Tricks to being a dumb car buyer - #2 will surprise you!

"Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!" (eurylokhos) 01/20/2019 at 12:19 • Filed to: None

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Decided that I’ve finished fixing the stuff on my E46 wagon, and realistically I’m not going to be driving it when I also have my 2018 Outback for wagony duties. So I put it up for sale.

I paid $500 for it, and have put just under $1700 in parts into it. It’s a solid car at this point, has some cosmetic issues and a leaky oil pan gasket, but neither of those effect it’s ability as a driver.

So, knowing that $2k is a mental barrier for people, I’ve put it up for $1990. I’ll lose some cash, but don’t really care, I’ve had my fun with it and it’s taught me a lot. However, now I”m dealing with the flakes.

1. “Is this still for sale” emails, literally minutes after posting the ad. If it wasn’t, then it wouldn’t be listed. Even if it is sold, why waste everyone’s time, just ask whatever questions you have.

2. “Will you take $X for it?” Not sure with these if the person sending the email is a moron, or if they hope that I am. You haven’t seen anything, how can you negotiate on it? Even so, why would I negotatiate a lower price before you come by? You’re just going to try to go lower at that point.

3. “How many miles are on it?” Did you look at the ad, it’s listed at the top, in the description, and the pic of the gauge cluster. Come on man, put some effort in.

4. “Is it a manual?” Pictures. Listing. How did you even manage to dress yourself this morning?

5. “What does it need?” Maybe read the ad. It says right in it what it needs.

6. “Has it had X done?” Reading is FUNdamental.

Ugh. I hate selling cars. I put in the ad that I’d consider trades for a 4Runner, or something interesting. Kinda disappointed with the range of interesting suggestions so far. Maybe I should keep black beauty.

camarov6rs > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 12:56

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List uninteresting trades!

random001 > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 13:03

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Pretty....

ranwhenparked > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 13:24

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Hey man, I don’t have $1,990 right now, do you think you will still have the car in the spring? Need to get my tax refund.

Also, I’m a broke college student that needs something to get to school and work, can you guarantee me that your old BMW will be totally reliable and not need anything, ever?

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > ranwhenparked 01/20/2019 at 13:27

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ABsolutely. Everyone knows that German cars from the early 2000s will run with no maintenance or repairs forever. That Toyota Hilux that they tried to kill on Top Gear years back? 20 year old BMWs will make those their bitch.

ranwhenparked > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 13:28

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OK, cool, I’ll hit you up when I have the money. Would you take $1200?

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > camarov6rs 01/20/2019 at 13:28

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I’ve been offered very few things, surprisingly. One Ranger (just not for me), and I just had a guy offer me a Miata. I’m having to fight my own instincts on th e Miata, I do love them.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > ranwhenparked 01/20/2019 at 13:30

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Dunno. Do you have any elderly people or young children that need to be driven around? Apparently that makes a difference.

ranwhenparked > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 13:37

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I think that’s the only Craigslist story I haven’t gotten yet. 

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > ranwhenparked 01/20/2019 at 13:50

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I haven’t on this, but when I sold one of my GTIs, I was asked if I’d take half my asking price because he needed the car to drive old people around. I was then told I was going to hell for saying no. Maybe so, but it won’t be because I told some CL flake no to a lowball offer.

ranwhenparked > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:22

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You monster!

/s

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:23

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The “is it still for sale” is just basically a generic opening, like How are you doing? I never know how else to start a CL email to a seller other than “ I’m interested in [item], is it still for sale?”

Of course they want to negotiate. If you want 1990 for it, list it at 3000.

As for not reading, well, can’t defend them there. 

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:29

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I didn’t realize E46 prices had gone down that far.... but I guess I was looking mainly at M3 prices.
Is this CL? Autotrader? Have you considered driving it to your local Carmax or pushing it onto Carvana? 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ranwhenparked 01/20/2019 at 14:31

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Ugh, my triggers

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:34

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P ut a for sale sign in the window and park it in front of your house, or park it at a local park during the day.  The old ways might still work.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:34

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Whoa, a Ranger? That's a tempting flip opportunity though...

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/20/2019 at 14:40

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Not a very good Ranger. If it was in good shape I’d have considered it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:42

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I have found that sub-$2000 cars is one of the darkest corners of human interaction.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 01/20/2019 at 14:42

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CL and Facebook. I don’t need to sell it, I have plenty of room and the insurance/registration costs are around $30 a month when averaged out. If I actually needed to get rid of it, I’d drive it to Carmax.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/20/2019 at 14:42

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Don’t get me wrong, I expect to negotiate. I’m just not going to do it before they’ve even seen the car. Doing that is just dumb.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 14:47

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Just got a new email. “Any Problems with the car?” Deciding whether I should just type that the oil pan gasket has a leak, or direct him to read the ad where it says “The only problem the car still has is a leaking oil pan gasket”.

I might just be being testy. I’ve been trapped in Ro chester NY for 2 days now. Going crazy.

gmctavish needs more space > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 15:43

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I usually include “If you’re reading this ad it’s still for sale” and “If you ask questions that are answered in the ad, I won’t respond to you” or something along those lines. It obviously doesn’t fix the problem, but I think it helps a bit.

50ford500 > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 15:44

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lol well not all sellers manage to put details other than blah blah car for sale and throw up a few exterior shots. There a guy here selling an S70 T5 and can’t even manage to get into a conversation with me. 

Future Heap Owner > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/20/2019 at 18:01

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This is all making me feel incredibly lucky about the  uniformly pleasant CL interactions I had when looking for a $1k truck.

NojustNo > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/21/2019 at 18:18

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Is it still f or sale is mostly an opening line for scammers...or idiots. I ignore them usually .

functionoverfashion > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/22/2019 at 12:03

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I just saw this on CL thanks to my unnecessary ‘bmw wagon’ saved search. Posted it on Oppo and then someone pointed this out.

Good luck with the sale.

Curious if you’ve had anything like my experience with the brakes sticking a little in colder weather - especially with the cold snap we’re having now.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/22/2019 at 12:18

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Could this realistically make a drive from Dover to SW Ohio and be okay? ~950 miles or so

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > functionoverfashion 01/22/2019 at 13:45

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I haven’t had any brake stick like you described. I drive it down to Boston and leave it in a parking lot for 4 days while I go fly, and even after days in the teens and single digits I haven’t noticed that. 

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy 01/22/2019 at 13:49

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I don’t see why it wouldn’t. It doesn’t overheat or do anything weird that would give me pause on a long journey. Obviously no guarantee that it would, but if I had a road trip like that I wouldn’t have any special concern in this car.

That said, my janky car habit is supported by the top AAA membership with 200mi of towing and I can fly for free, so my risk tolerance is somewhat higher than the average dumbass car enthusiast.