Selling a car - have people gotten more demanding these days?

[2o6]

As you can see from the flip thread, I sell cars more than I used to.



Is it just me, or has the advent of the internet made selling a car (or anything these days) a total shitshow? It's probably the thing I like the least about flipping a car. People are total clowns, pretend they know shit, and want to give you shit.

[Rupert]

Doesn't help that you're selling hoopties.

[Soup DeVille]

You were selling cars before the Internet?

All I'm saying there is; its always been a shitshow.     

[ifcar]

I would imagine, just as a guess, that with the internet you hear from more people who aren't serious but have to put up with fewer in person who aren't serious.

[2o6]

I would imagine, just as a guess, that with the internet you hear from more people who aren't serious but have to put up with fewer in person who aren't serious.

It's not the flakes, it's the general sense of entitlement I was getting at

[thewizard16]

It's not the flakes, it's the general sense of entitlement I was getting at

Yeah, I had a lot of issues with people hassling me on craigslist and even a few phone calls. The population of "people who aren't idiots or assholes" is about 5% of craigslist ad respondents apparently.

[Payman]

I ended up keeping the Miata because it was too much of a pain in the ass to sell it. I stated in my ad that my price was firm, and that "I'm not interested in playing the Pawn Stars game". Every offer was a joke and a complete waste of time.

[SVT666]

I gave up on selling the G37.  Every offer was $4,000 less than my asking price and my asking price was $3,000 less than the other G's because my car has higher mileage.  I said "Fuck it, I'm keeping it".

[GoCougs]

Well, it's mighty tough if asking too much .

I've really never had a problem selling stuff used - cars, expensive bikes, wheels, car parts, Phone, etc. They key is to ask the right price and all else will follow mostly smoothly.

[Byteme]

I've sold two cars in the past few years, one through Hemmings and the other through Craigslist.  Both transactions were hassle free, although the buyer of the Miata wanted about 100 pictures before he drove 300 miles to complete the transaction.  For what he was paying I was happy to help him out. 

Treat a buyer as your new best friend.  He is offering money for something you no longer want.

[12,000 RPM]

I would rather keep the Z forever than have to deal with the "backwards cap" demographic. There are a few of them in my apt complex and they make my skin crawl. And for how much I'd get murdered on a trade in I could build an NA beast.

[AutobahnSHO]

I have a friend who sold his motorcycle, d00d needed him to ride it 100+miles to the buyer.

Friend gets there, buyer says "I can't pay that much (agreed on price), I'll give you (few K less)." My friend had to ride back home in the rain, with his wife behind him in the car.

JERKS.

[Payman]

I've sold two cars in the past few years, one through Hemmings and the other through Craigslist.  Both transactions were hassle free, although the buyer of the Miata wanted about 100 pictures before he drove 300 miles to complete the transaction.  For what he was paying I was happy to help him out. 

Treat a buyer as your new best friend.  He is offering money for something you no longer want.

You won't draw out the idiots listing through Hemmings. Those buyers are mature and serious.

[Speed_Racer]

You certainly get the nutty ones when selling cars. Also the ones who watch Pawn Stars but don't know the art of haggling. No, I don't want to trade for your non-running moped. How is that a good deal?

A tip is to create and use a Google Voice # in your ads. You can make/receive calls and text right from your regular mobile phone but it's easier to block numbers and you can set quiet hours (because crazy people).

[veeman]

I sold my 2006 Rav4 V6, 37 thousand miles, on Autotrader.  It was highly sought because it was a Toyota, had the big engine, low miles, single owner, and no accidents.  I took close up pictures from 3 feet out at eye level of all 4 corners of the car in bright sunlight with a Nikon D90 camera so it was obvious the car's body was in mint condition.

About a third of the phone calls I got were legit.  1/3 low balled and 1/3 were scam artists (pay me 200 dollars and I have buyers with cash in hand who will pay you 500 dollars over what you're asking for...). For the second category I learned to cut them off about 10 seconds in, say - not interested, hang up, and then block their number. 

In a week I sold it to a dealer for 1000 less than what I was asking (my price wasn't firm).  The dealer had called me after looking at my ad.  That took a lot of the anxiety away because I knew the check was legit.   

What my friend did when he sold his house on his own was get a real cheap cell phone with its own non-traceable number and a pay as you go plan using those 20 dollar t-mobile cards.  He used that phone number for all communication related to people or agents calling about his house.  Any stupid callers he would just hang up on and block their number. 

[Rupert]

I don't give people my phone number in the ad, my god. If you have to display an email, make it a fake/junk email.

[12,000 RPM]

I have a friend who sold his motorcycle, d00d needed him to ride it 100+miles to the buyer.

Friend gets there, buyer says "I can't pay that much (agreed on price), I'll give you (few K less)." My friend had to ride back home in the rain, with his wife behind him in the car.

JERKS.

I'm amazed the possibility of the sale not going through or there being a chance of rain didn't enter your friend's mind........

I'd be damned to drive 10, let alone 100 miles, for a transaction I wasn't certain I'd benefit from

Lesson learned though, I hope.

[hotrodalex]

I drove 10 miles to sell my wheels to a guy. Got 'em out of my garage the day I put them on Craigslist.

[AutobahnSHO]

I'm amazed the possibility of the sale not going through or there being a chance of rain didn't enter your friend's mind........

I'd be damned to drive 10, let alone 100 miles, for a transaction I wasn't certain I'd benefit from

Lesson learned though, I hope.

This friend is a street-smart guy, he felt it was very very firm. "buyer" was just a total lametard.

[Byteme]

You won't draw out the idiots listing through Hemmings. Those buyers are mature and serious.

I'll concede that you don't get as many, but Hemmings readership is not restricted to the mature and well heeled.  I had a few idiots contact me.   

[Byteme]

I'm amazed the possibility of the sale not going through or there being a chance of rain didn't enter your friend's mind........

I'd be damned to drive 10, let alone 100 miles, for a transaction I wasn't certain I'd benefit from

Lesson learned though, I hope.

I was selling a used, inexpensive (Harbor Freight) compound miter saw on Craigslist for $40.  Guy in a Littlerock, 70 miles away asked me if I could deliver it.   

[2o6]

I'm starting to realize that the actual selling is probably least favorite part.



I hate selling Hondas. It's so much easier to sell a car worth >$2500.

[Rich]

I really enjoyed the Mustang selling process.  I created an e-mail address for it, and an Autotrader ad at Edmunds TMV.  I got about 6 pings, 3 of them were scammers.  1 drove across Idaho to check it out.  Didn't buy; I was dissapointed because he had his life straight and felt like the car would be taken care of.  A week or so later after no other contacts, lowered the price on Autotrader about 1k.  The one that checked it out called and said he'd buy it.  He drove out, we went to the bank and DMV, and took care of all the paperwork.  It felt nice knowing it went to a good person, and that it was a Big Deal to him, since he'd previously been doing the Coug's used economy car thing til that point. 

[2o6]

I really enjoyed the Mustang selling process.  I created an e-mail address for it, and an Autotrader ad at Edmunds TMV.  I got about 6 pings, 3 of them were scammers.  1 drove across Idaho to check it out.  Didn't buy; I was dissapointed because he had his life straight and felt like the car would be taken care of.  A week or so later after no other contacts, lowered the price on Autotrader about 1k.  The one that checked it out called and said he'd buy it.  He drove out, we went to the bank and DMV, and took care of all the paperwork.  It felt nice knowing it went to a good person, and that it was a Big Deal to him, since he'd previously been doing the Coug's used economy car thing til that point.

It's also a mustang, though. This is a used Honda CR-V.


Maybe this area has something to do with it

[AutobahnSHO]

In general the used car market has changed drastically the last 5 years-  people hold onto cars longer, they don't waste as much on new cars every 3 years.

But this also leads to buyers being more picky/choosy, where they used to just go to the dealer and are satisfied with a new car (which everyone will rave about just because it's new) so they're more selective and critical..

[Payman]

I blame the influence of shows like Pawn Stars and their ilk. Everyone thinks they are a master negotiator now, and rudeness is acceptable behaviour in the process.

[2o6]

I blame the influence of shows like Pawn Stars and their ilk. Everyone thinks they are a master negotiator now, and rudeness is acceptable behaviour in the process.

Yes

[Eye of the Tiger]

I blame the influence of shows like Pawn Stars and their ilk. Everyone thinks they are a master negotiator now, and rudeness is acceptable behaviour in the process.

I do not accept most "negotiators". I listed my shit for sale, not for auction. Anyone who puts " OBO" in their ad is just asking for it, and that is stupid.

[2o6]

I do not accept most "negotiators". I listed my shit for sale, not for auction. Anyone who puts " OBO" in their ad is just asking for it, and that is stupid.

I keep getting dumb asses that are perturbed by the fact I replaced the Timing belt and water pump myself



I guy gave me a strange look when I told him the water pump was failing (It wasn't overheating, but wouldn't hold coolant for more than a day) and that I replaced it and the belt.



I'm tempted to keep this car.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I keep getting dumb asses that are perturbed by the fact I replaced the Timing belt and water pump myself



I guy gave me a strange look when I told him the water pump was failing (It wasn't overheating, but wouldn't hold coolant for more than a day) and that I replaced it and the belt.



I'm tempted to keep this car.

People are complete idiots and think replacing a timing belt is some kind of voodoo. CRVs are nice tall cars. I'd keep it if it was a Miata.