One That Got Away

[Lurch]

This 1994 Honda Accord LX was listed on craiglist and I talked to the owner via phone, and came close to buying it. He was asking $1250 for it and it has 130k, a very well maintained car. He was supppsed to drive it up here from 60 miles
South of here. I had cash waiting, but he never called Sunday AM and I never was able to contact him again. That was a nice car and a decent deal. I'm not looking for cars much any more. I guess I'm *stuck* with my Sentra.

 

[Pablo]

Wish they had deals like that here - that would have been the perfect car for the daughter.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Wish they had deals like that here - that would have been the perfect car for the daughter.


Deals like that are very rare, but I found it, connected with the dude, and then it didn't happen, so it was quite a letdown. If anyone is persistent enough on craiglist they're bound to find great car deals. It's just a matter of being there at the right time.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
This 1994 Honda Accord LX was listed on craiglist and I talked to the owner via phone, and came close to buying it. He was asking $1250 for it and it has 130k, a very well maintained car. He was supppsed to drive it up here from 60 miles
South of here. I had cash waiting, but he never called Sunday AM and I never was able to contact him again. That was a nice car and a decent deal. I'm not looking for cars much any more. I guess I'm *stuck* with my Sentra.

I`d rather have the Sentra

 

[HTSS_TR]

That is a great deal, my friend sold his 1991 Accord with 198k miles 1.5 years ago for $1600. That car was listed on local Craiglist and sold in less than 1/2 days.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
anyone is persistent enough on craiglist they're bound to find great car deals. It's just a matter of being there at the right time.


True, but emphasis on THERE. Probably found a local buyer and didn't have to drive 60 miles.

When you think about it, a potential buyer who has a car delivered to his driveway has no time or effort invested in going looking at it. So he can start whining about every little scratch etc and make a lowball offer. If the seller doesn't like it the potential buyer can just close the door and waltz back to their den.

The BEST way to buy stuff on craigslist is to have your budget in 20, 50, $100 bills on your person over a weekend, preferably one including a Monday bank holiday. Whip the wad out when you find a car you like and start thumbing through it as you make your offer. Other buyers will have trouble getting all the cash together; ATMs have a limit of a few hundred $$.

Another thing is inclement weather; I looked at a car in a freezing-rain storm once, but weeklong soakers are good too. Cuts the buying competition and the sellers are getting sick of looking at their old cars.

The only flaw? Flaky sellers who can't find the title right off, because you got over there so fast!!

 

[Diesel_Clatter]

I sold a 93 Tercel on craigslist that I had done extensive work on along with some parts for $950. I listed it Saturday evening and took the family to dinner. My cell phone began to ring about half way through dinner. Sold the car the next morning to the first person who showed up. They paid the full price in cash which, when offered, was what made me get up early and give them the first shot.

Price was probably a little low but I was amazed by how many responses and how fast.

Since then I have realized that the really good deals in the $1000 neighborhood are gone in a flash from craigslist so if you want one of those you have to be ready to move fast!

 

[hemitom]

I don't about you guys in the U.S, here in Canada there are a lot of scams running on craigslist.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: hemitom
I don't about you guys in the U.S, here in Canada there are a lot of scams running on craigslist.



Yep.

 

[Cutehumor]

If you really wanted the car, you would have drove the 60 miles to buy it. If I was selling, no way I'm driving 60 miles for a guy to kick the tires. At that price, someone went running to him and paid the full asking price.

 

[Lurch]

That's true that you have to move fast in good deals like this. I called him on a Saturday and offered to drive there then but he was busy and wasn't going to be there. Then I suggested he drive up here (so 2 cars wouldn't have to drive up here) and I'd drive him back in my Sentra, and I'd pay him $50 [his suggestion] if I didn't buy the car, which I agreed to do, verbally, but I would have if I didn't buy it. I was 95% sure I was going to buy it. He babied the car, like I do to my cars. That car would have been a great deal at $2000.

A few days before that I missed a nice Corolla wagon with 150k for $1200. When I got the guy on the phone, he said it's already sold.

What I really think happened is that someone screwed up the deal for me. An ex acquaintance knows I have a good car and didn't want me to buy it, that's what I truly believe. He tends to be able to control things like this, and does so. that seller knew how much I wanted the car. I was quite surprised he let me down, but my ex boss knows how to crash things like this. He's done it hundreds of times to me in the last 22 years. Accords don't get the MPGs a Sentra will get - most of them only get 22 city, 28 highway (my Sentra gets (28/40), unless it's one of the early Accords from the late 70s to early 80s, back in the days when they were a lot smaller and had smaller motors. He may have not wanted me to buy another car until I sold my Sentra, so I then listed the Sentra on craigslist and almost got $5400 for it, but those deals seemed to fall apart too. One guy offered me $5200 for it, and I was told I should have taken it but I didn't. I didn't want to dicker. Then I relisted it at $5800 and got no bites at all so I removed the listing and stopped trying to sell it.

 

[Cutehumor]

My dad has the same 03 Sentra XE 1.8L. He's had to replace the headgasket twice for that engine. I can see why your trying to sell it

 

[panthermike]

I've had pretty good luck with craigslist:

Purchased: 1986 Blazer; New engine, trans, lift, tires, exhaust, etc. for 3000.00, 2001 Crown Vic for 2550.00 and a 98 Mark VIII w/ 83K miles for 2000.00.

 

[Mr Nice]

Two weeks ago I saw on TV that some guy listed a Civic Hybrid for sale on CL for $6000 and some guy was dumb enough to show up with the cash and was robbed at knife point.

The latest scam is that people are posting job offers or housing rentals....

but require a $20 fee so that they can do a background check.

 

[Lurch]

Most deals on CL are probably OK and some sweet deals can be found there, I'm sure, but it's up to the buyer to be the judge of every seller as anyone can be a potential scammer or outright criminal.

I thought about that myself when I was thinking of driving alone to a city 60 miles South of here with $1250 cash on me. I was going to hide the $$ somewhere in the car and only take it out if/when I felt I could trust the seller, which I really think was a good guy that would not do any harm.