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Dec. 21, 2008 7:26 p.m. PHeller Reader
So I'm searching for a new car to replace my ZX2, and I'm struggling to find something fun, economical, and priced reasonably.
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I find this:
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"1989 Honda Civic STD 4 spd. Chassis has 230,000 miles on it. White in color and amazing gas mileage 40 mpg. Runs and drives perfectly

the motor was completely rebuilt professionally and at the same time I had a clutch, pressure plate, and the flywheel resurfaced at 195,000 miles

Brand new battery and alternator installed 11-2-08

4 lightly used snow tires installed in summer of 08

Interior is rough looking but everything is there and in working condition (Tan color)

the car does have lowering coilovers installed and can be adjusted to stock ride height if requested by purchaser

asking $2,000.00 obo and all reasonable offers will be considered. call me at (717)701-2431 or email me at Civicboy93@hotmail.com"

I email the guy, asking for pictures and receipts of work done, and what kind of coilovers the car has.

He responds with a few pictures of a stock looking (not lowered) 1989 Civic hatch with rust around the rear arches and says

"they are ebay coilovers and I dont keep receipts my accountant gets the bills and pays them"

Now granted, the pictures he sent are before any work was performed...but even so...I guess people just assume the because it's a Civic, it's worth a fortune...with or without proof of work done.
Dec. 21, 2008 8:17 p.m. Datsun1500 HalfDork

Anyone with the email of Civicboy93 does not have an accountant that pays the bills, he means his Mom....
Dec. 21, 2008 8:34 p.m. Stuc HalfDork

Hmm... yea... annoying, but I was cleaning my house 2 nights ago for guests coming in the next day when my plastic Wal-mart vacuum ate its belt. Well, luckily I had one extra so I changed it. Then it died again... belt was fine, wouldn't start for anything.

Hopped on craigslist at 9:45 PM, found a Sanitaire by Electrolux $400+ vacuum less than a year old with all paperwork, extra belts and bags for $75. Called up, picked it up, couldn't be happier. Finished vacuuming that night and my carpet is the cleanest its ever been. I love CL
Dec. 21, 2008 9:10 p.m. HiTempguy Reader

but even so...I guess people just assume the because it's a Civic, it's worth a fortune...with or without proof of work done.

That civic with a blown motor would be asking $2k for it here People are retards here, a 20+ year old car that runs but is a beater is not worth $2000+ dollars and ANY vehicle with a blown motor that isn't newer then 10 years old is worth squat!
Dec. 21, 2008 10:54 p.m. fornetti14 New Reader

People are idiots on CL and you just have to deal with them LOL. Wait until you sell something! I swear most of the general public is just crazy.
Dec. 22, 2008 9:28 a.m. DILYSI Dave PowerDork

I bought my wife's Christmas Present last night via CL. I'm pleased with it right now.
Dec. 22, 2008 10:21 a.m. ClemSparks UberDork

It's not just craigslist. It's any classified ads and used stuff. That's just the way it goes.

I just laugh about the funny storied I obtain through my CL dealings.

I'm still "laughing" about the one where a guy threatened all sorts of stuff over a wrecked miata I was selling.

Clem
Dec. 22, 2008 10:29 a.m. Salanis SuperDork

Craigslist is a bunch of mixed nuts. But you can figure out pretty early on what sort of person you're dealing with. Whenever I make contact with someone who responds promptly and provides complete information and works to actually schedule a meeting, they always end up being a good buyer/seller.
Dec. 22, 2008 1:07 p.m. internetautomart SuperDork

derekshannon wrote:

Many sellers are idiots and many buyers are WORSE.

I recently sold my 1994 Chevy S10 Blazer 4x4, 4.3 with 130,000 miles, ran PERFECTLY, had good tires, very recent tune up, new fuel tank and pump (which were replaced for the price of labor only!). Bottom of front doors had rust but I was throwing in the repair panels for free! etc, etc.

I put it on CL for $400.00 and said "You can come over, start it up, put your plate on it and drive it home and go 4 wheeling on the way. This truck needs NOTHING but I bought a new car so I don't need it."

A owned it for 2 years and I only paid $200.00 back then so it was like being paid $200.00 to drive a truck around for two years.

You cannot fathom the amount of people that offered me $100.00, asked to take it to thier mechanic, told me they'd come get it with a ramp and scrap it and give me $50.00!

I basically told everyone that I'd drive it off a cliff before I took less than $400.00 for a great-running/driving 4-door 4x4. And I also asked the girl that wanted to take it to a mechanic what he could possible find wrong with it besides the fact that I wasn't asking $1,000.

if it had the vortec motor, I can't blame them for low balling. I despise the early motors.
I am looking for one with a TBI myself.
I do need to get rid of this pathfinder first though
Dec. 22, 2008 1:25 p.m. EricM Reader

got my darth Vader edition PSP on CL.

Crack ho needed to make rent so I got it for next to nothing.
Dec. 22, 2008 1:32 p.m. BBsGarage HalfDork

So e-mail him back asking if his Mom kept the receipts after she paid for it.

have some fun!!!!
Dec. 22, 2008 1:47 p.m. joey48442 Dork

I had good luck with my latest Escort. They wanted 1300 or so for it, but the listing was a month old. Emailed them, asking what the lowest they would go if it was still around, and they said 800. I said Im coming to get it...

Joey
Dec. 22, 2008 2:19 p.m. Type Q HalfDork

derekshannon wrote:

internetautomart wrote:

if it had the vortec motor, I can't blame them for low balling. I despise the early motors.
I am looking for one with a TBI myself.
I do need to get rid of this pathfinder first though

Trust me, these people had NO IDEA what a Vortec was. And most people in the 4x4 community seem to like the Vortecs. They get swapped into Jeeps, Toyotas and Suzuki's and all kinds of sandrails/dunebuggies. They can't be as bad as you claim.

I mean come on, man. $400.00 for a daily driver 4x4 that needs nothing? Don't tell me you're one of those people too.

I'll bet if you relist it for $1000 you'd get rid of it quicker. People are really funny with their perception of value. My guess is that in the minds of these people a $400 car MUST have something serious wrong with it. However a $1000 car that they negotiate down to $600 is killer deal.
Dec. 22, 2008 2:35 p.m. pete240z HalfDork

derekshannon wrote:

I recently sold my 1994 Chevy S10 Blazer 4x4, 4.3 with 130,000 miles, ran PERFECTLY, had good tires, very recent tune up, new fuel tank and pump (which were replaced for the price of labor only!). Bottom of front doors had rust but I was throwing in the repair panels for free! etc, etc.

We had a 1994 S10 4-door 4x4 that I loved. It was the last year of the box shape, which is sorely missed by me.

I sold my Datsun 310GX for $400 and got the same arguements.

"Why did you have a trickle charger on the battery?" Because it has been sitting for a while.....

After arguing I told him to go buy a new car for $12,000 (at the time) and then he gave me the $400.
Dec. 22, 2008 2:37 p.m. GregTivo Reader

I had a harder time selling a farily rust free (ish) 1983 BMW 533i that I drove from Atlanta to New York to New Orleans to Houston on CL (asking $500, stating A/C didn't work and a strut needed replacement) than I did selling a 1981 Datsun 280ZX (asking $400) that I could put both feet through the floor, overheated if I drove it more than 4 miles and smelled of old shoe. That got snapped up in a hurry whereas I ended up selling the bimmer for $350.
Dec. 22, 2008 11:38 p.m. jrtech New Reader

Type Q wrote:

I'll bet if you relist it for $1000 you'd get rid of it quicker. People are really funny with their perception of value. My guess is that in the minds of these people a $400 car MUST have something serious wrong with it. However a $1000 car that they negotiate down to $600 is killer deal.

Yep I put my both of my cars on CL for a song and no one would bite. (91 GVR4 and 96 Probe GT, both 2k) I jack up the price a few hundred dollars and all of the sudden the email box is full. The guy who bought the Galant couldn't believe the price on it, and said that for the money he didn't expect a descent car... I sold it for 2200 same as Probe.

WTF happened to the value of cars? Don't even get me started on other Fox body owners...

I was born 30 years too late.
Dec. 22, 2008 11:41 p.m. wherethefmi2000 Reader

jrtech wrote:

Type Q wrote:

I'll bet if you relist it for $1000 you'd get rid of it quicker. People are really funny with their perception of value. My guess is that in the minds of these people a $400 car MUST have something serious wrong with it. However a $1000 car that they negotiate down to $600 is killer deal.

Yep I put my both of my cars on CL for a song and no one would bite. (91 GVR4 and 96 Probe GT, both 2k) I jack up the price a few hundred dollars and all of the sudden the email box is full. The guy who bought the Galant couldn't believe the price on it, and said that for the money he didn't expect a descent car... I sold it for 2200 same as Probe.

WTF happened to the value of cars? Don't even get me started on other Fox body owners...

I was born 30 years too late.

Ok so 2k for both my SHO's instead of 500 and they'll sell?
Dec. 23, 2008 10:56 p.m. jrtech New Reader

^Generally that's the rule.

"If it's too good to be true, then it probably is."
Dec. 24, 2008 1:13 a.m. 92dxman Reader

I just sold my exercise bike within 1 day of posting for $25. Guy picked it up tonight as I bought my bike trainer for $60 and picked it up earlier this afternoon. Pretty close to snagging a beater bike to turn into a fixed gear for $25.. I think I like this Craigslist dealie!
Dec. 24, 2008 7:55 a.m. kreb Dork

Not wanting to deal with hagglers, I gave away a kitchen table and chairs for free. The guy who picked it up acted like he was doing me a favor. Six months later I'm at a friend's house, and there's my kitchen set! my friend tells me he got a bargain on it - only $200!

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