Newest Lies from Craigslist

[wilamayb]

This is the second time that I've sold something and it shows up on craigslist a short time later. The listing always reads that it has made a miraculous recovery from all the issues that it had when I owned the item. Obviously they are T-total lies and the seller has the intent to deceive.

Is watching as an innocent bystander the proper thing to do or is there a responsibility to flag the ad? If the intent of the seller is to lie for monetary gain, is that equal to stealing? If I saw someone steal a woman's purse I would pursue the criminal. Is this any different.

The first time this happened the item was a $1000 Toyota corolla that I used as my "drive to work car". It developed a horrific oil leak at the camshaft seal. It was losing 2 quarts in a 30 mile trip. The local mechanic said this repair is going to cost almost as much as the car. I listed on CL for $400 disclosing the leak. A guy comes and buys and washes the car and lists it for $1200 that very night with no indication of the problem. I have no problem with people buying items from me and selling at a profit but this unit was priced just right for a single mother with no money to purchase. We all know how that would end..

The next item was a 4020 tractor sold at a consignment sale. It went to the consignment because it wasn't something I was willing to sell to anyone I know. It had a host of issues such as needing an injection pump. It wont start without ether when cold and wont start at all when hot. The engine is worn and uses a significant quantity of oil and has blowby. Horsepower is way down on the tractor from lack of fuel delivery. The transmission hydraulic pump is done. The seller has owned it for almost two months and says "he's owned it for a while". The tractor ran the whole time the day of the sale so that everyone knew it was a poor starter and so they could see that the hydraulics were not up to snuff. The rockshaft has issues as well which were easy to find through steering and raising the rockshaft.

Here is the text from the listing for the 4020...

tractor runs good and strong
new alternator
new belt
good rubber front and back
lights work
strong pto
I've had this tractor for awhile and has done everything I've wanted it to do. Motor is strong and starts right up. Its in very good shape for the year model.

Do I just turn my face or do I have an obligation to my fellow tractor buyers? Obviously some people have no conscience..

 

[DeltaRed]

I think you should flag the adds and report the seller.Be 110% sure the stuff listed was indeed your 'old' stuff.

 

[37chief]

Why don't you notify the owner now, and tell him he is misrepresenting the item, and you are going to flag his add. I bought a argon cylinder one time. The add said it was full, it wasn't. I posted in the tools section be ware of cylinders that say are full, and the are not full. Don't know if it did any good, but made me happy. My add kept disappearing, so someone saw it.Stan

 

[Jim in MN]

You sold it. The buyer can do with it as he chooses. If he wants to misrepresent the condition and resell then its on his conscience, not yours.

 

[Russ from MN]

Flag them, you have to do something.

 

[John_PA]

Caveat Emptor!!!!

Don't feel obligated to do anything... Also, you don't know if the current owner fixed some of the problems. Going online and blasting him or the tractor in writing is considered libel.

The most important thing is that the buyer beware when looking at the used equipment, and if the seller falsely misrepresents the tractor, they are legally liable.

It's a hard thing to watch... but just be glad you are morally straight and honest and you did your best.

 

[GordoSD]

I would post reply and simply tell that truth. You are PO and when you sold it to this seller not long ago it had these problems. And advise buyers to look closely at them.

 

[Dean]

Bingo.

Misrepensation by another is not the concern of a prior owner.

Stay out of it.

Dean

 

[Nick m]

Go look at them. That'd be an interesting conversation. Who knows, may have fixed some things.

 

[Bonnan]

Wil, be very careful and think this thru before getting involved. This character has no morals so watch out. Do you want to get into it with him; I would bet he might come back and pay you a visit. By my standards you have no moral obligation to flag the ad.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

After you sell an item it is not your problem nor your business what the new owner does with it. I would seriously be sore at some former owner of something trying to tell me how to sell it.

 

[Bobl1958]

I agree that you probably just need to turn your head and look the other way. You don't really know what he might have done, probably nothing, but it's the responsibility of the person buying it to make sure they know what they are getting. Tough deal for sure. Bob

 

[RN]

Tractor is no concern unless new buyer asks you- then simple truth of what it was like at time of 1st sale. The car situation is potentially more trouble- how was title transferred, what is your state law about skipping title transfer and tax's? Potential come back from second owner looking at your name only on title given at time of second sale? What would happen if new owner had engine seizure on road, caused large amount of damage and walked away leaving vehicle traceable back to you as last registered owner? 'Open' title transfers between private party and 'unlicensed' dealer are a problem in Wisconsin and Illinois. What is your state law regarding something like that- you said it was posted evening of your sale- hard to do title transfers same day without going to DOT service counter or county clerks office and paying out some $$. RN

 

[wilamayb]

Yeah, he's done nothing. He lists the new parts which include an alternator and fan belt that I installed a year or so ago. If he'd replaced the injection pump I'm fairly sure that he'd have included it if he thinks a new alternator and fan belt are worth including. Ha ha!

 

[wilamayb]

Telling somebody how to sell something is very different from saying "hey you are telling a pile of lies". Obviously the goal here was to deceive in hopes of a sucker.

 

[dhermesc]

Craigs list lets you tag as prohibited. Granted I think it takes 3 people total to hit the prohibited tag before the ad poofs but that's what I would do. Given the turn around on these items I doubt this is the first time these people have jockeyed "crap" and the buyers should have that built into their radar. I look at used items on Craigs List with the same leariness I approach consignment auction equipment.

 

[Bobl1958]

No doubt he would have listed all he did. I know your frustration for sure, Ive had it done to me as well. I know if someone I knew asked me about something I had, I would tell him all I knew and for what he should watch out for, but otherwise just hope whoever wants it knows what they should be on the lookout for.

Trouble is, most don't know enough to know what to look for. You've probably done all you can do by just worrying...Bob

 

[paul]

And this is why machinery jockeys get a bad rep.

And why folks answering CL ads want to lower prices, and are hesitant.

And so forth.

Not much you can do about it single handedly, for every error you correct there are 100 more on lime.....

Paul

 

[jimg.allentown]

It is not libel if it is the TRUTH!!!

 

[Blackhole49]

I sure hope you filled in all the blanks on the title also. I know in MI you can't turn one around in a day.

 

[JML755]

I'd be tempted to mess with him. Call him up and ask a bunch of questions and then say, "yeah, I'll buy it but it'd better be as you say. Last guy that misrepresented something that I bought had his tires shot out, barn burned down to a mysterious fire". See what his reaction is then. :wink:

 

[wilamayb]

In my state it is common practice to simply sign the back of the title and never register the vehicle if you intend to sell it in the short term. This keeps the person selling from having to pay sales tax/title transfer/tags/wheel tax.

 

[wilamayb]

In my state it is common practice to simply sign the back of the title and never register the vehicle if you intend to sell it in the short term. This keeps the person selling from having to pay sales tax/title transfer/tags/wheel tax.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

If you didn't want him to resell the car, you should have made him sign the car to himself. Someone who doesn't want to do this is obviously going to resell it.


That it bothers you shows that you're a decent guy. It's no longer on you. It's on him to do the right (or wrong) thing.

I see items that were sold at consignment sales posted on CL for much more than what they sold far all the time. Most recently, there was a 4630 with a combine engine in it on a consignment sale in December. It sold for $7500, it was listed for $12,500 the same day it sold, described as having a recent overhaul. I called the guy up and talked with him awhile. He said he bought it recently to pull a disk, but decided it wasn't enough tractor and was just trying to get his money back out of it. Just a flat liar. It's still listed, but now for $10,500. Definitely the same tractor, someone had started stripping it to paint and never finished. Looks terrible.