Stupid fucking moron that WAS going to buy my bike!!!

The BBQ Pit
1

I have a very nice time trial/triathlon bike for sale on an internet advertisement.

Last Monday, somebody reaches me through that ad via a phone call, and we haggle over price until we reach a mutually agreeable point. He agrees to buy the bike, and by happy coincidence, it turns out that he lives in Utah but will be coming through Denver very soon, so we arrange for him to come pick the bike up. On Sunday, he e-mails me, and he wants more photos. I assure him the bike is in good condition, and he should have asked before he agreed to buy the bike, but whatever, it’s not a huge issue. I spend about an hour total getting some digital pics to him. He calls the next day, and wants ten more. Whatever, I take ten more digital snap shots and send them. Finally he is satisfied, and we make plans to meet the next morning (Thursday, today). I stay up until 4:30 AM last night making the bike completely ready to go. I re-cork the bars ($10). I install two new brake cables ($10). I clean, lube, and get it ready to go. The clean and lube will both have to be repeated after one use or one puddle. The cork after 300 miles or so (about three weeks of use).

In the interim, under the understanding that I will sell my bike to him, I take the “For Sale” sign off my bike. I stop talking to people about it. I tell one pretty wishy-washy guy that kept asking questions via e-mail that the bike has been sold. (Granted, probably nothing would have come of it) But worst of all, I don’t take the opportunity to post flyers in Excel Sports Showroom in Boulder or along the Pearl Street Mall when I was already out there flyering. I have about a month to sell this thing and I’ve spent about a week and a half working with this guy.

This morning (when the transaction is supposed to take place) I recieve an e-mail from him. No phone calls, even though he obviously knows my phone number and I’ve spent plenty of long distance on him.

Elliot,

I am sorry to tell you we will not be coming to Denver as planned. We had major auto problems leaving Logan yesterday and my van is out of commission and needs $3200.00 worth of repair. I will also need to back out of the purchase of your bike with these unplanned auto expenses.

UHHHH, FUCKER!!!

Really, what exactly can you do to a van that costs $3200 to repair? Excuse my skepticism, but I really think this guy is lying about the sudden auto problem.

But even if it is true, I’m pitting that stupid fucking van and my horrible luck with disappearing buyers.

Worst of all, on Monday, he volunteered to send out a deposit via Fed-Ex. I declined becasue I liked this guy, felt he was genuine, and, hey, Fed-Ex is expensive.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!! :smack:

2

Well, depending on the make and model of van and the trustworthy-ness of your mechanic, a blown transmission can easily run into this price range. Also, considering this time of year and the weather that we’ve had lately, an overheated engine that blows could cost that much without being installed.

Of course, he may be lying to back out of the deal, but I think that $3200 for car repair is definitely not unheard of.

3

Heck, I just spent 1500 dollars on car repair, and that was just replacing a fender and headlight I smashed. Course, that’s in Au$ so half it for you.

Still, I can see $3200 dollars on van repair easy.

4

I just had $1,000 in damage to my car from a TREE BRANCH. And it didn’t look anywhere near that bad.

The question is, assuming the van story is true, does he love that van enough to spend THAT sort of money on it? I’d be thinking about a new car if I suddenly had a $3,200 repair bill, no matter how much I like it.

5

A word of advise. When talking to a prospective buyer,“first come first served”, should be an initial understanding. If he wants to put up a deposit,it should be in writing and for a definite period of time. Then you can be friends. How did I learn this? Yea,the hard way.

6

Threemae still have a link to the ad? I’m looking for a GOOD bike and live in Denver. Lemmee know

7

Yeah, (except for the transmission), but those are all body work issues. Getting a dent in your right front quarterpanel doesn’t stop you from driving your van.
Read_Neck, I definitely learned that lesson the hard way just now.

Pencilpusher, sorry, no direct link, but check out www.roadbikereview.com’s classifieds or e-mail me at threemae@msn.com and I’ll arrange to get you some info.

–Elliot

8

See? That’s why I love this board. :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

9

Me too.