10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

I'm all for trying to sell your ride, but at least do it with some semblance of decency and intelligence...
10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

I spend a lot of time browsing online for cheap cars. Alot of time. Like hours. Every day. In fact, I sat down at 4:30pm to write this article. It’s now 10:28pm, and my dinner is cold. But hey, I needed to do some proper research for this story, right?

Actually, I didn’t. I’ve bought and sold and researched so many cars over the years that I’ve probably seen and heard just about every conceivable automotive facepalm. But then I dive into the farthest reaches of Craigslist to search for cheap diamonds in the rough, and inevitably I stumble upon a completely new facepalm. I get it; people can have different definitions of needs minor work. But for crying out loud, let’s be at least somewhat realistic.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

So what I have here is my own top-ten list of dumb things people say to try and sell completely terrible cars. These certainly aren’t the only dumb things people say, so if you have any personal pet peeves, let’s see ‘em.

Ran good when parked

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

In other words, when I stuck it in my backyard ten years ago because the engine leaked more oil than the Exxon Valdez, it ran fine. I have no idea if it runs now because the petrol has turned to varnish, and the 10,000 hornets that live in the car won’t let me near it anyway.

Replacement parts only cost £25

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

Feel free to insert any inexpensive part that requires either an advanced degree in quantum engineering to replace, or a sum of money far greater than the value of the car to cover labour costs. If the repair was really that cheap, it would’ve been done by now.

Remote video URL

I suppose such terminology is technically correct, in the same way that a Ferrari F12 is more fuel efficient than a Saturn V rocket. Newsflash - brakes with 30,000 miles are not new. For that fact, neither are the ‘new’ starter, alternator and fuel pump installed at the same time.

New tyres installed two years ago

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

Just like the brakes, two-year old tyres aren’t new. Only this time it’s not just the mileage but age. Even if the car sat for two years, those tires will still have some measure of dry rot. I always thought the differences between new and used were pretty clear. Am I wrong on this?

Remote video URL

Translation: this thing is on its last legs, and though it runs and drives I wouldn’t trust taking it to McDonalds at the end of the block, never mind two hours to your friend’s house. Nor should you run it for longer than 15 minutes because hot coolant will spew out like a binge-drinking fraternity the morning after homecoming.

A perfect fixer-upper

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

While there are all kinds of professional and shade-tree mechanics looking for cars to fix up and flip, I promise not one of them ever bought a car because someone told them it was a “perfect fixer-upper.” They’re smart enough to figure it out on their own. It’s the ones who think they got game that fall for this. Nine times out of ten the ad is back up a month later, probably listed as a - you guessed it - perfect fixer-upper.

Engine is noisy and smokes but still runs good

Photo Credit: Michael Filion - Flickr
Photo Credit: Michael Filion - Flickr

I’m still shocked at how often I see people say this. I suppose I should give props to the seller for trying to be honest, but an engine that smokes and makes noise is definitely not running good. What the seller actually means is that the engine still runs, or more accurately, they’re surprised the engine still runs.

Project car, just needs a few simple things to finish

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

Folks, never in the history of the automobile has anyone ever sold a nearly-complete project car that needed just a “few simple things.” Never. People don’t spend the kind of time and money it takes to build a project car then bail out at the very end for no apparent reason. That would be like flying to Hawaii on holiday then deciding not to get off the plane because you “lost interest.” The seller either ran into a major problem or a major expense. Whatever the case, it’s not simple.

It’s a collector car

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

I’ll make this short and sweet. If you have to tell people in the ad that your car is a collector car, then it’s not a collector car. Case closed.

It’s an easy fix

10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars

This is easily my single biggest facepalm of them all. If it’s an easy fix, then fix it already. Why even bother telling people about it? I’ll tell you why - because the seller already tried the fix and either found it too difficult, or made things worse with a botched attempt.

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Comments

RoyP

Using their only picture they got when it would clearly be better to take another one

10/10/2016 - 09:04 |
368 | 2
iCypher(Joel Chan)

In reply to by RoyP

Yeah, that’s another dumb thing people do when they sell the cars..

10/10/2016 - 09:13 |
2 | 0
Evan H.

In reply to by RoyP

10/10/2016 - 11:59 |
394 | 0
TofuDrifter99(Furry Squad)

In reply to by RoyP

HEY WAYNE!

10/17/2016 - 18:12 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by RoyP

Or using a horizontal screenshot of a vertical photo of a computer screen that displays the pic of the car as the only image… And having it show an upside down view of half of rear bumper.

01/15/2017 - 01:34 |
2 | 0
iCypher(Joel Chan)

Its dumb, but people still say it…

10/10/2016 - 09:06 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Tried selling my new lambo but the owner,mistaken for a bugatti,crashed it

10/10/2016 - 09:14 |
38 | 2
Anonymous

When I was looking for my BMW 330ci I would go look, make a realistic offer two grand under their asking, cash in hand right then and there, and I would hear “these are rare as manuals” followed by a “I can get what I’m asking there’s a guy coming from (insert city from next stae over) tomorrow.”

I bought one at a reasonable price eventually, two weeks later I got three phone calls all asking if that offer was still good in the space of a few days.

Bottom line, 90% of people seriously over value their cars.

10/10/2016 - 09:16 |
52 | 2
OctyVRS

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

This is why i managed to sell my car in less than 12hours i put up for a sensible price that i would be willing to pay. and was straight up with what was wrong with the car.

10/10/2016 - 11:21 |
4 | 0
Jared Steinbach

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Well I mean we have to have some leniency if it’s a fellow car person just like us they won’t want to have to sell there baby and so yeah we might value a car higher than it’s actually worth cause we love it and bond with it and in our minds its worth so much more. But yeah there are some clueless people who get a hold of these cars and have no idea what there actually worth, and unfortunately probably aren’t a car person like us so they dont understand why and how much we want it because more often than not a car guy will sell it for a little less then they asked if they know another guy buying it and is gonna get it and love it properly

10/10/2016 - 11:28 |
10 | 0
10 Dumb Things People Say To Sell Crap Cars
Dreaming In Cars

“One female owner”…..husband is insured and drifts daily

10/10/2016 - 09:26 |
84 | 2

nah, “female owner” means there are dents and scuffs all over the bodywork and clutch is all burnt-out

10/10/2016 - 13:43 |
72 | 0

“Adult driven”… I only drove it like I stole it every now and then

10/11/2016 - 00:26 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

One I see all the time in UK ads is “No MOT but it shouldn’t need much work to pass”. Seriously, if you’re selling a car that with a full MOT would fetch £1500 and you’re asking for £500 without one then either you suck at maths or the cars a write off. Usually it’s the latter.

10/10/2016 - 10:32 |
20 | 0
Fillmore (sleeperpooper)

All new 1960 VW Beetle?

10/10/2016 - 10:41 |
6 | 0
Mr.PurpleV12

Clean title!

If I can find it…

10/10/2016 - 11:23 |
16 | 0
Hatchi

Fuel is included in the price cuz it costs more than a car

10/10/2016 - 12:11 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I don’t see any problems

10/10/2016 - 12:28 |
0 | 0