Craigslist Idiots

BeastMode · 08-10-2015, 04:53 PM

This is pretty much just a rant about the pieces of crap that walk this earth...

I have been shopping for a winter beater pickup truck, last night one popped up a craigslist, a '98 Ford Ranger, 130k miles, $1800. I called less than 30 minutes after he posted it and asked if I could check it out last night, he let me know he wouldn't be home but I could stop by and check it out.

I checked it out and it looked about as clean as an $1800 truck can be, especially in NH. For $1800 here they usually need frame repairs and or they don't have rocker panels. This thing was mint, very little rust, paint was beat, but no rust, clean interior.

Called less than an hour after my original call and told him contingent on a test drive I would like to buy it, he says he'll hold it until the next evening when I get out of work, as I was the first person to contact him and I already looked at it.

He calls me today at 11:45am and asks if I can look at it during lunch instead (told him I work about 5 minutes away), and I let him know it was too short notice, but I would definitely be there after work at 5:00. He again let me know that the truck had a lot of interest, but he would hold it for me since I was the first to contact him/initially check out the truck.

He calls me at 4:45, and tells me he sold the truck. WTF. So p1ss3d, I have been looking at trucks for 3 weeks and this was by far the best one I had seen for under $3k. I simply said "thank you" and hung up.

How can people put that little stock in their own word? Is this normal craigslist behavior?

Other one, I went to go look at a truck over the weekend that was claimed "150k miles, rust free Florida truck in north for one year, engine and transmission rebuilt 50k miles ago." I am told it is all solid, everything works, and it is in okay to good condition inside and out (guy was a senior citizen with a crappy camera, so i couldn't get any more pictures out of him). I drive an hour to look at it, car has an actual 271k miles, half the buttons on the interior don't work, every panel/cloth surface on the interior needed to be replaced, tailgate lever doesn't work, undercarriage is covered in rust, and rocker panels are completely gone? Did he think I wouldn't notice anything? Additionally, there was so much dirt, grime, and oil on the motor no way it was rebuilt 50k miles ago, unless someone shoveled a load of soil under the hood instead of into the bed.

Headed to Texas for a week, the search will continue when I get back! If I had enough vacation time I would look for a Truck down there and drive it back home.

Mr Twisty · 08-10-2015, 05:03 PM

Integrity, he needs some.

SSteven · 08-10-2015, 05:07 PM

Unfortunately it's pretty common.

Pathogen · 08-10-2015, 05:19 PM

On the other side, I have had so many people swear that they would be there if I would hold something for them. I held it and they never showed, causing me to miss multiple buyers. Sadly, you are the exception, not the rule.

blakjak55 · 08-10-2015, 05:22 PM

You better hit craigslist and autotrader while you're in Texas. You won't find a much better truck market than there. Make time.

Ragnar · 08-10-2015, 05:26 PM

Driving a beater that far will require balls of steel! Good luck

FASTDIESEL · 08-10-2015, 05:34 PM

Don't now about Rangers, but 3/4 ton trucks (especially diesels) from TX have been worked hard and put up wet!

blakjak55 · 08-10-2015, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FASTDIESEL

Don't now about Rangers, but 3/4 ton trucks (especially diesels) from TX have been worked hard and put up wet!

I disagree. There's not a better market for used diesels than Texas. You can find any number of vehicles that have been abused anywhere but there's a plethora of good used trucks down there and working a diesel hard doesn't necessarily hurt it by any means if it's maintained. Idaho isn't too bad for diesels either.

I know OP is looking for a used beater in decent shape and there's plenty out there. Sometimes using Craigslist is like going to the whorehouse and looking for a wife. You can find one if you look hard enough but you've got a little work ahead of you.

BeastMode · 08-10-2015, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blakjak55

Sometimes using Craigslist is like going to the whorehouse and looking for a wife. You can find one if you look hard enough but you've got a little work ahead of you.

This is so full of win haha

I wish I had time down there to look, but the whole time is a family affair (sister's doctorate graduation) so we shall see. Also I am already borrowing vacation from work to go so no extensions to drive something home.

shibbs · 08-10-2015, 05:54 PM

Money talks, man. For all you know, someone offered him $2200.

JantzenOKC · 08-10-2015, 05:59 PM

It's craigslist, you gotta grab your money and go get it! There's no "holding" anything.. If someone is there with money in hand, it's getting sold. I don't hold anything because I've been burned too many times holding something for someone who never comes back and then lost out on other sales while holding it.

BeastMode · 08-10-2015, 06:27 PM

I would understand if someone made a decision that they weren't holding it for anything, but if that is the case, don't tell people that they are good until they get out of work. If he was honest and said first person to show up at my house gets it than that is fine, no need to bullsh1t someone and say you will hold it for a few hours, and sell it 15 minutes before they get there.

I have sold a number of cars on craigslist, most of them pretty quickly with multiple interested parties, I guess I just wouldn't treat people like that.

Angrybird 12 · 08-10-2015, 06:27 PM

A bird in the hand is what many people go by on there. First one to show up with cash in hand gets it. Same as any car lot for that matter. I was looking at a 69 Camaro SS on a Chevy dealers lot back it 73, I told the salesman I was going to the bank to get the money for it. While I was gone which was only an hour they sold the car. If I had enough money to leave a deposit they would have held it. But as the old saying goes Money talks and BS walks...

pickwithaustin · 08-10-2015, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathogen

On the other side, I have had so many people swear that they would be there if I would hold something for them. I held it and they never showed, causing me to miss multiple buyers. Sadly, you are the exception, not the rule.

Exactly. I cannot even count how many times I've been selling something and the wannabe buyer swears, "I will come for it," and they never do. I had one guy on some mufflers last week tell me it was getting late, can I please hold it for him for the next evening. I agreed and the next day he messages me that he spent his $20 and is broke now (muffler's were $30). He's broke now? God please don't ever bring my finances down that low that $20 breaks me!!!

Bottom line, first come first served. Always.

08-10-2015, 04:53 PM	#1
BeastMode Drives: 2011 SGM 1SS/RS M6 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Posts: 255	Craigslist Idiots This is pretty much just a rant about the pieces of crap that walk this earth... I have been shopping for a winter beater pickup truck, last night one popped up a craigslist, a '98 Ford Ranger, 130k miles, $1800. I called less than 30 minutes after he posted it and asked if I could check it out last night, he let me know he wouldn't be home but I could stop by and check it out. I checked it out and it looked about as clean as an $1800 truck can be, especially in NH. For $1800 here they usually need frame repairs and or they don't have rocker panels. This thing was mint, very little rust, paint was beat, but no rust, clean interior. Called less than an hour after my original call and told him contingent on a test drive I would like to buy it, he says he'll hold it until the next evening when I get out of work, as I was the first person to contact him and I already looked at it. He calls me today at 11:45am and asks if I can look at it during lunch instead (told him I work about 5 minutes away), and I let him know it was too short notice, but I would definitely be there after work at 5:00. He again let me know that the truck had a lot of interest, but he would hold it for me since I was the first to contact him/initially check out the truck. He calls me at 4:45, and tells me he sold the truck. WTF. So p1ss3d, I have been looking at trucks for 3 weeks and this was by far the best one I had seen for under $3k. I simply said "thank you" and hung up. How can people put that little stock in their own word? Is this normal craigslist behavior? Other one, I went to go look at a truck over the weekend that was claimed "150k miles, rust free Florida truck in north for one year, engine and transmission rebuilt 50k miles ago." I am told it is all solid, everything works, and it is in okay to good condition inside and out (guy was a senior citizen with a crappy camera, so i couldn't get any more pictures out of him). I drive an hour to look at it, car has an actual 271k miles, half the buttons on the interior don't work, every panel/cloth surface on the interior needed to be replaced, tailgate lever doesn't work, undercarriage is covered in rust, and rocker panels are completely gone? Did he think I wouldn't notice anything? Additionally, there was so much dirt, grime, and oil on the motor no way it was rebuilt 50k miles ago, unless someone shoveled a load of soil under the hood instead of into the bed. Headed to Texas for a week, the search will continue when I get back! If I had enough vacation time I would look for a Truck down there and drive it back home. __________________ Current: 2011 SGM Camaro 1SS/RS M6 - CAI Cold Air Kit, Janetty Tuned

08-10-2015, 05:03 PM	#2
Mr Twisty Drives: the 2nd amendment home Join Date: May 2008 Location: OK Posts: 14,707	Integrity, he needs some. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin

08-10-2015, 05:07 PM	#3
SSteven Drives: 2013 ZL1 Black Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Dallas Posts: 411	Unfortunately it's pretty common. __________________ 2013 ZL1 (purchased 3/2017 with 5k miles) - Black/Auto/Nav/Sunroof/Rotofab CAI/RDP tuned/1 7/8" LT Speed Engineering Headers w/TSP HF Cats/NPP with 3-way control switch/HD-Link Previous Camaro (sold 11/2015): 2012 2SS - Auto/RS/Black/Sunroof/MyLink Nav/SP 1 7/8" LT Headers w/HF Cats/Hybrid SW Retro Catback w/Borla Pro XS Mufflers/ADM Dyno Tune/C.A.I. CAI/Vmax Spiral Ported Throttle Body/APEX Catch Can/275x4 Squared Wheel Setup/Custom Fit Full Size Spare/Ceramic Tint Replaced with 2013 Black Dodge Charger SRT8

08-10-2015, 05:19 PM	#4
Pathogen Drives: 2014 1LS Camaro Join Date: May 2014 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 653	On the other side, I have had so many people swear that they would be there if I would hold something for them. I held it and they never showed, causing me to miss multiple buyers. Sadly, you are the exception, not the rule. __________________ Nobody with a good car needs to be justified. -Flannery O'Connor

08-10-2015, 05:22 PM	#5
blakjak55 drinks virgil's Drives: 2010 2SS M6 Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Missouri Posts: 448	You better hit craigslist and autotrader while you're in Texas. You won't find a much better truck market than there. Make time. __________________ 2010 2SS/RS M6 - CAI Intake - Borla Stinger - VTC - 3.91's Eibach Sways - LG ZR28's - BMR Springs - 285/35 Squared

08-10-2015, 05:26 PM	#6
Ragnar Destroyed by flooding Drives: Wife's car Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 4,673	Driving a beater that far will require balls of steel! Good luck __________________

08-10-2015, 05:34 PM	#7
FASTDIESEL Drives: 2010 2SS/RS L99 SLP Cosmetics Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 382 View My Garage	Don't now about Rangers, but 3/4 ton trucks (especially diesels) from TX have been worked hard and put up wet! __________________ 13.244 @ 104.91 100% stock (#17). Now - Mike Norris catch can. 245/50/19 Firestone Wingfoot A/S on LT2 black powder coated rims (square). 1 7/8" Speed-Engineering LTH, off road pipes, tune. Now 12.93 @ 109.13.

08-10-2015, 05:59 PM	#11
JantzenOKC Drives: '13 2LT/RS Twin Turbo Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Edmond, Oklahoma Posts: 3,073	It's craigslist, you gotta grab your money and go get it! There's no "holding" anything.. If someone is there with money in hand, it's getting sold. I don't hold anything because I've been burned too many times holding something for someone who never comes back and then lost out on other sales while holding it. __________________ 3.6L Twin Turbo V6 Garrett GT28 turbos -- Jacfab forged connecting rods -- Diamond forged pistons(10.5:1) -- Alky Control Methonal Injection -- CircleD 2E triple disc torque converter -- BMR suspension 10.75 @ 131mph

08-10-2015, 06:27 PM	#12
BeastMode Drives: 2011 SGM 1SS/RS M6 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Posts: 255	I would understand if someone made a decision that they weren't holding it for anything, but if that is the case, don't tell people that they are good until they get out of work. If he was honest and said first person to show up at my house gets it than that is fine, no need to bullsh1t someone and say you will hold it for a few hours, and sell it 15 minutes before they get there. I have sold a number of cars on craigslist, most of them pretty quickly with multiple interested parties, I guess I just wouldn't treat people like that. __________________ Current: 2011 SGM Camaro 1SS/RS M6 - CAI Cold Air Kit, Janetty Tuned

08-10-2015, 06:27 PM	#13
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,547	A bird in the hand is what many people go by on there. First one to show up with cash in hand gets it. Same as any car lot for that matter. I was looking at a 69 Camaro SS on a Chevy dealers lot back it 73, I told the salesman I was going to the bank to get the money for it. While I was gone which was only an hour they sold the car. If I had enough money to leave a deposit they would have held it. But as the old saying goes Money talks and BS walks... __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!