& on the way out.

[Scott Douglas]

I try to price cars fairly when I advertise them. When I run into a 'buyer' like this as soon as they make their first offer, I counter with a higher than asking offer since their offer negates the initial price offered.
It's surprising how quickly they get the idea that they aren't going to be getting the car for the price they want or are willing to pay.

You did the right thing as this guy was working some sort of scam from the sounds of it.

[Macroni]

excellent judgement!

[Charles Freeborn]

Once he told you he was going to do something criminal, you would have been complicit and possibly a conspirator, so backing out was the right thing to do.

[legion]

You negotiated in good faith. He did not. Feel lucky you got out of it.