While I'd usually be in the same boat, the current used car market has me feeling the complete opposite.
Future Mrs. ShelbyZ's last two daily drivers (both rusty well used examples of Big-3 sourced 4WD compact SUV's manufactured between 10 and 20 years ago) had needed to go for a while and had been used as back up vehicles here and there while mostly just taking up space. I kept putting off cleaning up, sorting out and listing them out of concern that I'd have to keep my weekends wide open to deal with multiple flakes/hagglers/etc. while I've still got decent weather to wrench on some projects. This had been the case with the last couple of cars I sold that weren't a Subaru. Then of course I get another project car that I couldn't refuse but didn't have room for, so I finally ripped the band-aid off two weekends ago. Came up with a number in my head I hoped to get but thought might take some time, and listed them for a bit more than that.
Boy was I wrong on all accounts. I listed the first one (older, rustier, and in the $2k range) on FB Marketplace late that Sunday night. It got a dozen and a half inquiries in under 90 minutes, with multiple people right off the bat offering more than my target return and/or willing to immediately come get it that night despite some living 45 minutes to an hour away and it being dark out. I actually held off listing the other one because I thought it would be hard to manage both if it too got the same volume of inquiry. Once someone committed to coming first thing the next morning, I switched the ad to "pending" because FB messenger was interrupting everything else I was trying to do with my phone. That first interested party paid me more than I was hoping to get and took the car home that morning. The 2nd one (newer and in the $4k range), was pretty much the same. Listed it late the night of the day the first one sold, and it immediately got a boatload of response, although this time I didn't switch it to pending when someone committed to first thing the next morning. When I woke up the next day it was around 30 inquiries. That first person left me a deposit intending to complete the sale for more than I was hoping to get. While I waited for them to get everything sorted out with the bank/etc. I switched the ad to pending. Despite this, inquiries still poured in, with some begging to be the first to know if the would-be buyer backs out. That buyer ended up completing the sale and driving it home that afternoon.
I'm half tempted now to ride the wave and list my DD Honda Fit that I'm getting kind of bored of, and an ugly but running and driving rebuilt title Geo Prizm that I had planned to eventually part out and scrap.
Dude, that's a hell of a bike for the money!!! Great color and clean. Very surprised it hasn't sold. Back in '16 I bought a 2006, did a few weekends worth of maintenance and mods, then drove it across the country. One of the greatest experiences I've ever had.
That's a TOP HEAVY BIKE THOUGH. It did everything, and well at that—but even at 6'4" and in relatively decent shape, I was constantly worried I'd drop the thing. Only sorta did once (and it was 100% my idiocy) but that anxiety was always there. Not an around town bike for me, even though I have had friends that used that gen as a daily driver every day there wasn't snow on the ground.
My '09 FJR1300 is similar in class, but rides like it's half the weight—If you liked the concours, and someday want to get back into riding, that's the bike for you.
I listed my freeride mountain bike for sale. This thing was $5000 new and I put it up for $900. I've gotten offers for $500 and a woman demanding i lower the price because it's for her 18 year old who is a student and needs the bike to ride to school. Ok lady, try costco? Another guy pulled up in a brand new chevy truck worth about 65k. He offers 7 and I counter with 8. Nope I only have $750. I just got sick of standing there haggling over $50 which clearly would not affect either of us in the slightest. I just walked and decided not to sell the bike.
The absolute worst experience I've had was selling a snowboard for $20 in a resort town. I was just giving it away because I had too many boards at the time. One girl asks me if I could meet her in the next town over, just so happens we were going to dinner there so I said yes. I arrive and she offers me $10. I said look, that wouldn't even cover my gas to drive it here.
The biggest irk is people who say I have CASH after throwing out a lowball. How else were you planning on paying? Credit card? Personal cheque? silver bars? Just once I am going to scream OH MY GOD CASH!! HONEY HE'S GOT REAL CASH. PLEASE SIR I'LL TAKE ANY OFFER, MY GOD FINALLY WE CAN AFFORD TO BUY SOME CAT FOOD FOR DINNER.
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.
This is how me and a handful of friends have paid the private school tuition of our BMW / Duc dealer’s kids.
There was a guy on one of the social media platforms awhile back who sold used “running” engines. He’d put a date out there with his price and if it wasn’t gone by then he’d start it up, hold the throttle open and run it until it expired. All captured for the enjoyment of the audience. Thing was, he had some decent stuff. Like a nice 454.
Maybe it’s just me but Kawis always seemed to have a bit more ballz than the others.
I wish I had the money, because that Kwaka is one clean mo-sheen.
dabird
Reader
9/5/20 9:47 a.m.
I'm at the point where I don't even want to sell to anyone but enthusiasts. The general public just sucks to deal with. I have a beater Camry that I need to get rid of for $500 and I am absolutely dreading actually listing it. That being said, sellers aren't much better. I can't even count how many times I've sent messages about something for sale and the seller never responds even though I can see they've read the message. If they do respond, they usually just ignore the couple of very specific question I ask.
dabird said:
I'm at the point where I don't even want to sell to anyone but enthusiasts. The general public just sucks to deal with. I have a beater Camry that I need to get rid of for $500 and I am absolutely dreading actually listing it. That being said, sellers aren't much better. I can't even count how many times I've sent messages about something for sale and the seller never responds even though I can see they've read the message. If they do respond, they usually just ignore the couple of very specific question I ask.
Hi I'm interested in your camry, I just started a new job and don't have the cash but I will get paid by the end of the month and I was wondering if you would let me make payments to you? I could give you $100 today and drive off promising to pay you $200 each friday and you'll never hear from me again. Please let me know if you're willing to help. I need some help getting back on my feet and I guess I would try asking for some charity on E36 M3 I can't afford.
dabird said:
I'm at the point where I don't even want to sell to anyone but enthusiasts. The general public just sucks to deal with. I have a beater Camry that I need to get rid of for $500 and I am absolutely dreading actually listing it. That being said, sellers aren't much better. I can't even count how many times I've sent messages about something for sale and the seller never responds even though I can see they've read the message. If they do respond, they usually just ignore the couple of very specific question I ask.
Speaking of the "general public", was it George Carlin that said, "...imagine how dumb the average person is. Half the people are even dumber than that."?
A 401 CJ said:
dabird said:
I'm at the point where I don't even want to sell to anyone but enthusiasts. The general public just sucks to deal with. I have a beater Camry that I need to get rid of for $500 and I am absolutely dreading actually listing it. That being said, sellers aren't much better. I can't even count how many times I've sent messages about something for sale and the seller never responds even though I can see they've read the message. If they do respond, they usually just ignore the couple of very specific question I ask.
Speaking of the "general public", was it George Carlin that said, "...imagine how dumb the average person is. Half the people are even dumber than that."?
I just think about the fact that those stupid ads at the bottom of webpages still exist because there are people out there still clicking on them.
"local mom discovers trick to make VLT's payout, casinos hate her"
"doctors say eating this vegetable is like sticking a car wash nozzle in your mouth and pressure washing your insides"
Hey, did you know cinnamon cures diabetes?
twowheeled said:
A 401 CJ said:
dabird said:
I'm at the point where I don't even want to sell to anyone but enthusiasts. The general public just sucks to deal with. I have a beater Camry that I need to get rid of for $500 and I am absolutely dreading actually listing it. That being said, sellers aren't much better. I can't even count how many times I've sent messages about something for sale and the seller never responds even though I can see they've read the message. If they do respond, they usually just ignore the couple of very specific question I ask.
Speaking of the "general public", was it George Carlin that said, "...imagine how dumb the average person is. Half the people are even dumber than that."?
I just think about the fact that those stupid ads at the bottom of webpages still exist because there are people out there still clicking on them.
"local mom discovers trick to make VLT's payout, casinos hate her"
"doctors say eating this vegetable is like sticking a car wash nozzle in your mouth and pressure washing your insides"
The car wash is only 25 cents. Why buy the vegetable?
The latest:
I have talked to three people on the phone. Two of them hung up after the found out the bike didn't have a current sticker. One told me quite frankly he will not "waste his time" looking at a bike without a current inspection. So today I went to the local motorcycle dealer to get the inspection done. Everything passes ..... except the rear tire. The dealer wants $300 to put a new tire on it. I ask the dealer for an offer on the bike. He said he isn't interested in bikes that old. That nobody wants them. He puts me in touch with the Kawasaki dealer down the road. He offered me $900 for it if it was low mileage. I told him 58,000. He told me no deal. He didn't want it. I put it out on two we buy motorcycle sites last weekend. and both of them ghosted me. Now I know why.
I am looking online for motorcycle tires right now. My free ad on Cycle Trader ends on the 9th. I am not really in the mood to deal with Facebook kiddees right now.
The bike rides real well. It has four carburetors and a shaft drive. Nobody else really values it at all. I may just keep it.
In reply to Snowdoggie :
Hang on to it. Ten years from now someone will be desperate for one. Ride the value curve back up, when it is old enough the mileage means less. There was a time when you could not give a Toyota Celica away. Now try to find a good one!
Anything on cl sucks. Two hours ago I replied to an ad that was up for 10 minutes and said I'd buy it for full price and pick it up in the am. Crickets....
Snowdoggie said:
The latest:
I have talked to three people on the phone. Two of them hung up after the found out the bike didn't have a current sticker. One told me quite frankly he will not "waste his time" looking at a bike without a current inspection. So today I went to the local motorcycle dealer to get the inspection done. Everything passes ..... except the rear tire. The dealer wants $300 to put a new tire on it. I ask the dealer for an offer on the bike. He said he isn't interested in bikes that old. That nobody wants them. He puts me in touch with the Kawasaki dealer down the road. He offered me $900 for it if it was low mileage. I told him 58,000. He told me no deal. He didn't want it. I put it out on two we buy motorcycle sites last weekend. and both of them ghosted me. Now I know why.
I am looking online for motorcycle tires right now. My free ad on Cycle Trader ends on the 9th. I am not really in the mood to deal with Facebook kiddees right now.
The bike rides real well. It has four carburetors and a shaft drive. Nobody else really values it at all. I may just keep it.
This is what you should do. These are great touring bikes. Unfortunately, they were eclipsed by the newer model Connie which, at least now, depresses their value. Whoever quoted you $300 for a tire should be ashamed. If it has a center stand just buy the $150 tire and spoon it on yourself. Maybe I’m just lucky but I’ve never had to balance a motorcycle tire. They’ve all been fine up to 100 mph. I don’t ever ride above that. If they did need weight, I’d consider dynabeads.
In reply to Snowdoggie :
Another vote for "hang onto it". I finally sold one of my bikes on the second or third attempt over a few years, and it was a pretty simple and pleasant transaction. The previous attempts were wastes of time, though.
I did end up selling it on FB of all places. And yes, I did get a few timewasters, but I was surprised how many reasonably mature potential buyers got in touch, too.
neverdone said:
Anything on cl sucks. Two hours ago I replied to an ad that was up for 10 minutes and said I'd buy it for full price and pick it up in the am. Crickets....
Without knowing more, unless I knew you, I would not hold something for ya; odds are against ya following through...
not you personally, but folks.
neverdone said:
Anything on cl sucks. Two hours ago I replied to an ad that was up for 10 minutes and said I'd buy it for full price and pick it up in the am. Crickets....
two infuriating times this happened to me.
Found a Acura MDX with transmission issues for $900. Msg'ed the guy in the AM and I told him I would take it sight unseen and be there after work with the cash. We arranged a time to meet and I drove all the way across town and pulled into his drive. He msgs me back saying please wait in my driveway I'm out on a test drive with another buyer. Wtf? This guy arranged multiple people to come at the same time complete disregard for anyones time. I left as soon as I learned this and he texted me an hour later saying the guy bought it, I was tempted to put a brick through the front window while I was leaving.
Arranged to pick up some winter tires exact same thing happened. Pulled up to an apartment complex with cash and the guy texts me "let me know when you arrive so I can buzz you in" and 2 minutes later I reply "i'm here", and the response "oh someone is just buying them now".
I'm going to start carrying a BB gun in the trunk and the next person who does this is going to have a window to replace.
Here’s an idea. Instead of putting it on FB Marketplace per se, why not ask to join a FB Connie group. Then mention you have one for sale. These folks will know this bike, what it does, and what it’s worth.
thedoc
Reader
9/7/20 7:03 a.m.
Man, this hurts reading your all too familiar stories. I have been jerked around so many times on cl, ready to jump only to have them not get back to me. I tried to buy a mustang from some guy who would not answer me until he finally did....only to tell me someone else was test driving the car and he would call me if he didn't buy it.
I met one total winner who did not return my calls. It was for a truck that ticked all of my boxes. He finally answered my calls and acted annoyed, said he recognized my voice, and when did I want to come and see the truck.
I had a guy e-mail me that no one would take my price on an svt focus. I told him not to worry about it. He then became my pen pal wanting to talk about the wonders of the car.
We just went to buy a car, forty minute drive. We pull up and he says he just sold it, but we could test drive it in case the deal went south. I'm standing there with cash and he tells me he made a deal with someone in another state. I don't get it. The number of people who have not returned my calls is astonishing.
I did however have someone hold a bargain na miata with a hard top. He held the car for almost a week! We could not get our schedules to match and I was already scheduled to be out of town for the weekend. When I did show up and ask if he had some wiggle room on the price, he just smiled and said, "I have five people behind you." The guy even took a check. Although I left the car and picked it up the next day.
I try and go the extra mile with any facebook or craigslist deal. If I have to get the car insured for a transport plate I send pictures of the paperwork. I get why people can be jerks about being jerked around, etc, but why not return a call or text? Why not return a call when you are selling something?
Anything I sell on CL, I tell them I meet them at the police station lot around the corner from me. That weeds out the flakes and I've had no issue selling items there.
