Skruffy's top ten most infuriating things you find in a craigslist ad

In reply to wheelsmithy:

tell us how you really feel

JThw8 wrote: Trying to discuss price on a car you haven't personally evaluated is just a big circle jerk. How can you honestly make a fair offer on a car you havent checked out in person?

+1

I think the triple-listed Esprit S4 I just found qualifies, what with its owner misspelling the words "altenator" and "timming." Maybe it makes it sound more British? But it does have a picture of James Bond included, so it must be quality.

I'd like to know how somebody registered a '93 Delta Integrale in Florida, because I'm skeptical on that one. I had to chuckle when I read that description - "most rarest."

Oh, and do a search for "Ultima." You won't find any GT-Rs, just an embarrassingly large number of Nissan owners unable to spell the name of their own car. But what do I know, I don't own a Nissan Ultima, just a Jeep Wriggler.

i actually had a positive CL experience today selling. i listed a truck bed for sale, clean as can be. the guy emailed and i called him back, he came by with his truck, looked at the bed, we talked a few minutes and he is friends with a buddy of mine that owns a towing company. he said lets load it up and pulled out cash in a wad the exact size of my asking price.

that is my second CL sale ever. the first was 3 years ago, a guy was in my area and wanted a spoiler. i couldnt be home so i left it on the hood of my truck and he left $10 on the front seat for me.

every other attempt has sucked.

i had a guy a couple weeks ago show up for wheels. they were everything he wanted, size, good tires, etc... he was ready to pay after talking for 20 minutes. then i glanced at his truck and noticed he had a 5 lug truck and these wheels were 6 lugs, he even counted. he said "no those are just caps i think there are 6 lugs under there" - DOH! i could have let him go with the wheels but i popped his cap off for him and showed him he has 5 lugs.

JThw8 wrote: I played the game once on purpose to have fun with it since every looser on CL wants to negotiate without seeing the car.

Intentionally screwing people over on craigslist means you go on the list of things that piss me off about craigslist.

MrJoshua wrote:

JThw8 wrote: I played the game once on purpose to have fun with it since every looser on CL wants to negotiate without seeing the car.

Intentionally screwing people over on craigslist means you go on the list of things that piss me off about craigslist.

I was more than happy to let a buyer view the car before making an offer. I specifically told them this when they called. But I also told them if they wished to make an offer sight unseen I was unwilling to renegotiate when they came to get the car.

I did not intentionally screw anyone over and the buyer was happy with the car. He got a running driving honda for $400, he didnt loose out. The ad that was posted focused on everything that was wrong with the car and did not paint it in a flattering manner in any way. I was very upfront that it was a POS but you put a cheap honda on CL and you will get calls until you just take the phone off the hook. I had 21 calls in the first hour. The car was sold within that hour.

MrJoshua wrote:

JThw8 wrote: I played the game once on purpose to have fun with it since every looser on CL wants to negotiate without seeing the car.

Intentionally screwing people over on craigslist means you go on the list of things that piss me off about craigslist.

The fact that you pointed out the irony, and he still doesn't get it makes it that much funnier... or sadder, I'm not sure which.

Your post was written in the tone that all people who negotiate over the phone are idiots. Actually I think the term was "sorry loser". You stated this was a $100 at best Honda and you got $400. Now you say he got a great deal. You cant say you pulled a good one on all the craigslist shiny happy people in one post and then play good guy in another. People who negotiate over the phone may bother you, but negotiating over the phone has a place. You can use it to determine if the person is firm or flexible on price, you can prevent a 3 hour trip for nothing, you can figure out whether you are talking about a good deal or a E36 M3ty one. If there are several of the same model on craigslist, the guy who gives me the best deal over the phone is getting the visit. If the vehicle is as he described on the phone I will give him what I offered. I think the issue is Proper communication in every step of the process.

Bottom line is he got the deal he wanted, he never complained about it once it was done so it was a good deal for him.

And yes, sorry, but the majority of mouth breathers cruising CL are idiots. Making offers over the phone is wasting my time and yours since you could be offering more than the car is worth if you haven't seen it. All I did was give folks a chance to hang themselves with their own rope. The guy (buyer 2) who pulled in the driveway as buyer 1 was trying to renegotiate had offered me $300 on the phone and if buyer 1 walked away I would have taken the $300.

Certainly you can discuss price over the phone but trying to negotiate a final deal, unless you are willing to back it up with a deposit on the spot is wasting my time. I have yet to meet anyone who makes an offer on the phone who doesnt try to renegotiate the offer when they come to see the car in person. Blind offers are just that, blind offers, you are taking a chance on a car you havent seen. And Im not talking about people who are being educated buyers and asking questions and trying to determine worth. The majority of phone offers call up, ask if the car is still there and then offer 50% of the asking price, no questions about the car condition, just trying to feel out how much of a lowball you will tolerate.

Sure this approach will turn off buyers, but the serious buyers understand and I have yet to not make a sale when it mattered, over 110 cars come and gone to date (granted not all through CL) I'll put up with alienating a few to minimize dealing with the tire kickers, and time wasters. If a caller expressed an educated interest with specific questions I will work with them, especially if there is distance involved, but that is not the case with 90% of respondents.

I've bought plenty of cars long distance, I got the information I needed up front and yes, I made offers over the phone, but I backed those offers with a deposit and when I went to pick up the car it was with the understanding the dealing was over and I was there to pick it up. Too many people think the price they negotiate on the phone is just the new jumping off point when they arrive in person.

JThw8 > MrJoshua on this one.

perhaps only on this one subject, but yeah, that's my opinion. everyone who's ever offered me a price over the phone has tried to use that price as the new jumping off point. they suck, and they should hang from their own rope.

one jackass offered me $2k for rusty the miata, while it was on eBay, and drove 3.5 hours the next day to pick it up. he showed up and drove the car, then offered me $1600. i told him to get the berkeley out of my car. he says in broken chinglish "i drive so far, my wife angry if i not get car." so i said "maybe mama-san have four hundred dolla you borrow."

JThw8 wrote: Certainly you can discuss price over the phone but trying to negotiate a final deal, unless you are willing to back it up with a deposit on the spot is wasting my time.

I think this is what it comes down to for most people. If you're listing a car for $800 and I only have $500, I'm going to check to see if you'll be willing to negotiate so I don't waste my time and yours. That's not to say I'll make a final offer over the phone, but I don't want to show up to look at a car that I can't afford.

skruffy wrote: 5. No description at all "'89 BMW sedan, runs good" Seriously? That's it? No price or anything?

How about THIS one: part's or whole - $1000 (stamford)

I guess at least they did identify it as a CAR in the body of the ad. Apparently, color is all you need to know, in their world.

And what the hell is up with listing a phone number in the ad and then not answering the phone. I mean, NOT ONE person has answered the number in the ads I have called over the last week. One guy, who I have been trying to reach for a couple of days now, evidently never answers his phone and his voicemail is full, so you can't even leave a message (plus he has multiple ads for different items). Amazing.

I would simply ask if a price is negotiable over the phone. If they say firm and I've got/am willing to spend a good chunk less, then I probably won't be showing up to look at the car. I don't use numbers over the phone, unless they might ask me what I've got to spend.

The thing that probably needs some clarification as well is Im not talking about serious buyers negotiating over the phone. I'm talking about the hoardes of CL idiots who will call/email and say "I'll give you $xxx" Where $xxx is about 1/2 of the posted price. Not any questions about condition, not a discussion about the car, just people out fishing for a cheap deal.

I've sold cars to buyers across the internet without showing the car and I know those kind of deals happen and work with them. I've bought my share of cars sight unseen as well. But blind offers just to "test the waters" are most times a complete waste of time. Truly interested buyers aren't making blind offers, they are asking educated questions and making an offer based on comparable vehicles and established values. I will always work with an educated and genuinely interested buyer. But on CL that is about 2% of the total responses.