I have been looking for a pre-81 shorty Chevy, and narrowed it down to the years between 75 - 76, with 77 being my favorite. Found a 77 on here that was in WA state, but the owner eitehr got cold feet or actually sold it without pulling the listing.

Then, I found a 76, also in WA, and the owner was willing to be patient and work with me (I live in NY) and was very accomodating...willing to have me shipa camera to him (he didnt have a computer to send the pics) that he would ship back, was willing to meet up with vannin site members to have them look it over for me, and was so fair as to give me first dibs on it, even though I am on the other side of the country.

Well, I a member here, who was only 15 minutes away from him said he could go look at it. I contacted the seller and he was ok with it, as long as it was when he got home from work. then, before I could have it looked at, he has his wife text me to let me know theyve decided not to sell it.

I was already source parts that I knew either needed replacing or werent to my liking.

Now, its back to square one...

I absolutely HATE CRAIGSLIST!! virtually all my dealing's were scam add's !!!

Sorry to hear that

Sucks but that seams to be the way it goes...I drove4 hours to go look at a "rust free 77 Chevy panel last summer" to find out it was a rust bucket,looked great in the pics....guy seamed so nice and up front on the phone, I was so pissed driving back......part of the game tho and the listings are free....I found my old white chevy shorty on Craigs list and it was a enjoyable transaction.... unfortunately we have to take the good with the bad....good luck with your search...

This is why I do not use CL, except for local ads, to buy anything. I will PM someone here who has a "second" van that is what I am looking for to see if maybe they want to sell, but no CL.

Sorry for your bad luck, but it will turn around.....

Read the disclaimers on Craigslist before you contact a buyer.. A site full of Hookers and scammer's are readily apparent to all.

So get mad at yourself for trying to make gold out of a crap pile...

Caveat emptor is not a suggestion on that site, it is an oath you should make to yourself !

Yes..."Buyer beware"......

I have bought and sold many things off of craigslist (including buying a van out of state and selling a car). I have never had an issue. I know that there are a lot of scammers out there but I will not sell anything until I have cash in hand. Also, because of all of the scammers, sometimes it is difficult for me to buy something because sellers are so skeptical. You just have to weed through the idiots or scammers that contact you and look for the legitimate buyer and use common sense.
My biggest pet peeve....is when there is no phone number. Most of them will not answer their email but only list an email as a way of contact. I think having a conversation via phone first eliminates some of the problems.
Just my 2 cents!!

Bought a real nice battery charger for $30.
Called and girl answered and said to meet her a the local
Autozone parts store. It was brand new in the box. Checked
it out when I got home and worked perfect. Then I looked at the outside of the box and it had an Autozone price tag
on it for $79.99. Don't know if was stolen or not but
I was happy.

she stole it from autozone then had you meet her at autozone lol
if it was stolen that wasnt very bright on her part lol

She probably works there and does some parking lot sales on the side....

I dont think he was a scammer. If anything, I probably appeared to be a scammer to him. Ive bought and sold cars off of craigslist, some across the country. But yes of course, buyer beware. I think this was purely the seller getting cold feet, and deciding to keep his beloved van after selling his Harley the week before.

I cant say i have any problems with craigs list so far. Bought qmy van site unseen and a bunch of parts that people have brought out to me at truckstops and every thing has been cool so far. I have heard horror stories tho. Not cool.

Obviously a lot of this all depends on your own common sense....but I agree, I hate the riff-rat that goes along with dealing with CL .... ________but there are still a lot of good people on there....I have furnished my house from good folks selling on it......

Sorry to hear you missed out on the van.You did right by getting another vanner check it out for you and not just going with the sellers description.Give it time and you will find the right van.

Angry? Because they decided not to sell to you?


Too much anger in the world already, let it go.

Maybe angered was a little too harsh. Greatly disappointed? It wasnt just that they decided not to sell, but also that I had a member here go out of their way to schedule taking the trip to check it out for me, exchanged numerous conversations via text AND phone, and also arranged and sent (via UPS 2 day shipping WITH return shipping paid) my digitial phone to them to take better pictures and record a video of it running... Then, after all of that, when the deal was about to be sealed, the owner had his wife text me to give me the bad news...not him himself...not even a phone call...and I am still waiting on my camera.

So maybe I am angry...but I will get over it.

Back when VCR first came out a friend of mine bought one for 200.00(back then they were 700.00 +)he opened the front of box saw it in bubble wrap and the face matched the box paid the guy, get it home it was a brick wrapped in bubble wrap.I told him they were on the news about it but he did not see it.that happens when you try to get a deal sometimes.

Angry...I think you put it mildly ...I would have been totally pissed off...what an ass to put you threw all that and then hide behind his wife when it was done....

Bummer man, sorry your having a hard time of it. I have purchased a few items from CL ads. But I always try to deal locally. The internet is great, but ya gotta be real careful these days.

BTW my club member here in NJ is selling her '77 Chevy low top conversion van. 2 bays w/ a window slider. Old school paneling and carpet interior. 350/350. The van runs and drives well, but needs a ton of body work.

Thanks galaxy. But its not exactly what I am looking for.

Your welcome. And no worries, I was just throwing it out there.
Good luck with the van search!

Well, I guess once you advertise something for sale you are not allowed to change your mind.

You do have every right to be pissed about the camera though.

Why does it have to be craigs list?
I bought 2 captain seats with bases from a Vanner on here.
One of the bases was welded in an up position so I can't use is. {to high}
He promised to ship me another one on the 26th of march. now he won't even answer my PMs.

Bummer ...nice guy

Every deal I have made from guys on this site has been great ...but I guess there out there...sorry to here the bad news DrBob

You just have to be careful. When I went for the chop I thought it could be a bogus trip the whole way to Indiana with a trailer. Turned out Mike was a stand up guy. I asked for 2 certain pictures and I had them by that evening. Told me exactly like it was. But you always have to be leary anymore. What a crying shame! I am sorry about your luck but maybe for the better. Somthing AWSOME might show up in your back yard!! Think positive buddy!

So the saga continues...
I saw that they re-posted the CL ad, so I sent a text asking if the van was back up for sale again. I didnt hear back, so I figured I would try again after a few hours due to the time difference. Again, nothing. Then, at 6pm east coast time, the wife calls up and says, "yeah the van is for sale again, you have first dibs, go ahead and western union us the money." I said no way...last I was told, it wouldnt start, and then there was an engine fire that wasnt sorted out. I said I would have to ask the vanner from here I know to come take a look before I sent any money, and / or finalize on a price. She was fine with that but in a rush. Less than 24 hours later, she texts me again, to let me know that her husband decided to trade the van to square up on some money he owed...

So.... you're upset that you did not get a van that you said "no way" to and that had an engine fire and would not start?

-----That's what I was wondering ?

I had no problems buying my seats off of Craig lists. i know there are crazy people out there, Lots of scammers on that site but then again there are people who are real. Good luck in your seach.

Tumbleweed
Free Spirit
Spirit In The Wind
Nova Vans
Virginia Van Council
SEVC
Troppa Sinner Tribe

I agree...lots of good people in this world, I have met and dealt with lots of them for sure !

it says right on the top of craigslist, beware of anyone asking for western union

No. If you read my OP I was upset with the seller for all of the run-around. My recent post was an update that I thought was relevant / entertaining. The thing I said "no way" to, was the fact that they wanted me to send money, right away, with out having it checked out, after they had previous problems. I was only bothered this time again becuase again, a fellow member here was willing to go out and help me out, but at the last minute they changed their minds again. I guess in short, I was upset for the run-around.

And just to address other posts...I have bought and sold MANY things off of CL. I myself have sold three cars that way. No matter where you make a purchase, its ALWAYS buyer beware.

Yah this was a bummer, I was actually excited for checking it out and taking some pics and vids for you- yet same thing, calls were sketchy like you said- back and forth about it being for sale or not, and then yes- a sudden change of heart etc. But after all the fuss I had to see what this van was all about, and now...
We never will.

Good luck for next time though!
-Matt

Oh, after reading this post it sounds like you knew the van had problems that you did not want to deal with and then proceeded to contact the seller just to say so. Looking at the other side of the coin, it sounds like the seller didn't want to deal with a buyer waiting to get their ducks in a row for inspection then have another probable mess with shipping.

I think the thing to be really pissed about is these people are probably straight up scam artists.