Selling a bike on Craigslist is an interesting adventure

[blassoff]

So I set up an ad on Craigslist to offer for sale my FJR. Pretty normal stuff right? The only interest I've garnered is from assholes trying to sell me something or thieves trying to lighten my wallet.

What a miserable experience so far. I'm guessing this isn't new, but I've never experienced it, and I've sold numerous items on Craigslist.

Here' what I'm getting:

"Yes, I want to buy your bike immediately and I'll pay you through Paypal". He's too eager, so you gotta figure it's bullshit, but I played along.

This dipshit sends me a bunch of fake paypal emails saying your money is secure but you need to immediate go to the nearest WalMart and send the buyer's transport company $495 for the shipping fee. Which of course the buyer will reimburse by adding it to the purchase price.

Then I get one where this dildo is marketing a vehicle history report service. Oh, he wants to purchase my bike but is concerned that I might want to screw him, and suggests that I order a $19.95 vehicle history report to prove or disprove something. And he just happens to have the weblink close at hand.

Also, some really pleasant sounding guy keeps calling me and telling me that he represents multiple buyers for my bike, but that I need to pay him almost $200 so that he can market my bike to his clients.

WTF!! I used to operate on the theory that 95% of the world is populated by nice people just trying to get along and that the other 5% are probably just assholes.

Between the "Long way down to find Jesus" movie, and these scammers, I'm thinking the assholes are multiplying like rabbits.

Help me brothers and sisters, tell me it ain't so.

 

[user 8909]

Sorry, it's so.

 

[Pterodactyl]

I know it's a scam when the response starts with, "I want to buy the item...." Too lazy to even personalize their message. But, then again that may be hard to do when you send out hundreds of scam offers a day.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

I have bought and sold about a dozen bikes on Craig"S list since my family has gotten into motorcycles again. Every add attracted the attention of scammers. After weeding out the bull shit I have always had great experiences and even developed new friends in the progress. Keep you head on a swivel, watch out for bull shit and the right buyer will come.

 

[Bounce]

I've known several people who have done the Craigs List route and all are flooded with people who are out of the country and wanting you to meet with their rep. In the past it was offers to overpay with a cashiers check and you give them the difference in cash. The Paypal scam is newer but based on the same idea.

Ugh.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Just know, that for those scammers you find, there's someone out there ready to f*ck with them. It has almost become a sport in certain circles. Check this forum out.

https://www.419eater.com/

My favorite tire kicker was a guy who immediately offered me about half of what I was asking. I replied back and told him that the price was firm. He then came back and told me that based on the mileage it needed valve checks and oil change and this and that, so he offered me half of his original offer.

 

[user 8909]

If you want to get rid of anything, tire, old couch, dead lawnmowers, put it on there in the Free section, set it out by the road and it will be gone in an hour.

 

[Gmann]

95 percent???

 

[jmdaniel]

If you want to get rid of anything, tire, old couch, dead lawnmowers, put it on there in the Free section, set it out by the road and it will be gone in an hour.

+1

Our neighborhood has a big trash day twice a year. Or, as I like to call it, "Wealth Redistribution Week". Set something on the curb, and it will be picked up by the city garbage truck by the end of the week. What really happens is that it disappears long before the city rolls by. The worst part about it is that during the first day or two of that week, you have to keep your head on a swivel, so as to not be run over my someone driving a pickup pulling a trailer, both piled high with their new treasures, while they themselves have their on a swivel, looking at what else can be picked up.

 

[bruinFJRguy]

Aaron from Once Driven used to leave me messages all the time, too. Haha

 

[rogdeb]

Aaron from Once Driven used to leave me messages all the time, too. Haha

I've dealt with that guy, and his clan -- miserable bunch of thieves.

 

[blassoff]

Aaron sounded nice enough, but why would I give him $200 when I can sell on sleazebay for $125?

 

[blassoff]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Gmann" data-cid="1315557" data-time="1465050984"><p>

95 percent???</p></blockquote>

Yes, I'll stand by that ratio. That's what, 300 million assholes worldwide, 18 million domestically? More then enough.

 

[gixxerjasen]

If you want to get rid of anything, tire, old couch, dead lawnmowers, put it on there in the Free section, set it out by the road and it will be gone in an hour.

Twice I've put stuff on the curb without posting anything to craigslist and it didn't take long for a taker to come along.

The biggest surprise was both times they knocked on the door asking if they could have what I'd put out. I figured they'd barely stop long enough to toss it in the truck and move on. Kinda gave me the good feels for the human race that there's folks out there who will actually ask permission.

 

[BakerBoy]

I put out an old weed eater... Had to put a sign on it saying 'free'! Then it was gone soon.

I've sold a number of bikes on CL... Always someone trying a scam, but also many legit buyers. Biggest issue is ensuring cash is not counterfeit (esp $100 bills).

 

[Bounce]

Put out a perfectly good (fill in the blank) on more than one occasion with a FREE sign on it.

It set there.

Put a $50 sign on it and it was gone before the end of the day.

Had a neighbor of my folks with a FREE sign on his old lawn mower. It set. I told him to remove the sign and put it up by the tree to make it look like he'd left it out. It was gone in 2 days.

 

[rogdeb]

Aaron sounded nice enough, but why would I give him $200 when I can sell on sleazebay for $125?

Agree - but if he didn't sound nice he'd get no business.

I checked Once Driven and their negative reviews and law suits were many.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I bought my last FJR on Craigslist, and ended up good friends with the seller. Still am. And six or seven years later I (3 weeks ago), sold it the same way. Yep, heard from Once Driven, but so what? I wasn't stupid enough to even call him back. I also heard from two guys who seemed interested, both eventually came over, but no cash changed hands. Then I heard from a guy who said "I REALLY want to buy that bike." He came over, and bought it!

Only thing I'd say from my own experience is to recommend asking at least a couple hundred more than you planned to ask, because their first offer is automatically going to be a lot less. Just human nature; I didn't really mind. We just started to bargain from there--and I was OK with what I ended up with.

 

[N4HHE]

Few scammers will leave voicemail. Perhaps one way to divert the scammers is to post, "All calls will be recorded."