I was just wondering if any of you guys have ever bought a car from Craigslist and what, if any, are the pitfalls. I notice that a lot of ads have a "dealer" tag following the listing. If you have time, please share your experience. I am looking for a late model car to replace one of mine.

Thanks

 

you can use the,"by owner option box",to weed out the dealers.i bought my last 3 cars through craigslist including my vette.it can be ok if you know the value of a particular model as there are some sellers looking for the uneducated buyer to rip off.good luck on your search.

 

My last three cars/trucks from Craigslist I only buy from individuals and I am really over the top with inspecting the cars of someone acts like they are trying to hide something I walk away
My current truck I bought off of cl I got from a military base it runs on cng or gasoline I payed $2k an it only has 56,927 original miles it has new everything under hood and I couldn't be happier $1.89 a gallon!!

 

I bought my 1970 off of Craigslist.

Just a normal second-owner type guy that had the car for 12 years and got tired of fiddling with it. First owner of 30 years was the guy's best friend and lived 2 doors down.

Listed for $9k, but he talked himself down to $7k about 20 minutes into my conversation with him.

My car is nothing special...a real driver...but he advertised it as an LT-1. Obviously it is NOT an LT-1, but it turns out to have a VERY good LT-1 clone engine, down to the solid lifters, forged crank, and matched forged TRW rods/pistons. VERY good engine build.

It isn't much to look at, but it's a great car.

This car was probably the 200th listing I printed off of Craigslist and probably the 10th I thought was "real" enough in price and condition to warrant a phone call. Mine was the first car I went to look at in person.

I know my car has some issues, but that's why I bought it. I wouldn't have paid $15k for "issues". But I didn't pay $15k...I paid $7k. It's all part of a long term plan that involves me having fun with my car.

So, MY take is that you certainly can get a decent deal on a car off Craigslist. By my measure, about 95% of the C3 cars listed were not exactly what I wanted (auto, wrong year, diassembled, etc.) and easily 60% of the cars were overpriced for what they were.

But buried in all that crap was a gem that was PERFECT FOR ME.

They're there. It just takes some digging.

 

I love my car I only gave $3k for it and it has need ALLOT but I love it an have enjoyed learning as I fix it. If I wanted a $7-12 driver I woulda got one I wanted to make my car my own. I did drive it for a few months before I started my rebuild and had allot of fun with it. I feel like I got a great deal

 

I've sold four cars on Craig's list here in Phoenix and sold each car to the very first caller - - a 74 MGB, 2006 Caddy SRX, 2006 Lexus ES330 and my `05 C6 - - no problems and no games.

The cars looked showroom new, throrough description and four high quality (non-cellphone) pictures. And finally, a price just slightly below the average costs I saw listed for quick sales.

Craig's list seems littered with goofballs and hucksters- maybe we were lucky.

Good luck-

 

Yes you were I have had great luck buying but no such great luck selling

 

From the aspect of a seller, I have trying to sell my 79 for the last 6 months and started at 7900 and am now down to 6000. Everyone that has come to look at expects top quality and no "issues".

When you go look at an old car, expect it to have issues (nothing big, little things here in there), you have to remember, it is an old car. Most people on craigslist are trying to make some cash so I would assume you could come down in price. Look on here what a similar car is selling for and then compare prices on the car you want on craigslist. Check surrounding towns to see what people are selling them for. If the seller brings up issues with the car, try to imagine what it will cost you to fix and then try to take that off the price he is offering.

Test drive the car and put it through a good road test. If he is not comfortable with you going fast or sharp turns or hard brakes, walk away. These cars that are road worthy can take a beating. The chevy 350 with the 350 transmission are very tough and hard to destroy with the gas pedal to the floor. If the car does not feel good at 80 or 90, stop pretty good at a stop sign, or corner ok, do you want to buy it? Test drive one you don't want, then go look at the one you do want to compare. If there is more than one car in your area for sale, it is a buyers market, negotiate!

 

I bought a couple, both worked out fine. Harder to sell I think.
I had to chuckle at one seller, took every precaution to shield his actual residence. After purchase, found all his private info stuff in glove box

 

A great Craigslist search engine, where you can refine your results by state or by categories.
http://searchck.com/

 

I have gotten some of my best deals on craigslist.

 

got both of my vettes from craigs, craigs has in their disclaimer "if it doesnt have a picture, it doesnt exist" words to live by. dont buy anything without a clear title, no matter how good it looks, all you doing is buying trouble.

 

BRING A GUN.....

I went to a guys house to look at a 79. It was cosmetically sound but the frame and birdcage were shot. Anyways, the guy invited me into his house to talk numbers and as soon as I got inside I was, well, scared to death. His house was well kept, almost too neat. Then I saw...in the dining room....mannequins...

Sitting at the table was a female mannequin, in a long red evening dress. Next to her stood her 'date', a male mannequin in a full tuxedo. Both were posed as if mid sentence during a nice dinner.

Creeped me the ***** out. I kept my distance and backed out as quickly as I could.

So while Im sure most Craigslist sales are normal, this one had me pretty freaked out. Moral: Be careful. Bring a friend.

And if the seller of that car is reading this post.....sorry dude.....it was creepy.

 

so...uh...so...uh...leavin this one alone

 

I saw a movie like that years ago . That would wig me out!

 

bought my 69 as a project on craigs, was psyched to find it

 

I had good luck on Craigs also. Looked for about a year for an inexpensive project to put a motor in and finally found it. As others have said, best advise is dont go alone. No pics, no clicks.

 

I bought my 78 ffrom Craigslist. It is no different than the classifieds in the newspaper. Do your research, make sure the title is not altered, etc.
Dave

 

I bought mine of cl. Guy was very honest. Told me it had a slipped rod he was second owner car was originally from new orleans. No water damage. Sold block for 500 to a period correct guy and put a 4000 383 in it all kinds of extras. He did the brakes put new tires and factory rims back on. I paid 4500 my first vette and I love it can seem to drive it but keep sinking money into it I know it will get me a divorce sooner or later. I wanted to pit new motor in and drive but as soon as I did I replaced this and that and now the car is in a million pieces in the garage and I think I am doing a frame off now... Lol funny how these things happen. Had it a year now add besides working on it I sit in the drives seat shift gears and make engine noises. Aww... One day it will be done. I am 11000ish in the hole now and no where close to done but its fun so far.

 

Got my 77 on CL, drove it around for a few months and found a few issues. Found some leaks that I figured I needed to fix some time. After some consideration, I decided I'd build an engine and swap them out to minimize down time. The original L-48 had previously been swapped out for a '79 L-82 motor sometime in its past.

A few months after deciding to build, I found a bored out 350 SBC on craigs...after a complete tear down and rebuild, the two will become one by the end of October (after I get out of the USAF). Really looking forward to that!

I also found a set of slotted aluminum wheels for $150 on craigs! Polished them up, and they look awesome!

Pretty much a complete CL car.