Selling cars dealing with people

[Boza]

I've been selling cars privately for the best part of 20 years and in that time I've noticed people either getting dumber ot feeling more entitled I dunno

The last car I was selling was a bf ex taxi anyway I had a young guy call me a few weeks ago about it we had a chat and heard nothing from him again

Anyway I sold the the car and forgot to take the add off gumtree

This guy rings me one night at 10.30 asking if the car was still for sale I said yeah its been sold a few weeks ago he then gets upset at me for not holding the car for him with no inspection or deposit mind you and asks how come I sold going oh no i would of given you more bla blah

I politely explained first come with cash first served then he gets even more upset saying I called first any he proceed's to call me a fing idiot for selling the car on him and i hang up.

I swear this is the last car I will ever sell I'm over the idiots potential thieves and what not and also I'm getting to the point of going to live in a hippie commune cause I cant deal with people these days

Is it just me or have others had similar experiences selling cars these days

[jstanovic]

I've never had that experience but get lots of time wasters and low ballers. I now put "NO SMS/EMAILS" in my ads, seems to stop most of the knobends wasting my time, no as easy being a dickbag on the phone.

I traded a car in at a dealer a few weeks ago (first time ever), no fuss, no tosspots, no lowballing (surprising got close to what they are going for privately with great changeover), no ****ty texts at midnight etc etc.

[BlueBear]

I always get "Whats the lowest you'll go?"
My response, "What's your best offer?"

If they won't make an offer or it's a ridiculous one I just walk back inside and shut the door... Don't have to deal with F$%^wits...

[Pedro]

I've sold a few cars and found most buyers to be OK. Maybe it's because I was in sales for most of my working life so dealing with tyre kickers and such is pretty normal and I don't find it offensive, and just play them at their own game. I remember one guy's opening statement at his first sight of the car was "That car's not worth that price". "so how much is it worth?", I said. "XXX" he says. I asked him if he had a high paying job. He asked why? I said the Ford Dealer down the road has a job opening paying $120k per annum for a valuer who can just look at a car and give an instant precise valuation.

[Ben73]

Only sold 1 car online. Had someone ring up ask a few questions saying they were going to come over for a look but never showed up. He seamed decent on the phone so don't know what the go with that was.
Next person who contacted me showed up and bought the car. Easy as.

Selling furniture and other stuff like that on gumtree is a mixed bag. A lot are drop kicks, but there are some decent people out there.
I have sold at least 10 things on gumtree, everyone who ended up turning up and buying the item where good to deal with. No idiots or low ballers have ever shown up. Usually can weed them out when they text talking ****.

[Rambunctious]

Never really had a problem, sold heaps of stuff including cars on Gumtree.
Just have to have patience and a sense of humor.

My ads all say no emails.
Anyone texts or phones after 8pm, I usually text or phone back at 5am next morning.

And yes, it is nothing to get texts/calls at all hours of the night or morning, but the phone is turned down so I don't hear them.

I love the texts asking what will you take for the item.
My answer, cash.

[XByoot]

Not so much selling cars but selling parts. I've used mainly eBay to sell stuff,nothing big dollar and really just to get rid of it and hopefully help someone out. The dramas I had with one guy selling him a $10 Borg warner diff and another bloke with a set of cheap dragway mags was hilarious,some of the bigger dollar items were fine,real decent fellas. It's hit and miss but the tight wads get pretty painful. I'm ready for another stocktake now I have a good direction on my Ute build but it's only getting sold to guys who I know or mates of them,or forum members ,life is too short for the time wasters.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Rambunctious

Never really had a problem, sold heaps of stuff including cars on Gumtree.
Just have to have patience and a sense of humor.

My ads all say no emails.
Anyone texts or phones after 8pm, I usually text or phone back at 5am next morning.

And yes, it is nothing to get texts/calls at all hours of the night or morning, but the phone is turned down so I don't hear them.

I love the texts asking what will you take for the item.
My answer, cash.

I have sold bit and pieces on Gumtree but never Ebay.Haven't really had and problems,but I do get a bit annoyed when sellers state no Emails.If you are going to advertise on electronic media you must expect to get electronic responses.If you want to advertise where you only get phone calls best advertise in the newspaper so you don't have to deal with computer people

[raised by monkeys]

Couple of pearlers in the last few weeks with my ute for sale on dumbtree and carsales.
Its for sale at 20k

"how much would this car be to transport to Sydney?"
- told him how much it cost me to transport from QLD
- no reply

(seperate guy) "I will offer 18k max cause i have to get it delivered to sydney"
- told him its not my fault he lives in sydney
- no reply

messaging a fella back and forth, and he was trying to talk me down - which i was willing to negotiate in his benefit. I explained that i had completed full servicing and maintenance inc. new front and rear brakes with new brembo discs and EBC red stuff pads and a new centre bush
"i serviced my car and did all that work for under $600"
- sent him a link to front only brembo discs at $500
- no reply

I swear texting and online enquiries attracts bell ends, who are not interested, can't afford it, or just want to start an argument. The kind of people unwilling to pay what they try and sell the same product for. Also, no idea how to negotiate or just be mannered.

Oh, and i forgot the people that try and trade up their vehicles - something much older with higher kms. No, I'm not going to trade my mint 6spd manual modified BFII tornado with 82000kms a for a factory 5spd BA GT with 185000kms

could go on for days

[JAJH]

I have a simple rule when selling stuff online...I won't negotiate over text messages. If someone isn't prepared to come and view the item and see it's worth, I won't discuss money.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by Rambunctious

Never really had a problem, sold heaps of stuff including cars on Gumtree.
Just have to have patience and a sense of humor.

My ads all say no emails.
Anyone texts or phones after 8pm, I usually text or phone back at 5am next morning.

And yes, it is nothing to get texts/calls at all hours of the night or morning, but the phone is turned down so I don't hear them.

I love the texts asking what will you take for the item.
My answer, cash.

I'm much the same, send me a dumb text after say 9pm at night and I'll call back when I get up for a leak at 3am.
If people ask what my best price is I add 10% thats MY best price, lol.
I've found listing your number with a word eg zero430000000 will put off most of the click and send idiots and tele scammers.
Shows like American pickers have alot to answer for, people seem to think offering 'a buck and a half' for something is how you negotiate.

[Rambunctious]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

I have sold bit and pieces on Gumtree but never Ebay.Haven't really had and problems,but I do get a bit annoyed when sellers state no Emails.If you are going to advertise on electronic media you must expect to get electronic responses.If you want to advertise where you only get phone calls best advertise in the newspaper so you don't have to deal with computer people

Reason for no emails is spammers.

Average day I would receive 6-10 spam emails due to the fact I used to reply to Gumtree emails.

Fortunately the protection through my supplier sends them to spam folder, so I just delete the lot.

[Ben73]

Some people feel like they have to talk you down on price just so they felt like they have won. Had a 2 month old letterbox listed for $10 and someone was trying to talk me down to $5. They turned up in a new looking Colorado 7 with several grand worth of mods on it.
Not like they were going to go broke over $5. Why waste your breath over it.

[Feathers]

I listed a bus for my Dad on ebay a few years back.
I wrote out all the information he gave me in the description, and added in REALLY BIG LETTERS that any further questions needed to be asked of the manager, and gave the office phone number.

Still, I had some idiot ask questions about interior dimensions and height or something, telling me the info in the ad was wrong. I directed him again to the phone number, and recommended he call and ask.
He wrote back a torrent of abuse, saying I was a dishonest seller, and he was reporting me for fraud (because I didn't own the vehicle, though it was clearly listed as being 'on behalf of my employer'). I reported him for abuse.

We sold the vehicle to someone else, and then weeks later I got another message from this ID, asking if it was still available, and apologising for the behaviour.

Turns out this guy's boss was looking for a bus to convert to a motorhome, and had to go away for a couple of weeks, leaving his mechanic or something in charge of finding one, but he'd had long distance calls blocked on the office phones, so he was unable to call. Instead of explaining that, and asking us to call him, he just let fly with abuse at me.

[BPXR6T]

Yep, dick head central Australia is. Sold a ute recently and the sale was easy enough but the guy was like a blowfly and woukdn't **** off. Called me about 11x after the sale to bitch about simple stuff he needed to do for a rwc. Also called and abused me late one night because there was no stamp on the lpg tank, he found it in plain site the next day. Then he calls me back to tell me I'm "lucky" he found it. Final straw was when he called me months after buying the car to have a go at me because there is no jack in the car and demand I give him one. Blocked his number and if he shows up here it'll be a smack in the mouth no questions asked.

Selling my XR6T recently for rock bottom dollars just to move it on. Excellent car, hurts to sell so cheap at $5000. I have a guy drive 8hrs to buy the car. I explain on the phone I am firm on the price. He says when I've got that cash in front of you we'll see. So he drives all the way over and loves the car and offers me $3000 cash right here today. I'm $5000 firm and it turns out all he has is $3000. Cracks it with me and drives 8hrs home. Fool.

Then selling my F150 project really cheap for $3500ono again just to move it on quickly. I get one guy drive 3hrs and after spending 2hrs looking at the car tells me he has no money but can he test drive it anyway, no **** off. Next guy buys sight unseen interstate then finds out its $2500 shipping and backs out. Next a young woman buys it sight unseen again from interstate. I explain its a project vehicle and suggest if she is really keen to have an inspection done. She insists she wants it and even though its a 2000km+ round trip they will come down and drive it home. I suggest they trailer it but no they know best. So at my expense I throw a new set of hoses and belts on it, oil change, full tank of fuel, and i throw in a heap of parts for free too. They end up arrriving 4hrs early when I'm not home, dont like it so leave without bothering to call me. I wait around all day for them and finally call only to get abused by her father telling me the vehicle is a piece of ****. They were basically expecting a new car even though its a 30yr old project vehicle. I couldnt have made the ad more clear on the few faults it had. 12 pics and a long description. I'm an honest person and have nothing to hide. To top it off 3 months pass then she sends me a message on ebay accusing me of false advertising and demanding I pay her $1000 to cover her fuel costs and lost wages.

They're just the last three cars I sold. On the flip side I sold a ute to a guy a while ago and he ended up buying three of my cars. Sale could not have been easier. The ratio of dick heads to good buyers is pretty poor in my experience though.

[66GT]

A couple of years ago was selling my old AU daily on Gumtree. No response, dropped price, nothing, dropped price again to $400 & the number of idiots who responded. My add clearly said everything works, currently regoed so can test drive, but will be sold unregistered & no safety cert. All the great offers of $100 if I deliver it interstate? Does the air con work, & is it driveable? As others have said after screening the tosspots, gave the address to 1 person who arrived on time, paid asking price & said excellent value for money. Has phoned several times since saying nothing required for rego, & spent nothing on it since. Yes to many idiots.

[Big_Daz]

When I sold my FG XR6T back in 2013 on Carsales it was great... Took 2 weeks to get a call on the car but the first bloke who called came up, drove it, fell in love with it how mint it was (Was stock apart from Filter and tune but always kept in as new condition) and he bought it.. We negotiated slightly but we both came away happy...

When it came time to sell the wifes 2015 CRV late last year.. Thought, well the XR wasn't a hassle surely this time will be the same... Boy was I in for a surprise... Talk about low ballers... Had one bloke message me on Carsales offering 10k less than it was for sale for (this was $6k less than I was offered as a trade on the new car we where buying) and then when I politely told him no, that price is way to low for me to even consider he decided to deride me "your a rip of, scammer, ive got cash youd be a stupid idiot not to take it, blah blah blah" Was a bloody nightmare... Get a message on my mobile from someone offering $500 more and giving me a different name... Funny thing was that in Carsales, it puts your mobile number on it, so I knew it was the same guy playing silly buggers... Had car yards contact me saying "we can give you best price" and of course the old "I work on a oil rig but am willing to pay full price by paypal" scam.. we where well over it all when finally a decent guy, who lives not too far from me, called me wanting a look.. He rocked up the same day with his wife and loved the car and offered me what I wanted for it straight up and it was gone... Such a pain all round for my wife and I but glad we got it sorted..

AS for gumtree, we had some stuff we wanted to get rid of from our rental when we moved out (dining setting, Queen bed frame, outdoor setting) as we had bought nice new (and expensive.. thanks wifey) stuff for our brand new house. Wanted to give them away, only proviso was that you had to come pick it up yourself. All items in good condition, and only 3 or 4 years old.. didn't get a single bloody phone call/sms about it.. I was truly amazed... Ended up giving them to vinnies...

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Some people feel like they have to talk you down on price just so they felt like they have won. Had a 2 month old letterbox listed for $10 and someone was trying to talk me down to $5. They turned up in a new looking Colorado 7 with several grand worth of mods on it.
Not like they were going to go broke over $5. Why waste your breath over it.

A few years ago I sold a near new Weider bench and a good selection of weights on Gumtree for $20.

Really cheap but I needed the room more than I needed extra dollars.

Anyhoo, a woman rang and then turned up in a late model Jeep. To facilitate fitting it in I dismantled the bench and wrapped the bar in some foam I had on hand.

All loaded up and then she says "Look, I only have $5... will that be ok?"

I told her it wouldn't be ok and started to pull the crap out of her car.

"Wait.... I think there might be some money in the glovebox..."

Too late. Told her I wouldn't sell to her. Recovered the stuff and called the next person who had enquired. They were very happy with the deal.

[Boza]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Some people feel like they have to talk you down on price just so they felt like they have won. Had a 2 month old letterbox listed for $10 and someone was trying to talk me down to $5. They turned up in a new looking Colorado 7 with several grand worth of mods on it.
Not like they were going to go broke over $5. Why waste your breath over it.

A lot of people finance they're stuff these days I know of a lot of people that wat a nice life car travel car etc but are up to they're eyeballs in debt

As for the other responses look like it's a common phenomenon these day's

[danzvtil]

The stupid people are breeding, I had a rabbit hutch on gumtree, bloke calls, negotiate a price, says he'll take it, be there at 5 o'clock to pick it up. No show, at 7pm get a text from another party, they come immediately and buy it. At 8pm I take the ad off gumtree and numbskull #1 texts me demanding to know WTF is going on.
Seriously there are some simpletons out there, I now either put household goods on the kerb to be picked up by some random, or take it to the tip. Cars I trade, can't be bothered giving information and my address to people who don't turn up when they say they will.

[bear351c]

Tip.

Give them the street address, tell them to call when they arrive, then give them the street number.

Recently bought an XB Fairmont from a guy in Perth, great seller, (Cheers Mike), he too had been dicked around and lowballed. Bought the Monty sight unseen, for the first time in my life, (after 4x phone calls and 50 photos) was all good in the end. Car was packed full of goodies, and transport from Jayde was top notch.

Have to agree, ratio of dickwads to normal people has changed for the worse.....

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by ronwest

All loaded up and then she says "Look, I only have $5... will that be ok?"

I told her it wouldn't be ok and started to pull the crap out of her car.

I've had twice where the interested party has had to leave to go to the bank to pay the asking price. It is like they turn up short expecting the price to be magically halved

[Adamz Ghia]

Not a car I know, but I have dealt with plenty of people when I sell gear on Facebook or eBay. When I sold my last iPhone I was asking $550, hoping for $500 which was $200 less than every other similar condition phone (perfect) advertised.

I have this one guy ring me up and ask what's the lowest I'll go, so I asked what was his offer as I've already made mine, he says $350 as he can get them for that price elsewhere. So I politely tell him that if that's the case he is more than welcome to go and buy another phone. He then gives me his number and says to call him in a week or two if I change my mind.

Sure enough the next day he calls me and says he can go to $400 and not a dollar more and he's being ripped off at that price. I politely declined through gritted teeth and I copped a spray about how much of a criminal I am and I should be taught a lesson for ripping people off. Brain dead moron he was.

In the end a lady called me asking what the catch was as it was so cheap. She came along and paid the full whack without an issue. People these days have become accustomed to thinking they can get what they want for nothing.

[The Yeti]

Had a similar issue a few months back,

Guy calls me Friday (the day after I advertised it) to talk about the car, chit can it because it had a CVT Trans and offer me less than wholesale money

Calls me Monday to see if it's been sold and offer me less money (still hasn't seen the car)

I sold the car the following weekend for $500 less than my asking $4000 more than his offer so I sent him a message with a photo of the sales receipt

He rang me and abused me (still can't work out what for) but I felt closure some how

[xisled]

I will never sell a car, I also trade them in as this saves me from dealing with any people. I may not get the best price but I know once he deal is done, the deal is done and the car will be sold.

This goes with items, I would rather give them away than sell or sell at a ridicules low price. Even when giving stuff away you still deal with the muppets. Can you deliver it, your full of it, as if anyone would give it away and the list goes on. Sometimes you just can't win.

[ford71V8]

The worst selling experience I've had was selling ACDC tickets.
While purchasing 3 online (probably ticketek) the website had a spaz and it looked like I had not secured the tickets I had chosen. This happened more than once and of course I ended up with 13 instead of 3.
Took photos and posted them online and spent the next week dealing with phonecalls day and night (some very early in the morning, thanks moron) full of abuse and nastiness because obviously all my tickets are forgeries.
Ended up contacting ticketek for refunds for the ones that were not sold to normal people.
Never again.