Wow! Just missed a very nice bargain 1966 911

[LeeH]

The Craigslist ad was short and sweet: "All original great shape early 911. Engine has never been cracked, runs very strong. Service records available from local porsche mechanic. $6500."

I sent an e-mail within minutes of the ad posting and said if was in the condition it appeared to be in that I would take it. Guy called me early the next day. Great car. No real issues. Very original... come and get it. I ran to the bank, got some cash and extracted my wife from her workout at the YMCA so our daughter didn't have to go on the 45 minute ride across town. As I'm about to pull out of the driveway my phone rings... sorry, someone just offered $7500. It's sold.

[crustychief]

AWw that sucks.

[crustychief]

Who bought the car ?? anyone??

[nameisbauer]

Ha! I am going to AZ this weekend and I was also planning on grabbing that. Guess thats why he didnt email me back.

[relayswitcher]

Hey, just a darn minute there!!!???? If you wanted to push it, and i certainly would if i were you. Call a lawyer and ask what the deal is.... You could even win this in small claims easily. That was really low class of this guy to sell it out from under you, which is exactly what he did. If this were your dream house and you had an agreement of price then the realtor says, or...you know what?... I got a better deal for more money from someone else. This isn't legal. The fact of the matter is he absolutely made a verbal agreement and told you to come and get the car. Did anyone else hear your phone conversation with this guy?? I think the car is still legally yours at the price he agreed on the phone. You shouldn't have caved so quickly. I may not be too late. When did this happen? You should have demanded the car at the agreed price. He set you in motion an made a binding verbal agreement by phone which is legal in most states i believe. He caused you to go to your bank, your wife lost work, etc. What would you have done if you got there after the 45 minute drive and he told you the car was gone for a $1000 more to someone else. I'd be steaming mad. Don't just take it man, DO something about it! If I were a judge I would think that stunk, too.
Just telling it like it is. Relayswitcher.

[LeeH]

I'm no lawyer, but if I remember correctly from my business law classes...

Contract = offer+acceptance+consideration+performance

I could claim offer+acceptance, but there was a lack of consideration+performance. If I'd made it there with the money and he had it in his hand, then he backed out I might have a case.

I'm sure someone will straighten out my understanding of this!

[robert walsh]

In using the word "IF", in your question you inferred you may purschase the car upon inspection. You should have clearly offered the $6500.00 and gotten an acceptance, then perhaps then you may have had a legal shot at this, without that taking place, first come first sold. Sorry this is true BUMMER. The fellow sure seems to have gotten a deal on it for $7500.00, but does anyone really know what is lurking inside the photo, maybe a deal maybe not. Pictures and vague discriptions often don't reveal the truth.

[ChkbookMechanic]

This sucks for you, but when it comes to buying cars off of craigslist it is best to just show up ASAP with a checkbook or cash in hand and look at the car and if you like it buy it and haul it back home later in the day. I started doing this because this same situation happened with me.. I lost out on buying a car because the person agreed to meet with me at lunchtime, then when it got close I called him back and he said he sold it.

[304065]

Lee,

Discussion of the Uniform Commercial Code aside, here's what that ad means to me (without seeing the car, of course)

Great shape = RUST

All original = RUST, plus fuchs replicas instead of steelies, missing rocker trim (wonder why it never got put back on, maybe bondo? What's up with the later engine grille?

Engine has never been cracked= original cup-type chain tensioners, floppy chains, worn out pistons and rings giving low compression, 45 degrees advance in the distributor, oil sludge, basically a $13,000 rebuild waiting to happen.

If you and the "Seller" reached an agreement on his asking price and then he sold it higher before you got there, that's just the way some people behave, but $7500 for a restoration candidate is still a high price to pay, particularly in this economic environment.

[yasir]

Originally Posted by LeeH

The Craigslist ad was short and sweet: "All original great shape early 911. Engine has never been cracked, runs very strong. Service records available from local porsche mechanic. $6500."

As I'm about to pull out of the driveway my phone rings... sorry, someone just offered $7500. It's sold.

I sold my Turbocharged BMW just 2 weeks ago....The guy calls me from Cleveland on sat and we both agreed on the price of $30,000....Told me will be leaving on Monday to pick up the car....
So on Monday while he is on his way to KY,i swear to god i got a call from a guy in Atlanta about the car...Told him it is sold and that the guy is his way to pick it up...
Well to my surprise,the second guy offered me upto $2000 more if i went with him.. Told him i will call him back in few minutes.....

Never called the focker back... What goes around comes around....
In your case the seller didn't have any values at all....I would rather not do any buisness with such *******s...

[Winter]

Hey, it's not just you. I miss out on deals like this all the time (not just on cars). When it comes to CL, you're best advised to show up with cash in hand immediately if it's an item you really want. This looks like a sweet one, but then again, no picks of the pans, etc, where there could be some nastiness hiding. . .

Here's hoping we both get lucky in the future!

---

Tom

[LeeH]

I've sold enough stuff on Craigslist that my policy is just short of "first person with the cash gets the goods." If someone says they're on their way I'll take down their phone number. If a second buyer calls, I call the first buyer. They'd better be in the car with an eta.

I bought a Vitamix blender I found on Craigslist recently at a bargain price. The seller said very strictly, first person with the cash gets it. I got it, but she never contacted the other folks! She later told me several people drove to her house and they were all mad! I don't blame them. At least this guy called me before I drove across town.

Honestly, I wasn't upset with the seller. In the same position I probably would have called the first buyer and asked if they were interested in matching the offer. I'm sure this car will resurface soon. It will either be at a local PCA event, on Ebay, or in the Auto Trader.

[yasir]

Originally Posted by LeeH

I've sold enough stuff on Craigslist that my policy is just short of "first person with the cash gets the goods." If someone says they're on their way I'll take down their phone number. If a second buyer calls, I call the first buyer. They'd better be in the car with an eta.

In the same position I probably would have called the first buyer and asked if they were interested in matching the offer. I'm sure this car will resurface soon. It will either be at a local PCA event, on Ebay, or in the Auto Trader.

Once you have agreed on a price then regardless of what others are willing to pay you should keep your word or else you would be considered an ass......

[Dantilla]

Not worth fighting if no money has exchanged hands.

I bought a Porsche from Craig's List a while ago. Ran down for a quick look, then gave the seller a couple hundred dollar bills out of my pocket as a deposit, and had him write up a bill-of-sale. THEN we had a done deal.

Showed up the next day with the remaining balance in cash, and my flatbed trailer.

My interpretation of the conversation is that when the seller says "come and get it", it's still first one with cash gets the car.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by yasir

Once you have agreed on a price then regardless of what others are willing to pay you should keep your word or else you would be considered an ass......

I agree in principle. However, you never know for sure if the guy on the phone who says "I'll take it" will ever show up. And then if he does show up, will he go through with the deal. You can spend all day telling people a car is 'sold' because of a phone call only to have the buyer disappear from the face of the planet... or arrive, inspect the car and then say, "No thanks."

Had I made it there, left a deposit, then had him back out I'd have been upset. Based on the circumstances I thought he was well within his rights to accept the higher offer.

[Bobboloo]

I had a seller once on this board sell out from under me a set of turn signals boxes. He already had the payment in his possession for two days when he got a better offer. He said he was sorry but he had to sell to someone else because they offered more and he was trying to finance a turbo for his motor. Well, I pointed out to him that since he already had my money then the signal boxes were not his to sell. I told him that it is not only rude but that it's actually illegal to do what he did. He didn't believe me and a few days later my money was refunded.

Anyway, I consider myself lucky that I got my money back because if someone has that low of scruples then they are only a few steps away from being a thief.

Scratched him off the list of people to do business with. I've seen other items he had for sale that I could have used but would never even think of doing business with him again.

I always try to remind myself... "The money runs out before the good deals do." Never has that saying been more true than today.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by LeeH

... if was in the condition it appeared to be in that I would take it.

This is not a done deal. You left yourself an "out". He invited you to come see the car. That's all.

[niner11]

Call a lawyer? Come on. Something to consider, if you went to inspect the car and it was total junk then you would have probably walked away from the deal...as I would have. So honestly, there was no real deal until you saw the vehicle. If you had a quick inspection and a deposit with the guy then yes....he needs to honor the deal but a phone conversation with someone who may or may not show up is a little different. When I sell things people always promise to come by with the money at a certain time but often no call and no show. For cars and toys under 10,000 it makes sense to have the cash in your hand and go look at things that you might want to buy. In all likelyhood that is what the other buyer did. Hope you find what you're looking for. Chuck

[curtisaa]

Forget all that Lawyering rubbish. It's his word against yours. Even if you would have counter-offered $8000.00 it still would have been a great buy. IMHO...

[dickepoohp]

I recently posted a For Sale here when I ended up with two new alternators. Good Price. Several potential buyers. Guy #1, to send Money order, I was to ship part. Week goes by, no MO. Contacted by buyer #2 and #3. BOth suggested sending immediate cash by Paypal. RE-CONTACTED #1. "oH, YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN MY MONEY ORDER YET? "iT'S IN THE MAIL"
Explained to 2 and 3 MO in route. Another week went by. Recontacted, "You should get it today."
Another week has elapsed. If I DO sell to 2 or 3, I am sure the MO will instantly appear, but my resolve to be fair is getting tested.