What I hate about craigslist. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

winmutt · #1 01-04-2010, 10:34 PM

Today there was a posting for an 84TD in near pristine condition, great paint great interior, under 200k, working AC for under $1200. Guy said it wouldnt shift out of second and wouldnt start because of the NSS. I am thinking this is great, new NSS and kickdown switch and I'd have a sweet replacement for my wifes wagon which needs front end work. We arranged to see the car after work, I was kind of pushing for it in 18degree weather because he had a buyer coming at 12 the next day and I was sure it wasn't going to last. I got stuck at work for 20minutes, go home, change into work clothes and show up. He already has a shop light out shining on the car and I am standing there looking at all of her leather and heated seat glory and out of the house comes two guys. I was 15minutes too late!!@#!@#!@#~@#!R!FWSFDVPSPDFIVQPDFIJ qpnwfeonja'sdf jbas;odfh alisdfhvbq;iwurfbhq;iwefh;aosdfh;aosidnjc' abs;oqsu hf;iqoush flqiwuebf;ilwube; qiwubec

Oh the foul language I created in the car on the ride home. I really feel screwed, he could have told me some other guy had called to look at it. She really was purty.

johnathan1 · #2 01-04-2010, 10:35 PM

Sucks.

Brian Carlton · #3 01-04-2010, 10:39 PM

Sorry Rolf.

I recently lost a '91 SDL with a bad engine. Offered $1200. for it and waited............and waited.............and waited. He finally tried to bring me up to $1600. I didn't bite...........and waited.

Finally, he writes back and has decided to replace the engine.............

diametricalbenz · #4 01-04-2010, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winmutt

Today there was a posting for an 84TD in near pristine condition, great paint great interior, under 200k, working AC for under $1200. Guy said it wouldnt shift out of second and wouldnt start because of the NSS. I am thinking this is great, new NSS and kickdown switch and I'd have a sweet replacement for my wifes wagon which needs front end work. We arranged to see the car after work, I was kind of pushing for it in 18degree weather because he had a buyer coming at 12 the next day and I was sure it wasn't going to last. I got stuck at work for 20minutes, go home, change into work clothes and show up. He already has a shop light out shining on the car and I am standing there looking at all of her leather and heated seat glory and out of the house comes two guys. I was 15minutes too late!!@#!@#!@#~@#!R!FWSFDVPSPDFIVQPDFIJ qpnwfeonja'sdf jbas;odfh alisdfhvbq;iwurfbhq;iwefh;aosdfh;aosidnjc' abs;oqsu hf;iqoush flqiwuebf;ilwube; qiwubec

Oh the foul language I created in the car on the ride home. I really feel screwed, he could have told me some other guy had called to look at it. She really was purty.

Man that sucks.

Where was it? If something like that happens and I can get there sooner in the future north of the perimeter, let me know I can stall them....

pawoSD · #5 01-04-2010, 11:26 PM

I've had that happen multiple times. Around here its ultra hard to get a nice MB, its a real battle for who gets it first....can't waste any time at all.

DslBnz · #6 01-04-2010, 11:33 PM

There will always be another....

...I almost lost my Porsche 944 Turbo, but I kept my word and the other guy arrived too late. Sucked to be him. Great to be me.

snookwhaler · #7 01-04-2010, 11:39 PM

Yea........ That sucks!

Money talks though, if you think about his position.. "First come, First served"...

There are a lot of "flakes" out there. Selling a car is a pain in the arse (as I'm sure you know).

kerry · #8 01-04-2010, 11:42 PM

If I advertise on Craigslist and schedule to show it, I always try to be clear on the question of whether I will sell to someone who shows up earlier. I put a couch in the Free Stuff section a few weeks ago and got lots of calls within about 5 minutes. I told everyone, the first one here gets it. The second person showed up as the first person was driving away. He knew he was taking a chance.

Squiggle Dog · #9 01-05-2010, 12:03 AM

This reminds me of a guy on craigslist who was parting out a 300D with manual transmission. He said he would sell me the flywheel and pressure plate for $100. He said the best time to meet would be in a couple days and we set a day and time to meet so I could pick it up. I call the guy the day before to confirm the meeting and get, "Oh, I sold it already. I can't hang on to this stuff forever." Made me mad because I will probably never find one that cheaply again. I was ready to buy it that same day but he made me wait and then sold it out from under me.

This also reminds me of a time when I had my International Travelall and a guy on craigslist was parting out an International truck. We agreed that for $200 I could have the rear axle, floors, wheels, and some other odds and ends.

I get there and spend most of the time helping him remove parts like the windshield. It's getting late and my drill with cutting disc doesn't work so well to remove the floors. The guy says, "No problem, just come back another day and bring your pneumatic cutoff tool. I've got air here and you can use it to cut the floors. You don't have to try to fit everything in your car today."

So I call the guy a couple days later and ask him when I can come back. He says, "Anytime is good--I don't care". I said, "Okay, I will be there tomorrow morning". So the next day I drive there and he is not home. I have driven quite a distance and am rather upset so I go to the parts truck and start looking for the stuff he set aside for me and I can't find it.

Then he finally comes over and he starts yelling at me and says I'm lucky that he doesn't call the cops on me. I said, "Why? You said to come back anytime." I asked where my parts were and he said, "I sold them to somebody else. I can't wait forever." I had already paid for those parts he gave away.

Then I asked if I could use his air compressor like he said I could last time and he said, "No, I can't do that. It'll make too much noise." I asked how I was supposed to get the floor pans out and he said, "Not my problem."

Then he said I needed to leave because he was going to haul the truck off to scrap. I said, "Are you going to give me a refund for the parts I paid for and didn't get?" He answered, "No, you got what you paid for."

He was a real jerk. Too bad because he has his own business rebuilding rear axles and sometimes I see him at swap meets.

The only thing that I got worthwhile for the $200 was the rear axle which I ended up not using and tried selling for a couple of years and finally sold for $25.

Skippy · #10 01-05-2010, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

This also reminds me of a time when I had my International Travelall and a guy on craigslist was parting out an International truck. We agreed that for $200 I could have the rear axle, floors, wheels, and some other odds and ends.

Then he finally comes over and he starts yelling at me and says I'm lucky that he doesn't call the cops on me. I said, "Why? You said to come back anytime." I asked where my parts were and he said, "I sold them to somebody else. I can't wait forever." I had already paid for those parts he gave away.

I said, "Are you going to give me a refund for the parts I paid for and didn't get?" He answered, "No, you got what you paid for."

He was a real jerk.

Not that I would ever advocate any kind of illegal behavior, but some people deserve to get jumped.

leathermang · #11 01-05-2010, 07:04 AM

Squiggle Dog did several things wrong... first was trusting someone he did not know very very well... and even then putting something into writing and or video really helps on keeping them ' honest'.... or at least afraid they will have legal troubles if they do not perform their side of the agreement ...

signut · #12 01-05-2010, 08:47 AM

Guess my biggest complaint is emailing and or calling , leaving a message asking for a reply and most of the time no one responds if they have sold or have a hot lead on a sale.
And of course there are the cars that : "don't have any rust ", "paint looks better in person ", interior is in "real good shape for age ", etc.etc.
There is probably nothing worse than driving a good distance, taking time out of your day, etc., to look at a car that is one step away from parting out.
There was a 91 350SDL listed here ( Cincinnati, OH ) for sale. $ 1000, trans slipped a bit. Pics looked good .Drive over for a look-see. From 50 foot away I'm thinking " that ain't too ugly ". Looking at car, it had : both rear quarters were actually rusted above trim line and flapping in breeze, hood had been taped off and spray painted, interior was shot, front fenders rusted thru all over,motor was duct taped together and looked like the Exxon Valdez upon hitting the coastline .
Still listed I think....

lutzTD · #13 01-05-2010, 08:54 AM

I will advocate on the sellers side, since thats usually even worse. I will never take an offer over the phone or promise anything without cash in hand. I used to, but everytime the guy screwed me, or wiated a month to close the deal. when something is being sold, it is usually to make room or just get it gone. I have had guys say they want it and never show, or show 10 days later saying I promised them something. now I make it very clear it is sold ewhen the cash is in my hand. sorry you missed the wagon, but next time take off early and go get it with cash in hand. the other guy probably did.

Graplr · #14 01-05-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

I told everyone, the first one here gets it.

That is the best policy. Every time I post something for free on there I state in bold capital letters that I will not hold anything. When I'm giving stuff away for free I feel like I don't have to put up with the hassle of waiting or holding, etc.

On the other hand when I sold my 92 Sable with LOW miles and in great shape, I had a lot of interest immediately and I made sure to tell the interested parties that I had other people scheduled to look at it. One guy thought I was just saying that to try and hold firm on my price but I told him I justed didn't want him to be mad if someone else bought it like what happened to Winmutt. It sold to the first person that came and looked at it for my asking price so I was glad I had told the others people were coming to look at it before them.

tr1cky · #15 01-05-2010, 01:14 PM

You've got to be quick with Craigslist. My 300SD gem was priced right and everyone in town knew it. Fortunately the car was only a few miles from the office. Took a chance on the transmission, figured it may be an easy fix. It wasn't an easy fix, but a recently rebuilt replacement solved the problem and the whole car is still the cheapest car I've bought.