The Craigslist Vexation....

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
FlyWright said:
"Is the term "Site Team" an official term?Asked as 700 plus post somehow established site authority. Are qualifications involved? or site ownership appointee? Not asked in any form of defiance, Natural curiosity is in play-thank you. "

Al,

Shrew is a new member of the TF Site Team which is made up of TF moderators. Also joining Shrew in the new position are Bacchus and Insequent.
Click to expand...

Question asked, question answered :)confused:)

Thanks, Al
 
Shrew said:
Personally, I could care less if the person who is buying my item knows about it. I sold an oil burning forced hot air furnace through Craig's List. I sold a central air unit still in the box. I could care less if either buyer knew how to install them. If I sold a boat, I could care less if the person knew anything about boats.

I could care less how the buyer treats THEIR boat or car once they buy it. It's a 'thing'. If I'm in love with it, I wouldn't sell it, to begin with, so I already know I want the money more than the item. You can't take it with you and nothing lasts forever.
Click to expand...


Gee wiz, you're all heart. :hide::whistling:
 
When I see boats on Craigs List, the first thing I usually notice is the seller tries to provide as little useful information possible on his over priced boat to try to fleece a buyer. Conversely, the buyer uses lowballs and all kinds of other nefarious methods to try to screw the seller. Folks, there is honor among liars, cheats and thieves! Avoid Craigs List!
 
I sold a boat Monday and a car last fall .got jerked around a lot on both . both items sold to the first person that actually showed up at there appointment to look at them.
I have bought several things off craigslist . only one bad experience (total waste of time and gas).
 
Best craigslist idiocy was posting a car for sale. Asked $1k for it. I got an e-mail that read "I have $300". Literally, that was it. No hello, questions or any acknowledgement of what he was asking about. My reply was likewise succinct. "Great, you still have $300... and no car."

Then there's the onslaught of criminals fishing to hook you with the "send you a check to clear first" scams.

Best thing we did was have a broker handle our old boat. No dicking around with buyers. Let him fight that fight. We did a fair assessment of the boat's value and the likely cost of potential repairs and priced it that way. As in, pending no disastrous survey discoveries. There was some niggling, so I threw in the spare props I'd been holding out on. Sold.
 
I sold a RIB on CL. There were some pretty wild stories and the usual scams, but after a couple of weeks it sold to some guy from Canada (about 900 miles from where I live). I told him to bring cash and he was fine with that. I did get one of those counterfit detector pens though. Paid my what I wanted for the boat.

I sold a car via CL too. I was getting phone calls about it 15 minutes after it was posted. Sold it to the first guy that showed up. He tried to get me to drop the price a bit, but I told him there were 3 other people after him that wanted the car and that I was only going to him first because he called first. He paid the asking price.
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
Mr. TL. "I'm in Nigeria right now..." See post #14. Is that you?
Click to expand...
That is my cousin Balahala Zim Way he will be over with a truck to remove such item being listed. I have come across great monies and would share it with purchasing great items for double said price.
 
When you use Craigslist, you do it because it reaches a lot of people. The more people you reach, the higher the number of scumbags, cheats and thieves....its simple math. A certain percentage of the population is unscrupulous. A good marketing strategy reaches a lot of people.......since the SBP ( scum bag percentage ) is constant..the more people you reach, the more scumbags you reach. However, you have to take comfort in the fact that you also reach more potential buyers.

The only alternative is a targeted marketing campaign like putting something on the wall at West Marine, local yacht clubs, giving a local tender operator 25 bucks to hand out flyers, etc.

Targeted marketing takes time and effort....the craigslist / shotgun marketing reaches all types....good and bad.
 
Bought my boat on Craigslist.

Found it, by the time I called a few days later it was already taken off as the guy wanted to sell, and really not your typical Craigslist fast sell, he was going to jack the price and give it to a broker.

Caught it in time to save haggling over the $5000 or so btokers fee.
 
toocoys said:
I've had my boat listed for a little over a month now. In that time I have received countless trade offers for motorcycles, cars, and even house painting. But the one thing that always gets me is the ignorant questions. One person has responded multiple times with "Is it ready to go offshore?" What does that even mean? Her equipment and mechanical status is detailed in the advertisement. Do YOU think she's ready to go offshore, and are you daring enough to do it in a boat of this nature?

I even had one guy show up to "look" at it, and he point blank stood there and asked me "how do you drive it?" Now it would seem to me that if you do not know how to drive a boat, especially this big of a boat, why are you even asking? :banghead: When I told him it was twin screws and you can either use your gears at idle speeds, or steering wheel on plane, he looked at me a little dumbfounded and asked "so it has a fish finder?", and then asked me to take a photo of him next to the boat to prove to his wife where he was. :eek:

Of ALL the ignorant inquiries that I've received, only ONE has been reasonable, and that's only because he was older and was familiar with these boats from his childhood. I'd feel guilty for turning her over to any of these yahoo's who haven't got a clue.
Click to expand...

I have bought and sold many things on craig's, and I feel your pain. That aside, Man, I love that boat. My grandfather had a 1962 25ft Norwalk sedan woody, that he put a perfectly matched flybridge on. Power was a Chrysler marine slant 6! From age 5 to 19, I rode and fished on that boat every summer. His best boating buddy Sid Aldham had a 28 Chris -woody with twins of some sort. (big and Fast!!) The design and layout of your boat takes me back.
Love it Love it.

Tried to attach some pictures... My Grandfather and his boat, Ebby II.
 
PhatDad said:
Great story. Question, how well does your IP do under sail, or is she more of a motor sailer? Been looking at that IP model for years. IP makes a fantastic Yacht.
Click to expand...


This IP is definitely a motorsailer. It’s a converted PY Cruiser not a SP. The mast height is only 40’ vs 50 plus for the SP, and the sail area is about 60% of the SP. The ballast in my boat is not as much as the factory SP.

But I can sneak under some bridges (like on the Okechobee) and I’m always motoring anyway so it works for me. The sails add a lot of stability and that’s the main thing I was looking for. Plus if the wind is 10 plus knots I can pull back on the RPM and use the wind. It’s a very simple system and easy to raise and lower the sails— furling main. I have an electric winch but rarely use it.

I also use the boom to hoist the dinghy onto the PH, and to string hammocks and shade covers. [emoji57]

IMG_0490.jpg
IMG_0500.jpg
IMG_3008.jpg
 
Craig's List works well for me for lower priced items, say up to a few $k. But I have struck out with making a connection with sellers on higher priced items (200-400k). One was a boat, the other a beach cabin. Neither was able to provide detailed pictures or information and they always seem offended by questions (e.g. about the quality and quantity of water from the "artesian" well on a small island subject to drought or me wanting to see the cabin before sending a check). One of the intangible benefits that brokers are adding is that they keep the buyers and sellers emotions apart.
 
gsholz said:
. One of the intangible benefits that brokers are adding is that they keep the buyers and sellers emotions apart.
Click to expand...

At 10% if the sales price or $5,000 minimum! And that’s even if they take the listing. I’ve had multiple brokers laugh me out the door and tell me point blank “it’s not worth it, put it on Craigslist” when looking to sell my boat.

Kind of a rock and a hard place when you’re in my position with a boat in my price range.
 
geoleo said:
I sold $ worth of used $23000 worth of used LED light fixtures for a excellent profit. Bought and sold around 6 large sailboats. Many other nautical items. Craigslist has been excellent for me!!! Recently bought a used Lexus for my wife. It is a cash place and I am a cash person. :dance: It is far better than EBAY except for new auto parts OEM.
Click to expand...

Agreed!!
 
toocoys said:
At 10% if the sales price or $5,000 minimum! And that’s even if they take the listing. I’ve had multiple brokers laugh me out the door and tell me point blank “it’s not worth it, put it on Craigslist” when looking to sell my boat.

Kind of a rock and a hard place when you’re in my position with a boat in my price range.
Click to expand...

Maybe you mentioned before... what is your price range??
 
I've purchased three boats off Craigslist. Sold two boats on CL. Have bought some and sold some boat gear from CL. Purchased a couple cars and sold a few also... trucks as well. Not to mention tires and parts and other thangs.

Knowing how to lead a "quick-chat" to immediately justify a seller or a buyer = CL is a good venue for you to trade through. If you can't get directly into clarity [i.e.the high points of how a deal may work out] in first couple sentences on phone or in email then CL could be a Big, Frustrating PIA!

Happy CL Daze! - Art :speed boat:
 
There is a chris craft commander club you should know about. commander club.com. They have a classified section and a lot of members.
 
You get what you pay for. Last time I sold a boat, I tried craigslist first but never got a serious offer. Paid for an ad on boattrader.com and sold it in a week. It took me six months to sell an RV on craigslist recently, but lots of bottom feeders to get past first. The serious buyers are looking at the pay sites. I shop craigslist too, and too many of the ads are almost unintelligible with useless or no photos. My favorite is the photo of a boat completely covered in shrink wrap.
 
I bought my boat on CL. I've purchased outboards, inflatables, anchors, etc., etc. on CL.
Sold a sailboat, jeep, and a couple of trucks on CL. No different than running an add in the paper (some of you may remember that quaint practice) except cheaper.

Art's advice, above, is good. Cheap and quick has its advantages.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

O C Diver
Slow Hand – End of the line
2 3
Replies
69
Views
7K
Miz Trom
Miz Trom
PhilPB
Fuel Filters
Replies
15
Views
2K
jleonard
jleonard
Roger Long
Tow Request - What would you do?
2 3 4
Replies
90
Views
7K
rgano
rgano
Shaunc
Tow Boat US boards my boat without my permisiom, knowledge, approval and now wants 9K
2 3
Replies
83
Views
10K
psneeld
psneeld
DavidM
Liability as Captain or Crew
Replies
21
Views
3K
Hippocampus
H

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom