"Andrew Seifert" (andrewseifert)
03/01/2014 at 15:56 • Filed to: Craigslist
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"Andrew Seifert" (andrewseifert)
03/01/2014 at 15:56 • Filed to: Craigslist | 7
| 10 |
The Autos section of Craigslist can be a mecca for car guys. I've spent hours looking at the vehicles for sale in my area, even when I'm not actively seeking a car to buy. It's the automotive equivalent of the rummage bin at a garage sale. You never know what you're going to find.
However, there's several evident trends when it comes to Craigslist cars. Here's a rundown of the five most common types of sellers that I've seen on CL.
Buyer's Remorse
These are the folks who buy a new car, drive it for awhile and then decide to sell it. Usually the vehicle is less than a year old with very few miles. Reasons often include divorce, financial issues, or they simply don't like it. Often there will be a high asking price, perhaps because the sellers were dissatisfied with what the dealers offered in trade-in value. The Buyer's Remorse vehicle can be found in any form, from $15K Fiestas to high end vehicles like Escalades and Land Rovers.
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The Junk Dude
This guy is convinced that the rusted wreck in his backyard is somehow a valuable classic with collectors lined up to buy it. They fail to realize that age and rarity does not equal demand. Oftentimes they'll justify their price relative to the car's condition by saying stuff like " Will make a great rat rod" or "Engine turns over by hand" (if it has one). Cars in this category are rarely worth the time and money required to get it to restored status.
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The Annoying Dealer
Most reputable dealers devote at least a bit of time to making their craigslist postings look professional and easty to read. However, we have the annoying dealer, who spams their poorly-written listings multiple times a day. Most of the time these are the "Buy Here Pay Here" lots that offer in-house financing (at exorbitant rates, of course) to down-on-their-luck people.
Sure, there's reputable BHPH dealers (like !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! from TTAC). But most of them are sleazy establishments whose sole purpose is to take advantage of other people's misforutnes. Their Craigslist postings reflect their business image, with poorly written, all caps writing promising stuff like "NO MONEY DOWN" or "NO CREDIT, NO PROBLEM". The cars they'll be selling range from aging BMWs to 2 yr old Dodge Avengers but they all have one thing in common: cheap.
Luckily, Craigslist has started to address this issue by charging dealers a $5 fee for every listing. This has helped cut down on the reposts, but the shady dealers are still out there.
The Modder
Common signs of the Modder include multiple paragraphs describing the modifications, blurry/poorly-taken photos and atrocious first grade-level spelling. Every once in awhile you see a decent one, but most of the time they're awful, cringeworthy vehicles.
As a rule the Modded car is a terrible investment. They've usually been driven hard, missing parts, and sometimes will have a salvage title. In short, you're paying extra for the privilege of being stuck with someone else's problems. You're better off buying a stock car/truck and building it yourself.
Fart-canned Civics in bondo, lifted brodozers and donks are a common sight. Most of the cars featured in NPCOP could also fall into this category.
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The Oddball
The name's self-explanatory. These are the vehicles that are rarely seen on Craigslist or anywhere else. They can be anything from this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Some of my favorite Oddball finds are imported Euro-spec BMWs or rare orphaned brands like Rover.
dogisbadob
> Andrew Seifert
03/01/2014 at 16:07 |
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One very important feature: the flag button!
Arben72
> Andrew Seifert
03/01/2014 at 16:10 |
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I bought my saabaru which I'd consider a good mix of the oddball and the modder on craigslist. I got it for less then your example on the modder so I can't complain. There are deals out there but you have to look past some smaller details.
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Andrew Seifert
03/01/2014 at 16:21 |
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My Ranchero was from a guy somewhere between the Oddball and Buyer's Remorse, with an unlisted type "The Collector" mixed in. The Collector is he who just, for whatever reason, has several to a whole bunch of vehicles in a specific vein, and while still a hobby, he does occasionally turn one over, or engage in stable-pruning.
"Collector" and modifier of 40s-80s SWB Chevy trucks, in this case, got the Ranchero as a fluke, got just into rebuilding as a rat/shop truck, and discovered a late 40's to lust after instead: "OUT!"
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Andrew Seifert
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/01/2014 at 16:24 |
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You're right, I should have put in a Collector type. There's a guy near me who I swear has a borderline fetish for old Volkswagen vans. He periodically sells them on CL and from the background pics he has a whole yard full of them in varying conditions.
biturboism, the cult
> Andrew Seifert
03/01/2014 at 16:51 |
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LOL the Alfa is located at Romeo road!
The Transporter
> Andrew Seifert
03/01/2014 at 17:29 |
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There's a subgroup to The Annoying Dealer: the Dealer Pretending to be a By-Owner Seller. They hide themselves using the camouflage of the other four kinds of sellers: purposely poor grammar and deliberately blurry photos. If you aren't careful in spotting these inglorious bastards before you contact the seller, you'll find yourself at the address of a used car lot being ambushed by high pressure used car commandos. The only way out of the kill zone is to floor the pedal and lay as much suppressive fire as possible.
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dogisbadob
> The Transporter
03/01/2014 at 18:04 |
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And of course, to flag them.
Many of the ads you describe are actually curbstoners (unlicensed dealers)
jy15btx
> Andrew Seifert
03/01/2014 at 19:27 |
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Picked up my Eclipse from a shady dealer. Its run out of a shed, smelled like pot, and he didn't really speak English( I live in El Paso) BUT it has a legit clean title, totally stock, fully loaded 06 with 92xxx on it. For 4k. Sometimes they are legit dealers who are just starting or down on their luck. Or potheads. Either way sometimes you can find something decent or nice at annoying/shady dealers, just know what your looking at lol
Chaos-cascade
> Andrew Seifert
03/02/2014 at 15:27 |
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The Car Flipper
These are the people who buy salvage cars at auction, junkyards etc... They use their connections to buy the cheapest parts possible (sometimes stolen). Then they do only enough work to get it to the "that doesn't look too bad" condition. Usually this facade falls away with a simple two minute close inspection. They frequently: are rude, lack the title in their name, refuse to smog, have a few other cars some where in the pipeline.
Stef Schrader
> Andrew Seifert
03/03/2014 at 00:23 |
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Clearly, you need a 914-swapped Type 3.
I need a 914-swapped Type 3.
Shoot, everybody needs a 914-swapped Type 3!
(Yeah, this has been the object of CL lust recently. I could have Bunnywagen 2 !)