Thread: Gumtree, there are some odd people out there

On the other hand.

Yesterday around 4pm I advertised my old AU Falcon ute on Marketplace, not in bad condition but not flash with 327,000 K's with reg but no RWC. Had a dozen queries, some dick heads, some dreamers and a couple of sincere sounding contacts. Got in touch with one who had his mate with a tilt tray pick it up later that night, cash up front, no worries Had a text from the purchaser this morning happy with the deal .
It doesn't get any better than this

Deano

About 20 years ago I put my fiance's Vitara in the Trading Post. A woman rang up and we discussed the car - low kms, every option, serviced by Suzuki Australia's head office mechanic - and she said it sounded good and asked me for my phone number. There was bit of a pause while I processed that and then I told her to use the same number she'd rung. She never did come and see it.

Originally Posted by Arapiles

About 20 years ago I put my fiance's Vitara in the Trading Post. A woman rang up and we discussed the car - low kms, every option, serviced by Suzuki Australia's head office mechanic - and she said it sounded good and asked me for my phone number. There was bit of a pause while I processed that and then I told her to use the same number she'd rung. She never did come and see it.

It was your fiance who phoned you.

Originally Posted by DeanoH

On the other hand.

Yesterday around 4pm I advertised my old AU Falcon ute on Marketplace, not in bad condition but not flash with 327,000 K's with reg but no RWC. Had a dozen queries, some dick heads, some dreamers and a couple of sincere sounding contacts. Got in touch with one who had his mate with a tilt tray pick it up later that night, cash up front, no worries Had a text from the purchaser this morning happy with the deal .
It doesn't get any better than this

Deano

Did this happen?

Originally Posted by DeanoH

On the other hand.

Yesterday around 4pm I advertised my old AU Falcon ute on Marketplace, not in bad condition but not flash with 327,000 K's with reg but no RWC. Had a dozen queries, some dick heads, some dreamers and a couple of sincere sounding contacts. Got in touch with one who had his mate with a tilt tray pick it up later that night, cash up front, no worries Had a text from the purchaser this morning happy with the deal .
It doesn't get any better than this

Deano

There are a few sincere buyers/sellers out there but you often have to fend off the dick heads to get to them.

Being on a short week due to lockdown I had a tidy up recently and put up a lawnmower chassis & 2 B&S engines up for sale "$20, no offers, yes I still have it".
Within 1/2 hour of posting I got a "do you still have this" message which I ignored. Next guy made contact, turned up on time, put a mask on when he got out of the car, looked at the bits and gave me a $20 note.

A few years back again I was flogging two old lawnmowers, one seized the other leaking fuel (they were given to us for one of my boys to play with). Guy contacted me, haggled the price down a bit (to $20). Turned up nearly 2 hours late then said "this one is seized...." and offered $5. I told him that it was clearly stated in the advert and he could pay the agreed $20 or go forth & multiply then said I was phoning another guy who'd made contact...he gave me the money.

It almost gets to the point where for low value items it's too much hassle to put them on Gumtree, easier to put them out on hard rubbish.

I have some pushbike & drift trike bits plus a kids quad bike chassis to get rid of....I think we have one hard rubbish pickup left this year.



Colin

Originally Posted by gromit

There are a few sincere buyers/sellers out there but you often have to fend off the dick heads to get to them.

Being on a short week due to lockdown I had a tidy up recently and put up a lawnmower chassis & 2 B&S engines up for sale "$20, no offers, yes I still have it".
Within 1/2 hour of posting I got a "do you still have this" message which I ignored. Next guy made contact, turned up on time, put a mask on when he got out of the car, looked at the bits and gave me a $20 note.

A few years back again I was flogging two old lawnmowers, one seized the other leaking fuel (they were given to us for one of my boys to play with). Guy contacted me, haggled the price down a bit (to $20). Turned up nearly 2 hours late then said "this one is seized...." and offered $5. I told him that it was clearly stated in the advert and he could pay the agreed $20 or go forth & multiply then said I was phoning another guy who'd made contact...he gave me the money.

It almost gets to the point where for low value items it's too much hassle to put them on Gumtree, easier to put them out on hard rubbish.

I have some pushbike & drift trike bits plus a kids quad bike chassis to get rid of....I think we have one hard rubbish pickup left this year.



Colin

It is easer to just take to scrap metal an & get a couple of dollars for them than deal with the idiots for a couple of more dollars.

Originally Posted by gromit

There are a few sincere buyers/sellers out there but you often have to fend off the dick heads to get to them.


Colin

I think you're right on the money here. I had eight responses in an hour or less, the issue was in sorting the wheat from the chaff so I had my son who is more FB savvy than I go through them. "This one dad" was the recommendation and it proved to be spot on.

In a similar vein to Ricks cartoon, I'd have gladly swapped it for your Vincent


Deano

Originally Posted by gromit

........... Motorcycles :-Vincent Rapide, Panther M100, Norton BIG4, Electra & Navigator, Matchless G80C

Colin

Hmmm ................................. which leads me to another (slightly) on topic issue


Many years ago, on 4/4/1976 to be precise I attended a vintage motorcycle show at the Malvern (from memory) town hall. There were a number of motor cycles on display including Vincents. There was an older man wandering around looking at various bikes and chatting quietly with the owners, he had soon gathered a bit of a following so I tagged along. Turned out it was Phil Irving and what a great afternoon it turned out to be.

As part of the exhibition which I think was an annual event the organisers were selling various items including Phil Irving's newly published 'Rich Mixture' which I'd already bought and Phil Irving autographed (and dated) for me

Moving ahead 45 years or so and 'downsizing for a move' I've re-discovered this booklet and am looking for a new home for it. I don't really want it as vintage motorbikes are not my thing (though they did at least have the gears on the correct side ) and whilst it may just be an old and obscure soft cover booklet to some I consider it to be a meaningful publication considering the authors unparalleled automotive brilliance and therefore worth saving.

The question is what to do with it, advertise it on Gumtree etc and run the gauntlet of potential idiots ?, I'd rather give it to someone who values it as much as I do. Yes I know I'm a sentimental old fool but there you go .

What is noteworthy about this booklet is that it isn't the typical red hard cover version (I looked it up on line) but a brown soft cover, maybe a pre release, I don't know.

What to do ?

Deano