If you are in need of a new-to-you car, you may turn to Craigslist.org. This online classified website is where many car, truck, van, and jeep sellers turn to advertise their cars for sale. Although you are likely to find some great deals, there are some types of people that you should never buy a used car from on Craigslist. Who are those people?
1 - People who don't bother to upload pictures.
A car is a big purchase. Even if you only spend $500 on an old clunker, it is still $500. Most car buyers will arrange a quick inspection and test drive before deciding to buy. This is smart, but do you really want to drive 35 minutes to see a car you won't be caught dead in?
2 - People who don't provide enough information.
You might be surprised how many Craigslist car sellers provide you with nothing more than "I have a black Ford truck for sale that runs great. $2,500 OBO." It takes a whole 10 seconds to write "1997 Black Ford F150 Short Bed, 100,000 miles, good condition - $2,000." There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be provided with at least the make, model, and year. The seller is nothing but lazy; lazy people are bad car sellers.
3 - People who ask way too much.
Honestly, it seems like Craigslist sellers just pull a figure out of know where. Guess what? It is usually way too much. With the above mentioned example of the 1997 Ford F150 Short Bed with 100,000 miles I went to the Kelley Blue Book to ensure the example price was accurate. I did this and I am not even a car seller. It took a total of four minutes.
4 - People who pressure to you buy the car before seeing it.
This is a good sign that the car in question is junk or that the buyer has a gambling debt they need to cover by 5pm. "I have someone coming over to test drive the car in 1 hour, but you seem really nice. If you agree to buy it right now, I will sell you the car instead." Run, run, and run. Especially if pictures weren't provided you may end up a pile of junk or a sue happy car seller who wants to take you to small claims court because you gave them a verbal agreement.
5 - People who are scammers.
Frauds are easy to find online and many will target car buyers on Craigslist. They claim to have a car for sale, but they are out of town or something like that. Yeah, they are really out of town because they likely live in another country. They are trying to scam you. Since they are unavailable to arrange a pickup, they will ship the car. Of course, they are going to be nice and handle the transport fees, leaving you to believe you are getting a really good deal. Just wait until your check is cashed and you are not only left broke, but still taking the bus to work.
5 People to Never Buy a Car From on Craigslist