Is anyone having any luck buying a vehicle from Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace right now?

[Octane]

As a guy trying to sell a boat and motorcycle on Marketplace right now...... The amount of messages you get daily from people either wanting you to trade for trash, or low ball your already cheap vehicle down to nothing is amazing. Not to mention the people who inquire, but then never respond back to you. Its exhausting and frustrating. My advice for Marketplace, don't use the "Is this still available" button. Take a little extra time to type out your own message. For me personally, I take it more seriously if the buyer is taking a few seconds to try to make a connection.

I sold cheap items like old lawn mower or a window air conditioner unit or cheap ratchet straps and they'll want me to drive 25 miles across town to show it to them and spend my gas and risk the chance of them changing their mind on the purchase? No way!

 

[Midnightmoon]

As a guy trying to sell a boat and motorcycle on Marketplace right now...... The amount of messages you get daily from people either wanting you to trade for trash, or low ball your already cheap vehicle down to nothing is amazing. Not to mention the people who inquire, but then never respond back to you. Its exhausting and frustrating. My advice for Marketplace, don't use the "Is this still available" button. Take a little extra time to type out your own message. For me personally, I take it more seriously if the buyer is taking a few seconds to try to make a connection.

What I've been trying lately is simply sending my phone number and asking for a call back. I was hoping that it would get the seller's attention as being legit.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

As a guy trying to sell a boat and motorcycle on Marketplace right now...... The amount of messages you get daily from people either wanting you to trade for trash, or low ball your already cheap vehicle down to nothing is amazing. Not to mention the people who inquire, but then never respond back to you. Its exhausting and frustrating. My advice for Marketplace, don't use the "Is this still available" button. Take a little extra time to type out your own message. For me personally, I take it more seriously if the buyer is taking a few seconds to try to make a connection.

When they use the is it still available button, I use the yes its available button right back at them.

The headers I bought last week went like this... I messaged him and said if they are not spoken for yet, I am interested in them. And asked if the reducers were still in the box too. No response. The next day, I send him a message stating I want to buy them, and that I pass through where he lives everyday for work. Boom! Two hours later I am back home with the headers. Conversation only happened because he didn't have to bother with shipping them!

 

[Fortarel]

Sure enjoy the remark about using the classifieds in the paper. I miss that. I listed my 81 3+3 on FB Marketplace. Bunches of responses each day and I was diligent about responding to each person. About six days in I get a notice saying that my right to advertise was suspended. First time I had ever used FB so I had no idea how to find out why, etc. So many people thought I was just blowing them off and not responding, instead it was that filthy Facebook. So I listed on Craigslist, real person came buy and looked at it, bought it.

 

[Octane]

I find facebook and craigslist work best if you just about give your stuff away.Drive across town to show the stuff and go back home with said stuff.lol

 

[Bennyt]

Pretty much my son's entire truck is parts from CL and some offerup. I find only about 1 in 5 sellers are truly honest in representing their parts.

I tried to buy a couple tailgates as advertised near perfect and at top dollar. Totally ok paying top dollar for good parts as it saves time in the long run. I asked for some pictures closer than the 25 foot ones he posted and he said he was too busy running a shop and that they were nice. I said fine, I'll come look at them.

They were junk and really only worth $50 a piece as mancave or junker quality, not the $250 he was asking. I told him no and he yelled at me as I got back in the car for wasting his time and that if I wanted nicer, id have to pay way more. I literally asked questions, asked for pictures and reminded him he stated they were near perfect in the ad.


That's kind of been my luck about 50% of the time. Today I bought a "solid" battery bracket for $15. He said some minor surface rust that will be gone with blasting. He pulled the item out and the battery tray was literally rusted through. He had an extra tray, so I'll have to drill out the spot welds and weld the other tray on. A new bracket is only $25 but I prefer original US steel if possible even though it might end up costing a bit more after powdercoat.

 

[Midnightmoon]

Well another day, another disappointment. A '74 Camaro popped up on Facebook Marketplace late yesterday afternoon that I was interested in. I messaged the seller, got their number, talked to the guy and set up for 4:30 this afternoon after work to look at it. Called around 3:00 to get specific directions to their place and they didn't answer. Got a text back a few min later telling me that they just sold the car.

Now I understand that they have the right to sell to whoever they want. But, they at least could have the courtesy to keep the appointment time.

I'm just about ready to give up looking for a project at this point.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Well another day, another disappointment. A '74 Camaro popped up on Facebook Marketplace late yesterday afternoon that I was interested in. I messaged the seller, got their number, talked to the guy and set up for 4:30 this afternoon after work to look at it. Called around 3:00 to get specific directions to their place and they didn't answer. Got a text back a few min later telling me that they just sold the car.

Now I understand that they have the right to sell to whoever they want. But, they at least could have the courtesy to keep the appointment time.

I'm just about ready to give up looking for a project at this point.

I saw this peach a few days ago lol

 

[78C10BigTen]

@bucket im in no was surprised you liked that boat! Lol

 

[bucket]

@bucket im in no was surprised you liked that boat! Lol

I almost feel like you aimed it right at me

 

[Grit dog]

I think alot of it, is back in the day, you used to have to "want" to sell something to get it listed (in the newspaper or Advertiser type rags). You had to make a phone call, pay some money and you couldn't change it or pull it once you listed it. And if you didn't sell it, you had to pay again to list it. (I'm 49 years old but typing that made me feel like 70, lol)
Now, you can not only list something nationwide without ever getting off your couch, you can also search nationwide, and for cars/trucks/motorized toys, you can see how much every overpriced dealer from here to Kentucky is asking. Oh, and you can edit the ad at will for free or next to free.
Now the weird people can eff with their adds constantly, forget or refuse to put a phone number in and then not check emails, change the price if they get too many calls, i think some just constantly put up adds for every piece of crap laying around their crappy ass house, in hopes of selling "something".
And yes the number of good project vehicles, classic cars, has gone down and the prices up.

Basically the internet ruined private party sales....covid has made it worse and supply chain issues have jacked the prices, indirectly, even more!
A good economic correction will take care of the prices, when tat happens, but I doubt sellers (and buyers) will become less flaky.

 

[Grit dog]

And TV shows like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars, combined with the aforementioned instant availability to someone else's asking price for multiple examples of the same thing you're selling (minus all the context typically), makes everyone think they their rusted to **** squarebody with 3 different colors of fluids leaking out of it and an engine that is primarily grease and oil colored is worth a fortune, because they saw one sell for $40k on Bring a Trailer!

That removes most all of the "deals' either form someone who is just liquidating quickly or doesn't have a grasp on the latest market value. Now a methhead who doesn't know buck lure from a Musky lure thinks they know what a good huntin rig is. And BillyJoe Jim Bob from bfe wherever "knows what he has"!

 

[86c20RN]

I have had good luck buying from CL. A 85 K20, 86 C20 and a 83 C10.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Craigslist I usually have better luck with, especially since they make you pay to list stuff now. Marketplace is usually just your typical Facebook using retards that can't face an interaction with other human beings. God forbid you say anything other than "Ug, I take- have cash." they won't respond. Have any questions about their super generic listing that provides no info like if you want to know how many miles, auto or standard, do the brakes work, does it need anything major, etc? Too bad they won't respond because it is too 'scary' to talk to people. I've had instances where I've basically been doing the online equivalent of jumping up and down waving money around saying "I'll buy your trailer just tell me if the brakes work or not and let me know where and when to meet" and they keep lowering the price and saying "must go, price lowered" but ignoring my messages completely because how dare I ask a question about the condition of it. Now maybe they're put off because I don't have my own facebook and use my wife's account to look for stuff, but seriously do you want to sell your sh!t or not? Craigslist has always had a problem with people forgetting/neglecting to take down the ad after it's sold, but on marketplace people seem to actively ignore you, it's friggin ridiculous. Never had any luck with buying OR selling anything automotive related (cars/trucks, trailers, parts, tires, etc), but I have been able to sell some old house stuff (baseboard heaters, cabinets, etc) and have successfully bought one broken lawn tractor to use for parts and an old woodstove, always retired old men. The rest of the world is useless apparently

 

[SirRobyn0]

I think alot of it, is back in the day, you used to have to "want" to sell something to get it listed (in the newspaper or Advertiser type rags). You had to make a phone call, pay some money and you couldn't change it or pull it once you listed it. And if you didn't sell it, you had to pay again to list it. (I'm 49 years old but typing that made me feel like 70, lol)

Of topic I know, but I was at a doc apt this morning and went to McDonald's for a quick breakfast. This particular McD's has order kiosks, no register, (though there is a sign that someone will come help you if you need it.) Talk about feeling like your 70, I was able to figure out how to order (on my own!), but I sure felt like an old man past my time.

I completely agree with your thoughts on the paper, I wonder if auto trader magazines or whatever you want to call them, I wonder if they are still around. I suppose if they are it's probably online only.