Topic: Worst shafting ever....1959 CB92

[zoo mob]

So a 1959 CB92 pops up on CL last night (one of only 14 that came to the U.S.) for $200. I email and say " I'll take it" He calls back, we agree that I'll come get it tonight at 8pm. I lug my trailer 100 miles to work in preparation of lugging it another 50 miles to his house. I call back this afternoon, get directions etc. and agree to see him at 8pm. "See you in a few hours" we both say. He calls me at 5 and says he sold it to someone else. No " he offered me more", no "it goes to whoever comes first" We had an agreement and it is gone. I'm being really brief here, but my head just about exploded when he told me. Weird thing was I don't think he even got what he did to me. Oh well.

Be on the lookout for a '59 CB92 in the Grand Rapids, MI area, it and the huge profit were it ever re-sold were mine. 

[cobra2411]

That's low... No respect. I Fn hate when stuff like that happens.

[DavePhipps]

I had that happen with a CA77 in Washington. Makes you way PO'ed.

[buttcan]

I used to put peolple that pissed me off on mailing lists for catalogs that sold things that nobody wants. You do have his address don't you ? . . .

[zoo mob]

Indeed I do. I actually sat down and wrote this dude a two page letter but couldn't decide whether or not to send it.

[yozzie]

That happened to me last winter.  Guy advertises a CB650 that needed some work, I was the first to phone him about 7pm.  Said I want to look at it, he tells me that he can't show it that evening, but I can come over at 8am the next morning. Ok I say.
I dig my old chevy truck out of a snowbank and fire it up in anticipation of possibly buying this bike the next morning.
Next morning I call the guy just to make sure we are still good to go, but no answer.  I drive an hour over to his house, ring the bell, and his mother answers.  Tells me her son is sleeping, he sold the bike the previous evening to another guy that came to look at it.  Really, if it wasn't for these a**holes, who would we tell stories about?

[Hondawggie]

I had this happen in 2009 trying to buy a pair of cb400fs.  Called the seller before setting out on a 2-hour trip with my truck to his place, "Are we still on for 1pm?"  "Yep."
I previously got a commitment from the guy that his 'neighbor' was not going to buy the pair of bikes -- the seller had said "Don't try to talk me down, my neighbor wants to buy them" and I told him "Well until I see them in person I can't say if I think they're worth what you're asking."

I got within 3-5 minutes of his house after the long drive and he calls and says "My neighbor just bought them."  Not wanting to make a scene with him and the neighbor, I said a 'prayer' for the dude and turned around.

Fast forward to 6 weeks ago.  A seller advertises a near-mint-condition cb350 with 4200 miles for $250, deal included extra gas tank and side covers, starter motor, titled, on non-op so no back registration fees, a good deal. I call him and said can I drive over in about 45 minutes?  "Well, I've gotten a ton of calls, but if you can get there that fast, okay."  

I told him I wouldn't set out to drive over unless he gave his word he'd wait the 45 minutes and he said "Okay, sure, I'll wait 45 minutes."

I'm 5 minutes away and he calls and says "Sorry, one of the other people just pulled up in my driveway, it's sold."

I told him "Nope, you need to tell him that you're a man of your word, that you already agreed to wait for someone to show up who you know is driving over,  BECAUSE I'M NOT TURNING AROUND, I'm coming to your house, I'll be there in a couple minutes."

After that 400f incident no way am I not making a scene.  I could see the papers "man arrested and charged for aggravated assault during attempted purchase of a 41 year old $250 motorcycle."  I didn't care at the time, but in hindsight it was a dumb move, who knows what can happen.

So I arrive at the dude's house 3 minutes later -- NO OTHER BUYER WAS THERE after all.   I bought the bike.  I didn't want to make the seller uncomfortable about the lie he told me over the phone just a couple minutes back, he had a real sheepish look on his face, he was clearly embarrassed.

Here's what I think happens in these cases:

1) the seller mis-prices the bike and when he gets overwhelmed with calls he gets greedy.

2) or the seller gets tired of no-shows and decides "first person who ACTUALLY shows up with cash gets it, no more trusting these people who promise they're 'coming over in an hour."

3) or another buyer calls and when the seller says "Sorry, someone's already on the way to see it" and the caller says "Tell you what, I'll give you $300 more than what you're asking"
and the seller is unethical.

However when you get a cool bike it makes you forget the aholes.

[The_Crippler]

These tales really make me nervous about the 650 I'm picking up for a song on Saturday...

[tomkimberly]

You show up with cash, it's yours.

Too many jerks phone and say they are coming over and either never show up or show up late. 1st comes, 1st served is the rule I follow.


Tom

[drones76]

You show up with cash, it's yours.

Too many jerks phone and say they are coming over and either never show up or show up late. 1st comes, 1st served is the rule I follow.


Tom

Even if you tell someone you will hold it for an hour and then someone shows up in 30 min with cash? 

[Sam Green Racing]

Zoo Mob, think of it this way, it saved you a 100 mile round trip

Come on mate, NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY sells a CB92 for $200, the bloody exhaust down pipes or the front fender would cost you more than that each.

Sam.

[ekpent]

Reminds me of the old ski jumper clip from ABC's Wide World of Sports---" The Agony Of Defeat". It will hurt for awhile. Try and get on those deals though ASAP if they are for real.Always another deal down the road      http://www.realclearsports.com/articles/2010/03/20/vinko_bogataj_and_the_ecstasy_of_defeat_96904.html

[jneuf]

I called within two hours of my bikes being posted, and the seller said that they were already sold to a guy from out of town, so I never bothered to go look at them...I followed up a week later with the seller to find out if the guy had actually come to pick up the bikes yet, and he said no, the guy had come up with a huge list of excuses, and would be coming that afternoon....turns out the guy came up with another excuse that he couldn't come get them that day, so the seller told me to come and grab them...and I did so with a smile!

I didn't feel bad as the previous buyer had more than ample time to pick them up and pay for them, but never did...I also felt that the seller gave him more than enough opportunities...So I wound up getting a really good deal on a few bikes...pays to follow up sometimes even if the seller says that they're sold.

[Duanob]

I've been using Cl for about 6 years now. At first it was a cool place to meet cool people and buy and sell (and give away) cool stuff. Not anymore. Too many douchebags and schysters on it now. Same thing happened to Ebay.

[OrganDonor]

On CL, buyers can certainly be asshats, I'll attest to that.  And because of that, as a seller unless I have a good reason to hold something for someone I make it very clear on the phone or by email that the first person with cash in hand to appear gets whatever I'm selling.  If for some reason I do set an appointment, then I'll honor it - but only to the extent that the first person that shows up at or after that time with the cash gets the item.  A LOT of buyers make appointments and then don't show up, so the seller has to have some "rules".  I think in the end CL dealings unfortunately set us up to experience the lack of integrity that exists in many people out there and we all just take our chances.

[zoo mob]

@tomkimberly; I see what you're saying, there's lots of flake buyers out there, just be clear with people when you talk to someone twice and have an agreed upon time to pick something up at an agreed upon price and then sell it to someone else, #$%* is shady no matter how your slice it.

[Don R]

i have a free one, he won't let me come get it but insists he is going to give it to me. for over a year now. I would rather pay and really get it.

[cobra2411]

I could write pages about the A-Holes I've talked to and met from CL ads... Both buying and selling.

I have no sympathy for no shows. I recently sold a trans and got a call from a guy about 2 hours away. He called me later and said something came up would I hold it for a day. I said sure but I have others interested so that's it. He was supposed to be there at 5pm and at 5:30 I sold it to the next guy on the list. I tried calling his phone 3 times with no answer. Still don't know what happened.

One time I sold a car and was also selling a tow dolly. I was going to meet a guy on Saturday half way (about 40 minutes away) but he already postponed me once. The guy buying the car wanted the dolly too so I called the original guy and explained what was going on and asked if he was serious about buying it. He said it was ok to sell it but he still wanted it. The guy that was buying the car paid me to tow the car to his house (30min) and said he would think about the dolly. I was asking $500 and the other guy offered me $450 and meeting him half way. When I got to the guys house that was buying the car he said "Tell you what - $200 and you don't even have to unload the car, just unhook it from your truck and I'll take it all." I smiled and said "No, the car drives off very easy - it'll only take a second..." In the end I met the other guy half way and tossed in a spare and some magnetic towing lights.

It's all about a little thing called integrity. Not many people have that anymore. If you call me and we agree to a time I'm going to give you till that time. If others call I'll tell them to call back after that time and check to see if I've still got it.  Especially if you know they're on the way and live far away. If they're not on their way you can always call and ask if it's ok to sell to someone else - ie are they serious about buying or are they tire kickers. I've driven as far as 10 hours round trip for parts - I'd beat someone for selling something 15 minutes before I got there. Or at least firebomb his yard or something...  

[The_Crippler]

Yeah...I'm old-fashioned enough that I still put stock in a man's verbal agreement.  If I say that I'll be there at X-o'clock, I'll be there, and I expect the item to still be there.  The reverse is also true.  If someone is coming to me, and they say they'll be there at X-o'clock, I expect them to be there then and not jerk me around.

[Rosinante]

You show up with cash, it's yours.

Too many jerks phone and say they are coming over and either never show up or show up late. 1st comes, 1st served is the rule I follow.


Tom

This is fine, if that is the arrangement.  But you don't promise one thing then do another.  In my world (both my personal life and my profession), if you lose your integrity, you're TOAST.

[vanaman]

just had a guy do this to me tonight.  i was going to look at a ltz400 quad. we talked a couple of times and he tell em he is free tonight and to let him know when i get off work so he can be home.  I text him and he say that he has a guy coming in 20min to look at it.

so i end up wasting an hour waiting to see if the guy bought it.  off course he did.

then there is the one guy who told me to call him when he gets off work at 2ish.  i call at 2:15 and there is no answer.
I figures he is still busy so i call back at 3:00 and hes said he sold it to his buddy since i diddnt call.

steve

[754]

Last guy that sold under me.. after I viewed it and asked for a few hrs to raise 2k to buy the petrolania.... got ooffered another K over the phone, by someone I know longer deal with..

 Well the extra K became 800, .. huge surprise. He actually talked on the phone to seller 2 while I was there, and told him who I was..

.. came back earlier than the 2 hours..and he split the diff with me.. or so he said... got paid 400 bux to walk..... which was pretty good as I probably had a c-note or less to my name...

 Had a 80 750 suzi motor on a local site, very nice looking, clean.. 175 bux..
 Guy phones.. actually many WACKOs phoned (whole new story) 30 miles away makes appt for 8 ish Sat am. I get up early.. around 7:30 get a call, he has to work. Gets a hold of me by phone or fax, I think Monday, says how about next weekend? I say you got til Sat to get here, if you want it.. then it goes off the market.. end of problem... no he did not respond.... delist it, end the bs... think I will try to put t in a CB750 frame and build a tracker..

 When I make an appt to view, even if I am there all day, I give a 1/2 hr window to locals.. thats it, no show, you are out of the deal..

[Retro Rocket]

Next time you are going to view a bike on CL just tell the seller that you are a cop, it is amazing how fast the bull#$%* stops.....

Mick

[tomkimberly]

You show up with cash, it's yours.

Too many jerks phone and say they are coming over and either never show up or show up late. 1st comes, 1st served is the rule I follow.


Tom

Even if you tell someone you will hold it for an hour and then someone shows up in 30 min with cash? 

I never say I'll hold the bike, to many flakes and no shows to do that.

Tom

[tomkimberly]

@tomkimberly; I see what you're saying, there's lots of flake buyers out there, just be clear with people when you talk to someone twice and have an agreed upon time to pick something up at an agreed upon price and then sell it to someone else, #$%* is shady no matter how your slice it.

I never say I will hold the bike as there are just too many flakes and no shows. 1st to show with cash gets the bike. I expect the same when I buy from others. Now I might make an exception if some way could be found to post a holding bond, say 50% of the price, otherwise why would the buyer have any incentive to actually show up?

Tom