What the hell is it with sellers on CL?!?!?

[Papi-C]

I dunno. I've founds sellers in the bay area aren't trying to hustle. Whenever I've sold something on CL or on barf I was all over everyone who called "selling". When I've bought on CL its flake city. I HAVE MONEY I WANT TO GIVE YOU!! yet they do not respond. BARF peeps are better in general on both counts.

 

[roytmani]

i'm looking for a $2000 bike. not a sport bike, unless it's been altered for touring duty. I've got an R6 but i also want something to commute 100 miles daily, the miles can be high, but not 100k. something sporty would be nice.

I found a bunch of VFR's within 300 miles (i am willing to travel) and not one person responded, again, WTF. oh well.

I've never had a response issue on CL, especially in the moto section. I'd suggest not asking to many questions in the initial email, or asking for better pics. Just give 'em your phone number and ask that they call you to further discuss the bike. Once they call, you can better gauge the seller and ask all the questions you'd like, including the request for clearer pics if something sounds fishy. Otherwise, they're seeing your email playing 20 questions and they're seeing 10 other emails with phone numbers...what would you do?

 

[roytmani]

I think it's just plan stupid to make an offer without being there in person anyway. I refuse to deal on something that the other person hasn't even inspected yet. And conversely, I want to make my offer, load the bike and be gone before the seller changes his mind.

That's not entirely true. If the bike's worth $4k to me and you're asking $6k but willing to settle for $5k, I'd like to flush that out in a phone call, so that I don't end up wasting your time and mine going there in person to find out that you're being unreasonable. Even if your bike ended world hunger and handed out orgasms with every gear change, if it's worth $4k in the most immaculate condition, I'm not going to dish out $5k, and sure as hell not $6k. So in that case I'd rather see that your head is in the clouds over the phone before I drive out there.

 

[moto-rama]

I thought people selling things are actually trying to SELL. WTF?

I have had good luck buying stuff from CL sellers, but the few times I have posted ads trying to sell something, all I have ever gotten was fruit salad.
Both bikes in my signature are CL bikes, and both were purchased for a great price. So I have no gripe with CL sellers.

My favorite:
I posted a really great price on a VTR, and I am obviously not fucking around, I am trying to sell the bike.

A guy actually shows up after replying, from Napa, spends about 1.5 hours looking at the VTR, finds that is exactly what he is looking for.

"Will you take payments, I have no money right now...."

I couldn't slam the garage door fast enough.

A week later I hit a deer with the VTR. Is there a connection?

 

[High-Side]

I have had good luck buying stuff from CL sellers, but the few times I have posted ads trying to sell something, all I have ever gotten was fruit salad.
Both bikes in my signature are CL bikes, and both were purchased for a great price. So I have no gripe with CL sellers.

My favorite:
I posted a really great price on a VTR, and I am obviously not fucking around, I am trying to sell the bike.

A guy actually shows up after replying, from Napa, spends about 1.5 hours looking the VTR, finds that is exactly what he is looking for.

"Will you take payments, I have no money right now...."

I couldn't slam the garage door fast enough.

A week later I hit a deer with the VTR. Is there a connection?

You should have taken payments?

 

[roytmani]

I have had good luck buying stuff from CL sellers, but the few times I have posted ads trying to sell something, all I have ever gotten was fruit salad.
Both bikes in my signature are CL bikes, and both were purchased for a great price. So I have no gripe with CL sellers.

My favorite:
I posted a really great price on a VTR, and I am obviously not fucking around, I am trying to sell the bike.

A guy actually shows up after replying, from Napa, spends about 1.5 hours looking at the VTR, finds that is exactly what he is looking for.

"Will you take payments, I have no money right now...."

I couldn't slam the garage door fast enough.

A week later I hit a deer with the VTR. Is there a connection?

If you had mentioned cash in had to test ride the bike over the phone and again right when he got there, and also mentioned that you were very firm on your already killer price, you'd have flushed him out as a dreamer/tire kicker before he even left Napa and wasted a second of your time in-person.

 

[Sane_Man]

Last week a relative told me they had seen a car on CL, then went to inspect it. He left to think about the purchase, then called the seller to say he wanted it. The seller was asking $3000 for the car, but it was only worth $2500 according to KBB. When he called the seller to say he wanted it, he said another buyer offered him $3600, but if he showed up with $3650, he could have it.

I told him that was a common scam, so he could get more money for the car. I told him he was crazy offering to pay $3000 with zero negotiations. The only reason he didn't pay $3650 was because he didn't have the money. No one is going to pay $1000 over blue book for a common car with unless it had extremely low miles or some rare option, which this had neither.

There are suckers born every minute.

 

[Stormdragon]

That's not entirely true. If the bike's worth $4k to me and you're asking $6k but willing to settle for $5k, I'd like to flush that out in a phone call, so that I don't end up wasting your time and mine going there in person to find out that you're being unreasonable. Even if your bike ended world hunger and handed out orgasms with every gear change, if it's worth $4k in the most immaculate condition, I'm not going to dish out $5k, and sure as hell not $6k. So in that case I'd rather see that your head is in the clouds over the phone before I drive out there.

I hate to tell ya, but if you start trying to deal me down 33% on a bike over the phone, when you haven't even looked at it, I'm gonna tell you I'm firm on the price even if I'm not. And yes.... I've done so in the past!

That said, I'd never price a 4~5K bike at 6K. Nor would I call someone about a bike that they obviously had a 'head in the clouds' price on.

 

[moto-rama]

If you had mentioned cash in had to test ride the bike over the phone and again right when he got there, and also mentioned that you were very firm on your already killer price, you'd have flushed him out as a dreamer/tire kicker before he even left Napa and wasted a second of your time in-person.

I was actually shocked to find that there was anyone walking around that didn't have 2500 dollars. I mean , really, even homeless fuckers can make that much a week.

 

[roytmani]

I hate to tell ya, but if you start trying to deal me down 33% on a bike over the phone, when you haven't even looked at it, I'm gonna tell you I'm firm on the price even if I'm not. And yes.... I've done so in the past!

That said, I'd never price a 4~5K bike at 6K. Nor would I call someone about a bike that they obviously had a 'head in the clouds' price on.

Yeah, I didn't mean deal down a third, but rather if the bike wasn't worth that much and they "had their head in the clouds", but I still really wanted that particular bike, I'd get them on the phone to try to talk some sense into them.

When the price point is legit, I don't talk price on the phone, but if the bike doesn't pan out in person, I'll try to talk them down to a price that would make a deal feasible for me.

If the bike's priced killer, I won't even mention money, just come over with the asked amount, check that the bike is as stated, then give them the money & load up arty

 

[roytmani]

I was actually shocked to find that there was anyone walking around that didn't have 2500 dollars. I mean , really, even homeless fuckers can make that much a week.

Only in SF, where they have homeless programs left and right can they "save their earnings" and have $2500 sitting around waiting for the right bike..err..crack deal to come along.

 

[Ray]

cash talks, walks, and it goes both ways. If a bike is priced more than 25% or so above what I think is fair, I don't even respond. I'll let someone else buy it (and usually it just keeps getting reposted, with the seller knocking a few bucks off each time).

There is a guy in L.A. selling trying to sell his late 90's bmw K bike now for, well it's gotta be 9 months. I think he started at 7.5K and is now down to 6K and is still too high. I see his new posting at least once a week.

A lot of people (both buyer and seller) on craigslist are hitting up the crack pipe.

 

[Papi-C]

cash talks, walks, and it goes both ways. If a bike is priced more than 25% or so above what I think is fair, I don't even respond. I'll let someone else buy it (and usually it just keeps getting reposted, with the seller knocking a few bucks off each time).

There is a guy in L.A. selling trying to sell his late 90's bmw K bike now for, well it's gotta be 9 months. I think he started at 7.5K and is now down to 6K and is still too high. I see his new posting at least once a week.

A lot of people (both buyer and seller) on craigslist are hitting up the crack pipe.

True there are a lot of people asking 10-20+% over KBB. If it's not something rare I wouldn't even consider paying over book.

 

[davidji]

I found a bunch of VFR's within 300 miles (i am willing to travel) and not one person responded, again, WTF. oh well.

Desirable bike, and already sold? Or a lot of responses to wade through?

Maybe a not-too-popular standard like a Honda 919, or Kawi ZRX would be more available? Or the popular and common 1200 Bandit?

When I was looking for a starter bike for my teenager, I responded to a couple of current-generation Ninjette ads. Both replied that they were raising the price due to the level of response. Not a problem for me. Go with the current market conditions. And sell it to someone else.

 

[infraboy]

I just find it slightly funny that people put up the newest Ninja 250s for the price of a brand new one or near to it, theres not even a shortage of them anymore.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/1973078550.html

it's like people are taking their OTD prices (Taxes/etc) and trying to get THAT money back on top of the bike, i'm too nice to tell them they're shit outta luck.

Just because you bought a bike and rode or never rode it for years doesn't mean it wont depreciate, especially with the pace of development sportbike-wise, i'm surprised people are selling 03-06 CBR 600s for as much or more than a 2007+ model.

Just stuff i've noticed, I pretty much browse craigslist motorcycle ads everyday

 

[vato_loco]

CL is weird.

A few months back I saw bike on sale for $7800, and then it was reduced to $7000, which I thought was a fair price.

I had cash in hand and was prepared to buy.

I contacted the seller. We exchanged e-mails. At no point did we discuss price since he indicated PRICE IS FIRM in his post.

We were about to about set a time to meet when I received an e-mail to the effect of: "If you're going to low-ball me, don't, 'cause I'm not budging on the price."

WTF?

I ceased contact with this jackass but watched him drop the sale price as the weeks dragged on. Finally, it looked like the bike was sold for $6K. Either that, or it was taken off the market.

 

[BradManUWF]

i'm looking for a $2000 bike. not a sport bike, unless it's been altered for touring duty. I've got an R6 but i also want something to commute 100 miles daily, the miles can be high, but not 100k. something sporty would be nice.

I found a bunch of VFR's within 300 miles (i am willing to travel) and not one person responded, again, WTF. oh well.

I've got an '05 SV650 for sale, and it's on CL too but more than $2000

It is pretty entertaining to see some of the prices for cars/bikes on CL though. I've gotten a couple replies that only say "call me ##########", which to me just screams scammer trying to get a phone number to solicit.

 

[HappyHighwayman]

Do you guys, when selling, assuming they bring cash-in-hand:

A. Expect to hold it while they take it for a test drive
B. Let them test drive it as bringing the cash was a sign of good faith
C. Never let anyone test drive anything until they've purchased it
D. Fill out the paperwork, hold the cash, and return it assuming they don't drop it.

Has anyone ever had someone damage their bike during a test drive, then have the buyer decide they don't want it but they want to pay you for the damage?

 

[roytmani]

Do you guys, when selling, assuming they bring cash-in-hand:

A. Expect to hold it while they take it for a test drive
B. Let them test drive it as bringing the cash was a sign of good faith
C. Never let anyone test drive anything until they've purchased it
D. Fill out the paperwork, hold the cash, and return it assuming they don't drop it.

Has anyone ever had someone damage their bike during a test drive, then have the buyer decide they don't want it but they want to pay you for the damage?

A. Always, I mean always count the cash with them and put it in your pocket when they test ride. If they take off, they just bought a bike without actually buying it...no sweat off your back.

B. Only let them test ride if that's the last contingency to completing the sale. If they're "brainstorming" they're not ready to buy, or ready to ride it, regardless of the above cash in hand requirement.

C. See B above.

D. I have them fill out a waiver, which above a verbal agreement isn't even necessary, but does cover you a bit more. Essentially it says (in more legalese terms) that they're licensed and insured, that they assume liability for anything that happens during the test ride and that if they crash, run or do anything else outside the bounds of a normal test ride, they don't get their money back. If that were to happen (never has, and I hope never will), I'll sign the title over to them if they'd like (I'm sure they will) but the bike's already theirs and the money's mine.

 

[Cycle61]

I was giving away a Mazda RX7 body once. Just the body. There was a picture. Several people asked if they could DRIVE IT HOME.

I could have driven it home.