# C.L.rant



## vincev (Dec 12, 2015)

I'm not sure who I dislike more.C.L. sellers or buyers.Twice in a row I have had deals made on bikes off C.L.  Agreed to the sellers prices and waiting to pickup.Suddenly i get a text that the bikes had been sold.Who is worse the seller who sells out from under you without offering you to make a counter offer or the buyers who offer more than the asking price? Luckily I have more than enough bikes so I dont lose any sleep just get pissed off.Rant over.


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## chitown (Dec 12, 2015)




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## Greg M (Dec 12, 2015)

Used to be a deal was a deal, and your word was worth something.  I know just how you feel.


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## bikewonder (Dec 12, 2015)

Really don't take very much too piss you off does it?


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## rollfaster (Dec 12, 2015)

I here you Vince. In this case, I have to say the seller. If he had a verbal commitment he should have kept his word. This has happened to me several times, but than somebody informs them it's worth more, and then pays them more. Then not even giving you a shot to make a counter offer? Total BS!


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## bikecrazy (Dec 12, 2015)

CL used to be awesome. Now I hate it more then you do.  The prices in the collectible category are insane.


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## Boris (Dec 12, 2015)

You call that a rant? I didn't see even a hint of swear word. But seriously, I half expect potential buyers to flake out. Not so with the seller. The seller is the bigger jerk, but NEVER as big of a jerk as you are.


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## tech549 (Dec 12, 2015)

vincev I have to tell u this story,one of the first bikes I bought on craigslist was a old elgin asking price 100.00 ,well I got to work at 6.30 am and called the guy,i told him I was at work and could not come to get it till after 5.00 p m.he says call me when you get out of work.i say no way this bike will still be there after work.all day I am saying it wont be there it wont be there.so I call at 5 pm and he says come get it,you know how many calls I got for this bike,they said they would give me 300.00 for it then 350.00 no I promised it to this guy who called me first its his.he got over 30 calls for that bike that day,but you know he was retiring and selling a lot of his stuff.he was an old school guy.just the generation I would say.


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 12, 2015)

This crap happens all the time. You all know who you are. It has happened to me on here. I am a man of my word. If I make a deal with you it is set in stone. No b.s., no backpedaling, no price changing, no nonsense. I wish more people would practice this in this hobby and in life. Im sick of shady collectors. They need to go.


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## island schwinn (Dec 12, 2015)

I had that happen to me.after setting the price and time to pick it up,I called to let him know I was on my way.no answer and it was a considerable drive,so I kept calling to no avail.Wife came home and I called from her phone and he picked up the first ring.then he tells me the bike was sold.WTF. Then says he'll give me a deal on another bike.not happening.
Turns out he's a member here and I recall him ranting about someone doing the same to him and saying his word is good and never would do that.


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## Tim the Skid (Dec 12, 2015)

It happens in all hobbies when greed overshadows integrity. I've seen it it in the gas and oil collectibles, vintage autos, and just recently with a vintage guitar. I answered a CL ad for an older Gibson,told him I'd take it and was on my way. In the time it took to get from Tacoma to Seattle (30 min. drive) someone closer had got there and offered him more money. I agree with tech459. It's getting harder to find a man true to his word.


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## spoker (Dec 12, 2015)

funny this should come up my cell phone just got a text about a cl ad,i secifically said phone call only,it was one of those scammers who was gonna pay with a certified check all i had to do--yada yada lets here it for delete


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## bikebozo (Dec 12, 2015)

*cycle school*

I tell them it is worth more , and  to wait  for me to buy it , , i usually take care of the bike business first ,..  If it is promised , usually my money will talk ,   because there are so many on craigslist + the other sites that do not show , or come and try to negotiate , lie ,etc , $$$$$ talks,,, especially when you are there , , A bike I appraised for 1,500 ,was sold to me for 800.00 , there was no B/S ,it was honor and $$$$$$


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## island schwinn (Dec 12, 2015)

bikebozo said:


> I tell them it is worth more , and  to wait  for me to buy it , , i usually take care of the bike business first ,..  If it is promised , usually my money will talk ,   because there are so many on craigslist + the other sites that do not show , or come and try to negotiate , lie ,etc , $$$$$ talks,,, especially when you are there , , A bike I appraised for 1,500 ,was sold to me for 800.00 , there was no B/S ,it was honor and $$$$$$View attachment 257682



I'm a bit confused.this is honor? 
Or did I misunderstand?


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## vincev (Dec 12, 2015)

Dave Marko said:


> You call that a rant? I didn't see even a hint of swear word. But seriously, I half expect potential buyers to flake out. Not so with the seller. The seller is the bigger jerk, but NEVER as big of a jerk as you are.




Your lucky my rant is over or I would tell an #&&$^ like you to go F*3#%@& yourself.


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## Schwinn499 (Dec 12, 2015)

I was working on this bike on san fran CL...but somehow got screwed outa the deal....i think Mr. Bozo musta offered more...


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 12, 2015)

HHaahah!


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 12, 2015)

Damn he must pay a lot of idiot tax. We could see him comin a mile away.


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## Jay81 (Dec 12, 2015)

I found an old Schwinn I wanted on CL. Ended up buying it and another one from the guy. He was kind enough to deliver them to me (about an hour drive) and I paid him the agreed upon price. After that, I found out he had a couple other bikes for sale that I was interested in. We emailed back and forth and talked on the phone a several times and although he wanted to sell, wouldn't come up with a price. I told him I would drive to him this time, he just needed to come up with a price. I knew he would be out of town for a few weeks so I waited patiently. Called him up after he got home and he finally gave me a price and told me to let him know what day I'd like to come out. I emailed him two days later and although he told me he did not have them advertised, he emailed back saying he has a deal pending. 
I think that was a total crock of $h!t. I was ready to make another deal and the only thing holding me back was it took about a month for him to give me a price and when he finally does, he's going to sell them out from under me.


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 12, 2015)

Weirdos I tell ya! Weirdos! It makes absolutely no sense.


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## juanitasmith13 (Dec 12, 2015)

Dave Marko said:


> You call that a rant? I didn't see even a hint of swear word. But seriously, I half expect potential buyers to flake out. Not so with the seller. The seller is the bigger jerk, but NEVER as big of a jerk as you are.




Now THAT'S a Rant! I really *like* you, both!


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## juanitasmith13 (Dec 12, 2015)

tech549 said:


> vincev I have to tell u this story,one of the first bikes I bought on craigslist was a old elgin asking price 100.00 ,well I got to work at 6.30 am and called the guy,i told him I was at work and could not come to get it till after 5.00 p m.he says call me when you get out of work.i say no way this bike will still be there after work.all day I am saying it wont be there it wont be there.so I call at 5 pm and he says come get it,you know how many calls I got for this bike,they said they would give me 300.00 for it then 350.00 no I promised it to this guy who called me first its his.he got over 30 calls for that bike that day,but you know he was retiring and selling a lot of his stuff.he was an old school guy.just the generation I would say.




YOU nailed it!... Just read the thread and you see who had GOOD parenting.... and who learned from their peers.


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## Nickinator (Dec 12, 2015)

I am always surprised when a deal actually goes thru from CL, I always anticipate issues...

Darcie


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## schwinnbikebobb (Dec 12, 2015)

Here is my latest. Driving 2.5 hours to Cincinnati for another reason (IKEA Ughh!) so I ask the seller for his phone number so I can call when we get there. Tell him I don't get e-mails on my phone. No reply so before I head out I send him an e-mail that we are heading out the door and remind him I don't get e-mails on my phone so call or text me. Hear nothing, I get home and he e-mailed his phone number at almost the exact time we were getting to IKEA! Would have worked out perfect, I usually tell myself I was not supposed to have it but still frustrating.


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## Robertriley (Dec 12, 2015)

vincev said:


> I'm not sure who I dislike more.C.L. sellers or buyers.Twice in a row I have had deals made on bikes off C.L.  Agreed to the sellers prices and waiting to pickup.Suddenly i get a text that the bikes had been sold.Who is worse the seller who sells out from under you without offering you to make a counter offer or the buyers who offer more than the asking price? Luckily I have more than enough bikes so I dont lose any sleep just get pissed off.Rant over.




I defiantly say it's the seller.  I can't blame a guy to try to out bid some stranger that he'll never see but the seller should stick to his word.  Just my two cents


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## bikesnbuses (Dec 12, 2015)

I always try to bring EXTRA $$ no matter the item ..I ALWAYS assume theres going to be a "phone bidder" >>EDIT!! I MEANT; phone; bidder,dreamer,CRYBABY,S#!t stirrer, and the guy who says to seller"Thats my offer and you WONT get any more than that" cocky JERK...  Plus..the seller may have something else cool to buy..Thats happened a few times!(COOL stuff that is! )


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## Robertriley (Dec 12, 2015)

juanitasmith13 said:


> YOU nailed it!... Just read the thread and you see who had GOOD parenting.... and who learned from their peers.




You nailed it!


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 12, 2015)

Craigslist is not an auction. We dont outbid people on Craigslist. Its not Ebay either. When somebody lists something on Craigslist with a price they chose it should be honored. Not bid up like an auction. You go to auctions to bid. You go to Craigslist to buy. Thats how it works.


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 12, 2015)

And its a small world

6 degrees of seperation in this hobby.


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## bikebozo (Dec 12, 2015)

live and learn ,


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## Dale Alan (Dec 13, 2015)

Joe Buffardi said:


> Craigslist is not an auction. We dont outbid people on Craigslist. Its not Ebay either. When somebody lists something on Craigslist with a price they chose it should be honored. Not bid up like an auction. You go to auctions to bid. You go to Craigslist to buy. Thats how it works.




Well said,could not have said it better . Anybody that bids up a CL ad has serious greed problems.


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## bikesnbuses (Dec 13, 2015)

Dale Alan said:


> Well said,could not have said it better . Anybody that bids up a CL ad has serious greed problems.




At this point Joe, I have a feeling you know a bit about vintage BMX..so you may know that when something worth while gets listed on CL,its a free for all..every time I've gone to pick up a BMX bike I ALWAYS get the " MAN!I've had guys calling left and right telling me the bike is worth MORE!... I don't run into that nearly as much with balloon tire bikes/guys...


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## wcw2323 (Dec 13, 2015)

My Dad always told me that "There aren't enough horses for all the horses asses in the world", so watch your ass!

Warren


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## tech549 (Dec 13, 2015)

i don't know about you guys but everytime i sell something on CL people try to knock down the price and want it delivered,then u work out the price and they don't show up!


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## Dale Alan (Dec 13, 2015)

tech549 said:


> i don't know about you guys but everytime i sell something on CL people try to knock down the price and want it delivered,then u work out the price and they don't show up!




That has happened to me many times . Funny how people vanish into thin air on their way to my place.


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 13, 2015)

bikesnbuses said:


> At this point Joe, I have a feeling you know a bit about vintage BMX..so you may know that when something worth while gets listed on CL,its a free for all..every time I've gone to pick up a BMX bike I ALWAYS get the " MAN!I've had guys calling left and right telling me the bike is worth MORE!... I don't run into that nearly as much with balloon tire bikes/guys...




Yes It all starting by fixing up my childhood PK Ripper. It has been an experience collecting old bmx bikes. I have met a ton of people and have had good experience from Craigslist transactions. If I find a bike on Craigslist that I am ready to buy And I make contact with the seller and we agree on a transaction I make him pull the ad off of Craigslist. Especially if Im driving a long distance. I have had one or two weirdos but most of my transactions have been pleasant. Lately with pre-war bikes its been hit or miss. And remember this hobby is a small world. You may think we are strangers on the other side of a Craigslist deal go e bad but we eventually find out.


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## bikebozo (Dec 13, 2015)

good to read all the comments , I have had all kinds of situations during transactions , there is a post associated with this thread that is disgusting and should be censored , who writes the rules , ??   it is a shame we can not exchange different ideas.without all the foul words and photos , i think there are only a few respectable people who communicate on this  board , some are just nasty .


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 13, 2015)

Yeah but so damn funny! I just blew coffee out of my nose.


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## Boris (Dec 13, 2015)

bikebozo said:


> i think there are only a few respectable people who communicate on this  board ,




Thanks for respecting our wish to remain anonymous.


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## Schwinn499 (Dec 13, 2015)

bikebozo said:


> ... it is a shame we can not exchange different ideas....




No need to beat around the bush..

Just as my sense of humor illudes you....your logic and morality illudes me...to each his own....dont dish it out if you cant take it.


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## Sped Man (Dec 13, 2015)

Happened to me several time. The worse was when I went to buy a car. The seller agreed to sell me the car for the agreed upon price. I told him I was about 75 miles away and heading towards him to pick up the car. Half way down I get a text telling me that he had sold it already! I can see selling it if I wasn't coming for at least a day or two later but I was on my way. Unbelievable! Who know, maybe it was a blessing in disguise!


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## vincev (Dec 13, 2015)

I think I may just start offering more on any bike. If the seller takes the bait I will just never show up.


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## tech549 (Dec 13, 2015)

ok just got off the phone with this guy in maine.has a bike for sale I called him on yesterday,wants 400.00 for the bike no problem I want the bike.well I was the 2nd caller the 1st guy is going to meet him today at 4.30 he only brings 100.00 with as a deposit and the seller says ok.i want the rest of the money by Thursday or I will sell it to the next guy in line.he calls me to tell me this,i say really he didn't bring any money and you are going to hold it for him,wow!!!!!!


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## partsguy (Dec 13, 2015)

island schwinn said:


> I had that happen to me.after setting the price and time to pick it up,I called to let him know I was on my way.no answer and it was a considerable drive,so I kept calling to no avail.Wife came home and I called from her phone and he picked up the first ring.then he tells me the bike was sold.WTF. Then says he'll give me a deal on another bike.not happening.
> Turns out he's a member here and I recall him ranting about someone doing the same to him and saying his word is good and never would do that.




Karma is such a biyotch, eh?


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## bikebozo (Dec 14, 2015)

you just need to get in line before it is your time , to experience , the real world , about purchases , on craigslist ,and sometimes at bike shows ,..  All these people on here clucking about there honor and such , it will be some time before they are included in the situation ..  everyone will taste it before they are done ,,  ,,   you might keep your part of the deal ,,   it is the other people , to be aware of ..   I do not appreciate being attacked , on this board ,,  I am only trying to give information ,of being in the scene for a very long time , doing transactions with some of the best , weirdest , and sometimes mixed up people you could ever meet ,.


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## 56 Vette (Dec 14, 2015)

Haven't had any "bad" experiences yet on Craigslist, I'm sure my time is coming, my 49 B6 that I called about on a 3 hour old post, told him I'll take it and set up a time the next day to pick it up, the guy in Cleveland, 2 hours away was exited to get a call so soon. Call him the next day and he had 5 more calls on it and realized he could have gotten more for it, but stuck to his word and sold it to me for the asking price. However he had a bunch of other stuff for sale at good prices and I bought a few other things. So it worked out for both of us. There are good people out there, and glad he treated me the way I would have treated someone else. Joe


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## SirMike1983 (Dec 14, 2015)

In old bikes, money and gentlemanly behavior are inversely proportional.


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## vincev (Dec 14, 2015)

Is any of this any worse than the moron that sits in the parking lot at 4 A M pestering sellers who are trying to set up at a bike show or the seller that sells to these morons before the show starts?


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## the tinker (Dec 14, 2015)

gone


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## vincev (Dec 14, 2015)

the tinker said:


> So.... You  get to the bike swap and you are walking around . You buy a couple small things and walk over to your truck to put them away. your'e feeling a little disappointed. It seems as usual the " early birds" have gotten the good stuff....Then you see it, a pick-up truck slowly pulling into the swap.....it's barely into the gate ,but you spot it....."is that a boy"s  Colson"......snap tank?  .......your heart leaps!... yes it is!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Then you see some one jump onto the truck as it's still pulling in .......Wait , is that your pal Vince?.........He's saying something to the driver.... He is grabbing at the Colson..........YOUR COLSON......He's touching it........You're not..........
> Then you remember the Winchester left behind the truck's seat from deer hunting yesterday......
> It would be so easy... just one shot..




I kept my handgun in the ribs of the driver and told him what would happen if he sold to Tinker and not me.


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## hellshotrods (Dec 14, 2015)

I drove 2 hours in LA traffic once for a CL deal I made on two bikes.  5 min before I arrive the seller texts me and tells me he decided to sell them to someone else.   I try to convince him that we had a "deal".  Then I offered to pay more money since I knew that's what was happening.   Then when I arrive he tells me his wife has decided we should not sell the bikes and wait.....wait for what??  More money???   I told him he can't **** with people like that and get away with it....... and then later on.........


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## Joe Buffardi (Dec 14, 2015)

Along time ago I had a hit n run accident. I was driving and the guy turned in front of me and we hit. I saw his van and his license plate number. I reported it and no police officers showed up. Water under the bridge. Damage wasnt too bad. Fast forward three years and bam I see his dented van and hes walking out of a local liquor store. I follown him to his house. Later that night I find the biggest rock I could find and tossed itmon his windsheild. Thats the way we do it in Philadelphia.


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## the tinker (Dec 14, 2015)

Whether it's Mort from Rock island , Candy from Twin's Treasures or as Vince says "the early bird" sometimes it seems you just can't win. What I have found out is that like the saying goes, "you win some and you loose some."  It's best forget about the loses and move on.  Isn't it  Bricycle that says'"Don't expect much from people and you won't be disappointed".

My bikes will outlive me so I don't take it too seriously.And Vince I would never shoot anyone over a bicycle.......................well maybe just wing'em.



"You gonna sell me the bike on what we agreed?  HUH? HUH!!!!?"


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## vincev (Dec 14, 2015)

Tinker,if we forget about the losses this thread will be useless because we have nothing to rant about.


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## Greg M (Dec 14, 2015)

bikebozo said:


> you just need to get in line before it is your time , to experience , the real world , about purchases , on craigslist ,and sometimes at bike shows ,..  All these people on here clucking about there honor and such , it will be some time before they are included in the situation ..  everyone will taste it before they are done ,,  ,,   you might keep your part of the deal ,,   it is the other people , to be aware of ..   I do not appreciate being attacked , on this board ,,  I am only trying to give information ,of being in the scene for a very long time , doing transactions with some of the best , weirdest , and sometimes mixed up people you could ever meet ,.




Time to change you handle again Walter.  I vote for DJ Bike Bozo after that rap.


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## bikebozo (Dec 15, 2015)

thanks , I only changed because I could not log on , I am not trying to hide , . all these threads about respect and such , and they do not show any respect or consideration - the words are not hurtful , they just show ,to me they have not seen the battle or rudeness in the field ,. everyone will get there day , and if not ,,   Cheers to them , ..  to everyone who  has always had a cheerful ,pleasant experience -buying, selling and trading . I will always be lurking about ,  for a purchase or sale ,. There is no reason for the distasteful , vulgar, threads , I know many collectors , dealers , buyers/sellers , who will not spend a minute on the cabe - because of the treatment and ways of the few who think they run the world of bicycle collecting and non sharing of knowledge ,   walter branche ,,  branchewalter@yahoo.com always looking for fine machines , weird ,unusual , different hard to find , rusty ,crusty, 1817 -2016 anywhere on mother earth , also the bikes referred to as RARE


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