If you don't know him you don't owe him!
Was I in the wrong? Selling car on Craigslist...
- Thread starter Huie83
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Originally Posted By: TWG1572
All my Craigslist dealings include the disclaimer that I don't negotiate price till you are here
I buy and sell a lot of things on Criaglist. I HATE when people put this in their add. If I see a widget listed for $120, and I am only willing to spend $100, I'll offer $100 over email. If that is acceptable to you, then I will come look at the item and buy it for $100. There is no reason I should have to leave my house and waste my time and your time, should I get there and you are unwilling to lower your price from $120 to $100.
All my Craigslist dealings include the disclaimer that I don't negotiate price till you are here
I buy and sell a lot of things on Criaglist. I HATE when people put this in their add. If I see a widget listed for $120, and I am only willing to spend $100, I'll offer $100 over email. If that is acceptable to you, then I will come look at the item and buy it for $100. There is no reason I should have to leave my house and waste my time and your time, should I get there and you are unwilling to lower your price from $120 to $100.
ALWAYS put in your ad that first person that shows up with cash gets the item. This kills the whole idea that someone gets mad when you sell it to someone else.
It's craigslist. First to show up with the cash gets it.
I have been on both sides of it and I understood that's how it works. Now if the guy was on his way and you sold it right before he got there, then yeah, that would be wrong, but he still had a day to come and you had no guarantee.
I have been on both sides of it and I understood that's how it works. Now if the guy was on his way and you sold it right before he got there, then yeah, that would be wrong, but he still had a day to come and you had no guarantee.
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
I would of said I am not holding the car for anyone. Maybe you should of said, you can see the car next Tuesday but I cant guarantee the car will still be for sale...
Yep. If the car is still here on Tuesday, you are welcome to buy it. I'm not holding it though.
I would of said I am not holding the car for anyone. Maybe you should of said, you can see the car next Tuesday but I cant guarantee the car will still be for sale...
Yep. If the car is still here on Tuesday, you are welcome to buy it. I'm not holding it though.
I think your in the clear, everyone knows when your trying to sell something first person with cash in hand gets it. The buyer doesn't particularly matter (in the sense that anyone with money could be the buyer). More often then not when I've agreed to hold on to something for someone it turns around to bite me.
Many years back I had this old Camry with fairly low miles. The motor blew in it but the transmission was excellent never had any problem with it and I figured there was someone out there that need one. I put the car up for sale making it clear it was for parts and priced it at what the junk yard offered.
For 3 days the potential buyer would not show up or change time. When they finally showed up they looked at it and wanted the car for parts but said (something something something tire blew out all I can pay is $50). Pretty much every time I've held off for someone it's never worked out.
I mean I've been to dealerships before and put down a cash deposit on a vehicle and told them I will have the rest of the money the next morning once the bank opened (paying in full in cash) for them to litterally turn around and sell it that same night and them give me back my deposit. Its been 20 years since that event but still.
Many years back I had this old Camry with fairly low miles. The motor blew in it but the transmission was excellent never had any problem with it and I figured there was someone out there that need one. I put the car up for sale making it clear it was for parts and priced it at what the junk yard offered.
For 3 days the potential buyer would not show up or change time. When they finally showed up they looked at it and wanted the car for parts but said (something something something tire blew out all I can pay is $50). Pretty much every time I've held off for someone it's never worked out.
I mean I've been to dealerships before and put down a cash deposit on a vehicle and told them I will have the rest of the money the next morning once the bank opened (paying in full in cash) for them to litterally turn around and sell it that same night and them give me back my deposit. Its been 20 years since that event but still.
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I think the fact that you negotiated a deal is a factor. If it was just an appointment to see it, I see no obligation at all. I understand he didn't make a deposit, but you didn't ask for one either.
Giving someone that long is kind of generous, so I think one just has to think hard about whether they want to make that kind of commitment when working on selling at item that might otherwise sell in a few hours to a local buyer. A modest deposit that would be non-refundable might be in order (unless they can prove misrepresentation.)
Giving someone that long is kind of generous, so I think one just has to think hard about whether they want to make that kind of commitment when working on selling at item that might otherwise sell in a few hours to a local buyer. A modest deposit that would be non-refundable might be in order (unless they can prove misrepresentation.)
You were neither wrong or right.
I cannot deal with Craigslist due to dregs of sellers and buyers on it. I moved onto a local online yard sale on Facebook in neighboring town with money (not as greedy on price just want item gone) where folks honor order and you know what you are dealing with.
I just bought my niece a 2005 Highlander Xle hybrid with 104k that hatch is stuck closed for $1300. No check engine lights etc and mechanic quick check was a pass!
I cannot deal with Craigslist due to dregs of sellers and buyers on it. I moved onto a local online yard sale on Facebook in neighboring town with money (not as greedy on price just want item gone) where folks honor order and you know what you are dealing with.
I just bought my niece a 2005 Highlander Xle hybrid with 104k that hatch is stuck closed for $1300. No check engine lights etc and mechanic quick check was a pass!
I also think that nothing wrong was done. No money exchanged hands and you informed the potential buyer that the vehicle is sold, saving him the trip. Had the guy shown up, only to find the vehicle sold, without being notified, that would be another story.
My rules for selling cars on craigslist are
1. I don't negotiate price on the phone EVER, Serious buyers want to know what they are getting before they talk price. time wasters are just fishing for a super low price they probably won't show up anyway.
2. No Holds without a deposit in hand.
3. I make people make an appointment to see the car usually within the next 24 hrs. If you are serious enough to drive from a few hours away and I can tell you are interested I will work with you. If you don't show during your appointment then I move on to the next appointment.
4. I am fair and your appointment is made in the order you called.
I have found that by making appointments I have more bargaining power. When I tell someone that there are 3 other people queued up to see the car and I'll just move on to the next one who is willing to pay they usually agree to a fair price. after all I am giving them the benefit of being first to see and buy the car.
1. I don't negotiate price on the phone EVER, Serious buyers want to know what they are getting before they talk price. time wasters are just fishing for a super low price they probably won't show up anyway.
2. No Holds without a deposit in hand.
3. I make people make an appointment to see the car usually within the next 24 hrs. If you are serious enough to drive from a few hours away and I can tell you are interested I will work with you. If you don't show during your appointment then I move on to the next appointment.
4. I am fair and your appointment is made in the order you called.
I have found that by making appointments I have more bargaining power. When I tell someone that there are 3 other people queued up to see the car and I'll just move on to the next one who is willing to pay they usually agree to a fair price. after all I am giving them the benefit of being first to see and buy the car.
Originally Posted By: supton
How would a big-time dealership handle this? I'm pretty sure that, unless if a deposit is made, they are going to sell to the first person with cash.
This is absolutely how dealerships operate. I just heard a story about a Wrangler that got sold over the phone while it was out for a test drive. (Wranglers are hot hot hot, new or used.)
On CL, I don't bother with anyone who thinks they can value a car without even seeing it. That practice betrays an extreme deficiency in common sense which would prohibit good business dealings.
How would a big-time dealership handle this? I'm pretty sure that, unless if a deposit is made, they are going to sell to the first person with cash.
This is absolutely how dealerships operate. I just heard a story about a Wrangler that got sold over the phone while it was out for a test drive. (Wranglers are hot hot hot, new or used.)
On CL, I don't bother with anyone who thinks they can value a car without even seeing it. That practice betrays an extreme deficiency in common sense which would prohibit good business dealings.
Triple_Se7en
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As long as you did not promise a hold on the vehicle until he arrived on Tuesday, then what you did was fine.
Without a vehicle-hold commitment, you committed no sin.
The potential buyer snoozed - then lost.
Without a vehicle-hold commitment, you committed no sin.
The potential buyer snoozed - then lost.
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CASH TALKS! I would have done just as You did. Too many flakes out there to mess around. Now if the person was an hour away and leaving his house it would have been wrong.
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
As long as you did not promise a hold on the vehicle until he arrived on Tuesday, then what you did was fine.
Without a vehicle-hold commitment, you committed no sin.
The potential buyer snoozed - then lost.
That's the possible issue here- I think there is an implied hold if the seller said "I'll take that price"
"......and he offered me a price contingent on him coming to take a look at the vehicle ......"
As long as you did not promise a hold on the vehicle until he arrived on Tuesday, then what you did was fine.
Without a vehicle-hold commitment, you committed no sin.
The potential buyer snoozed - then lost.
That's the possible issue here- I think there is an implied hold if the seller said "I'll take that price"
"......and he offered me a price contingent on him coming to take a look at the vehicle ......"
It was a common craigslist thing....
Originally Posted By: Huie83
I Posted a vehicle on craigslist last Tuesday. That night and over the next day I emailed back and forth with a guy that seemed interested and he offered me a price contingent on him coming to take a look at the vehicle and it checking out per my description. I gave him some days I was open for showings, he couldn't make it until the following Tuesday evening as he is a few hours away. We set a time for Tuesday.
Yesterday someone local contacted me and showed up a few hours later cash in hand. I sold them the vehicle.
I contacted the guy that was scheduled to come look on Tuesday and he was REALLY ticked off. He expressed that he thought we had a deal and how i'm not a man of my word etc, etc. I explained to him that Craigslist is very competitive and you have to be ready cash in hand to see a car. No seller is going to hold a car over a email conversation hoping that the person actually shows up. I also explained that I gave him a earlier chance to come look a the car as I was actively showing it, but he was out of town at a family event...
I don't think I did anything wrong, he didn't put money down to hold it and I never said I would, but I wanted to get some outside opinions from you guys/gals, Opinions?
If he had paid a down payment [consideration] then you would contractually be bound to sell it to him. But because there was no consideration, you acted within the expectations of legal behavior.
I Posted a vehicle on craigslist last Tuesday. That night and over the next day I emailed back and forth with a guy that seemed interested and he offered me a price contingent on him coming to take a look at the vehicle and it checking out per my description. I gave him some days I was open for showings, he couldn't make it until the following Tuesday evening as he is a few hours away. We set a time for Tuesday.
Yesterday someone local contacted me and showed up a few hours later cash in hand. I sold them the vehicle.
I contacted the guy that was scheduled to come look on Tuesday and he was REALLY ticked off. He expressed that he thought we had a deal and how i'm not a man of my word etc, etc. I explained to him that Craigslist is very competitive and you have to be ready cash in hand to see a car. No seller is going to hold a car over a email conversation hoping that the person actually shows up. I also explained that I gave him a earlier chance to come look a the car as I was actively showing it, but he was out of town at a family event...
I don't think I did anything wrong, he didn't put money down to hold it and I never said I would, but I wanted to get some outside opinions from you guys/gals, Opinions?
If he had paid a down payment [consideration] then you would contractually be bound to sell it to him. But because there was no consideration, you acted within the expectations of legal behavior.
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
TWG1572 said:
First come, first served....
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