In my search for a wagon, I stumbled upon this. Read it and couldn’t stop laughing!
https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/6029633789.html
“Taurus wagon. Has inspection sticker good through 2018. Could use a tune up but runs OK. Contact if you are willing to see the car. Please don’t contact with offers.”
so eager to sell… 
Don’t see anything funny here. Just like a large percentage of Craigslist ads.
I really don’t see what’s so funny
The price sounds reasonable, as it’s pretty old, and those cars don’t hold their value very well
As for “Could use a tune up but runs OK.” . . . probably means the car is running smoothly right now, okay power, but it’s probably overdue for an ignition tuneup, trans service, etc. Perhaps it means the owner has never done any maintenance, besides, oil changes, tires, brakes, wiper blades, bulbs, etc.
It might have a lot of rust, though, but for $800 I would expect some problems. This looks like the kind of car for somebody with not much money to spend, drive it for a few years, then dump it when the transmission goes, it fails inspection, etc. And I’m guessing whoever winds up buying it also won’t spend a lot of money on maintenance and/or repairs
As Volvo said, it looks like a typical craigslist car
Well the person posting the ad has a point. I’ve sold quite a few cars on CL and have had many people start bargaining with me by phone or text before they even saw the car. Doesn’t make sense to me, other than maybe they were trying to start from a lower price point if/when they did come see the car.
I don’t see the joke either…
I don’t see anything funny. It looks to me like the seller believes he can get more for the vehicle if the buyer sees that it’s in good shape first. He probably believes the car to be more valuable than it actually is, or simply doesn’t want to be bothered by shoppers that aren’t serious.
he is firm on price. wants xx dollars. contact him if you are ok with that price. he just vaguely worded the ad
Not well written I guess. Could have said no low ball offers of firm on price.
I called on one car, I said before I look at it can you tell me about your maintenance history and any current issues.
No I can’t tell you history he says as I bought the car a year ago for my daughter, I’m a mechanic and the only issue is it runs a little hot, probably needs a new radiator cap.
My thought you are a mechanic and have not tried a new radiator cap to sell it, RUN AWAY RUN AWAY the little angel on my shoulder was saying.
I completely agree with your thoughts on this one…
I’m kind of a “take it or leave it and leave me alone” kind of seller. Anyone who wants to negotiate a lower price before seeing the car wants to nit pick and cut the price even lower when they arrive. Why waste time with such people. Maybe I set the prices too low but it is very rare that I haven’t sold a car for the price I asked,. And isn’t the price on that Taurus reasonable if it runs and drives good.
Interesting, I always leave some room for a discount. The last car I sold was my Camry, 12 yr old car with a lot of miles, buyer was nice but wanted a discount, started pointing out issues (small nicks and dents) that other than a brand new car, any other used car would have. Nonetheless, I had room for a discount, mostly based on me not wanting to waste my own time.
I have learned that more often than not the first person that shows up is the best buyer and then the car goes stale. I never trade the car in (the most convenient way to get rid of it but very low return if any), but I have the trade in price in mind because you can sit for 6 weeks on a used car trying to sell it.
I never buy anything that says "Just needs a tune up ’ or “Just needs a radiator cap”.
You may be on to something there
A few times, when I went used car shopping, and I couldn’t get it for what I considered a fair price, the guy took a LONG time to sell it, if ever.
One time, I was looking at a car, which seemed in reasonable shape. I had cash on me, based on a fair price for the condition of the car. He wanted $300 more, and I walked away, WITHOUT the car. I monitored craigslist, and it took him a long time, before he lowered it by exactly $300. But then the listing was quickly gone. I presume he sold it, because he had it “correctly” listed, but maybe he just gave up?
I’ve been monitoring a few craigslist trucks lately, and there is a guy who’s had his truck listed for a few months. His asking price has been gradually going down. Presumably, when it hits the correct level, it will sell. I get the feeling he’s one of those guys that figures just because in the last year, he spent some money on tires, maintenance, and some minor repairs, now he “needs” to recoup that money. Just because the set of tires cost $600, for example, doesn’t mean the truck is immediately worth $600 more
Exactly . . . if that’s all it needed, the seller would have already spent those few dollars, and then they could offer a well running car for considerably more money
I agree with the ‘first one in buys it’. I listed a non running Ranger last year; priced it at what the new tires cost. The first young man that looked at it offered me $50 less, and I sold it to him. He was the only one that responded. I could still be mowing around that truck if I had been stubborn.