Need to vent - frustrated at prius seller

I have to agree with most others... when I sold my last CR-V.. I gave it a good price, adverstised locally and had a couple of people call and ask about it.. were very personable, said they were very interested, would come by at XXXtime... never showed up. The first person who looked at it (and I stated in the ad that price was not negotiable) and wanted it.. got it. Turned out that was someone who only lived about 1/4 mile up the same street. I still see the CR-V quite frequently and have NEVER heard back from the other buyers who were SERIOUS!

 

As that Arkansas orator Bill Clinton often said, "I feel your pain"! I had three verbal agreements on new Prius. One was traded to a different dealership (my salesman didnt know it at the time), the 2nd salesman couldn't (or wouldn't take a credit card deposit while I was out of town calling dealerships, and that was sold a few days before I arrived home, and the last salesman 'promised to hold it for me till the next morning. He sold it that evening and offered no apologies when I called him the minute the dealership opened.
I must have called every dealership in a 200 mile radius ...I was extremely lucky to find one on April 30th, a dealership had one in transit from Portland Oregon. I waited less than 2 weeks. This dealership was only 30 miles away. If I waited another couple weeks I know I would be on a waiting list (if they put my name on one)
Keep trying, as you know from owning one, its worth the effort.

 

In this case (and in most with private sellers and per my dad's motto) its not neccessarily the MOST money that wins, but the FIRST money!

 

I was very happy/lucky to sell my old sports car last month after 2 days leaving it at the end of driveway with sign in window. I think web-sales via phone get you lots of phone calls but few visitors.

I agree with other who say, as far as "professional" sales-people go, first one with REAL money gets it; unless they can make for a bidding war, then it's first one with REAL money AND highest offer.

That's just business, but doesn't IMO excuse anyone from lying to you or not keeping their comittments.

 

I feel your pain, but I'm not sure what you expected this seller to do. I've sold many things on Craigslist, including vehicles, and more often than not very interested buyers never show up after they say they'll come over. Sounds like your seller had a buyer there and ready to pay over asking price. To him you were just a voice on the phone, and he had no guaranty that you would show. He called you to tell you the car was sold, and you told him that you were still interested. At this point do you expect him to send his buyer away (and risk losing him) and hope that you show up? His mistake was that he should have made it clear to you that until he had a deposit, he would not hold the car.

 

While I agree that it was unfair of the seller to not allow you to counteroffer, I must disagree with they way you described capitalism. You're asserting a capitalist principle in saying that he should have allowed you to pay more for the car. If he was truly being too capitalist or "selfish," to use your term, he would have taken as much money as possible for the car while giving you both the opportunity to outbid each other. Since neither of you would be obligated to buy the car at a price you considered unfair, this would be a truly capitalist transaction.

That said, based on your description, he broke his word and that is inexcusable.