Craigslist

[LoTGoD]

I am so sick of trying to deal with people on Craigslist. Could it be any more of a hassle?

 

Last week, I had a deal setup for an Xbox 360 that was broken. The guy wanted $100 for the box. We had a time setup to meet, and the agreed upon price. 2 days before we meet, he sends me an email telling me another person offered him $80 more, and he will "Let me know what is going on." I told him to just forget it. I guess I am the only one that still believes in the "Gentleman's Agreement" way of doing business.

 

This past weekend, I find another deal. This time a PS3. I agree to meet the guy at 11:00 am about 1.5 hours from my house. I end up getting there 15 minutes early, and sit around until 11:30 waiting on him. He never gave me his cell phone number or anything. I drive all the way back home, to find an email from 10:58am that tells me his car is having trouble and he won't make it. I tell him fine, what can we do since I went all that way. NO EMAIL RESPONSE SINCE!!!

 

 

...and finally. I have been dealing with a guy in Pittsburgh since mid-June on an MJ with a blown motor. I email asking if it is still around, and he says yes, $200 for the whole thing. I say fine, can I get a better pic than the crappy cell phone one he has in his ad? I wait a few days, and nothing. He then writes and asks what I want pics of. I tell him. Wait a few more days. Write again for pics. He says he has been busy. No big deal I say. Get them when you can. I think about it a bit, and decide that I can use most of the parts I need for my 4X4 conversion, and sell the rest here if need be, so $200 isn't a bad deal. I tell him I'll take it unseen, so send me your #. I call the guy the next night, but he isn't home. I guess I get his dad on the phone and tell him I want to come get the whole thing the next day for the agreed upon price of $200. This guy tells me "For the whole thing? I don't think that was what he wanted." I said whatever, just have him call me when he gets in, no matter how late it is, I'll be up. No call. Send another email. Now the story changes. "$200 isn't enough. The price of scrap is too high now." Seriously? The price of scrap went up that much since we started dealing? Now the guy won't take less than $600 for it. Looks like his old man yelled at him for trying to sell it so cheap. I guess I was the idiot for talking to his dad about it too.

 

I'm done with CL. Too many bad sales has really ruined it for me.

 

 

If you read all that...I applaud you.

 

Rant Off

[MiNi Beast]

Did someone not get there nightly shocker? :cry:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:teehee: Yeah it's true they suck. I've never really like the list. But a buddy of mine buys everything offline. He even so much as bought a iron of craigslist. Met the girl 45min away. I said to him, "You did not just by a iron from some girl when you could just go to Wal-Mart or something?". He said "heck yeah I paid $20 for a $45 iron" :nuts: :rotfl2:

[jeepdoggydogB]

That's why we call it Dregs list out here! Mixed in with the good sellers and buyers you have tire kickers, low ballers, con artists, and the worse a bunch of "cowboys" (from the movie Scarface) that try to rip you off.

[smithe1811]

i just picked up an 88 manche from CL and had no problems at all, went from PA to long island NY to get it and drive it back, in fact i haggled down $900 on it too.

 

Erik :beerhead:

[mfpdm]

I've had pretty good luck with CL for the most part, but I've had a couple of times where they wouldn't get back with me. I've got both MJ's from there.

We have had some people get robbed here. Someone would show up about a listing and get held up for their cash. :nuts:

 

:cheers:

[Pete M]

Neutral meeting locations can be used sometimes. But with the internet, it's not really all that hard to track down someone's address using a phone number, email address, etc.

[Mountianrider]

Well, I think these kind of experiences seem to have a kind of run to them. I've done ok with craigslist but there are those who try anything. Yea, you would think that someone selling something would

be responsible and be there as arranged. Well, maybe a break from the craigslist burnout wouldn't hurt, but I wouldn't let the bad overshadow the potential good deals you might make in the future.

[Sir Sam]

last night on a whim I checked CL for fort collins for jeep wheels

 

I usually don't bother checking for my local town since way more stuff pops up in denver.

 

I came across a set of wheels I love. guy is asking $400.

 

i send him an email "I have $300 cash and can pick them up as soon as your ready, let me know"

 

He emails back and says yes and that he will be free after 6pm.

 

I tell him I will meet him at 6:30.

 

I arrive promptly at 6:30 on the dot. Get out, check wheels over, reach into wallet, hand over 3 $100 bills. load wheels and drive away.

 

 

Thats how you do a craigslist deal, serious buyers and serious sellers make life easier.

[jeepdoggydogB]

last night on a whim I checked CL for fort collins for jeep wheels

 

I usually don't bother checking for my local town since way more stuff pops up in denver.

 

I came across a set of wheels I love. guy is asking $400.

 

i send him an email "I have $300 cash and can pick them up as soon as your ready, let me know"

 

He emails back and says yes and that he will be free after 6pm.

 

I tell him I will meet him at 6:30.

 

I arrive promptly at 6:30 on the dot. Get out, check wheels over, reach into wallet, hand over 3 $100 bills. load wheels and drive away.

 

 

Thats how you do a craigslist deal, serious buyers and serious sellers make life easier.

Most deals are like yours;however, I had a variant of a deal like yours. Guy shows up, I show up, guy proceeds to offer an even lower amount than agreed upon the phone. I guess it could be worse, one could show up with money and guy shows up with gun and takes money.

[Mountianrider]

Getting robbed is one thing, getting murdered is another thing. Getting robbed is like having an auto accident; tramatic, but if you get through it un-harmed, then, you have done the right thing. Personally I always pack heat, which is no guarantee by any means, but I don't recommend that concept to most people. Speaking of little criminals and car parts; About two weeks ago I am outside having my coffee and I notice a cop car on the corner of the property, so I go down there in my bathrobe holding my cup of java and walk up to this cop and ask; "So what's going on officer?"

He looks at me and asks; "Do you live here?" I kinda looks at my robe and then gesture towards my house with the cup of java and say; "well yea, (like it's normal to wander around the city in your underwear and robe.) Anyways, turns out the kid next door has been running a little Chop-Shop for the last four years! The cops finally got sick of all the stolen Hondas and set up a bait car. So, you just never know about people do you? :dunce:

[jeepdoggydogB]

Getting robbed is one thing, getting murdered is another thing. Getting robbed is like having an auto accident; tramatic, but if you get through it un-harmed, then, you have done the right thing. Personally I always pack heat, which is no guarantee by any means, but I don't recommend that concept to most people. Speaking of little criminals and car parts; About two weeks ago I am outside having my coffee and I notice a cop car on the corner of the property, so I go down there in my bathrobe holding my cup of java and walk up to this cop and ask; "So what's going on officer?"

He looks at me and asks; "Do you live here?" I kinda looks at my robe and then gesture towards my house with the cup of java and say; "well yea, (like it's normal to wander around the city in your underwear and robe.) Anyways, turns out the kid next door has been running a little Chop-Shop for the last four years! The cops finally got sick of all the stolen Hondas and set up a bait car. So, you just never know about people do you? :dunce:

Cops got real ichty trigger fingers around here, they get nervous when folks pack. 80 percent of the transactions I have had on Craigslist have been good, I just wish there was a way to improve it. I know a rep system like ebay or a mandatory money source like paypal would drive a lot of the small time folks away, but I would wager the overall buying and selling experience would improve.

[DenLevi]

I feel your pain, you just have to be smart about it.

 

If you are going to commit to buying something from a seller always make phone contact first, never just rely on email and also get a name and give yours to make it more personal. Once you agree upon a price then set a time and location if you cannot go to a legitimate address, but as someone else said make it a very public place to lesson any chances of funny business or robbery. I like Wendy's parking lots.

Never agree to meet in an obscure remote location. Sometimes when I was not real sure about a sellers credibility I would tell them I want to check out the item first and if I like it then I will go get the funds shortly after. Another way to discourage robbery.

 

I always demand the seller bring a cell phone if I have to drive a distance so I can keep tabs on his ETA or get a hold of him if he is late. No one wants to sit around waiting for someone who doesnt plan to show for any givin reason and waste gas these days.

 

I bought my Comanche from a CL seller, no problems whatsoever, even got a $60 discount off the asking price of $500 because his son took out the radio. I didnt even ask for it.

 

I have found a lot of great things from CL, and screaming deals like my 99 TJ for $750, yes that was $750 US dollars, had a blown engine, :brows: but was at the right place at the right time and the guy who was selling it was a stand up man of his word because he had many offers after I spoke with him over 2k sight unseen! So it is not so bad.

 

I also have had my share of bad deals. Mainly when I throw up some things to sell, I will sometimes get no less that 20 emails from people who are very interested and want now, so I send them my phone number never to hear back from any of them. :roll: Why even bother if you never intended to buy?

 

Like anything CL has its scammers, and good and bad, just use it wisely.

 

Mountainrider, I see you have a 73 Opel GT, I had a yellow 73 myself years ago, loved that little car, the headlights were a bit shaky and didnt want to always turn over but it was a clean California car. Wow wish I still had that, they are so rare these days here in Colorado.

[Mountianrider]

Let's just say that my personal insurance methods are a personal choice and not recommended for beginners. You need to be trained, you need to know the law, you need to have a concealed permit in most states, and you need to be able to judge if your actions are both legal and liveable.

You can't just shoot someone even if they are robbing you, you have to be "in fear of you life," or in the act of protecting someone else's life. It's murder even so, but justifiable homicide. Now, can you live with your actions even if the act is justifiable? Remember, the most important words you can ever say are; " I was afraid for my life!" Don't ever forget that!

 

As a mildly experienced protection specialist, in an assortment of fields and jobs, I have unholstered my weapon on many occassions. I have never had to shoot anyone, yet, but only because they made the choice to quit doing whatever it was I was offended by. The only people who can pretty much just shoot you down for acting stupid are the money men. These guys are under a completely different set of laws. Armored couriers are protected by federal law and the cumulitive crimes act and the legal rulings surrounding armored car robbery. Most don't know these things, but they are there and an armored courier can shoot you just for threatening them or menacing them. Basically, keep far away from the money men if you value your health. Lots of people have been killed because they got caught up in a gun battle between couriers and robbers, but I digress, the point is obvious that you really need to be trained and accustomed with the law and how to act and carry yourself in public and when you have to deal with a law enforcement officer while armed. Last, don't ever let an armored courier even see your weapon and if you are in the area where an armored truck shows up, then, leave immediately. Should something happen you become a prime suspect.

Carrying a weapon is a huge responsibility, it is probably the second most important choice a person could make, second only to making a decision to have a child. That's a whole other subject, kids and guns!

 

If you get robbed, then your out some cash, big deal, it isn't worh the conequences of shooting someone over. The cops will catch up with them eventually. :smart: The only reason to carry a weapon is to protect your life and the lives of others; not to prevent a robbery, or capture a suspect, or the stuff we people pay cops to do. :USAflag:

[smithe1811]

Let's just say that my personal insurance methods are a personal choice and not recommended for beginners. You need to be trained, you need to know the law, you need to have a concealed permit in most states, and you need to be able to judge if your actions are both legal and liveable.

You can't just shoot someone even if they are robbing you, you have to be "in fear of you life," or in the act of protecting someone else's life. It's murder even so, but justifiable homicide. Now, can you live with your actions even if the act is justifiable? Remember, the most important words you can ever say are; " I was afraid for my life!" Don't ever forget that!

 

As a mildly experienced protection specialist, in an assortment of fields and jobs, I have unholstered my weapon on many occassions. I have never had to shoot anyone, yet, but only because they made the choice to quit doing whatever it was I was offended by. The only people who can pretty much just shoot you down for acting stupid are the money men. These guys are under a completely different set of laws. Armored couriers are protected by federal law and the cumulitive crimes act and the legal rulings surrounding armored car robbery. Most don't know these things, but they are there and an armored courier can shoot you just for threatening them or menacing them. Basically, keep far away from the money men if you value your health. Lots of people have been killed because they got caught up in a gun battle between couriers and robbers, but I digress, the point is obvious that you really need to be trained and accustomed with the law and how to act and carry yourself in public and when you have to deal with a law enforcement officer while armed. Last, don't ever let an armored courier even see your weapon and if you are in the area where an armored truck shows up, then, leave immediately. Should something happen you become a prime suspect.

Carrying a weapon is a huge responsibility, it is probably the second most important choice a person could make, second only to making a decision to have a child. That's a whole other subject, kids and guns!

 

If you get robbed, then your out some cash, big deal, it isn't worh the conequences of shooting someone over. The cops will catch up with them eventually. :smart: The only reason to carry a weapon is to protect your life and the lives of others; not to prevent a robbery, or capture a suspect, or the stuff we people pay cops to do. :USAflag:

 

:popcorn:

[Pete M]

Quick tips off the top o' my head:

-Do internet searches on every bit of info you can get on the guy: phone numbers, email addresses, names, etc.

 

-Figure out a way to slide some of the info you've found into your conversations with said individuals.

 

-Meet in brightly lit, public areas when possible. (the local police station is always a plus :D )

 

-Never go alone, never be at your house alone

 

-If you're really paranoid or get a weird feeling from an individual, never underestimate the benefits of having a video camera rolling from a house window or from in the back of your minivan. Just don't ever mention it to the guy with the gun or he'll steal that too.

[jeepdoggydogB]

Excellent tips Pete and Mountianrider, A licensed and trained protection specialist would likely be known to the cops around here and they would respect that. The average law abiding citizen that might decide to have an unloaded pistol in plain site would likely be considered a "thug" by both law enforcement personnel and the "thugs" themselves. It would be a terrible situation to be in. One thing I want to add to Pete's and Mountianrider's tips is I usually do not sell popular items over $100 on Craigslist like Ipods and Iphones. I know it is hard for us to believe but in many places our trucks aren't popular enough to steal so selling a less popular vehicle on CL isn't likely to attract riff-raff. When the PS3's first came out in November of 06 we had a rash of robberies involving CL transactions, and some Honda's, Subarau WRX's, and a number of Toyota's remain very popular toys on a thief's wanted list.

 

For those of you wondering why someone like me might be so paranoid, my City "Vallejo" is currently the largest City in our Country to file for Bankruptcy, and record numbers of our Police Department have left the City for greener pastures, and right now the press at large has put the "blame" on public safety unions so attitudes of our City employees have soured and thugs that have been emboldened by their exodus leaves the rest of us in a precarious position.