1 2 3
Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/27/20 5:43 p.m.

From spending an afternoon waiting for a buyer who doesn't show up to talking to guys who are ready to come out with a trailer to pick it up, and then don't bother to call you back. And the low ballers. And the joyriders. 

Can I just push this motorcycle off a cliff and collect the insurance money. It's actually too nice a bike for most of the jerks who call me. Maybe I should just sell it to a dealer for half what it's worth and let them take the abuse. 

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/27/20 5:45 p.m.
Snowdoggie said:

From spending an afternoon waiting for a buyer who doesn't show up to talking to guys who are ready to come out with a trailer to pick it up, and then don't bother to call you back. And the low ballers. And the joyriders. 

Can I just push this motorcycle off a cliff and collect the insurance money. It's actually too nice a bike for most of the jerks who call me. Maybe I should just sell it to a dealer for half what it's worth and let them take the abuse. 

Don't burn it. Turns out that's against the law. 

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/27/20 5:47 p.m.

In reply to Mndsm :

So is hunting down no shows. Meh. I hate this. 

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/27/20 5:51 p.m.

One guy complained that the registration wasn't up to date. Well, with Covid going on I didn't really feel like riding it downtown for a safety inspection. I have too many risk factors. Sorry. 

Maybe I just need to take it down till all this mess is over. 

WillG80
WillG80 New Reader
8/27/20 5:52 p.m.

The cheaper the car (or motorcycle) the worse it gets. 
 

I'd know... all my cars are cheap. 

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/27/20 5:57 p.m.

A few years ago some guy showed up drunk and tried to buy my Bronco to for $500 because that was all he had on him. I had it listed for $900. 

I had to threaten to call the police to get him to leave. I actually had to get out the phone and start to dial 911 before he got back in his buddy's car. They were both drunk. 

 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
8/27/20 6:10 p.m.

If I had a nickel for every time I posted something and everyone flaked, I wouldn't have to sell anything.  I'd have so many nickels that I could push it all off a cliff and buy new stuff with the nickels.

For a free couch, I got 34 emails overnight while I slept.  I responded to the first 10.  Crickets.  I responded to the second 10.  Crickets.  Deleted the ad and put it back on for $50.  Three days later, I had an honest offer by someone who had actively searched for something he needed instead of every college snowflake who just replies to anything free that looks like it has value.

When the guy came to get the couch, I refused his money.

Overprice your item by 20% and then negotiate down to what you want easily and quickly.  That weeds out the wannabes from the real buyers.

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/27/20 6:12 p.m.

The sad thing is that I do admit selling some crap for low prices in the past. But this bike is actually in really good condition. Better than I deserve. But I don't think that condition really matters. People are just jerks. 

I was selling a jet ski once and a guy showed up with his wife and waved $400 in cash around. He kept saying that it was all he had and I better take the offer. The next day I sold it for $900. The day after that Mr. $400 left me a voicemail telling me it was only worth $400 and I better call him back because that was all it was worth. He kept leaving me messages for a week after I sold it. Amazing. 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
8/27/20 6:16 p.m.

True story:  My buddy's dad delivers auto parts around TX.  Ever go to a parts store and they say "I can get it tomorrow?"  He's the guy that does the inter-store deliveries.  He was trying to get rid of a tube TV, so he put it in the pickup with a "free" sign on it.  Whenever he stopped at a truckstop for lunch or dinner, he just put down the tailgate and hoped a trucker would take it for their rig.  No dice.  So after a few days he put a sign on it that said "$20, call [number]"

It was stolen the first time he stopped.  You sometimes have to tell people what the value of something is.  The TV wasn't worth taking because it was free, but as soon as he implied that it had value, it was stolen immediately.

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/27/20 6:24 p.m.

I would rather dump something in a landfill than give it away free. I got over 100 emails for a TV cabinet I had offered for free. Several people said they would come to pick it up and never showed. I started telling them that it was on the sidewalk in front of the house. Just grab it before the trash man gets it. One woman actually asked me to stay home from work so she could come and get it. Sheesh. 

After a week the neighbors started complaining and I cut it up and put it in the trash. 

 

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy MegaDork
8/27/20 7:56 p.m.

I put some well used 240Z seats and other parts on CL and I joked that if nobody buys them the parts will be in my garbage  on the next Thursday night and they can pick them out.  
 

Some guy put a lot of effort in asking if I'm putting the parts in the garbage and can he come by.   He was persistent and I kept saying that was a joke.  

yupididit
yupididit PowerDork
8/27/20 8:04 p.m.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

So....OP needs to put a $20 (call 5555555) on his motorcycle so he can get insurance money. 

rattfink81
rattfink81 Reader
8/27/20 8:06 p.m.

I've had good luck with Facebook market place. Sold 3 cars on there, 2 sold within 24 hours and the other took like 2 weeks. 
 

on the other hand I've found cheap but useable items are better left on my curb with a free sign, donated, or scrapped/trashed cause it's not worth dealing with people. 
 

I try to reply to any one who inquired about the stuff but gave a reply both in length and detail equal to their inquiry. Like when they lowball Id just say no thanks. 

Try raising the price and wait it out if your not in dire need to sell it. 

frenchyd
frenchyd PowerDork
8/27/20 8:07 p.m.

In reply to Snowdoggie :

So do I. But I started my sales career selling cars. I quickly figured out salesmen don't sell anything they get out of the way and take the order to the boss. 
Use that technique in the future. Swallow your pride. Defer to your wife and have her work his offer over. you'll not only sell quicker but get a better price. 

lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter)
lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) HalfDork
8/27/20 8:30 p.m.

What kind of motorcycle?

Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter)
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
8/27/20 9:17 p.m.
Mndsm said:
Snowdoggie said:

From spending an afternoon waiting for a buyer who doesn't show up to talking to guys who are ready to come out with a trailer to pick it up, and then don't bother to call you back. And the low ballers. And the joyriders. 

Can I just push this motorcycle off a cliff and collect the insurance money. It's actually too nice a bike for most of the jerks who call me. Maybe I should just sell it to a dealer for half what it's worth and let them take the abuse. 

Don't burn it. Turns out that's against the law. 

Truth. Requires the right permit.

pimpm3 (Forum Supporter)
pimpm3 (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
8/27/20 9:24 p.m.
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:
Mndsm said:
Snowdoggie said:

From spending an afternoon waiting for a buyer who doesn't show up to talking to guys who are ready to come out with a trailer to pick it up, and then don't bother to call you back. And the low ballers. And the joyriders. 

Can I just push this motorcycle off a cliff and collect the insurance money. It's actually too nice a bike for most of the jerks who call me. Maybe I should just sell it to a dealer for half what it's worth and let them take the abuse. 

Don't burn it. Turns out that's against the law. 

Truth. Requires the right permit.

Didn't you torch a lawn mower a few years back after dealing with a bunch of morons from craigslist?

californiamilleghia
californiamilleghia Dork
8/27/20 9:44 p.m.

I talk to them , ask when they will be here ,

give the address at the corner down the street next to the freeway , 

tell them to call  when they arrive and I am 5 minutes away , 

Now its on them , I do not have idiots coming to my house , I can work around the house and after an hour  , I have done my part , 

Its still a pain in the rear......

Placemotorsports
Placemotorsports Reader
8/28/20 7:23 a.m.

I once posted a broken tv for trade for beer.  I was gonna throw it away so figured why not.  Guy stopped by with a 6 pack of Natty ice which I almost didn't trade.  I stuck it in the garage and ended up giving it away at Halloween for the adults with their kids trick or treating

asphalt_gundam
asphalt_gundam New Reader
8/28/20 7:55 a.m.

I also hate selling stuff and dealing with the people that seem to gravitate to the "is it still available" button.....FYI if I get contacted with any generic "auto inquiry" they are 100 percent ignored. I delete it immediately because clearly they couldn't spare the effort to actually type out anything and just clicked. I learned long ago you will never ever make a sale off on of those. Low-ballers I just flat out say no to. Ones who were actually interested usually respond back with a sad OK. Any "its only worth" people get ignored and deleted.

On the other side of things... a couple years ago I put my 4 wheeler up for sale at 2500. Couldn't get an offer over 1800 and like your motorcycle...way to nice to let go cheap. So about a month ago my brother is talking about how people are asking a few hundred to a thousand over brand new dealer prices on a one or two year old model enduro bike that has aftermarket bars on it....and apparently people are paying it. I think to myself....must be all that unemployment money going around. So I throw my wheeler up for 3000 and two days later sell it for 2500. I'm happy, buyers happy...strange world out there.

dherr (Forum Supporter)
dherr (Forum Supporter) Dork
8/28/20 8:39 a.m.
WillG80 said:

The cheaper the car (or motorcycle) the worse it gets. 
 

I'd know... all my cars are cheap. 

Truer words have never been spoken (not that all your cars are cheap) but the worse it gets......

frenchyd
frenchyd PowerDork
8/28/20 8:49 a.m.

Every single comment here was about how inconsiderate people are, they  fail to recognize value and some are just stupid. 
 
Start with yourself. Treat everyone kind and decent wether they deserve it or not. Educate them about value , New this sold for $XXX  it's still in good shape. Still works. 
Explain how they can increase its value, strip the old finish off and refinish it and how much would you pay for it then? Etc. 

In Short be a salesman and earn a 100% commission. 

outasite
outasite HalfDork
8/28/20 9:18 a.m.

Yes, selling online is challenging and at times tiring. However, I have sold items on Craigslist and Marketplace with great success for 20 years. I sold a treadmill and a piano when the sight had postings offering the same for free. I meet at a convenience store a couple of miles from my house after agreeing on the time. I have been stood up twice in 10 years. I respond to all contacts the first time and decide by their response if I want to pursue the sale to them. 

I used to sell my daily driver/project cars by word of mouth. Since retirement, I have used online postings with no problems. 

 

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/28/20 9:57 a.m.
frenchyd said:

In reply to Snowdoggie :

So do I. But I started my sales career selling cars. I quickly figured out salesmen don't sell anything they get out of the way and take the order to the boss. 
Use that technique in the future. Swallow your pride. Defer to your wife and have her work his offer over. you'll not only sell quicker but get a better price. 

Believe me, she doesn't want anything to do with any of my car deals. She doesn't care what vehicles I buy and sell,  nor does she tell me what to buy and sell. 

Snowdoggie
Snowdoggie HalfDork
8/28/20 10:08 a.m.
rattfink81 said:

I've had good luck with Facebook market place. Sold 3 cars on there, 2 sold within 24 hours and the other took like 2 weeks. 
 

on the other hand I've found cheap but useable items are better left on my curb with a free sign, donated, or scrapped/trashed cause it's not worth dealing with people. 
 

I try to reply to any one who inquired about the stuff but gave a reply both in length and detail equal to their inquiry. Like when they lowball Id just say no thanks. 

Try raising the price and wait it out if your not in dire need to sell it. 

I have almost been afraid to put it on Facebook. I am on a Miata group there and it's mostly kids trying to part out cars they bought cheap that really shouldn't be parted out then whining because everybody else is trying to do the same thing and nobody really wants all the parts. Or they will run an ad saying Miata Wanted - NA with less than 50,000 with good paint and a torson - want to pay about $3,000 - show me what you got. 

On the boats for sale group I saw an old Bayliner like mine listed for $6,000. I paid $1,800 for mine 12 years ago when it ran and was in much better condition. Anything else that floats is priced for 10K and up and actually gets sold. Even boats with missing motors and soft floors sell for more than 2K if they have titles. I don't get this run on boats at all. 

I can't even figure out how to search on Facebook. 

1 2 3

You'll need to log in to post.

Our Preferred Partners
1Q98hcGDVs057KT0mbQ99eeRDZbB1tyPFdtuLJUL3USilVjWJcEqlsp91i7dQ4gG