Stories from the Sales Frontlines

imidazol97

>He did love a Buick.

Ahhhhh. A good man. We need more of those in Congress. We wouldn't be in the mess we're in with the expertise shown by his auto choice.

stickguy

the dryer box looks nice and tidy. Not sure how the contractor is planning to run it, but he is putting it in a wall somehow. He will have an open wall to work with so should be a nice neat job.

has to be better than the vent I have now. From my research, there are limits to # of elbows (90's) and linear feet. Out current run snakes around, and is so far out of code spec that I have no clue how they ever got away with it.

the closet I am putting it in is actually the room that per the standard floor plan was supposed to be the laundry room! For some reason, the people that originally had the house wanted it in the basement instead, and left a spare MBR closet that just collects junk.

robr2

We did the 2nd floor laundry when we renovated/added to our house.

We carved a 5x5 area between two baths with the left wall being the "chase wall". The machines are located against that wall. It gives us about 3' in front of the machines. We installed a pocket door to access the room. It's a little snug but it saves those trips to basement...

stickguy

we are looking forward to not having baskets of laundry (clean and dirty) stacked up on various levels of the houe! Now it will all be contained right by the bedrooms where it generates.

We actually have a pretty good sized room (8x6) for it, since it was designed originally to be the laundry room. the interesting part is going to be getting the lines run.

qbrozen

Ok... 2 things.

1. For future reference, there really is no need to pay for extra photos. For any of my ads, all I do is include a link in the copy pointing to a page where all my photos can be viewed. Currently, I use my Flikr account for this.

2. I don't know if I'd be too quick to dismiss that email. It isn't a check, after all. He is talking about Paypal. I thought just as you do when someone from the Netherlands wanted to buy my father-in-laws Cadillac I had on Ebay. But it all worked out and we were paid in full. No problems. I was shocked. And it was all through paypal at my request. Took a $500 deposit through paypal to take down the ad and he paid the rest the day before the car was picked up by the shipper.

So I would proceed ... just cautiously. If the next email is "hey, provide me with your paypal username and password" ... well, then you've got a scammer.

fezo

>He did love a Buick.

Ahhhhh. A good man. We need more of those in Congress. We wouldn't be in the mess we're in with the expertise shown by his auto choice.

See that, Richard? We're never going to hear the end of this now! :P

I'll bet the only congressmen who drive Buicks now have a plant in their district. Now if they quadrupled the price of them the congressmen would think they are a worthy vehicle for themselves.

nyc - is the gentleman having you ship the car to Nigeria?

Term limits - I have been way against them thinking that the system allows a perfectly good system of term limits - throwing the bums out at election time - but - but now I'm of the opinion that they have done too good a job of stacking the deck for themselves so we need to help them out the door.

Kirstie_H

"the item" and "my shipper" are dead-on clues that it's a scam.

Numerous reports of paypal rip-offs have been reported on craigslist as well. I can't remember how it works, but it's something along the lines of the person reporting you to paypal for non-delivery of the item (even if you do ship it), and paypal reversing the monetary transaction.

1. scammer has stolen credit card or hacked a paypal account
2. sends you money on paypal using stolen credit card or via a hacked account
3. you ship to his non-confirmed address, or someone appears to take the vehicle.
4. 3 months later, CC company contacts paypal and requests a chargeback on the fraudulent charges

99% of these transactions are fraudulent. Google "paypal scam craigslist." Really... just not worth it on the off-chance that your deal falls into the 1%.
5. You wave goodbye to your money and vehicle

stickguy

after seeing the recent NJ redistricting scam, how could you not think term limits (I am starting to think 1 is enough!) is not the answer?

there should also be a reduction in districts (and therefore representatives). remember, the counts were set in a time with little in the way of communications, and long travel times. Now, you could double the size of every district and it would not make 1 iota of difference.

nyccarguy

yes - have the plumber open the wall & put a small plastic access panel. Also it would be a good idea to install a check valve on each line. Check valves regulate the pressure. Cold water has twice the pressure of hot water.

This floodstopper can be pre-installed or retrofitted. It is just easier to do when nothing is there. if there is a pan with a drain, it might not be necessary. A good idea none the less.

fezo

David Letterman - ""You seem like you're in a good mood. You folks enjoy the Osama bin Laden season finale?"

stickguy

thanks. The plumber is probably going to be sorry I got all this advice once I finish peering over his shoulder asking questions!

nyccarguy

So you pull up a rod to flush the toilet? Sounds fancy. What brand of toilet is it?

Is there a chain attached to a flapper ball? The flapper ball kinda looks like a frog. The chain could be getting stuck on something or the flapper could be bad.

nyccarguy

I got a few more Craig's List responses:

One from a guy in Jersey who definitely seems interested. He said he's been looking for a Prelude with lower miles, but if mine has been as well maintained as I say, then he'll seriously consider it. He asked me a bunch of detailed questioned & I thoroughly answered them all. I'm sure I'll hear back from him and he'll want to see the car.

Another response from a guy in The Bronx who I can stop by and see on my way home tonight. He seems interested, but his emails are very brief.

I just got the Craig's List response I've been waiting for: "Is the prelude price negotiable?" I'm going to politely answer him.

fezo

Oh, if you want to sell the Prelude to some guy in Jersey I'm sure stickguy is all set...

qbrozen

Those all sound like mistakes that can be avoided, though. Like you said... confirmed address. That's an important detail. Also, getting all the due paperwork from the shipper prior to them taking the car will clear you of any "nondelivery" issues.

You can also work with paypal through the process to confirm the account, etc. I can't remember everything I went through, but I definitely proceeded with caution. I do remember I contacted paypal beforehand and had an extensive papertrail with the shipping company. Oh, and I also took photos of the guy and truck as they picked up the car.

Kirstie_H

There's also a scam where they declare the funds "on hold" by paypal pending pickup of the item, or a tracking number for the shipped item. They send you a bogus email allegedly from paypal confirming that the funds are "on hold" and will be released immediately when you provide the tracking number, or some such. Of course the email isn't really from paypal, and there are no funds...

Yes, scams can be avoided. But, there are so many of them, and new scam methods keep popping up. With a car that should sell locally fairly easily, I'd avoid the potential altogether. If someone is picking up the car in-person, it's more likely NOT to be a scam, especially if you let the buyer know not to be worried, but your friend who's a police officer is going to be with you just to ensure everyone's safety.

robr2

The plumber is probably going to be sorry I got all this advice once I finish peering over his shoulder asking questions!

Careful - most trades people have a "watch me work" surcharge!!

nyccarguy

Sickguy or anybody else wants to see some more pics of my beautiful Prelude on autotrader.com, my listing ID# is 101573639.

Richard - I'm glad you like my writing style & proper use of the English language.

imidazol97

No match was found for AT Car ID:AT-101573639 Close
Either the AT Car ID is invalid, or the car is no longer listed on AutoTrader.com. Double-check the AT Car ID and try again.

nyccarguy

Or if I really feel uncomfortable, I can bring my Dad along with me. Nothing says "I'd better not mess with this guy" like having a Tahoe with 2 Great Danes' heads sticking out the side watching your every move along with you.

Kirstie_H

Oh, here's something you can do quite quickly. View the full headers in the email sent to you. Starting from the bottom of the headers, find the first "received from:" line. There will be an IP address there.

Copy the IP address, and paste it in the form here:
http://www.whatismyip.com/tools/ip-address-lookup.asp

If the IP leads to Nigeria, total scam.

fezo

If the IP leads to Nigeria, total scam.

You mean that lottery I won isn't legit? :confuse:

Kirstie_H

Well... if the email was from a Reverend so-and-so, then of course it is legit! Collect those winnings ASAP.

driver100

So you pull up a rod to flush the toilet? Sounds fancy. What brand of toilet is it?

It's a Kohler...I think they were trying to make something classy, but it is just a hassle when it needs an adjustment or a new trap. Looks something like this;


Is there a chain attached to a flapper ball? The flapper ball kinda looks like a frog.
Yes, I would say it does look kind of like a frog. The problem is if you lift the lid to get inside, the handle is attached by wires to the flap. So you have to hook it or unhook it each time you want to get inside...which means holding the top with one hand while you unhook it with the other...unless my wife is around to help.

I think they just make this in one model and it is just something that seems fancy...but, it is just a pain in the butt "so to speak".

oldfarmer50

"...He says: "Just forget about it."..."

Now you know why Isell retired. LOL!

I know you get a lot of flakes when posting on Craigslist but from a sign on the actual car? Wow, that's super flakey.

oldfarmer50

"...Thought I would explain..."

It seems that Mr. Harper cleaned their clocks. The conservatives won enough to form a a majority party if I understand the process. I'm assuming that you are happy.

oldfarmer50

"...2001 Honda Prelude..."

Will you take $200?

Nah, just kidding. I'm getting you ready for when the REAL flakes come out of the woodwork.

oldfarmer50

"...I was looking at @$37K..."

Yikes! Get the V-6 with the performance package ($1995). It has everything you mentioned for about $25K stripped.

oldfarmer50

"...I once read it was better not to mention a price in the ad..."

I would NEVER call on an ad that didn't contain the price, mileage and any defects. Anything less makes me think the person has something to hide--a bad impression to leave when selling a car.

I actually would be more inclined to call on an ad that mentioned the little quirky things that typicaly break on every car than discover them after being told the car was perfect.

One hint of decption can screw the whole deal. Everyone wants to believe that they are buying from Mother Teresa not Bernie Maddof.

driver100

The conservatives won enough to form a a majority party if I understand the process.

Very good...you got it exactly right. The Liberals in the middle of the spectrum were decimated, fewer seats than they ever ever had. The Conservatives gained so will have a majority in Parliament, so they don't need to get the cooperation of the other parties to stay in power.

The biggest surprise was the growth of the New Democratic Party...the one with a very socialist agenda. They also won French speaking Quebec which usually votes for the separtist party. But, after 20 years they have done nothing positive for Quebec, so that province wanted a change, and they don't like the two mainstream parties, the Liberals and Conservatives.

I am happy because the Conservatives are the fiscally responsible party that has led us through a worldwide recession, with almost no pain.

I am impressed that you followed and got it right......excellent.

driver100

I would NEVER call on an ad that didn't contain the price, mileage and any defects.

That makes it unanimous around here...people will only call if a price is mentioned.

But, why are so many ads placed without a price? I think at least a third seem to be placed without mentioning price. They must have a reason, and I doubt if they all do it because they are hiding something....maybe they just don't think it is important.

jmonroe

...the handle is attached by wires to the flap.

I doubt that whatever attaches the handle to the flapper are "wires", like in "electrical" because these wires would then be immersed in water. They are probably something that only looks like wires but are just a mechanical linkage from the handle to the flapper.

Even Canadians wouldn't do a water/electrical mix on a throne. If they do, remind me not to go while I'm in Canada. :confuse:

jmonroe

stickguy

after much noise and dust (per the wife, who was home for it), we have subfloors. pretty ugly too!

2 guys, in about 7 hours (less breaks) moved all the wood, removed 2 rooms of carpet (inc. pads, staples, tack strips), 1 room of snap together laminate, and a hallway/foyer of ceramic tile (but down to stay, including wire mesh). They also got all the door jambs and stairway trim undercut (the only clean way to install). They also had to move the heavy furniture around (including a piano) to get it all done.

thank goodness I did not have to do this. moving all the small stuff out of the way was enough for me.

I did get stuck painting the hall closet tonight though, since empty (and after the tile removal in there) the walls were filthy (well, they already were, you just normally could not see them). So I got to spend a couple hours contorted in their giving it a paint job!

by EOD tomorrow most if not all of the wood should be in, so we can see what we did this for! Project should be complete by noon Thursday (putting stuff back, installing all the 1/4 round molding, etc.

nyccarguy

Growing up with a 1966 427 Corvette Roadster on one side of the garage pretty much cemented my love for cars at a young age. I can still hear the tick tick tick of the gas pedal, the stutter of the starter, & finally the vroom, vroom, bababaum, bababaum, bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh as the big block fired up.

While it was very easy to justify trying to part ways with my beloved Prelude. I cited the car's age, mileage, possible upcoming repairs & maintenance, size, and lack of child safety LATCHes as reasons that I should sell it now & use the money toward 1 year of payments on my wife's 2010 Acura TSX which would become my daily driver.

I love so much about my Prelude. How it pours around curves, The growl of the engine as it rockets toward its 7500 RPM redline, the slick shifting 5 speed manual transmission, the uniqueness of the car, acknowledging other Prelude owners.

My Prelude is a car from a different era. When coupes like the Nissan 300 ZX, Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Mazda RX-7, & BMW's E36 M3 ruled the road.

I spent a lot of time today answering emails & even fielding a phone call from somewhere way up in Malboro, Mass. The guy had an '01 Prelude like mine with over 176,000 miles that he parked on the side of the road & some lady lost control & totalled his car while parked.

I actually made arrangements to meet someone tonight to check the car out. On my way out the door my Dad says to me: "You really want to sell your car?"

Me: "No, but I have to in order to give myself a cushion to make a year's worth of payments on the TSX."

Dad: "Don't sell your car. You love it & you'll regret it. I'll give you a raise to cover the Acura payments for a year. Drive your car once a week & you have to buy a new car (for Rebecca)."

Me: "deal!"

So like the great Jim Morrison said: "The future's uncertain & the end is always near." The Prelude lives on!

mako1a

How it pours around curves

Nice description. I had a 98 Vette and a 2003 Toyota 4Runner

which I alternated to work. Spring came and I drove the Vette

for a month straight, never giving a thought to taking 25 mph

entrance ramps at 65 or 70. Then one day went back to the Toyota.

Almost put that puppy up on 2 wheels on that 25 mph ramp.

roadburner

Your father is a very wise man- congrats on keeping the Prelude!

sterlingdog

What a prince of a dad! That's wonderful news. I'm happy for you. I know that this is a load off of your mind. You'll keep your treasure and your wife will get a new car. This just goes to prove that good things happen to good people. Enjoy.

Richard

sterlingdog

Sounds like quite a job. The dust is always the worst part of it. At least the results will be worth the effort. If you feel like sharing, I would be interested in knowing the price for this project. Ours was $13,500 but that was four years ago.

Richard

tjc78

The dust is always the worst part of it.

I don't think I will ever forget the dust from sanding the joint compound when I did my kitchen.

I took all the precautions I could (tarps over doorways, blocking off the HVAC, etc. It still got everywhere in the house. I replaced the furnace filter 3 or 4 times that week.

NYC. Congrats on getting to keep the Prelude. Your Dad is obviously a car lover too and understands that you really wanted to keep it.

Stick, sounds like you have a good contractor, undercutting the door jambs is the only way to go. It will look like the floor was always there.

driver100

I doubt that whatever attaches the handle to the flapper are "wires", like in "electrical"

I don't feel like going over and picking it up to check it right now...but it is the same kind of metal wires in a handle flusher....just attached to the top. More like a coat hanger.

Hmmm....electrical wires, no, we don't have the death penalty any more.

driver100

Don't sell your car. You love it & you'll regret it. I'll give you a raise to cover the Acura payments for a year.

Congratulations...that is very good news. You will really appreciate the Prelude now that you almost lost it.

Now the calls are really going to start coming in.

I remember selling cars from an ad. No calls then someone buys it and you are flooded with calls. I tell them I wish I had 10 of them, I could have sold them all.

fezo

See? What did I tell you. Don't sell the car. Of course now you've managed a raise out of it as well so this is a really happy ending!

sterlingdog

"...wouldn't do a water/electrical mix on a throne."

But what a natural way to avoid taking harsh laxatives.

Richard

fezo

But what a natural way to avoid taking harsh laxatives.



You are horning in on my territory..... :P

driver100

But what a natural way to avoid taking harsh laxatives

LOL. But speaking of such, how are you feeling these days. Feeling better, how is your appetite? Is it going away?

fezo

Such stimulating conversation this morning....

stickguy

Less than that!

Let's see, I believe it is just under 800SF we are having done (770 maybe?). LR, DR, family room and foyer/hallway. Entire 1st floor other than the kitchen.

Job includes measure, delivery, all the demo (taking the tile out was a bear), install (including 1/4 round moldings), and new (matching wood) floor vents.

The wood is Bruce solid oak prefinished hardwood (gunstock color).

total including tax is $7,200.

the upcoming laundry room conversion is going to just about 1/2 of that.

so all together, I am not spending enough to get a cheap new car!

Kirstie_H

What a fantastic dad, and a great outcome for you!

stickguy

for a new shopping topic, anyone with strong opinions on TVs? Brand (not so much) and type (Plasma, LCD, LED) more so!

looking to rotate the boxy Sony projection (DLP?) to the basement rec room, and get a wall mountable flat screen for the newly improved family room.

The spendometer keeps climbing!

stickguy

didn't you see the hours he works? Old dad beats him like a rented mule!