Sick and tired of Craigslist !!!

[75BMW2002]

I have had it with looking for cars on craigslist.  I have been looking for an E30 for a while.  I am willing to travel upto 400 miles one way for the right car but refuse to just hop in the car and go without some more info first.  It seems the folks that use craigslist donn't really want to sell a car - they just want folks to know they have one :rolleyes:

Examples:

Found one that was 375 miles away.  Sent the guy an email asking for a phone number to call and got a response with a phone number and a message that if the guy didn't asnwer to write back and they would schedule a time for me to see the car.  I left the guy a message and he never called me back - I told them I wasn't scheduling an appointment ot see the car without some mroe info first - last I heard from them.

Found another one about 200 miles away.  Told the guy I would liek some omroe pics since I was 200 miles away and his response was "200 miles is to far away - sorry".  I told the guy to kiss my _____.

Found another one 350 miles away with no phone info.  I send two messages the day the ad came out asking for a phone number - no response!

Found several more - sent emails and/or left phone messages the day the ad comes out and still no one will reply.

What is it with these folks - if you don't want to sell your car, don't place the damn ad and cause us to waste our time!!!

OK, rant over

BOB

[nomad]

yep, idiots who post with email and then don't check it or have the span filter on and never check it.  hate poor communicators as well.

I must say though that selling on CL is just as annoying. People give 25% asking price offers, scammers always sending emails, answer complicated questions and never get a "thank you" or acknowledgment they got it, lots of "still available" and never hear again...

where are you located?

[bmwpower]

You should be so lucky.

I answered a CL ad on Sat morning.  Told the guy I was leaving and it should take about 1-1/2 hours to get there.  Left my house and got there with the cash.  He had already sold the car 2 MINUTES before I got there.  He told me he waited 1-1/2 hours and when I didn't arrive exactly 1-1/2 hours later he sold it to some dickhead instead.  I was so pissed.  I was about ready to kill the guy.

Then I drove another 1-1/2 hours home.

I hate CL too.

[nomad]

I just read on another forum where a guy drove 2 hrs to pick up a deal of a part for $60 (agreed upon), then the seller said he had to pay $100 to take it. The guy coughed up the dough.

I wouldn't give him a red cent more on principle. The guy stuck it to him for sure!

[Wise Old Dog]

Yep, you're taking your chances when dealing long distance without being able to secure the item first. That is one good thing about e-bay. If the seller has good feedback, communicates well, willing to send pictures, then you can win the auction, travel to pick-up the car, and if there is a problem, negotiate with the seller or refuse to make the payment under undisclosed problems reasoning. I have purchased several vehicles this way and it avoids the problems you have described.
I don't know of any other way to safely make a long distance purchase. If you have to travel before securing the deal, the seller knows he has the "upper hand" in the negotiations.

Good luck on your quest for a new ride. Southern cars are harder to find, and they normally get more money for them.

[batsbats]

Yeah, it doesn't help that CL informs users to stay away from long distant buyers.

Unless you're willing to be at their door now, it can be a hassle for lazy people who don't know better.

[PaulC]

If there is a really sweet deal on CL its usually gone within 24hrs here in Chi, snatched up by the sharks. My experience has been that if you really want a car just send your phone number and tell them you're interested and to call you anytime. If they call you and don't jerk you over the phone then set something up. GL.

[christophbmw]

thats what you get with free advertisement. Geuss i cant complain, i bought my 318is and my subaru forester without any problems from craigslist, but i always get lame ass people that respond to my ad's when i post them.

[EN318isPDX]

thats what you get with free advertisement. Geuss i cant complain, i bought my 318is and my subaru forester without any problems from craigslist, but i always get lame ass people that respond to my ad's when i post them.

Don't you know that 99% of people are mostly retarded? Dumb down your ads and don't give out your phone #. Make them work for it.. they gotta want it!

[strad]

I bought my 318 through CL.  Turned out fine -- it was very much a project car and I knew that before going to look at it, so not a problem.  I sold my 2000 Mustang through CL.  It had a blown 5th gear syncro and bad throwout bearing (both disclosed to the buyer before purchase).  Sold it without a problem as well -- took like six days though.

[tinindian]

I bought my 318is through CL all the way from Arizona and I live in Montreal. I had a friend that was 2 hours away go look at the car and finalize the deal. Then I had it shipped to the east coast. All in all it was not a bad experience. On another occasion I made an appointment to see a car a half hour away just to pull up and have the seller tell me that he was inside his house signing the car over to someone else. So just goes to show you, you can be dealing with a stand up guy 3000 miles away or an ass in your erea.

[colin86325]

I bought my 318iS on CL for $800.  It blew up on the way home, but I knew I was going to be rebuilding the engine anyway.  Just not so soon LOL

[peerless]

I bought my 318iS on CL for $800.  It blew up on the way home, but I knew I was going to be rebuilding the engine anyway.  Just not so soon LOL

Oh come on Colin, thats not all. After the engine blew up Colin found another M42 engine out of a E36. We went and met the guy and have to admit he was helpful in removing the engine.

As we pulled the transmission off, the throw out bearing came out in pieces. I questioned him on the condition of the engine. This is where things got real shady. 'Oh ya it ran great, idled smooth and ran strong. Never overheated, great engine'. When we went to pay him he kinda hesitated at his own price like he knew the engine was not right. He knew that and probably felt bad because we where very cool to him. Paid him the $350 and was on our way.

Get the engine home and tear it down, wasted crankshaft, warped head and 4 bent valves. Ran great my ass, Thanks!

So one 318is that blew the engine in the first 20 miles, and then a M42 engine that was only good for the core value. So what started as a great deal for $800 for a 318is turned into a $4,000 car. Bitchen!

[twinpop171]

Oh come on Colin, thats not all. After the engine blew up Colin found another M42 engine out of a E36. We went and met the guy and have to admit he was helpful in removing the engine.

As we pulled the transmission off, the throw out bearing came out in pieces. I questioned him on the condition of the engine. This is where things got real shady. 'Oh ya it ran great, idled smooth and ran strong. Never overheated, great engine'. When we went to pay him he kinda hesitated at his own price like he knew the engine was not right. He knew that and probably felt bad because we where very cool to him. Paid him the $350 and was on our way.

Get the engine home and tear it down, wasted crankshaft, warped head and 4 bent valves. Ran great my ass, Thanks!

So one 318is that blew the engine in the first 20 miles, and then a M42 engine that was only good for the core value. So what started as a great deal for $800 for a 318is turned into a $4,000 car. Bitchen!

NICE!!!:D

[nomad]

I prefer local buyers. I am willing to ship but recently I had a long distance sale and at the last minute a local had cash so he got the parts. So much less hassle and you don't lose all that money on hidden shipping/packing costs.