just need to rant about attempted mower buy

[moloss]

best way to start is just to start.......I had found a good deal on a 15' bat wing bush hog, called the seller yesterday (first day in the paper, about 2 hrs away, but more to come with that) spoke to him at length got directions and set up a time of 0745 this morning..... I called him again last night at 2130 to assure him I was coming and that I'll be there on time......I agreed to call him when I was about 15 min out this morning.....well guess what? when I called him after being on the road for almost two hours he tells me he just sold the mower! what! I just spoke to you last night and told you I was coming and now after almost 2hrs of driving pulling a 30' gooseneck (no less) you've sold it! I told you I was coming.......silence on the other end of the phone....then he said well it's first come first served....didn't we have an agreement that I was going to be there at 0745? yes was his answer, well it's not 0745 yet.....anyhow you get the point.....so I've wasted about $150 in gas and 4hrs of time for nothing.....buyer beware! why are people no longer reliable? ok I feel alittle better, but only alittle!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I am sorry about your experience but I do understand his point of view. I have had people call me and talk to no end and make an appointment to meet me only to never show up after I wait for a couple hours. It use to get real old when I would make appointments to meet the people at my hay barn which is 4 miles away. I would go there early just in case they showed up early, then sit there and wait an hour after only to find they didn't show up. Now I just have them meet me at my house and follow me over.

If everyone was reliable and honored their word this world would be a much better place. But once you get burned a few times you change how you approach things.

Your situation sucks but about the only way I could see how you could have done things any different was to wire him $250 as a non-refundable down payment to hold it till you got there. Then if you didn't take it and he lost another sale by holding it he would at least make $250 for his time.

So did you at least see any nice scenery on your trip?

 

[moloss]

I understand selling something if the guy is running late or doesn't show (I've had my fair share of no shows in my time) but when you tell someone I will hold something until a certain time (in this case 0745) you do it.....my parents raised me to honor my word, I believe charter is the one thing money can't buy but unfortunetly most people don't seem to have it in their gut anymore to do the right thing......he told me he sold it at 0700, he could of at least called and told me then to save me 1 1/2 (round trip time) we had only talked no less than 4 times since 1545 the day before.

 

[pennwalk]

That really stinks. You did everything right and still got screwed. I just hope the seller got an extra couple of hundred dollars for screwing you. What really stinks is getting screwed for nothing.

Chris

 

[BotaBigot]

I too have seen both sides...waited for a buyer that never came, and had item sold before I could get there. Really can't blame him...someone standing in front of you with money in hand is hard to turn down. And there's the flip side...you get there, and it's junk, not at all as advertised.

I've learned to move really fast when I find something I want. And...I wish more people were like you, buyers and sellers...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Ok, you didn't mention that he said he would hold it till 7:45 (at least I didn't read it) in your first post. If he said he would hold it then he should have. I honor my word and if someone agrees to buy something I do take a non-refundable deposit on it. So far I have only had one person never come back to complete a sale nor ask for their deposit back. If they don't leave a deposit then I will sell to the first buyer who will pay. I don't ask for a high deposit as I don't sell too much for over $2k. Usually only a hundred or two.

 

[Willl]

but when you tell someone I will hold something until a certain time

He told you he was going to hold it for you with zero money down ?

 

[Rara Avis]

I understand selling something if the guy is running late or doesn't show (I've had my fair share of no shows in my time) but when you tell someone I will hold something until a certain time (in this case 0745) you do it.....my parents raised me to honor my word, I believe charter is the one thing money can't buy but unfortunetly most people don't seem to have it in their gut anymore to do the right thing......he told me he sold it at 0700, he could of at least called and told me then to save me 1 1/2 (round trip time) we had only talked no less than 4 times since 1545 the day before.

Heck, I'd have waited for you to get there and then held a mini auction between the two of you...

Agreed, he should have called you at 0701 to give you the bad news...

 

[moloss]

What I've learned from this today is either you have character or you don't.......he didn't ......anyone have a 15' bat wing they want to sell?

 

[Rara Avis]

What I've learned from this today is either you have character or you don't.......he didn't ......anyone have a 15' bat wing they want to sell?

ELS Equipment Search Home

Select Rotary Cutter and Dollar Ranges

 

[RollTideRam]

I would have at least told him that I was willing to pay 1K more than his asking price, so he could kick himself over cheating you. JC

 

[wedge40]

I haven't read all the replies yet, but here is my two cents. You have every right to be upset. The problem is there are two many people who dont keep their word, and when they do change their mind about something like a purchase they don't feel they have to call and let someone know. Ya know "that someone will figure it out when I dont show up" I'm not that old, but I can at least remember when somebody gave their word it was like they signed in blood.

I'm sorry to hear about your dealings. Hope you find another batwing at half the price this week.
Carma says that guy is gonna run out of gas in front of your house some day?
And my guess is you'll give em the gas. Well at least "sell" it to him.
Wedge

 

[Bedlam]

Heck, I'd have waited for you to get there and then held a mini auction between the two of you...

Agreed, he should have called you at 0701 to give you the bad news...

Ever heard of the 'mini' scam where someone will got to look at an item, and of course they want to 'talk down' the owner, and you get there and theres a person right there who says ill give you full price, and makes you feel you have no wiggle room? Only to find the second person was a Friend of the seller just there to keep you from negotiating.

 

[wedge40]

Even with gas at four dollars a gallon, I would have drove up the day before, looked it over and left a deposit to secure the equipment. I've done this when purchasing used equipment.

Wedge

 

[scuvnut]

Remember when peoples words meant something and a handshake was all we needed to seal a deal?

Moloss....fun to rant but don't change your ways. At some point, the ethical failures of our society will turn and the right way will be the norm again. Of course, I'll likely be dead by then anyway.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Remember when peoples words meant something and a handshake was all we needed to seal a deal?

Moloss....fun to rant but don't change your ways. At some point, the ethical failures of our society will turn and the right way will be the norm again. Of course, I'll likely be dead by then anyway.

Unless something more was said and discussed between the OP and the seller I do not see how this is an ethical failure (other then he should have called the OP to tell him it was sold). From the way I have read this, the OP made an appointment to see the mower. If he liked it he would buy it. There was no agreement to buy so when the seller had an actual buyer in front of him he sold it. The old phrase "one in hand, two in a bush" comes to mind.

I do feel bad for the OP as most of us have been in his position before but I do not blame the seller for selling when he had a legitimate buyer at his door. If the cutter was a great deal and something the OP really needed he should have went that same day or at least made some sort of an agreement to get the seller to hold the cutter till he could see it. Some times we can't drop everything to go and if you miss out on a deal then you live with it and keep looking for that next deal. I have found some great deals and have missed some great deals. That is what makes this game fun for some of us.

 

[CDsdad]

What I've learned from this today is either you have character or you don't.......he didn't ......anyone have a 15' bat wing they want to sell?

His equipment was probably junk, too. You're better off for not having done business with the guy. What he did wasn't illegal, probably not immoral, but at least in this part of the country it was unethical, and that is generally cosidered to go along with at least some degree of lack of character. Or maybe the guy had plenty of character, it was just all low. I have learned ethics here are not the same as ethics in other places.

 

[NewToy]

Hopefully the guy that bought it burned the seller with a bad check. He deserves it for being a mook.

John

 

[RoyJackson]

Sorry you went for the drive, but I cannot blame the seller. A phone call is no commitment to buy..cash in hand makes the deal.
Although it would have been nice if the seller had called you on your cell phone, he's under no obligation to do so. From his point of view, you were coming to see the mower...not necessarilly to buy. He also had no idea if a potential buyer would even show up, did he?
He had a cash buyer on site and he made the deal to best suit him.
I think many (if not most) of us would have done the same thing.

 

[redneckford]

Hope you understand now why a DEALER has to make a larger margin than a user/trader for every piece of equipment they sell they have at least 10 people "say" they will be there with the money tomorrow. My definition and their DEFINITION of tomorrow must not be the same. I know they would not lie to my face. Many times they say they have to go think about it. I would rather that than the tomorrow line. But what most "men" are saying when they say they have to go think about- is that they have to go home and ask permission to purchase -from the boss of the Home.!!! Alot of good used 15 Ft Batwings in Texas come buy three and sell two and clear your's. Whats a few gallons of Diesel anyway when you can take a road trip to ----- country.