Clueless Buyers with cash, Firm means Firm

Last fall I had my 5-W for sale for a very reasonable $39.K it did not sell so I took it off the market, made a few major changes spending about $7.K further.
This past Sunday, I learned another car I have interest in had the price lowered $5.K. So I put a quick ad on a local website advertising my 5-W for a quick sale of $35.K FIRM, NO TRADES.

Monday evening at about 7:30 pm.I got a call from an older gentleman who was quite sincere and wanted to see the car A.S.A.P. and if I would agree he would leave right away on a 5 hour trip to get to my place. I agreed and he arrived at my garage at 2:30 am. I showed him the car and he was very happy saying it was better than expected and that this was his dream car for over 20 years and his search was over after travelling all over southern Ontario for 2 years looking.
We agreed that I would deliver it in my trailer for $500. that is a 10 hour round trip.

After all this he lays out $33.K cash saying the only problem is this is all the money I have and cant raise any more. I was really pissed off and asked him if he had read the
ad about the firm price, he said yes but cash talks. I was fuming. but managed to keep my cool.

I then said well I am going back to bed, and our business is done here and be carefull driving home. End of conversation, I showed him the door and locked the garage.

WTF, goes on these days how do you make a deal, then try to short change the seller because you have the cash on the table . Is this how it is done these days? Why would someone drive 10 hours in the middle of the night then go to work the next day, when you dont have sufficient funds to make the deal ?

 

Wow that sucks, Can't believe a guy would go that far without at least asking you if you would take less first! These are crazy times! Good luck!

 

Good for you!

 

I've found that because the market is not what it was a lot of buyers will offer less, or try to "deal" because they feel everyone is hurting for cash and in turn, everyone will JUMP at whatever offer is placed in front of them.
Not every one is as hard up as people may think..
Had it happen many times with both the 53 and the 32's i had listed.
I don't deal well with that mentality, so i just move on to the next tire kicker.
I had my 53 SOLD to a guy on this board only waiting to have the funds transferred and details for the pick up arranged, and had it happen..life go's on.

Tony

 

he probably figured after all that you would lay down for it...what a crock...shakes head.. I guess it takes all kinds eh? If it were me I would have done the deal on the phone instead of assuming someone would just give in to whatever my whim was at the moment. The thing is, if he could manage to put together $33k, I can't believe he couldn't put his hands on 2 grand more

 

You did the right thing.. That's all you could do.. Shame on him...........

 

ive had that happen,,not on a big ticket item like that, but similar ,,first the email you,"what the bottom dollar ca$h?" you name the price ,they argee to look at it, then on scene 'they' forget the bottom dollar and then start the negotioations again in a whole new "bottem dollar" negoiation,,,,

 

All five of the previous posters are my kind of guys as they will pay my asking price without any questions! Cash talks and bullshit walks, get over it.

 

although I agree that coming out with less cash on a car like that is a lack of good taste and judgement, I have to kinda laugh too... it seems like every thread on the hamb about "what do you think it is worth" has numerous posts about bringing cash and flashing less than the price under the sellers nose. Numerous people seem to agree with the posts. I think it is just the nature of "people".

 

,,naw,,,your the kinda guy we despise,,lol,,,shit is shit,,good is good,,,didnt kenny rogers teach you anything??? geez,,,,,some cheapskates always lookin for a deal to FLIP..,,i say fuck em,,kiss my ass,,,if i price something to sell(which is not that often) its gonna because i wanna sell, and not sit on it for 6 months to a year,,,my sale prices are better than retail! ....you try and talk me down,,then i dont care if you buy it or not,,seriously,,,

 

Is it the nature of people to drive for 10 hours round trip to satisfy their need to screw some one on a deal.

 

I think you handled it about right, especially telling him to have a nice drive home. The seller has the right to say no, no matter what the reason. Most of the people that pull shit like that are scalpers looking to turn it for a fast buck at your expense. If you are buying a Deuce, an extra 2 grand doesn't mean much if it a nice car and what you want. You don't find a nice Deuce 5W on every corner!

 

You should have told him you decided you really wanted $37k for it and you would split the difference with him.
I had a guy come to our furniture store, tell me he's been to 5-6 other stores and we were cheapest on the chair he wanted..." now, what kind of deal can you make me?"! Had to tell the boys at the coffee shop that he 'got us'. P.I.T.A.!

 

sad thing is,,somepeople will drive that far and NOT have any cash ,but just wanna look! hahahaha

 

Good for you. Serves him right.

 

I know a local guy that had a 35 ford project sedan for sale for several years for $4500. One day he got a call from a guy 12 hours away, was very interested, but the local guy had sold it several months earlier. Not to lose a buyer he stated I also have a finished fresh 35 five window, SBF, Red, Leather, wires etc.etc. for 65. The man on the phone said send some pics, three days later he calls and say I'll take it if you deliver it for the price. Local guy says OK, they set a date, lines up a friends trailer, readies his truck. Gets a call the day before and the guy says the wife put a stop to the deal. He's bummed, another few days pass the guy calls, says the deal is back on, wife OK'd. Local guy said well you need to send me a 1000 cash deposit and 64000 cash when I show up. Buyer said what!, I thought you wanted $6500!. Talk about a disconnect, and can you imagine had he showed up 12 hours later and the guy was only prepared to spend $6500......Turns out the guy was a little older and hard of hearing..

 

Lets see, What if he offered ............ 33 cash, or a check for 35?

 

Good One, Your making me feel better already, I knew I could count on the HAMB for a pick me up to forget the A-Hole. Thanks.

 

They say, it's better to ask forgiveness, than permission.

 

Now see there's where I'm an ass hole. I was thinking you were asking 35, he hands you 33, and you show him the door???????? Wow-that's nuckin futs!
Then I ponder further. Read your post over a couple of times.
Then it hits me-you have over 39 into it!!
See, that's the difference. If I were sellng my pos I'm presently working on for 35 and was offered 33 and didn't sell-I'D BE NUCKIN FUTS!
Pays to read it a post more than once!! lol

 

Say. frick em' cowboy agreed price. thats it. !!! ! lowballing go to hell in a hurry while you still got a chance. Stand Tall Bud..

 

is this a henry ford steel 32?,,if so, i can see you holding out,,if its a glass car,you shoulda took th emoney and run,.!

 

It is a steel 5-W with history dating back to 1969. I was also including the painted 4 fenders, running boards and nice original bumpers. Go figure.

 

this guy i hate the most ^^^^

cant belive he didnt have the other 2 g's on him.

 

What would you have said if the guy looked at the car and just said it's not what I am looking for? He's the guy who's out the 10 hour drive. The only fault I can find with his actions is that he negotiated for your delivery services knowing that he could not meet your asking price, that's not cool. Most of the cases that I have seen like this the buyer really does have the cash and after his first offer fails he will pull out the full amount. Never can tell, maybe he'll pull together the balance and be calling you back.

 

i was working in vancouver middle of winter and drive to vernon to look at a 58' impala and am told very nice, i get there 1am (have to be back in vancouver to work next morning) and it was a total piece of shit! your deal sounds just as fucked because your car sounds very nice, you were gonna deliver it mid winter for peanuts and to guy cries poverty at the last minute and the selling price was clearly disclosed before the guy came to see it. sounds like your gonna change a few things in your next ad. good luck!

 

fuck that dude! he thought you were desperate for money, the best part of the story is that he has to drive all the way home empty handed! good for you to show him the door! im sure he was kicking himself in the ass all the way home! you should have told him that you could take a 33grand deposit, and when he comes up with the rest, he can pick it up!

 

shit,,that reminded me of the time (not even a yr ago) me and my wife drove two hours in a thunderstorm(one way) to look at a CHERRY 64 ss impala on craigslist for 10k!!!,,we get there and i woudnt have offered the dude 3500, (he took some nice pics!),,,so i guess it goes both ways..

 

A couple years ago a friend of mine had a collector car for sale. He advertized it and a guy came out to see the car. The guy said he liked it but wanted his girlfriend to see it. They came out and drove the car. After three more times of test driving the car over a period of a couple weeks, the guy said he wanted the car but could not afford the $16K price and wanted to make an offer. He said he could only pay $10K as that's all the money he had saved up to buy a car. My friend quickly and loudly told the jerk to get off his property.

 

When I sell vehicles and have a firm price in mind before hanging up the phone with ANY prospective buyer the last thing I always say, "Don't bring a dime less than my selling price." The lookie loos don't show up and the serious ones bring a trailer. Just my 2 cents. Haha