Another genius selling Mopar stuff...

[bull]

I recently had the displeasure of trying to buy some Charger parts from a bonehead who was advertising on craigslist here in Oregon. Most of the time things go pretty well but every once in a while it seems we all run across someone whose thinking defies logic. So, for your entertainment I thought I'd share the email transcript history of this attempt to buy parts.

Original ad: selling parts collection...these gotta go by 9-15...need the room. for sale as whole or will seperate.pair of doors for 69 dodge superbee/coronet,flat hood for 68 coronet,front grill filler piece(bolts between fenders)hood support piece with spring and rubber,front suspension 11 inch drum setup(contol arms etc)rally dash gauge cluster,console parts,loer back seat for 68-70 b body good for core..rear glass 69 dodge superbee,FREE hood for 69 charger some damage but can be fixed,driver door for 72 dodge charger complete with glass excellent condition,flat hood for 71-74 charger ex con.,passenger fender for 72 challenger surface rust but very solid,no magor damage will clean up quick and easy.driver door for 72 challenger no glass.72 challenger taillight assembly with lenses housings and gaskets.73 plymouth satellite hood.plus some extras i will throw in. email for pics,prices or questions. 1000$ for all or make offer on any parts. 541-***-2766 must sell.

Me: Hi,
>   >   >   >
>   >   >   >I emailed you a few days ago but got no response. I'd like to
>see
>   >some
>   >   >   >photos of your rally dash gauge cluster and your console parts
>   >please.
>   >   >   >
>   >   >   >Thanks,
>   >   >   >Curtis

Him: >   >   >   hello,sorry no pics yet.will try to get that done saturday.i am
>   >working
>   >   >2
>   >   >   jobs right now,so not much free time till the weekend.plus i
>have
>   >got
>   >   >over
>   >   >   30 people emailing for parts/prices/pics.most people arent real
>   >serious
>   >   >   buyers anyways,seems there are quite a few resellers looking for
>   >parts
>   >   >to
>   >   >   resell on ebay.anyways,the parts you are asking about are 100
>for
>   >all
>   >   >the
>   >   >   rallye dash cluster and console lid and piece that has gear
>   >indicator on
>   >   >   it.they are old /used parts.not nos or reconditioned.just driver
>car
>   >   >   quality.thanks for your time,and will try to email pics sat/or
>sun.

Me: >   >   >I'm mostly interested in the gauge cluster but it has to be off a
>'68
>   >or
>   >   >'69 because the '70 clusters are different. Also my Charger is a
>four
>   >speed
>   >   >so an auto trans top plate obviously won't help and unless the
>console
>   >lid
>   >   >is off a '68 it won't work because they're unique to that year --
>the
>   >'68
>   >   >top plates and lids are ribbed, chrome-plated (usually pitted) pot
>   >metal
>   >   >and the '69s all have the wood grain decal. Anyway, if the gauge
>   >cluster is
>   >   >for a '68-'69 it will work so I guess I need to know if it's a
>'68-'69
>   >   >cluster, how much you want for it and does it have all five of the
>1/2"
>   >   >pins still secured in the back of the circuit board? Also, would
>you
>   >   >consider shipping it?
>   >   >
>   >   >Thanks,
>   >   >Curtis

Him: >   >   cluster came out of 69 bee....console stuff is auto/69 style.pins
>are
>   >   there.i might ship...ups is all we have here besides regular
>mail.they
>   >are
>   >   rough with stuff though/wouldnt recommend that route.the cluster is
>   >taken
>   >   apart partially..face taken off to clean it up etc.will try to get
>pics
>   >to
>   >   you sat after work.

TWO WEEKS AND TWO UNANSWERED EMAILS LATER

Me: >   >If you are not going to send me the pictures or sell me the cluster
>could
>   >you at least tell me so I can start seriously looking elsewhere?

Him: >   sorry,i got tired of being hassled by people who arent really serious
>   buyers.cluster went to the dumps saturday.took 3 boxes of parts and 2
>hoods
>   there.so i guess you should look elsewhere.

Me: >You took the cluster to the dump? Wow, that was pretty stupid considering I
>was prepared to pay you $100 for it.

Him: like i said i got tired of the hassles.besides i took the speedo out and
sold that for 75.

That's right. The guy apparently took most of the stuff listed in the ad to the dump. Brilliant! Oh well. Aside from the egregious sin of tossing out usable Mopar parts I just wish people would actually the sell stuff they advertise for sale and learn how to communicate.

[skip68]

It sounds to me like he is a "Wanna Be" scammer, that got nervous or too overwhelmed with the responses! I doubt he even had such items!  But, I hope you have better luck in the future finding that dash part/parts !
Mrs.Skip68

[bull]

It sounds to me like he is a "Wanna Be" scammer, that got nervous or too overwhelmed with the responses! I doubt he even had such items!  But, I hope you have better luck in the future finding that dash part/parts !
Mrs.Skip68

Maybe, but I don't think so. He never asked me for money or information. I don't know for sure but I would think scammers would know how to communicate a lot better than this guy. Just the thought of someone throwing this kind of stuff out these days is enough to get me a little riled up.

[skip68]

It sounds to me like he is a "Wanna Be" scammer, that got nervous or too overwhelmed with the responses! I doubt he even had such items!  But, I hope you have better luck in the future finding that dash part/parts !
Mrs.Skip68

Maybe, but I don't think so. He never asked me for money or information. I don't know for sure but I would think scammers would know how to communicate a lot better than this guy. Just the thought of someone throwing this kind of stuff out these days is enough to get me a little riled up.

I agree!  It really makes me sick  to think about all those classic parts getting destroyed!!! (If in fact the guys story is factual!)
Mrs.Skip68

[purple70rt]

Sounds like the guy wanted the stuff gone ASAP, I am having the same problem trying to clear stuff out. Put ads up on local sites where I do not have to deal with the BS of emailing pics and shipping and then dealing with assholes expecting new parts out of close to 40 year old parts...I take it you do not sell parts Bull???  If you did you would have the same attitude as that guy.  I have been dealing close to 5 years now and have finally had enough.  Not trying to slam you Bull, but you should try to be on the other side of it.  I also have been scrapping alot of stuff.  Put several ads up on my local craigslist with cheap prices hoping it would entice someone to make the effort to drive a few miles to deal face to face to deal.  Get the same stuff that guy got, I need a shipping price, etc....

[TruckDriver]

It sounds to me like he is a "Wanna Be" scammer, that got nervous or too overwhelmed with the responses! I doubt he even had such items!  But, I hope you have better luck in the future finding that dash part/parts !
Mrs.Skip68

[Steve P.]

I run into this crap ALL THE TIME.... Most of the time they don't know what THEY want or how to look something over. I have sold some parts that people are taking to (WHAT THEY CALL MECHANICS), AND HAD THEM CALL ME BACK SCREAMING AT ME THAT IT'S JUNK.  The last one was an 8-1/4 rear end complete with sure grip. I drove the car for more than 12 miles home from where I bought it. I took both highway and back roads. Rear skins left an even 12 foot of rubber in my back driveway till I let off. No noise. Pulled it. Put it on Craigs List and opened up the rear for the buyer to inspect. Saved the fluid that looked great and showed him the racing stripes it left while still in the car. Everything looked great and it sold right away for a cheap $100.00.

A week later I get a call that it's a pile of crap. He wants his money back plus what he paid his SO CALLED mechanic.  I asked him what the problem was. He tells me (IT IS JUNK. IT MAKES SOME KIND OF RATCHETING NOISE EVERY TIME HE TURNS A CORNER).  Well I should have hung up on the azzhole as he was screaming nasty stuff and threatening me, but I told him to go to any local dealer and get some posi lube to cure the problem AND to find a REAL MECHANIC who knows what the hell he is doing.           I never heard another word from the prick..  Of course I didn't expect to...

[Charger_Fan]

That's it, I'm getting a job at the dump. Just think of all the freebie Mopar parts I could get.

[bull]

Sounds like the guy wanted the stuff gone ASAP, I am having the same problem trying to clear stuff out. Put ads up on local sites where I do not have to deal with the BS of emailing pics and shipping and then dealing with assholes expecting new parts out of close to 40 year old parts...I take it you do not sell parts Bull???  If you did you would have the same attitude as that guy.  I have been dealing close to 5 years now and have finally had enough.  Not trying to slam you Bull, but you should try to be on the other side of it.  I also have been scrapping alot of stuff.  Put several ads up on my local craigslist with cheap prices hoping it would entice someone to make the effort to drive a few miles to deal face to face to deal.  Get the same stuff that guy got, I need a shipping price, etc....

I sell parts all the time but I don't do it on craigslist unless I'm fully prepared for it or selling just one part at a time. Craigslist is a dumb place to try to sell parts like this (especially several at once) because most people that want them are not close unless you live in a large metropolitan area so you have to consider shipping and if they are close enough they just want to lookie-lou. This guy was selling from Coos Bay and I'm in Portland (at least two hours one way) he took no pictures beforehand, he did not even think about shipping when he listed the parts and he wasn't ready to sell/deal. He's a dufus who expected the first guy who read the ad to run right out there, write him a $1,000 check and load it all up. If you're not prepared to send pictures or ship parts you should say so in your ad or you have no business listing parts for sale in a small market such as Coos Bay, Oregon. Everything I have for sale goes on Ebay and 98% of the time it's been very hassle free.

[TK73]

Uhhhhhh, Coos Bay has a population less than 16,000... must be DOZENS of Mopar collectors out there...

[Steve P.]

I hear ya Bull. Around here the CL auto parts pages go up to 8 pages per day sometimes. Never less than 3-4 on a bad day. Sometimes it's hard to find your own ad... 

Most times I do well on CL, but I am not looking for top dollar on most of the stuff and I don't have to ship anything.. I wish I could find more MOPAR stuff in the area.. I would rather see the part in person than have a goose egg after paying a ton for a part, plus shipping. I figure others look at it that way also..  I just got bit on a 750 DP from a seller on ebay. People and pictures lie like a bitch... Again, it was the price = shipping = waiting for the guy to send it as he was afraid that my PAYPAL was going to be a fraudulent account. (This was not in his ebay auction anywhere). Waited 5 days for it to clear his bank. Then I get an email saying Paypal put the money in his account. Then the next day another email saying he got to the ups joint at Staples too late for pick up that day. I replied with, (can you please send me the tracking number). blah, blah, blah... The next day he sends it, but UPS has nothing with that number on it. 4 more days go by and after a few more emails and a talk with PAYPAL he gets a hold of someones neck at Staples and now the ball is rolling..

I bought it 2.5 weeks ago and received it 3 days ago. Packaging was terrible. shoe box idea with next to nothing protecting the carb...   Then comes all the problems with the carb...  Well, too much typing on this already. Let's just say I will like the new PROFORM main body I just ordered.... 

[bull]

Uhhhhhh, Coos Bay has a population less than 16,000... must be DOZENS of Mopar collectors out there...

So he takes the stuff to the dump?

[bull]

I hear ya Bull. Around here the CL auto parts pages go up to 8 pages per day sometimes. Never less than 3-4 on a bad day. Sometimes it's hard to find your own ad... 

Most times I do well on CL, but I am not looking for top dollar on most of the stuff and I don't have to ship anything.. I wish I could find more MOPAR stuff in the area.. I would rather see the part in person than have a goose egg after paying a ton for a part, plus shipping. I figure others look at it that way also..  I just got bit on a 750 DP from a seller on ebay. People and pictures lie like a bitch... Again, it was the price = shipping = waiting for the guy to send it as he was afraid that my PAYPAL was going to be a fraudulent account. (This was not in his ebay auction anywhere). Waited 5 days for it to clear his bank. Then I get an email saying Paypal put the money in his account. Then the next day another email saying he got to the ups joint at Staples too late for pick up that day. I replied with, (can you please send me the tracking number). blah, blah, blah... The next day he sends it, but UPS has nothing with that number on it. 4 more days go by and after a few more emails and a talk with PAYPAL he gets a hold of someones neck at Staples and now the ball is rolling..

I bought it 2.5 weeks ago and received it 3 days ago. Packaging was terrible. shoe box idea with next to nothing protecting the carb...   Then comes all the problems with the carb...  Well, too much typing on this already. Let's just say I will like the new PROFORM main body I just ordered.... 

I do fine selling on Ebay because I don't screw around with tracking numbers and shipping, I get my ducks in a row and I do it quickly. Unlike many people I have my parts packaged and ready before the auction ends and I ship the part within 48 of the payment clearing so everyone is very happy with me as a seller. The problem is that other sellers do not share my sense of urgency in the shipping department and on top of that are unable to communicate so what happens then is I have to wait a month (or longer) for a part with no word of what's going on.

I've only bought Charger parts from one guy on CL and it worked out great. Most of the others selling Mopar stuff do not have any Charger-specific stuff and/or it seems to be the same recycled ads over and over that don't ever sell. Usually it's some guy that wants $500 for a 318 or $800 for a long block 440 out of a '77 motor home, etc.

[Steve P.]

Usually it's some guy that wants $500 for a 318 or $800 for a long block 440 out of a '77 motor home, etc.

Damn, I thought those were just around here... There is one on CL right now that reads, ( Complete 440 out of a 77 motor home. Only 118K miles. $1500.00)....     I sent him a message that read:



ONLY??

[bull]

  Yea, only? Are there gold-plated valve covers under the 1/2" of grease? I agree though, if you're going to sell stuff on CL make it worth while to the buyers. Don't try selling junk for twice what the good stuff sells for.

Basically all I wanted from this guy was a single picture to verify that what he had was in fact a ralley gauge set instead of a base model set you'd see in a Satellite or something. Usually I don't bother responding to ads with no pictures because if the guy is too lazy or unable to post a picture in the ad he's usually too lazy or unable to email one.

[FJMG]

     Local, internet, doesn't matter these genius people are everywhere. I answered a local ad about a 70 charger for sale, claimed to be 383 console auto, top banana. All original everything there but sitting in field since 70's or something and is very, very rusted. I called him and he said Needs new int, 1/4's, fenders,doors hood, lid,tail, floors, trunk (leafs broke into trunk)etc (not sure what was left???), wanted $5000. I asked if he had any offers, He said yes, $3500, but for $3500 it will stay sitting in the field.