Absolutely frustrated at sellers... gentleman's agreement...

[ProspectiveOwnergon]

We have now TWICE been sold or traded out from under us despite saying we'd like to give a deposit. They say, naw, I'll give you a fair look (gentleman's agreement). This second one comes from a long time Samba member in the classifieds and we were arranged to have a friend meet him and then we'd travel to meet him...

We said 4-5 times we'd like to give you a deposit and he said, no worries, you'll get a chance to look at it. Unreal.......

How can we for SURE place a hold so we don't get shafted a THIRD time.

[?Waldo?]

Get there first with money in hand?

I'm curious if you would have expected to get the deposit back if you had decided not to purchase the vehicle?

[ledogboy]

On the bright side, if someone isn’t being scrupulously fair and honest with you, and it results it you not buying their van, you may be coming out ahead.
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice...

[ProspectiveOwnergon]

[ProspectiveOwnergon]

[gumbajv]

Someone contacted me last week about buying my Doka. Wanted to give me a deposit, I declined because if he backed out, which he did, he would expect it back. This is about the 4th or 5th time this has happened.
If I take a deposit, I would make sure the potential buyer knows, it’s not refundable. I’m taking my truck off the market, and could lose a sale to someone else while the guy/gal decides if they want it, or actually have the money.
As someone mentioned, whoever shows up with the money first gets it.

[4Gears4Tires]

[Yellow Rabbit]

I guess I don’t understand putting down a deposit. Why not just pay and take it home immediately?

[4Gears4Tires]

Let's say you're 6 states away and you really want a vehicle. It's in the middle of the week, you can't get there until Saturday. You paypal the seller a non refundable deposit of $500 with the agreement that he holds the vehicle until you can come look at it. The paypal message would say something like, "here's the $500 non refundable deposit per our agreement in our email conversation to hold the 1986 vanagon until saturday when I will come buy it."
_________________
'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[?Waldo?]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I just lost out on the opportunity to buy a really nice lathe I wanted badly. Turns out I was third in line to have access to the unit. Even though I wanted to plead my case and work out a side deal, I respect the first come, first serve rule. I lost out on the buy, and I'm bummed, but it's fair.

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes it eats you. That's life.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[MsTaboo]

It all depends on how you write up the transaction. This is no time for a "gentlemen's agreement".

When I've wanted someone to hold a vehicle for me to come look at (or I'm selling) I put it all down in writing. And that includes a signature.

If it's a refundable deposit, it's in writing, if not then I expect to lose the deposit if I don't buy.
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
Help the fight against Truth Decay.
Defend democracy, support Ukraine.

[ProspectiveOwnergon]

[Yellow Rabbit]

[syncrodoka]

Just wait until you buy one and actual problems come up...

[Abscate]

Someone coming from six states away has plenty of skin in the game. It’s not off the market while a deposit holds it for a look, it’s deal pending. Tell prospective buyers they can have an appointment after the first prospect. Don’t take a second deposit if you have taken a first.

A deposit can be either refundable or non-refundable, put it all in writing.

How this should play out..

Monday

Buyer : can I come on Saturday to look,at 0900?
Seller: I’ll hold it till then ( with or without deposit)

Thursday
Samba Vulture: can I come on Friday?
Seller: you can but I won’t be able to sell it to you until Monday

It’s perfectly ok to change the price inSatirday if Vulture offered more
_________________
.ssS!

[AZ Landshaper]

so many people will come see the van. Sit in it, talk about it, leave a deposit, decide against it. Screw the deposit. 1st comes w cash is the buyer. If you want a hot item get on it. Im waiting for no one. Have you tried to sell one of these things? Its not that fun. Its time consuming. There are a lot of folks who look at this as an op to see a VW VAN!!!!. Look Honey, Always wanted one of these!!

holy cow this is 35 years old!!! And theres a missing knob from the dash!! All this after an hour trying to locate you and 7 calls and a lot of hemming and hawing. Im partial to those that have owned one. 1st timers are a risk in more ways than I care to discuss.

No one was taking deposits on beanie babies or cabbage patch kids or the Aratri 2600. They waited in line all night long to be first. This is sooo much more than and Atari-2600.

Screw the deposit. Show up w a PPI already scheduled and act on the purchase. I dont care if you work weekdays or weekends or have an aunt who needs you to move a washer today. Im selling now. ASAP. Im done with people wasting my time. Its constant if you allow it.
_________________
Support Small Business.

-------------------------------------------------------
85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[dobryan]

Both of the last Vanagons I bought were 1600 miles away from me (Denver vs Baltimore). Both times the sellers took a $500 deposit (refundable if the bus was not as advertised, not refundable if I just changed my mind) to hold the bus until I could get a friend or relative in the area to look at it within 24 hours. If it was as advertised I was going to buy it. No PPI. (But I was not buying high dollar busses with rebuilt mechanicals that should have PPIs done before sale. One was $8000 the other $3000)

Both sellers were very honest with me and in both cases had other offers after mine, some for more than asking. They both allowed me the 24 hours we agreed upon and I bought both.

I think one difference is the time you ask a seller to hold the bus. If they have multiple offers they are going to be nervous about waiting several days. You'll have to be ready to pull the trigger quickly if it is a good deal. YYMV.

The right bus and the right seller will be out there for you. Keep looking.

(Edit: And I had agreed to pay their price, no dickering.)
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[crukab]

I don't take a deposit on any Vws I sell. If your 6 states away, you figure it out. Most of the Buses I sell, the 1st to show up usually buys it. The last Split Bus I sold was up for $4500, a non running rusty/crusty Kombi, the guy drove 10 hours to see it, looked it over for an hour while I did yard work, offers me $1500........ nope, I gave him a bottom line price, he wanted to contiue to negotiate, I told him we are done, I have work to do, buy it or leave, he bought it.
Most people that trek all the way up here don't want to go home empty handed. if I take a deposit, the buyer sets a time to come see it, then the Bullshit starts, I can't come until next week, my Aunts Mom will lend me the $$$ when she sells her car. Blah Blah Blah, you want something , go get it, don't waste our time.
_________________
Tom

My Pops:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604100&highlight=
I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....

In the yard right now:
'51 Dodge 5 window truck
'65 Bug
'66 Singlecab
'82 Rabbit Truck Diesel from CALI
'86 Doublecab W/T
'91 Vanagon carat/wolfsbrg.Tiico
'88 Dodge Ram pickup
'11 Jetta Wagon

[MarkWard]