Gumtree Idiots
Discussion
Cliftonite said:
EarlofDrift said:
The only item that attract more knobbers than cars is alloy wheels. Your selling decent wheels and tyres for a Jaguar 200 quid and you get messages like
"what tyres are on them?"
"will they fit a VW Bora?"
"do they come with spacers?"
and of course you always get
"tk 50 cash cn cllt tunite m8?"
Seems to be a reasonable question if you have not specified them."what tyres are on them?"
"will they fit a VW Bora?"
"do they come with spacers?"
and of course you always get
"tk 50 cash cn cllt tunite m8?"
J4CKO said:
I put a little green plastic shed thing on FB marketplace, it was a bit scruffy but possibly of use to someone so offered it free to anyone who could collect, they get a shed, and I dont have to cart it to the tip.
Stick it up for a fiver and just don't take their money when they come to collect, it weeds out all the people who just want free stuff.Yep, you'll get queries like that with alloys no matter what. I think the only thing I can envisage that would likely be worse would be selling an iphone would be worse.
Recently sold some Mercedes alloys on FB marketplace so admittedly not Gumtree.
Loads of detailed pictures, name of the wheels, spec of the wheels in terms of offsets etc, details of the tyres etc etc.
Clear statement that I had fitted them to a 2011 C Class and that I did not know if they would fit other cars. Even put a link to a site that details all the specs for wheels so people could work it out.
About 90% of the questions, and there were a lot were along the lines of "Fit an E Class?" "Fit an Astra?" etc etc. I would reply "don't know". A couple of people even offered me half what I was selling them for as "they weren't sure if they'd fit" or because "I want 18s and these are only 17s". You end up with a decent filter for these things so I just ignored most as engaging meant going down their daft rabbithole or not getting a response.
In the end a nice chap with an E class bought them and he'd done all the checks etc to assure himself they'd fit and gave me the asking. Job done, just took a while.
Recently sold some Mercedes alloys on FB marketplace so admittedly not Gumtree.
Loads of detailed pictures, name of the wheels, spec of the wheels in terms of offsets etc, details of the tyres etc etc.
Clear statement that I had fitted them to a 2011 C Class and that I did not know if they would fit other cars. Even put a link to a site that details all the specs for wheels so people could work it out.
About 90% of the questions, and there were a lot were along the lines of "Fit an E Class?" "Fit an Astra?" etc etc. I would reply "don't know". A couple of people even offered me half what I was selling them for as "they weren't sure if they'd fit" or because "I want 18s and these are only 17s". You end up with a decent filter for these things so I just ignored most as engaging meant going down their daft rabbithole or not getting a response.
In the end a nice chap with an E class bought them and he'd done all the checks etc to assure himself they'd fit and gave me the asking. Job done, just took a while.
John Locke said:
Drawweight said:
You can’t leave us like that.
Did you take it back?
Sorry yes; I regretted selling it as it drove away. Did you take it back?
Wasn't there a scam on this a while ago whereby the car would be bought, stripped of working parts and re-fitted with aftermarket or damaged parts and being spun a yarn about the car "not being the right colour" or some other tosh?
Johnnytheboy said:
Evoluzione said:
I won a new and unlocked phone on Ebay recently, it never arrived. After me taking action the guy messaged me to say he wasn't letting it go for that price!
Is he aware he can set the starting price?
A few weeks ago I decieded to have a clear out and had a very tidy leather/armoured Triumph bike jacket hanging in the cupboard. Bought for the other half when she initially suggested she would ride pillion (never did and lid also for sale). Put it on ebey for a low starting price. The jacket was marked as size 12/40. Checked the armpit to armpit measurement at 19.5" (so 40" sounded fair?) and stated this is the ad. My other half is a 12, jacket has been worn 1-2 times, and is of course 'fitted'. Tight, until they loosen up. Sold no returns.
Auction closed for a reasonable figure and off it went signed for the day after it sold.
4 days later - 'Don't wannit. Doesn't fit. Girlfriend is a 'size 12' and its too small. Can't be a size 12 and I've measured it. Not as described so ebey say you have to pay return postage'. Pics supplied of GF struggling to try the jacket on very long faced while wearing a sweater! Also I am being a tad generous as the original comms were a single sentence of ~50 words with zero punctuation.
Several messages were then sent to the buyer to point out their erroneous assumption that it is not - 'not as described'.
5 days later - 'Sorry but GF's Mum died. Still need you to pay for the return as ebey say ya ave to'.
I lost the will to live by this point so I paid to have the jacket returned. Sometimes principles have a limit when dealing with stupid people?
Auction closed for a reasonable figure and off it went signed for the day after it sold.
4 days later - 'Don't wannit. Doesn't fit. Girlfriend is a 'size 12' and its too small. Can't be a size 12 and I've measured it. Not as described so ebey say you have to pay return postage'. Pics supplied of GF struggling to try the jacket on very long faced while wearing a sweater! Also I am being a tad generous as the original comms were a single sentence of ~50 words with zero punctuation.
Several messages were then sent to the buyer to point out their erroneous assumption that it is not - 'not as described'.
5 days later - 'Sorry but GF's Mum died. Still need you to pay for the return as ebey say ya ave to'.
I lost the will to live by this point so I paid to have the jacket returned. Sometimes principles have a limit when dealing with stupid people?
Been doing quite a bit of selling recently, mainly on eBay. I think all the sites are as bad as each other in one way or another, had to file non payment on 4 items this morning on eBay from people winning auctions and not paying, that's probably just under 10% of my listings over the weekend.
Worst experience recently was selling a set of 4 Landsail tyres on FB Marketplace, they were pretty much new but completely unsuitable for my use, put them on FB as £50 collection only as I really just wanted to clear them, 16 inch tyres in a popular size. Got loads of messages offering me £20 or £25, I started ignoring them, agreed to sell them to a guy who seemed reasonable for collection the following day at full asking price, he came collected and paid full price but I had 24 hours of people messaging me repeatedly offering half the asking price and asking if still available even though I put sold pending collection.
Worst experience recently was selling a set of 4 Landsail tyres on FB Marketplace, they were pretty much new but completely unsuitable for my use, put them on FB as £50 collection only as I really just wanted to clear them, 16 inch tyres in a popular size. Got loads of messages offering me £20 or £25, I started ignoring them, agreed to sell them to a guy who seemed reasonable for collection the following day at full asking price, he came collected and paid full price but I had 24 hours of people messaging me repeatedly offering half the asking price and asking if still available even though I put sold pending collection.
lampchair said:
Hmmm...
I have an 'old' iPhone 7 which we don't need anymore. Worth what, £80ish?
It doesn't really seem worth the hassle on gumtree.
I sell the Vikingettes old phones to CEX https://uk.webuy.com/I have an 'old' iPhone 7 which we don't need anymore. Worth what, £80ish?
It doesn't really seem worth the hassle on gumtree.
You can see what they offer in cash. Take the phone in, they check it over (sometimes you have to come back next day if they are busy or it's late in the day), they pay cash - no messaging, no idiots. It's the WeBuyAnyCar of the phone electronics world and much higher prices paid than Music Magpie, Mazuma or Envirophone.
A pal of mine sold a banger on Gumtree emphasising that it was in no way roadworthy. A junkie turned up, threw him thirty quid and immediately roared off down the dual carriageway.
Marlin45 said:
A few weeks ago I decieded to have a clear out and had a very tidy leather/armoured Triumph bike jacket hanging in the cupboard.
Selling any clothing is something I'd never consider, especially if it's supposed to be a close fit. The chances of it actually fitting some rando hundreds of miles away aren't great even if they're technically the right size. The only bad experience I had on Gumtree was when I sold a set of Mazda 5 alloys with winter tyres on. I got a message from a guy asking if they were still for sale. I replied yes and never heard back from him
Then a week later I sold the wheels to a lovely couple from Surrey who paid full price. I also threw in a boot/bumper protector and a few other accessories. They were chuffed to bits with the extras.
Then about a year later I got a message from the first guy saying he was now ready to buy the wheels. Err they got sold about a year ago! Cue a load of sweary texts calling me a
for selling "his" wheels.
Then a week later I sold the wheels to a lovely couple from Surrey who paid full price. I also threw in a boot/bumper protector and a few other accessories. They were chuffed to bits with the extras.
Then about a year later I got a message from the first guy saying he was now ready to buy the wheels. Err they got sold about a year ago! Cue a load of sweary texts calling me a
for selling "his" wheels.I once offered out a load of rocks from a rockery, free to good home. Old lady turns up in a Micra with the back seats down, asked me to help load. We got all these rocks in but poor Micra was down on the bump stops and lady driving could barely see over the bonnet. Off she went happy as larry. 
Some people on Ebay are just liars though. Bought a used phone, advertised with charger and USB cable. Firstly DPD 'missed the collection', fine, these things happen. Then DPD couldn't deliver and had returned the phone to him, although the box was damaged (odd). Then finally he did send the phone via UPS but failed to include the charger or USB lead. In the mean time I had to buy another phone as the delivery was over a week later than expected and being without one wasn't an option.
Some people on Ebay are just liars though. Bought a used phone, advertised with charger and USB cable. Firstly DPD 'missed the collection', fine, these things happen. Then DPD couldn't deliver and had returned the phone to him, although the box was damaged (odd). Then finally he did send the phone via UPS but failed to include the charger or USB lead. In the mean time I had to buy another phone as the delivery was over a week later than expected and being without one wasn't an option.
Edited by Condi on Monday 6th July 13:29
Condi said:
I once offered out a load of rocks from a rockery, free to good home. Old lady turns up in a Micra with the back seats down, asked me to help load. We got all these rocks in but poor Micra was down on the bump stops and lady driving could barely see over the bonnet. Off she went happy as larry.
I did this once from a builders' merchant with a knackered Citroen AX, something like 150+ bricks.The only trouble was the car was totally shagged, made maybe 1/4 of the power it should, and said builders' merchant was at the bottom of a hill! Barely made it up the top.
God, to be young and stupid again.
Condi said:
I once offered out a load of rocks from a rockery, free to good home. Old lady turns up in a Micra with the back seats down, asked me to help load. We got all these rocks in but poor Micra was down on the bump stops and lady driving could barely see over the bonnet. Off she went happy as larry.
]
I gave away our old dining table last year on Facebook. I had no problem with the buyer as she was very polite and communicated well etc etc, but this was quite a big dining table, and she turned up in an old Seat Ibiza. When I opened the door I said "is someone else coming with a bigger car, or...?" ]
Miraculously it did actually fit, but it hung out of the boot quite a way. You'd have never thought it would go in just by looking at it!
The last thing I sold was a piece of IKEA furniture. I added photos, included the dimensions, and explicitly wrote in the description where I'm based.
Someone messaged me asking "How big is it, and where are you based so I know how far to travel?".
Now I only put the town name and not my exact village/location, but it's not a big place.
Honestly.
I like getting rid of stuff via Facebook as it's usually quick and easy, but you do have to deal with the throbbers. It can be quite funny really.
Edited by Howard- on Monday 6th July 14:29
Gary29 said:
That all sounds dodgy to me, maybe I'm too sceptical!
STe_rsv4 said:
Have you checked it over? are all the "original" parts still on the car?
Wasn't there a scam on this a while ago whereby the car would be bought, stripped of working parts and re-fitted with aftermarket or damaged parts and being spun a yarn about the car "not being the right colour" or some other tosh?
I hadn't heard of that scam before; apart from a quick check for damage, I didn't give it a thought.Wasn't there a scam on this a while ago whereby the car would be bought, stripped of working parts and re-fitted with aftermarket or damaged parts and being spun a yarn about the car "not being the right colour" or some other tosh?
Thanks to you two, I've now been over it with a fine tooth comb, and fortunately all seems in order.
Marlin45 said:
A few weeks ago I decieded to have a clear out and had a very tidy leather/armoured Triumph bike jacket hanging in the cupboard. Bought for the other half when she initially suggested she would ride pillion (never did and lid also for sale). Put it on ebey for a low starting price. The jacket was marked as size 12/40. Checked the armpit to armpit measurement at 19.5" (so 40" sounded fair?) and stated this is the ad. My other half is a 12, jacket has been worn 1-2 times, and is of course 'fitted'. Tight, until they loosen up. Sold no returns.
Auction closed for a reasonable figure and off it went signed for the day after it sold.
4 days later - 'Don't wannit. Doesn't fit. Girlfriend is a 'size 12' and its too small. Can't be a size 12 and I've measured it. Not as described so ebey say you have to pay return postage'. Pics supplied of GF struggling to try the jacket on very long faced while wearing a sweater! Also I am being a tad generous as the original comms were a single sentence of ~50 words with zero punctuation.
Several messages were then sent to the buyer to point out their erroneous assumption that it is not - 'not as described'.
5 days later - 'Sorry but GF's Mum died. Still need you to pay for the return as ebey say ya ave to'.
I lost the will to live by this point so I paid to have the jacket returned. Sometimes principles have a limit when dealing with stupid people?
Did at any point Ebay or Paypal contact you to say you had to return it?Auction closed for a reasonable figure and off it went signed for the day after it sold.
4 days later - 'Don't wannit. Doesn't fit. Girlfriend is a 'size 12' and its too small. Can't be a size 12 and I've measured it. Not as described so ebey say you have to pay return postage'. Pics supplied of GF struggling to try the jacket on very long faced while wearing a sweater! Also I am being a tad generous as the original comms were a single sentence of ~50 words with zero punctuation.
Several messages were then sent to the buyer to point out their erroneous assumption that it is not - 'not as described'.
5 days later - 'Sorry but GF's Mum died. Still need you to pay for the return as ebey say ya ave to'.
I lost the will to live by this point so I paid to have the jacket returned. Sometimes principles have a limit when dealing with stupid people?
Silly if not.
bloomen said:
A pal of mine sold a banger on Gumtree emphasising that it was in no way roadworthy. A junkie turned up, threw him thirty quid and immediately roared off down the dual carriageway.
Wearing a sweater while she tried it on and the DD chest may have had something to do with it too! Marlin45 said:
A few weeks ago I decieded to have a clear out and had a very tidy leather/armoured Triumph bike jacket hanging in the cupboard.
Selling any clothing is something I'd never consider, especially if it's supposed to be a close fit. The chances of it actually fitting some rando hundreds of miles away aren't great even if they're technically the right size. 
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