Selling a vehicle privately? Careful out there!
- Thread starter Oillover
- Start date
Elkins45
Site Donor 2026
I’ve also read about them squirting oil in your coolant to fake a blown head gasket.
Meet at a public place, preferably a police station or something, as long as there are cameras
I have sold many cars privately luckily enough I have never had any issue's.
But I think now if I was alone and two clowns showed to inspect my car I would tell one of them to please stand back while one views the car and watch him closely.
And if they put up a big deal I have no problem telling them to leave and go play with each other.
But I think now if I was alone and two clowns showed to inspect my car I would tell one of them to please stand back while one views the car and watch him closely.
And if they put up a big deal I have no problem telling them to leave and go play with each other.
Patman
Staff member
I stopped selling used cars privately a long time ago and I’ll definitely never do it again (unless I personally know the person)
I've had a bad experience before... They removed one of the coil packs & it ran like you know what. Then tried to get me to reduce the price substantially. Nope! Found the removed coil wire after I had time to think straight.
I've had some really "tire kickers" before. One old fat dude tried brake torquing an old F-150 I had for sale. Told em to kick rocks after that. These practices are very old but there are new ways to trick the seller. I'm sure some are duped.
I've had some really "tire kickers" before. One old fat dude tried brake torquing an old F-150 I had for sale. Told em to kick rocks after that. These practices are very old but there are new ways to trick the seller. I'm sure some are duped.
Not cars as I don't go through that many. Other deals from Craigslist and Facebook Market where I was selling I would meet them at my firehouse or a firehouse by them. All on 24 hour camera and I explain that it is for their safety and mine. 2 of the transactions the buyer changed theirs minds very shortly after. Coincidence?
When I bought things I often bring someone else but have them stay back but outside of our vehicle, normally at least they are CC. Even those transactions unless too big, I request to meet at a place by them that is on camera, I explain same reasons. Most have no issues with that but I'm not buying too many crazy things.
When I bought things I often bring someone else but have them stay back but outside of our vehicle, normally at least they are CC. Even those transactions unless too big, I request to meet at a place by them that is on camera, I explain same reasons. Most have no issues with that but I'm not buying too many crazy things.
I find that the people who are serious about buying used vehicles show up, ask very few questions, go on a short test ride/drive, come back and get out their wallet with minimal haggling.
The tire kickers are the ones who haggle over the phone before seeing the vehicle, show up and ask a million questions, want proof of every repair and maintenance, complain about non existent issues during the test drive like noises, brakes aren't strong, a knocking sound only they can hear etc.
Upon return they haggle more, then attempt to write either a personal check or tell you they didn't bring all the money. Then they want you to 'hold it for them' until they return which is never because some family tragedy just happened to pop off the very same day they looked at your vehicle and now they have to back out.
The tire kickers are the ones who haggle over the phone before seeing the vehicle, show up and ask a million questions, want proof of every repair and maintenance, complain about non existent issues during the test drive like noises, brakes aren't strong, a knocking sound only they can hear etc.
Upon return they haggle more, then attempt to write either a personal check or tell you they didn't bring all the money. Then they want you to 'hold it for them' until they return which is never because some family tragedy just happened to pop off the very same day they looked at your vehicle and now they have to back out.
I was contacted by two "buyers" that asked a few questions about my truck and were this close to buying it if I would just purchase and run some kind of CarFax type report (except it was NOT Carfax). They even tried to "help me out" by sending me links to buy the reports they wanted. I figured it out pretty quick, and told them OK, send me $50 and I'll do it and I will refund their $50 as soon as they buy it. They were persistent so I frustrated them pretty bad. The back and forth went on for hours, LOL.
You can't watch two people at once. Sometimes, it's just a tiny syringe and it's a quick squirt. It's not like he's opening a quart bottle in front of you.
Having just sold a vehicle, I find most people look at the vehicle and don’t bring money with them, and I also noticed they don’t really inspect the vehicle at all either. Blows my mind…
I admit I've done that before (arrive without cash/deposit).
I was convinced the car was decent and the seller was reputable. Since I didn't want him selling it to someone else, I just gave him my credit card to hold as a deposit.
And then you sell it to a normal person then they get mad that you "sold it out from under them."
Or they make an appointment for a week out (payday) and you sell it and they get annoyed that they "had an appointment". Yeah but the other guy had cash...
That happened when I worked at BMW; one Saturday a salesmen told me that he had a couple coming in to look at a new M240i- but that they hadn’t put down a deposit. Later that day I noticed a couple looking at that 2er and I asked them if they had made an appointment to look at it. They said no, but that they wanted to look at it. I took them for a test drive and they said they wanted it it. I wrote up the deal and took the car to the detail shop. The salesman’s clients showed up soon after; they weren’t very happy but as they say, money talks…
Well that scam is irrelevant to me. I don’t care what you say/find my sale price range is not going to change and the vehicle isn’t leaving my site.1st I’m going to take YOU on the test drive then we can switch. You’d have to be hella slick for me not to notice placing oil somewhere and like any enthusiast you aren’t going to find any leaks/misfires I wouldn’t be aware of. If two come (which is usually the case) I’m not taking my eyes off of either. Robbing, not scamming is what I’m looking out for. I’ve has ZERO issues selling or buying other than the usual lying (ex: does the ac work: “oh I don’t know I just roll the windows down” lol we have prolonged high 90s summers, you know if the ac works.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2022
- Messages
- 1,161
I saw another fb marketplace article this morning. Dad and daughter drove way out in the boonies somewhere to buy a PS5 and were killed.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/nedas-...liza-morales-downers-grove-illinois/18673133/
This was a big story in January in the Chicago area and the perpetrator is alleged to have been upset over a truck he bought from Facebook marketplace.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/downer...illing-pregnant-woman-eliza-morales/18491049/
Similar threads
