Craigs List frustration..

[psycoreefer]

Does it ever frustrate anyone else when they find what could be a decent bike with a little bit of help on CL only to contact the seller and find out they want "e-bay" price for it.

Its happened to me several times where I find a bike not to far away, maybe disassembled, not running, or missing a few major parts. Then I call or send an e-mail offering what I think it is a fair price of a few hundred dollars only to get a response like "Well I saw one like this only running sell on e-bay for _(insert stupid high ebay price here) so mine should be worth at least _ (3/4 of stupid high price)." Or "Well I can get that much out of just the motor on e-bay".
Then you know that said person isn't really ever going to sell the bike on e-bay, they'll just put the tarp back over it in the back yard and let it rust and corrode away to nothing.

I find the whole interaction very very frustrating! Also makes me wonder who's bidding up those e-bay prices so damn high.

[natemoen]

Some douchbag is probably selling things to himself to run prices up, then files a bu payment claim so he doesn't have to pay eBay their %

[crazy steve]

That's pretty common, but I'll try not to get into a serious price discussion until I'm there with cash in hand. You see all sorts of ridiculous prices, but after actually looking at the vehicle (and pointing out it's shortcomings to the owner), waving cash around can change minds.

I bought a Jag convert last year; KBB for a running example was $9K, this one didn't run (among other issues) and the owner wanted $3K.... he took $500. It pays to go look...

[CatatonicBug]

There's a local guy here who tried all last summer to sell a rather rough '80 on CL, and he wanted $1200 for it. It wasn't running either! I even helped him to get it running (rebuilt the carbs and a few other things), and he asked me how much I thought it would be worth. I told him he'd be lucky to get $400 out of it in it's current condition. He continued to list it all summer for $1200 though.

The thing that gets me the most is when people try to sell things and they don't even know what they are selling. There is a guy here now, selling a rather nice Special, with a new cherry red paint job and decent chrome, but he keeps calling it a MNS, and was asking $3k till recently dropping it to $1800. Still another is selling an XJ1100, and listing it as an XS.

[natemoen]

That's pretty common, but I'll try not to get into a serious price discussion until I'm there with cash in hand. You see all sorts of ridiculous prices, but after actually looking at the vehicle (and pointing out it's shortcomings to the owner), waving cash around can change minds.

I bought a Jag convert last year; KBB for a running example was $9K, this one didn't run (among other issues) and the owner wanted $3K.... he took $500. It pays to go look...

yeah I was looking at a 55 Chevy once a few years back. they guy didn't know much about it, just what he had been told. he wanted 15000 for it, I had him down to 4500 ny the time I was done bit it was still more than it was worth and had to walk. probably found some poor sucker though eventually, I know it sat for sale for A LONG time though.

[tinman905]

There's good deals to be found I was lucky to get one of my SG's for $400.00 that just needed a new battery and carbs cleaned.

Sooner or later anyone listing thier XS for more than it's worth will come to realize it's time to lower the price . Kijjijji is another site that seems to have guys with high expectations on price but slowmo and myself always have fun with these guys , a $1500.00 bike can be had for $300.00 when slowmo works on them haha!

[DGXSER]

Heck I found a decent travel trailer on CL and was just arranging to set up a time to go look at it. Next thing I get an email he sent to everyone who had contacted him about it saying they could show up on a certain day to bid on it. I wished him luck and stated he would not see me there supporting such dubious and fraudulent transactions.

And yes, it is VERY common to find folks selling everything from a 78 STD to an XJ and list them as a MNS. I had Banshee listed at one time, which happens to have MNS side covers as they were the only set I could get for a fair price at the time, but I still list it as an SH.

As to pricing of what someone ask for it. If they listed a price, and then want more for it when you ask about it, that is fraud in my book. If they just think they have a golden nugget insterd of a polished terd (or unpolished in some cases), well, they are free to ask what they want, and perhaps some one will buy it for that.

[mro]

CL sellers around here are extreme.
Either they want much more than there worth or they don't have a clue what they have.

Most I've ever paid for a non runner was $300.00 and got several for $100 to to $150.. All that sold so low told me how they could part em out and get so much more on EBay. I told them to call me if they changed their mind.
It does seem that the last couple years people have been asking a lot for the “low end” non runner XSes.

Wonder how much I could get for one of my runners on EBay?
Is it a lot of trouble putting stuff for sale there???

[psycoreefer]

I got my first xs - with the 2nd gear slip but running for 300 on CL. The second one I got for free through this board. There is no way in Heck I'm paying someone more then 300 for a non runner, no mater how much I need a few parts.

What really irks me about the latest guy is that he's got no price - just "best offer" - on the add. When I talk to him and make an offer he comes back sounding almost insulted and tells me its worth way more then that. I know that its his right to ask anything he wants but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

[mro]

I know that its his right to ask anything he wants but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

Don’t let the little things frustrate you.
I’ve been self employed for over thirty years.
Know when to fold em
know when to hold em
Know when to walk away

[rover]

C l

The worst is to phone someone that did not indicate a location, finding out that they are 2 or more hours away, making the item sound fantastic, then driving there to find a P. O. S! Or having the people tell you they sold it for more than they agreed to sell it to you for.

[psycoreefer]

yeah, that would do it too, I refuse to drive more then 45 minutes without at least a camera phone picture first. If they can't snap a picture or get a friend too then they don't want to sell it very bad.

I actually had a guy when I sold the trailer I used for moving become Irate because I wouldn't sell him the trailer for "more" then I agreed to sell it to someone that I talked to earlier and was driving about 3 1/2 hours to come get it. I mean angry to the point I almost called the police....

[crazy steve]

Well, the other side of that coin is the buyer who swears they want it and is 'on their way' and never shows. I've seen that too many times, so now I tell everybody that until money changes hands, it's still for sale to the first buyer with enough cash...

[rover]

C l

Well, Steve, the attitude you just displayed is why I will not drive more than 20 miles for ANYTHING. I guess your attitude is fitting for a city, but here nearly every city is far away. I know I will not get to buy much of anything, but I will be one hell of a lot richer. So far I have driven 4 times in excess of 50 miles to find the item sold while I was en route, and the damned fool did not have the decency to phone. Several other times, after being assured the item(s) are of good or acceptable quality and driving a long ways and finding that the item(s) are of poor quality, I am out a lot of gas money and time. The best way is to buy everything new from the store next door, which there is not a store next door. I think this country and the attitudes most of the people in it are due for a downfall, maybe even in my lifetime.

[DGXSER]

I have been fortunate not to get anyone sell something out from under me. I would be very upset and probably talk to a lawyer (since I am married to one) If I agreed to a price with someone and was on my way to look and they knew it, and then they sold it to someone else before I turned it down.

I had a situation where I listed a car on CL, an old Camry with 170k on it and burning oil badly. Had one lady email me she wanted to come see it, and we agreed to a time to meet. The car was at my mothers since she lives on a very busy road. Well, when I get there, someone else is there looking at it. So, I talk to them and they make me an offer that is reasonable. So I told him if the other person does not show or does not want it for that or more, I would sell it to him. Other person shows up, they drive it and then offer me a stupid low offer. I turned it down and when they left, I sold it to the first person. Two days later the same lady wants it for asking price, told her she was to late.

Funny part of that deal was, I was selling a Japanese car in the USA and had three people speaking Vietnamese and two speaking Arabic holding their private debates on the car while I just stood there wondering.