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craigslist vs us hobbyists


trimacar

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Having friendly negotiations with us guys (or y'all, as we'd say down south) is delightful. In the past couple of months have bought wheels, clutch springs, and a few other things. Most of the time, it's "I've shipped it to you, send me a check when you get a chance." Dealings with old car guys are the best, friendly and trusting.

So, searching Craigslist a week or so ago, found a brass horn in Radford Va., 3 hours south of where I live.

To make a short story long, offered $110 to include shipping. Guy (let's call him Mr. W)got back to me, thrilled, said fine, your offer best by $20, send postal money order. Next day I was busy, so I sent him message (he was texting, which I don't like to do) that I was a day late. Got message back, well,sir, I've been offered $200, would you match it.

No, I replied, go ahead and sell it. That's a good offer for that horn (and, he sent pictures, but as pointed out by a friend, those can be had on the Internet). Then a text, well, will honor our deal, please send money.

Whoa. Ok, I replied, first, if you have offer of $200, take it. If you dont have an offerof $200, then you lied to me, and if that's the case, you could lie to me about shipping it too, so deal is off, no money from me. Please quit texting me.

Next day, a text from same number, but from "Carla," not Mr. Weaver, and, I can't make this stuff up:

"Dear Sir my name is Carla [names changed to protect the guilty] & I'm the one who text u yesterday not Mr. W. He does not know what I did, he thinks he made a deal with u. I'm sorry for what I did I was just trying to help him he recently was in an accident and paraliized, and I have kidney cancer so we are struggling please i beg u dont make me tell him what I did I truely am sorry he will be so upset with me and i cant case him to be hurt by something i did please forgive me i am sorry" [sic, typed as sent]

If the above is true, that's a shame. But, it could be just a poor man's scam from Radford Va. (nice college there ya know)

Give me a hobbyist to buy from anytime.....

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Guest Jim_Edwards

My advise is never respond to any ad online or in a newspaper where the words "Best Offer" appear without some sort of date when offers will no longer be accepted. And never send anyone money without having an actual street address that can be verified as being that of the party offering anything for sale. If a seller doesn't want to give that information, just pass the deal up.

Jim

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Craigslist is fine as long as you can drive to look at the item, and then pick it up and pay. I was looking at a John Deere compact tractor a while ago that was in orange couny NY for a very reasonable price. Just for the heck of it I googled the tractor and the same photos were on Ebay and the tractor was 3 times the money and out in the mid west. I never called the craigslist number, but was tempted, thought I would tell them I would come and pick it up and pay for it then and see what the responds would have been. I figgured it was better not to have a scammer get my number. Dandy Dave!

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Guest bofusmosby
I still haven't looked at Craigslist, and I don't have a cell phone, eBay and PayPal are fine thank you.

And all this time I thought I was the only one left who didn't have a cell phone.:eek:

I too use Ebay and Pay-Pal. Never had any problems. Never used Craigslist either.

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Guest Jim_Edwards
And all this time I thought I was the only one left who didn't have a cell phone.:eek:

I too use Ebay and Pay-Pal. Never had any problems. Never used Craigslist either.

Old reliable, not very portable and no APPS; just works every time! :D

Note the convenient writing surface for jotting down information. Technological wonder!

antique-wall-phone-317872506847048051.jpg

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Craigs List works great for me. Usually much less expensive than EBay where you are bidding agaist the entire country. BUT (big but) I NEVER buy sight unseen from them.

I was recently contacted via Email about a part I was looking for that was posted on a different forum than this one. The supposed part was perfect and all I had to do was wire $200 cash. They couldn't supply a pix for "technical" reasons. I strung them along for about 6 back and forth Emails until they got wise to me. I think they caught on when I asked for the part # and said it should start with GFY...............Bob

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While I think most people are basically honest, the crooks can ruin anything for the rest of us. I used to think having Craig's List set up as mostly local search

was a pain, but after hearing all these stories, now I think it's good.

I have purchased off Craig's List, but mostly driving to pick up and pay.

Like Dandy Dave, I was interested in a Kabota Tractor on the List. The ad

said Clearwater Florida. When I contacted the seller, he said it was near Chicago, Illnois. I said fine, I have an inspector in Chicago who can check it out. Then he said it was in storage and he was a Merchant Marine sailor in the North Sea and he had the storage key with him and if wanted the tractor to send money and he would send the key. Convinced is was obviously a scam, I passed. Now, I look only at Craig's List local or place I can drive to for

a purchase.

Edited by Paul Dobbin
spelling (see edit history)
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I browse craigslist--the listings in my local area, that is (I appreciate the option to search in your local area that C/L provides)--every so often, and have found a couple of good things over the years--but like others have said, ALWAYS stuff that I was able to go and look at in person (scammers are everywhere).

Sold a couple of things there too, but even more scammers turn up when you're trying to sell stuff on craigslist.

Gotta keep those antennae up all the time...

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Guest Jim_Edwards
I'd like to have one of those for sure Jim. What will they think of next?

Thats new technology for ya!:D

It's the latest in voice recognition. Pickup the ear piece, crank the handle a couple of times and a pleasant voice comes on asking if they can help you. Then all you have to do is say I need to speak to Joe's service station or you might give a number like 549 and almost instantly you are talking to the party you want. You can even get the correct time. Not much improvement needed! :D

Jim

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Yes, I agree that only if I could go pick something up would I buy off Craigslist.....and even then, might want to meet in a public place, parking lot or such, just so I don't have to go to a strange house......

The problem with meeting somebody offsite is you don't know if they're the rightful owner. If you get burned you have no recourse if you can't locate the person.Of course the other person doesn't know you from Adam,either.

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The worst experience I have ever had selling a car was when I listed a 420SEL Mercedes on craigslist. Only one person who came to look at it was curteous and pleasant. The worst was a guy who ignored my asking price and said "what'll you take for it?" I said if you don't like the asking price what would you care to offer? "What'll you take"! Just make me an offer....WHAT"LL YOU TAKE? at that point I excused myself and went inside. Heard him cursing as he sped away.

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I had a motorcycle for sale once in New Orleans. Fellow called, came to look at it, riding on the back of a friend's motorcycle. He got off, looked over the bike. His friend was still sitting on his bike. The guy then asked if he could take it for a test ride.

I looked at him, looked and his friend, and said no. I knew I'd never see either one of them, or my bike, again.

Plus, in the eyes of the law, this is not "stealing," as if you give him permission to ride off, then it's not theft......or so I've been told.....

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