Hauled a motor 200 miles & haggeled about price

I'm always amazed at the amount of flakes on Craigslist. When I meet someone who advertises on Craigslist to buy something they have actually THANKED me for not being a flake and for showing up.. I think that's pretty sad and says a lot about the public in general. However, there are a lot of good people buying and selling on Craigslist.. the struggle is weeding out the whackos. Not always easy to do. Sorry to hear about your transaction...

 

You're right to be pissed at yourself for agreeing to drive 200 miles to deliver a $250 item even if he paid you full price. His $30 haggle didn't rob you, you robbed yourself.

 

Ever watch the TV show Pawn Stars? You show up asking $250, and the jerk/loser/buyer says $200, the " old man " on the show would have quickly said, " O.K.- $300 deal!!!!!!!!!! " " Go write him up Chumley ".

 

That there sure does seem to be a lot of crying over spilled milk. Not to pick on anyone in particular but I'm going to use this post as an example.

It seems that people don't understand the term "firm" nor do they respect "fair market value." I use to run with a screw ball that made his living beating people down. He said to me one day, "The problem with you is you give 10k for a 10k car. You should be giving 10k for a 15k or 18k car. All you have to do is offer enough suckers the cash and someone will need it bad enough to take it" No doubt he always stole the car if he purchased it but I simply didn't have it in me to go to the lenghts he did to save or make a buck. I personally think such people are a crying shame to the hobby and to the human race. If the price is fair and its what I want I will pay the price. If the price is out of line and I want it I make my offer and explain why I'm offering less. My goal is not to offend or take advantage. If they can't come down because of what they have in it or I can't go up because it's not worth it; thats fine. It's my hobby not my living.

If the car was worth 15K someone would have paid it. When someone comes on here and asks "what's this worth" many answer "what someone will pay for it". 10K was all that someone would pay for the car so that is what it was worth.

I guess I just miss the point of all the bitching.

 

Yes, It's nice to win 1..I used to sell used cars at my repair shop and the "loser" would see the car in town every day...slow torture for not stepping up.

 

Maybe he had a $200 bill due yesterday in which case he did what he had to do.

 

I hope he drops it on his foot!

 

I'm just stubborn enough to take it back home and scrap it, before I'd give some A hole the satisfaction of beating me down on a done deal.

 

After 25+ years going to swap meets I can relate to almost every post.
"Beat down the becsue it was broken / defective" then not sell it..... worked..
I would never allow any one to " pile parts until later"... pay up now!
During some of the meets I would pick something as a free item.....
It was harder to giveaway something then to sell it.....Yes, it was marked free, take it, "how much do you want for it"....IT's FREE.....wow....I don't want to take it home.....
However, there are some GREAT guys I have met at swap meets...

 

I would have pushed it onto the ground and set it on fire first....

 

If I go to someone's house and look at their stuff, I'll always try to negotiate price. But if they have to come my way, there is an implied "I'll buy it at your price" contract, and I don't negotiate unles they have misrepresented.

 

Twenty years ago, guy calls me on an old ad in Trendsetter on a '50 Buick, 455, subframed running project.

I spend 30 minutes going over the car in detail, what was rebuilt, what was just used parts, what it needed, etc. (there were pics in the ad as well).

We agree on a price (I had actually quit ttrying to sell it 6 mo. prior, but was in the middle of a house remodel and the money would come in handy). He shows up from Texas with his entire family in a pickup, I drive the car out of the shop, he looks it over for about ten minutes and offers me a grand less than agreed! I told him the car runs good enough to back back into the shop, he says I have cash. I told him not enough evidently and backed the car in and locked up the shop.

I hope his wife chewed his ass all the way back to Texas. lol

 

Never take off work early or go out of your way to sell a car or parts. Learned my lesson trying to cater to tire kicking asshole spooks once.
If I'm selling, it's my rules at my convenience.

 

You took a nice ride, I would have told him to kiss my A*****S

 

Paypal me the $250 and I'll deliver it halfway, otherwise, brave me haggling on my own turf face to face when you get here.

Craigslist, I had pics listed, I told a guy on the phone I wanted $1500 firm for a car, he gets there and says "all I have is $1000."

Sometimes it takes all I have not to just grab them by the throat and shake them until their eyes roll back in their head.

 

Best comment ever!!! :-D

 

WOW- that's the longest sentance I've EVER read !

 

Jew jew jew jew jew jew Hmmmmm, ya know thats not a verb right?

haggle, negotiate, dicker and bargaining are verbs.

 

I woudn't drive any distance to deliver something that hasn't been paid for. that's just being a fool. I have found that if you don't give people a oppoutunity to screw you, then they don't.

 

X2...did the same thing but sold it for full price. Jeeeeez it was just $250 bucks for a running flattie.

 

I hate selling stuff now. Seems all I get are flakes and assholes. Here are a couple from just the last year.

50' Chevy pickup body with no tags - $400. Guy comes, looks at it and says he will take it if I deliver it. Says he is a half hour away. I tell him, sure since you are close, and he pays.

After I get home, I mapquest his address, and he's nearly 2 hours away with an hour and a half drive on the highway alone. Did he think I wouldn't notice? I told him to come pick it up, since he lied to me and had already paid. He gets all pissy, like I am being an asshole for not delivering it to him like I said I would when he is FOUR TIMES farther away than he originally said. After much arguing he paid for my time to deliver it. Come on, did he think I would never notice the extra distance after I loaded it up?

Jerkoff #2 - guy comes to look at a very decent 57' pontiac I was selling. All it needed was floor work. I immediately recognize him as being from a big name auto restoration place. All the car needed was an engine/trans and some floor work, and was a rare Laurentian 2 dr hardtop. The rest was very clean. Guy picks the car apart and then offers me half of what I was asking. I politely tell him I am not interested in his offer and he gets pissy, and tells me that when I call him in a month still with the car, the offer will be $500 less. I nicely ask him to get off my property. A guy from alberta buys the car a few days later for the asking price and drives out and picks it up here in toronto! Restoration shop guy calls me a week later and offers half of what I was asking again - I tell him, sorry I sold it for the asking price to someone else, and he calls me an asshole and hangs up.

#3 - I drove 5 hours to pick up a 57' Pathfinder deluxe after I sold the Laurentian. I asked the guy several times, how is the frame on the car. Frame is great he says. He wants to trade me for a ST10 I had and some cash, which was fine. Because the frame is good, I grab some good tires and the tow dolly and go down to get the car which is in Windsor. I get there and the car is a LOT rougher than the pictures show - with a badly rusted frame - the one part I asked him about several times. He looks at me and says "What? You wanted me to crawl on the ground and look at it?". Umm, yeah. I traded him the trans only and took it for parts. It was buildable, but too rough for me.

But every now and then, someone makes it easy and I feel good selling them the car.

The very same rusty 57' Pathfinder Deluxe I sold to a vey nice old guy who had just retired and decided it was going to be his retirement project. We even delivered the car to him. He was a cool old guy and was happy just to have the car. That made the entire hassle of getting the car worth it.

 

Then you can't complain about the buyer.

 

I would have carried it home, teach him the lesson instead of the other way around.
250 just went to 275. he pays or lets you go home with the motor he needed.

 

I hate the guy screwed you over but you really need to work on your gas mileage. HRP

 

When I buy something my pockets are deep enough to pay the asking price or I don't take up the peoples time. If I want it bad enough I will pull the trigger up front. I don't think it hurts to ask if the asking price is firm but once that is established put up or hit the road. I was in a Harley dealership a couple years ago looking at Screaming Eagle Road Glide and this sales lady came up and explained how rare it was and the price was going to be full list. I had been looking across the midwest for this model so paying the full price was worth it to me. Write it up and give me the keys, life is too short to show your ass in making a deal.

 

I had a guy come an Hour away for an SBC that i had been kicking around in my shop for 3 years.

Because I was always taught (thanks Mom) to barter, or do your best to "make a deal"..I always respect those that do it with class.

young kid building a rock jeep..he asked nicely if he could make an offer, I said sure..

he went away happy, and I had some money to spend on my habit
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yep..the $$ is already spent But I kept it in the family..It went to HAMB vendors

 

I like to deal as much as anyone, but once a price is agreed to don't ask.

On several occasions guys were ready to hand over the cash and asked what's my bottom price. My reply the first time and every time since then is the same.

In my last transaction, "The agreed price is $6800. Tell your friends I wanted $7500 and you got me down to 68". I smile and they get-it and then hand over the money.

I've haven't had to walk away from a deal in years and always get what we agreed to. Although I probably just jinxed myself.

 

I had a 66 mustang coupe. all original 289 power steering car. Original paint Last registered in 76. Usual rust in lower quarters. Drove it the entire summer decided to move onto something a little more my style. Put it in the paper for $3500.00. Day 1 scheduled apointments Bozo's that showed up pointed out the obvious stuff that I made extremely clear and kept trying to haggle price.
Day 2 Told everyone that called I would be available at 6:00 pm for them to look at car. Had 2 guys show at the same time, fight over the car and sold it for $1,200 more then I was asking.

 

To the OP,220 bucks is better than dragging that lump back home....
How about this;me and the bride are looking at this shitbox with a sign in the window saying 1100 bucks. I offer the guy 800...he rubs his chin and says,"no,but I'll take 700 !" The bride says "SOLD"

 

you are a "nicer fellow" than me, I'd said fuck you and got in my truck and left....