I love Craigslist, I hate Craigslist

mfennell - maybe he asked enough questions to determine what you were selling was not what he wanted to buy? I agree there are plenty of impulse buyers out there with more money than sense, and I suppose they would be the preferred buyer... i'm not not one of them, haha.

and just to be clear, I'm not referring to dumb, nit-picky questions. But if your ad just says "car trailer for sale" without any other info, and then I ask the size of the trailer, how old it is, and if you have the title... I don't think that's being unreasonable, haha.

markwemple wrote: Agreed. I always say I never negotiate by email, only in person. In certain situations, I will by phone if they are a long way away and give off the right vibe. By that, I mean they can, for instance, say porsch-a correctly. That one REALLY PISSES ME OFF!

I prefer to negotiate before I come in person on vehicles more than a few grand or so, especially if I'm a long distance away. I don't feel the need to waste my time or the sellers if we won't be able to come together on price. If the seller is a little weird about it, or the sale is shakey for whatever reason then I generally come in person and deal in cash. I also prefer to communicate through email or text because, honestly, some people just like to stay on the phone too long and I don't. I just bought my new to me used diesel k3500 from a large ford dealership. Other than the initial call to ask for specific pictures, and the original owners contact information, the entire deal was done via text until I drove the 400 miles to see the truck in person and sign the papers. It works great for me because a lot of the time during the work day I'm on conf calls or in meetings so can't be on the phone, but can email.

I've owned several Porsches, have three now, and could not give one E36 M3 how they pronounce it and long as they have the cash to get the deal done. Hell half the people in the PCA don't pronounce it correctly.

EVEN HAPPIER ENDING !

After a year of inactivity, we brought it to a vintage race and made a conditional sale for what we had in it, to a friend of a friend, to be paid as soon as he sold his similar car or a couple of motorcycles.

Yep, four months later, had to go repossess it (by mutual agreement) because his stuff hadn't sold.

BUT WAIT, THERE"S MORE !

Finally sold it on bringatrailer.com auctions... two committed bidders dueled it out... sale result WAY beyond expectations.

VERY HAPPY ENDING INDEED !  So I went out and bought several more project cars !

Been trying to sell a hft tool chest... It's almost unused, way less cash than new.

I made sure to list "ad will be removed the same day it's sold". My mistake thinking people on Craigslist could read I guess...  

Out of 20 emails everyone is a not even close low ball or "is it still for sale? [Derpderp]". Had the same guy offer 3 separate low ball offers lower each time.... I said no the first offer he made at that.

CL advertising is worth exactly what I pay for it.

I am about to list my S10, and am dreading the process that will result.  It is super clean, full maintenance done, no rust (in Ohio none the less), 66k miles, but I expect the CL buying public will think that equates to $579.  Uggggggg.

I usually have pretty good success buying stuff, but selling is a nightmare. I've never been so pissed that I set fire to the item in my own driveway though.  Dusterbd, I'm looking at you. 

I use CL all the time ive bought probably 60 vehicles in the last three years

I always show up with my trailer and cash so they know im serious

I have taken my trailer as far as 200 miles away only to come back empty handed looking for something else to buy on the way home!

As far as selling ive had good success i just price accordingly say a truck that kbb says is worth 7k that im into for 3-3500 ill price it at 65ish knowing i would take 55 but they offer you 6 and you him and haw and agree!

I've had a couple of typical CL experiences this year. I monitor the Daytona Beach and Orlando Boat listings.

The first one was a cheap fishing boat that I thought would work well for taking my family out on scalloping trips.

Ad had been posted for a while, so I check to see if it was for sale. Get a reply, yes. Immediately reply to get some details. No reply.

A couple of hours go by, I send another text. "I'm still interested."

The next reply is classic Craigslist: Boyfriend's in jail, doesn't want to take that little amount of money for the boat. Would rather sit in jail then have bail money. Also, doesn't have the key, the key is at another guy's house in another town, and the only person who knows how to start it without the key is the boyfriend.

Only good thing about this one is I didn't go to look at it. Even though it turns out the boat wasn't actually for sale, (and I'm sure there would have been title issues) they continued to leave the ad up for at least another week.

I was looking for a small trailer for my canoe. Came across a listing for a 12 foot jon boat with motor and trailer for $800.

Since a lot of the trailers are running around 500 I figured I'd go take a look. I can always flip the boat, and maybe the motor would work on my canoe.

Text seller, determined that he does have the title. Set up appointment to come look at the boat. Get there, everything checks out, agree to sellers price.

Turns out that he had just bought the boat, the title is not in his name. My fault, for forgetting to ask. Getting cold feet at this point, but then I had to point out to him that the title's not even for the same boat. 

I honestly don't think the kid even knew that he got the wrong title.

Right now, the annoying part is getting sellers to actually respond...

Jere said:

I made sure to list "ad will be removed the same day it's sold". My mistake thinking people on Craigslist could read I guess...

Not saying that they could, but... a day, at least around here, has 24 hours. If you sold something at 8AM and plan to remove the ad the same day, say, at 10PM, an "Is it still available?" question at 7Pm is very valid. 

I know that I'm technically correct, the best kind of correct. 

PS. Since the ad itself is never sold, "ad will be removed the same day it's sold" means that the ad will never be removed, btw. Damn, I'm even more technically correct than initially suspected. 

PS. Just kidding, of course. But Craigslist is... ummm... a necessary evil. Look, I sell (not cars) for a living. So I learned not to pay attention to idiots on both sides. It's slightly healthier this way. I also learned to deal with people. Like not negotiating via emails, unless it's a special circumstance and the guy at least can get on a phone. Like not buyingg a product, but buying a seller. Like... well... common sense. 

EastCoastMojo said:

I usually have pretty good success buying stuff, but selling is a nightmare. I've never been so pissed that I set fire to the item in my own driveway though.  Dusterbd, I'm looking at you. 

You know, it feels good to be an example.  

Unfortunately, im a good example of a bad way to behave.....

But grateful to be a legend in my own mind!

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Think I wanna hear this story.

In reply to untchabl :

From page 25 of the Today I Learned thread:

Dusterbd13 said:

Today i learned that Facebook marketplace is significantly worse than craigslist.

I also learned that im the guy that will set E36 M3 on fire in his own driveway to prove a point to a mouthbreathing inbred moron about demanding that i take 1/5 of my asking price because "that's all its worth, bro!"

I feel justified.

I also learned that in this town intentionally setting a riding mower on fire in your driveway constitutes violation of burning laws, and they fine you without the correct permit.

I was unable to learn what permit i need to have to do these kinds of things.

In addition, i learned that i need more zen and peace of mind.

Hopefully you have found more zen and peace of mind. This is still one of my favorite mental images from the internet though 

In reply to einy :

Or a chucked ps3 and 4 years worth of Madden. Mint except for the cat piss.  

EastCoastMojo said:

In reply to untchabl :

From page 25 of the Today I Learned thread:

Dusterbd13 said:

Today i learned that Facebook marketplace is significantly worse than craigslist.

I also learned that im the guy that will set E36 M3 on fire in his own driveway to prove a point to a mouthbreathing inbred moron about demanding that i take 1/5 of my asking price because "that's all its worth, bro!"

I feel justified.

I also learned that in this town intentionally setting a riding mower on fire in your driveway constitutes violation of burning laws, and they fine you without the correct permit.

I was unable to learn what permit i need to have to do these kinds of things.

In addition, i learned that i need more zen and peace of mind.

Hopefully you have found more zen and peace of mind. This is still one of my favorite mental images from the internet though 

Well, still working on the zen and peace of mind.  Had a stress induced hospitalization that really made me step up my game.

I go shooting a lot more now. It helps.

I feel your pain. I emailed a seller about a used bicycle for sale. The seller put his phone number in the ad saying with preference for call or text. I've called/texted/emailed them with no luck 

CL is most certainly hit or miss.   Therefore, target practice is a good thing.   Hope you're feeling better Duster.

EastCoastMojo said:

In reply to untchabl :

From page 25 of the Today I Learned thread:

Dusterbd13 said:

Today i learned that Facebook marketplace is significantly worse than craigslist.

I also learned that im the guy that will set E36 M3 on fire in his own driveway to prove a point to a mouthbreathing inbred moron about demanding that i take 1/5 of my asking price because "that's all its worth, bro!"

I feel justified.

I also learned that in this town intentionally setting a riding mower on fire in your driveway constitutes violation of burning laws, and they fine you without the correct permit.

I was unable to learn what permit i need to have to do these kinds of things.

In addition, i learned that i need more zen and peace of mind.

 

I love this story.  I now know I'm not alone in feeling this way about haggling with "buyers....."

200mph said:

EVEN HAPPIER ENDING !

After a year of inactivity, we brought it to a vintage race and made a conditional sale for what we had in it, to a friend of a friend, to be paid as soon as he sold his similar car or a couple of motorcycles.

Yep, four months later, had to go repossess it (by mutual agreement) because his stuff hadn't sold.

BUT WAIT, THERE"S MORE !

Finally sold it on bringatrailer.com auctions... two committed bidders dueled it out... sale result WAY beyond expectations.

VERY HAPPY ENDING INDEED !  So I went out and bought several more project cars !

So what was it??????????

Since this thread was started we now have "facebook marketplace."  What I don't like about the facebook marketplace is that facebook decided to put some pre-canned messages for buyers to use when they contact you.

So the most commonly used one is "Is this item still available?"  It's like someone at facebook was like, "You know what really works well...it's those Nigerian scams.  How can we make all of our users have the ability to experience what's it's like to be part of a Nigerian email scam?  Oh...I got it, We'll put vague, annoying questions as pre-canned messages to sellers."

I've got a house for rent on Craigslsit and facebook marketplace.  When you ask me "Is this item still available" or "I'm interested in this item" you get no response.

The nice thing about facebook marketplace for renting a house is that you can quickly go to the interested party's profile and find out a little bit about them.   I'm not kidding on this one:  Yesterday I got an "I'm interested in this item" message.  I went to the person's profile and find that a few months back the person's mother posted a general FYI that the person had been incarcerated, and instructions on how they can be contacted through the correctional system.  Classic!

Another would-be renter with the same "I'm interested in this item" response had lots of "life's too short..." and "I don't give a berk" type childish posts.  Well...as a landlord, I pretty much want to rent to people who give a hoot ... about things like holding a job and paying rent.  So, there's that.  

I use both facebook and craigslist regularly to buy and sell stuff.  When it comes down to it, if you want to play the game, you get to experience a lot of this frustrating stuff.  I take it in stride, keep track of some of the funnier stories (and get way too frustrated by some of them), and keep on wheeling and dealing.  

I occasionally browsed the "free" CL adds just to see whats out there. I stopped when I saw the "Queen size mattress with some staining" .......

ClemSparks said:

Since this thread was started we now have "facebook marketplace."

I have never seen a single solitary vehicle ad on Facebook Marketplace that didn't look like a scam.

The Facebook Marketplace makes Craigslist look like a Loyd's of London auction.

In reply to ultraclyde :

Hahaha!