A hard and aggravating lesson about deal making.

[Feral]

Mainly to vent...

But I learned a lesson today about counting your eggs before they hatch. I have a '99 Camaro that was my daily driver until the transmission went out, I was going to try and fix it but a rebuild or a new transmission is very costly; and I'm wanting to focus on my project car. So I'm selling it for what I think is a reasonable price, $1,500 which is less than half of what I initially paid for the car and I have about another $2,000 in parts on the car.

I'm not selling the thing for a profit, just selling it to get it out of my way so I can focus on another project.

An old man stops by today to check it out, I let him talk me down to $1,200 cos he could have cash on hand today. He comes back a couple hours later ready to make the deal, he's got cash in hand and I'm counting it out and he's $100. No big deal, he lives near by. He says that he'll bring the $100 in the morning after he goes to the bank.

I tell him "If it's alright with you, I'll let you go ahead and take the car home and I'll hold onto the title until you come back in the morning with the hundred dollars." The man practically snatches the money out of my hand like I insulted his mother, saying "I don't really need the car anyway" and takes off like a bat out of hell.

:angry7:

There are politer ways to cancel a deal... Anyone else had an experience like this?

 

[khryslerkid]

You did right. Some people want something for nothing. He might have been trying to doop you out of a hundred bucks, hoping you wouldn't count it. Holding the title while he comes up with the rest of the cash is exactly what I would have done. They come in all sizes and colors. Look out for yourself, always. You'll find a better buyer and get the fifteen hundred that you want!

 

[Feral]

You did right. Some people want something for nothing. He might have been trying to doop you out of a hundred bucks, hoping you wouldn't count it. Holding the title while he comes up with the rest of the cash is exactly what I would have done. They come in all sizes and colors. Look out for yourself, always. You'll find a better buyer and get the fifteen hundred that you want!

I concur... Ain't no reason to act like that, I believe if he were serious about bringing the money he lacked he would have either taken my offer or just delay the deal until tomorrow; that would have been the reasonable thing to do. If he would have politely said he'll hold onto his money until he's got the full amount, I would have been cool with that.

It sounds vindictive of me, but if he changes his mind about the car, he's screwed himself out of that deal by acting like a jerk.

 

[Benji]

You would have never seen the $100.00 if you let him take the car and the title. It is fashionable today to be crooked from Washington DC on down to the crook across the street.

Benji

 

[Feral]

You would have never seen the $100.00 if you let him take the car and the title. It is fashionable today to be crooked from Washington DC on down to the crook across the street.

Benji

I talked to my father about it, he knows the guy; dad tells me he's a complete dipshit and is known to pull stunts like that.

 

[brogers93]

Unreal. Seriously, what is wrong with people today???

 

[themechanic]

Looks like the Force was with you my friend.

 

[Feral]

Unreal. Seriously, what is wrong with people today???

I don't know, but he went on a quiet rant about trust and how he'd let me by over $100... It's ironic that he goes on about how he doesn't like to do business with people who don't trust him, then gives me a reason not to trust him.

 

[Someotherguy]

you simply called him on his bs scam, and he got butthurt, thats why he stormed off...If he was honestly going to bring the remainder of the money to you, then he would have had no problem with your request...

Trust no one these days, period.....

 

[Budnicks]

What does he expect ??... I would have done at-least that, or taken a non-refundable deposit, let him pay in full the next day & kept the car too... I don't think you did anything, that could be considered wrong, especially if you don't know the guy, if you knew him maybe it would be different... wasn't meant to be I guess... rude people, trying to get something for nothing &/or praying on other people... good luck with the 99 Camaro sale, sounds like the $1500 would have even been a good/great price, from what you've described...

 

[Moparsmitty]

You did exactly the right thing Feral. We've all run into a**holes like this guy before. The funny part is that these guys always think that somebody is trying to screw THEM! Like you said, it's a good lesson. Don't let it bother you.

 

[Cranky]

I also use one of those pens that tells me if the money is legit or not. One guy said something like 'you don't trust me' and I just told him that it wasn't him that I don't trust....did you check the money already. The answer was no and so, well, now it's getting checked lol

 

[YY1]

...and if he does come bact...it's $1500 FIRM.

 

[tallhair]

I don't know, but he went on a quiet rant about trust and how he'd let me by over $100... It's ironic that he goes on about how he doesn't like to do business with people who don't trust him, then gives me a reason not to trust him.

That's funny right there feral. F the old bastage. He was a jerk when he was younger just like your Dad said. Doesn't matter he's older now.

 

[Feral]

I'll be fine, I'll know to be weary of him if he ever comes sniffing around again.

...and if he does come bact...it's $1500 FIRM.

I can see it now, he comes back and I'll be like "In light of our previous interaction I've decided to give you a very special deal! $2,000!"

Cos if he comes back after that, I'll know he really wants the car. After having cleaned out the car and got it ready for him, only to act like that; I'll make our next encounter worth my time. I'll call it a "wasted time" fee.

 

[Lowhound]

There is no telling how dishonest he would be if he was selling the car to you. Plus Im sure it would be worth a whole lot more while in his possession. Guys like him are worse than the ones that recant on selling you a car at a decent price after they have been on Ebay looking around.

 

[theman440]

The guy sounds like a dirt bag to me...he haggles you down to 1200 then tries to get you to "let him slide" on another hundy - Bull***t my man!

 

[Meep-Meep]

I'm glad this went down the way it did. You may still have the car, but you also didn't get screwed out of the last $100.00. I agree with everyone else in that this guy was full of crap! And yeah, the price goes up if he comes back!

 

[747mopar]

You did right, I really don't like wheeling and dealing for that reason. I had a guy once come down to look at a Dart, he agreed to a price gave me $100.00 to hold it a week until he could make it down with a trailer and them got pissed when I wouldn't negotiate for a lower price when he came to get it after already agreeing on a price. The best thing you can do when selling a car is get it in your head that you don't "need" to sell it.

 

[Meep-Meep]

You did right, I really don't like wheeling and dealing for that reason. I had a guy once come down to look at a Dart, he agreed to a price gave me $100.00 to hold it a week until he could make it down with a trailer and them got pissed when I wouldn't negotiate for a lower price when he came to get it after already agreeing on a price. The best thing you can do when selling a car is get it in your head that you don't "need" to sell it.

Same goes true when you buy a car. You don't need the car.