For sale gone wrong stories

Shaneard · Jul 2, 2019

I figured it'd be nice to hear others "for sale gone wrong" stories so we all know we aren't alone.

I had a 1986 Ford F250 with a 351 Cleveland in it. I had it for several years, it was a good truck. I decided to sell it and was driving it to a friends house about 10 miles away and the oil pump went out. It would lose oil pressure after about a minute. I had to nurse it back home and and put an oil pump in it. Finally sold it about 3 weeks later :laughing:

My dad was a farmer/mechanic on his days off from the city fire department. He had an older Ford truck for sale, my brother and I (about 8 & 10 at the time) were home when the man showed up to look at it. Dad was at the FD. My brother and I pointed out everything that was wrong with it. I remember telling him "sometimes it won't crank and dad has to wiggle this wire". Low and behold he didn't even test drive it BUT he bought it. Dad said he wouldn't let us sell his stuff again :laughing::laughing:

Dftodd · Jul 2, 2019

I've been on the other end. Flat broke and needing a vehicle really bad. Bought this old beat up Nissan pickup truck with about 180,000 miles on it.

Gave the guy $300 for it. Had just enough money to tag it and put insurance on it.

Went straight from where I bought it, to the insurance agents to get a policy on it. Then to the tag office. Got home and started going through the truck.

Truck had a bunch of change on the floor board, so I decided to collect it so I would have a few bucks for food. Started to clean it out and noticed a crap load of trash under the seat. To make it easy, I decided to pop the bolts loose and pull the seat out.

By the time I was done, I had a 30 gallon trash bags full of trash, and a 5 gallon pail half full of change. I ended up with just over $650 in change :laughing: And about $30 more then what I started with

4570Man · Jul 2, 2019

You found $650 in change under a vehicle seat? Are you a fisherman by any chance? That’s 2600 quarters, 6500 dimes, 13,000 nickels or 65,000 pennies. Even if it was dollar coins that’s an unbelievable amount.

dragoneggs · Jul 3, 2019

4570Man said:
You found $650 in change under a vehicle seat? Are you a fisherman by any chance? That’s 2600 quarters, 6500 dimes, 13,000 nickels or 65,000 pennies. Even if it was dollar coins that’s an unbelievable amount.

fish story for sure

2LaneCruzer · Jul 3, 2019

4570Man said:
You found $650 in change under a vehicle seat? Are you a fisherman by any chance? That’s 2600 quarters, 6500 dimes, 13,000 nickels or 65,000 pennies. Even if it was dollar coins that’s an unbelievable amount.

Would you believe $65.00? (with apologies to Maxwell Smart)...

4570Man · Jul 3, 2019

2LaneCruzer said:
Would you believe $65.00? (with apologies to Maxwell Smart)...

Probably not but it’s getting closer to the truth of $6.50. And a 30 gallon trash bag of trash supposedly fit under the seat of a compact pickup?

dragoneggs · Jul 4, 2019

2LaneCruzer said:
Would you believe $65.00? (with apologies to Maxwell Smart)...

Get Smart Prequel - "Would You Believe..." - YouTube

Dftodd · Jul 4, 2019

4570Man said:
You found $650 in change under a vehicle seat? Are you a fisherman by any chance? That’s 2600 quarters, 6500 dimes, 13,000 nickels or 65,000 pennies. Even if it was dollar coins that’s an unbelievable amount.

Nope. The guy was famous for going through drive through everywhere. When they gave him his change back, the cash went into the wallet, and the change went on the floor board. After a while it worked it's way under the seat.

RickB · Jul 4, 2019

It is July 4 not April 1.

caver · Jul 4, 2019

Took a dual sport across the Mississippi river ferry to trade on a new bike. The old Suzuki was carburated and if you let it sit for a week or two it wouldn't start. I got my mechanic to get it going that morning I think and hauled it over on the ferry as it's the shortest route and this place usually has the best prices. I get there and the mfer won't start. Dealership owner comes out and said he wouldn't be afraid to take it on a trade. The new bike was fuel injected. They beat me up on the trade but I was fed up with that bikes constant issues. While doing paperwork she has a higher more realistic price on the trade. I thought either they goofed or my hearing is worse than i thought (seriously). I didn't say squat. I get a voice message before I get home saying they made a mistake. Then there was the "that lady will get fired if we don't make this right". I say what's in it for me? You guys screwed up not me and as far as a court of law I think I heard the number on our paperwork. Good thing I sent the difference as they had neglected to sign over the title. The salesman who was pleading with me to do the right thing said he would send a voucher for some free accessories......he never did.

dragoneggs · Jul 4, 2019

My latest 'For Sale Story Gone Wrong' happened a couple weeks ago... actually about 12 years ago. It was then when I needed to sell our ski boat to pay for my daughter's college costs. She actually loved the boat so much that she said she didn't need to go to college. I of course did not take her suggestion and sold the boat for a large sum of cash (in a briefcase no less). True story... the buyer was a rich Russian commercial building real estate man doing well in the Bellevue Washington area. This sale went off without a hitch. In the front seat of his black Mercedes. Felt like I was in the movies and was a bit nervous.

Anyways... a couple weeks ago after a long hunt for a newish used boat suitable for the Puget Sound waters and plans for trips up into the Canada on the inside passage I finally found the boat of my dreams. Thought about for a couple days and then made arrangements to meet the owner and check out the boat. Took my wife with me and she actually said yes you can get... this after many many No's for the last several years.

So, I told the owner we were definitely interested and wanted to proceed with the sale. It was then, the owner told me that a day earlier, a guy put some earnest money down... and the sale was pending on the survey and if he could swing selling his boat for additional funds. He had until July 21 to come up with the funds. Well, on the last day I got a call from the owner saying it sold. I was heartbroken. I knew the deal was good and even if I had to unload it in a 3 to 5 years I would loose very little if I took good care as he had. Dang it!!!! Why did I think about for a couple days... would have been first in line! :hissyfit:

What I learned that day... is good deals don't wait for you.

bunyip · Jul 4, 2019

A loooong time ago I bought an outboard about 55hp, so long ago I have forgotten what the make was but we'll say Mercury, a real good price but it wouldn't start but I figured I was so far in front it didn't matter.
Took it to a repairer and he told me it wasn't worth fixing as it was so old, I argued that it was less that 5 years old, he said the cover was but nothing else.
That day I discovered that outboard covers are the same for a lot of models, this is not a sale I often talk about.

Dftodd · Jul 4, 2019

RickB said:
It is July 4 not April 1.

You can pack a lot of stuff under the seat of one of those old trucks. Fwiw, I have a 3 ft tall beer bottle that's a change jug. Jug was about 2/3 full. Emptied it into gallon zip lock bags and took it to the bank and ran it through the sorter. That was $400 plus. Wife Emptied her 2 gallon jug which was half full as well. That was another $200. We cash in our change every other year.

fried1765 · Jul 4, 2019

dragoneggs said:
My latest 'For Sale Story Gone Wrong' happened a couple weeks ago... actually about 12 years ago. It was then when I needed to sell our ski boat to pay for my daughter's college costs. She actually loved the boat so much that she said she didn't need to go to college. I of course did not take her suggestion and sold the boat for a large sum of cash (in a briefcase no less). True story... the buyer was a rich Russian commercial building real estate man doing well in the Bellevue Washington area. This sale went off without a hitch. In the front seat of his black Mercedes. Felt like I was in the movies and was a bit nervous.

Anyways... a couple weeks ago after a long hunt for a newish used boat suitable for the Puget Sound waters and plans for trips up into the Canada on the inside passage I finally found the boat of my dreams. Thought about for a couple days and then made arrangements to meet the owner and check out the boat. Took my wife with me and she actually said yes you can get... this after many many No's for the last several years.

So, I told the owner we were definitely interested and wanted to proceed with the sale. It was then, the owner told me that a day earlier, a guy put some earnest money down... and the sale was pending on the survey and if he could swing selling his boat for additional funds. He had until July 21 to come up with the funds. Well, on the last day I got a call from the owner saying it sold. I was heartbroken. I knew the deal was good and even if I had to unload it in a 3 to 5 years I would loose very little if I took good care as he had. Dang it!!!! Why did I think about for a couple days... would have been first in line! :hissyfit:

What I learned that day... is good deals don't wait for you.

That is EXACTLY why I bought my 250 hour 2006 Kubota L48 TLB last month.
I was the first potential buyer to see it, and was quite certain it would not last.

dragoneggs · Jul 4, 2019

fried1765 said:
That is EXACTLY why I bought my 250 hour 2006 Kubota L48 TLB last month.
I was the first potential buyer to see it, and was quite certain it would not last.

Doing your homework ahead of time and knowing what the market and availability of what you are wanting is key. In my sixth decade of living I am figuring out a lot. Wish I had patience with I was young and had so much time on my hands... now I little of either but least I am get wiser!

om21braz · Jul 5, 2019

A friend of mine and I walked into a gun store (a new one for us). Noticed a nice, clean Remington 1100 12 ga. trap gun on the used rack. What first caught my eye was the unbelievable wood on it - it appeared to be wood off of a D-grade, fancy hand cut checking and all. Price on it $ 375.00. Instead of paying someone quickly and getting out with it, I offered $ 350.00. Big mistake - store owner called over and stated - Oh, I should have already put that away as the owner has decided not to sell it. Lesson learned.

atsah · Jul 5, 2019

Bought a snowmobile about 30 years ago that had a second lean on it and I didn't check it.. Lost 4 grand and the sled.. That never happened again..

Jstpssng · Jul 5, 2019

atsah said:
Bought a snowmobile about 30 years ago that had a second lean on it and I didn't check it.. Lost 4 grand and the sled.. That never happened again..

I'm not sure how you can check something like that, especially on an ATV or snowsled.

atsah · Jul 5, 2019

Jstpssng said:
I'm not sure how you can check something like that, especially on an ATV or snowsled.

I don’t know either. He showed me a payed in full receipt but he had some kind of lean on it. I tried tracking him down through the court and he didn’t show up and then moved to CT and had a warrant on him..

Ken · Jul 6, 2019

Dftodd said:
Nope. The guy was famous for going through drive through everywhere. When they gave him his change back, the cash went into the wallet, and the change went on the floor board. After a while it worked it's way under the seat.

Dftodd Used to work with a man from Vilonia. that drove pick-up like that you describred .except to tight to go to drive-through food places. Would wipe the smile off George Washington before cashing a buck.
ken