Ever had a Craigslist/FB/etc seller put a bad taste in your mouth that makes you lose all interest?

10-15 years ago, I used to love hunting down deals on Craigslist and eBay Motors, wheeling and dealing with sellers, the art of the flip, etc.

These days, I absolutely dread being on both sides of the transaction. It feels like the number of time wasters on both sides have increased exponentially, and like there's no honor left in the process.

Case in point: I've been looking for a new daily driver in the sub-$3k range. I spotted a real nice looking 5-speed Honda CR-V within a half hour of it being posted on Craigslist, and reached out to the seller immediately. I asked when he was available, and said that I'm a cash in hand buyer with a flexible schedule. He said he'd be available today after 4, that I'm the first in line, and to text in the early afternoon to confirm plans. There was no discussion of price, but the ad asked for $2200.

Today I texted him to confirm plans as requested, and was told that someone is coming to look at it before me for "possibly more than the asking price I gave you," so I will have to wait to hear back on whether or not the first person takes a walk. Dude, I asked when the soonest you were available was, confirmed I could do that, you told me I was first in line! Apparently that's not the case at all...

Now, I don't know if this is me being overly neurotic, but...I'm now aware that I got bumped for someone else offering more than the asking price (so be it). If that person decides not to take it home, and I get a "hey, uh, they decided not to take it, you can come look at it!" that makes me feel like there's probably something wrong that the seller didn't disclose and it's not worth my time anyway.

So basically, I've now lost all interest in looking at this damn thing even if I have the chance. 

Am I the only one that feels like the buying/selling process is a lot more frustrating than it used to be?

I feel the same way, most of the time now I'll find something cool that i would have bought immediately in the past and just decide to not message since I don't want to deal with the hassle. Most of my recent vehicles have been bought from auctions or grmers.

Looked at a second gen Integra once where the seller booked me and another person to look at it the exact same time, and tried to start a bidding war over the asking price.  I walked.

Part of the problem is there are a lot of flakes (buyer and seller) in the cheap car market.  I’ve had far fewer issues when looking in $9-10K price range.

I absolutely hate dealing with selling anything.  I simply don't have the patience for it anymore.  At one time I didn't mind dealing with flakes and doing the song and dance but it all makes me irritable now.  Luckily my wife enjoys it.  She finds is a challenge and the people don't drive her insane.  She just sold a very rusty truck we pulled the motor from for 300 bucks.  I was going to give it away to somebody that would just haul it off for scrap.  All the people asking how it ran, if they could drive it home, if it had a valid inspection sticker, offering half the asking price, etc. didn't bother her one bit, even though the add contained all the info and more.  

eastsideTim said:

Part of the problem is there are a lot of flakes (buyer and seller) in the cheap car market.  I’ve had far fewer issues when looking in $9-10K price range.

About a week ago, a buddy of mine (who is similarly afflicted with the cheap automotive thrills disease) jokingly told me that $1900 is the new $500.

I'm finding that he was right.

I called about a motorcycle. He said I was third in line. It was such a screaming deal I figured I had lost already.

First guy tried to trade the seller a bunch of crap. Pass.

The seller told me to come and get it. He said I sounded honest and real over the phone.

Second guy never showed up either, lol. 

People are just weird today. Maybe it stems from all the buying/selling reality shows?

In reply to Shadeux (Forum Supporter) :

I agree on the reality shows theory. Potential buyers showing up to my house and asking "what's the lowest you'll take" as if it's an episode of Pawn Stars absolutely drives me insane.

In reply to pointofdeparture :

This may not be bad. Go look at it, and if you feel its worth anywhere near the asking price, offer 1/2 of what you were going to originally. He had some one walk already, he might think twice about letting you walk also.  The good is at least he did not make you drive over then tell you its gone when you got there.

If he bites great, if not let him though out the next number, maybe even two before  you counter, hem and haw about what ever he tosses out.

In my opinion he blew it by telling you the other guy walked and that he did not have an offer on the table.

Yup..

Im currently trying to get rid of a couple vehicles. Put my 98 Civic up for 1200 , had one non-idiot sounding prospect who, and a bunch of gibberish.

Apparently if your IQ is less than 60, you can now just send the lowball price you're 'offering' without any actual words.  Got one for 800, one 600, and a '350, my car just go totuld, God bless'.

I may just throw a new exhaust on it, charge up the AC, and use if for my daily MadMax run to work and back.

I was going to put up a running, driving F150 for 600 or so.  Im probably just going to let my son give it a Viking funeral at the RoughTruck thing at the fair next month & drop it off at the junkyard when he's done.

'350, my car just go totuld, God bless'.

Dies laughing

You gave flakes in that price range.  

In reply to lrrs :

It's over an hour away. Even if he does get back to me (still no follow up so I presume it did sell), I no longer trust the seller with multiple hours of my time...I'd rather spend that looking for my next target.

pointofdeparture said:

Now, I don't know if this is me being overly neurotic, but...I'm now aware that I got bumped for someone else offering more than the asking price (so be it). If that person decides not to take it home, and I get a "hey, uh, they decided not to take it, you can come look at it!" that makes me feel like there's probably something wrong that the seller didn't disclose and it's not worth my time anyway.

So basically, I've now lost all interest in looking at this damn thing even if I have the chance. 

Am I the only one that feels like the buying/selling process is a lot more frustrating than it used to be?

Are you being overly neurotic? Absolutely.

Your knowledge of the car hasn't changed, yet you're no longer interested because the possibility of somebody, who you don't even know exists, might not be interested in it?

And you're complaining about sellers these days?

I would say this buying and selling stuff is work.  At an earlier age, this work is "fun."  As you spend more time at this work, it becomes less fun.  It gets discouraging but it still feels good when it works or "goes as planned" or "goes your way."  

Peabody said:

Are you being overly neurotic? Absolutely.

Your knowledge of the car hasn't changed, yet you're no longer interested because the possibility of somebody, who you don't even know exists, might not be interested in it?

And you're complaining about sellers these days?

I'll openly admit I'm probably being too neurotic, but I'm extremely confused by your implication that someone shouldn't raise an eyebrow at a seller making up another interested party to blow an appointment scheduled in advance.

Maybe it's just me and I'm naive, but if I have someone coming to look at a vehicle I'm selling within 24 hours, and someone else also expresses significant interest, I honor my appointment with the first person, schedule the next dude right after, and then hold firm on price the first go-round knowing another offer is likely in the future.

I'm mostly just lamenting that I've always tried to observe the honor system, and it seemed like other people used to, but it sure doesn't seem that way anymore. Maybe that was never the case and I'm just an idiot.

It is not that new of a thing. I had a firm offer in on a Sunbeam Imp 50 years ago and had the seller call me and say he changed his mind and was going to keep it. No, I found out 2 days later he sold it for more while I was going to the bank for the cash.

When I buy a vehicle, I study the seller as closely as I study the vehicle. You can learn a lot about a car from the owner. If the owner seems unreliable, then there is a fair chance the vehicle will be as well. 

some dude pulled that crap on me once..  He said someone wanted to drive over and look at the CRX I was going to buy, for more than I agreed to pay him.  I was in my truck at the time, driving to his place with a pocket full of cash.  I told him exactly that and asked if he wanted me to keep driving or turn around.  He sheepishly asked me to keep driving.

Selling stuff on Facebook marketplace is a little better, but it still stinks.  I've been posting a lot of free stuff lately and will not hold it for anyone.  I've been so burnt by it in the past.. 

I just have the time to be running around looking for deals..  I guess I've reached that level of age/affulence..

I don't know if I would totally bail, if it is a semi rare car I would go look but certainly be prepared for the worst. There seems to be way more flakes nowadays.  I was trying to buy a parts car a few years ago. Found a reasonable candidate,  typical CL pic of car through screen of 2nd floor, high price but not insane. I go look at it , tell the seller it is the 1st car I'm looking at and tell him it's worth $500 to me but he says no, full price not budging. I say I will get back to him. Two weeks later he has dropped the price a little and I haven't found anything better. Make an appointment to go do a serious look at it, drive 2 hours and he is not home. Have his cell, check and he says I can look it over without him there and he will head home. I check it out further and find a few things I missed the first trip. But over all it had enough of what I needed. He had started at $900 and dropped the price to $750 between the first and second visits.  I told him I am still at $500 and this time  I had my trailer with me. He got pissed and said it was a $1000 car. Wished him good luck and went on my way. A half hour later he calls me back and says he will do $600. I'm already on the highway, no thanks. An hour and half later he calls to say he'll take $500. Too bad, I'm almost home. It was listed for at least a few more months after, wonder if it ever sold or he just gave up. 

I'd be turned off by that as well.

But more than a decade ago I was already tired of CL and the like. So I'd sell stuff dirt cheap to local club/forum members, give it away, or trash it.

pointofdeparture said:

In reply to Shadeux (Forum Supporter) :

"what's the lowest you'll take"

I hate this line and I don't say hate a lot. I either respond with "What's the most your willing to pay?" Or a really close to asking price amount. If I already posted a screaming deal to get rid of the item and wrote firm multiple times in the description I'll say a number higher than what's posted. 
 

Also don't like being asked if I'm accepting trades. Only trade accepted is the USD. 
 

When it comes to people that are flaky when I'm trying to buy a deal. If I can't arrange a time to meet in a few messages or get some lame excuses I give up immediately and look for the next guy with a deal. 

People just don't have respect for others time. Nobody honors their word ( expect for GRM of course).

Just last week I had an item (not a car ) on FB listed. Guy made arrangements to pick up the next day. An hour later I got another interested party and after I told them it was pending pick up the next day they offered me double the price to pick it up that same night. I refused to go against my word and pretty much gave them me a piece of my mind.

If you can't keep your word your a piece of crap!

Ah yeah, its terrible. I'm lucky enough to have a little shopping center near me that's walking distance. If I've got a car posted I've given people that address and just park the car over there. Mostly had good luck just chilling at home and if tell them to text when they're close. If they do I'll walk up, if not grab if later.

Also for cheap items especially now. I'll just leave something outside on a bench by the end of the driveway. Tell them it's there and either PayPal me or leave cash in the mailbox. I can keep tabs out the window and haven't had anything stolen yet.

When selling a $4,000 item I have gotten the texts that say nothing more than " $1,800? “

Sometimes they might get wordy and actually say," would you take $1,800?"

My answer is, “yes, that's an acceptable down payment but how soon until you pay me the rest?" 

If they ask if I take trades, I might humor them and say, "what ya got?". Mostly, I think the trade question is a test to see if you are a dealer posing as a owner. 

When asked the lowest I'll go by a person who has never seen or driven the car my response is, "what's the reason you think it's not worth $4k?". They rarely come back with an answer. I suspect the answer has more to do with they don't have enough money to buy something this nice. They might answer that they only have $2k to spend. If so I'll just kindly decline. 

z31maniac said:

I'd be turned off by that as well.

But more than a decade ago I was already tired of CL and the like. So I'd sell stuff dirt cheap to local club/forum members, give it away, or trash it.

This. Or I'll post well below market value to start with just to lure someone in with cash.