Buying vehicles in edmonton
 

He called the guy yesterday, said leaving Lloydminster at 8am Saturday. Ok
He called the guy as we got to Elk Island Park. Ok.
As we turned onto Henday to go south buddy gets a text.
Sold. Wouldn't answer phone text or messenger. Buddies message was a little heated, there were some sentence enhancers which is rare for this soft spoken man with cash in his pocket. He is looking for a 2007 up Escalade truck or Avalanche.

He found another escalade, only 12 minutes from the windshield shop. Super. Guy said he would be there until 1 was going to Calgary. Then wouldn't answer text or phone, finally get a text back 'can't do it today going to Calgary come monday'.

5 hour drive for him for nothing. I went to get a windshield in my car as I was his chauffer for the day, and went to Costco so wasn't a total loss for me.

I looked at a Jeep Wrangler, then called another guy about 1. He said sure come look at it. This was 2pm. We stopped for lunch, called him again at 230. He informed me that a girl and her uncle were there this morning, and told him they would take it, but if I showed up before they got back, with cash it was mine.

After what the first piece of trash did to us I said I wasn't going to go until he told me that they did or did not show with cash.

At 330 I get a text - Sold.

There's no integrity in Edmonton. This has happened to me several times.

That said I am looking for a Jeep Wrangler if anyone has or knows of a good one, please pm me.

If your dealing with Kijiji they are all like that. I can not begin to count all the people that have stood me up on a sale from Kijiji. Saying they will take it or are coming to look at it and never show. So I can understand first with cash is the winner. It doesn’t make it right though. I know it sounds like an old sale an tactic but I tell everyone that there are multiple people coming to look at it at “x” time and first with cash takes it home.

Just drove a buddy
 

That’s today’s mentality for you. Completely different than in my grandpas day.

Edmonton had nothing to do with a ****ty guy not holding the vehicle when he damn well knew you guys were coming for it.

Well, it has happened to me several times in Edmonton.

Not a single time anywhere else.

Sorry if I offended you, did your family settle it or name it or something? Strange thing to take personallly

I’m not so sure It’s an Edmonton thing but more of a 21st century I don’t give a crap about anyone but me thing . It works both ways , people promise to show up and the never do , people say they will wait but they don’t.

I still try to give people the benefit of the doubt but have been bitten many times because of it.

You're telling me. I had cash in hand and took a day off work that was agreed upon to meet up. Had my eye on a 24v cummins that looked immaculate in the pictures.

Sitting around all day and no phone call or even return on text messages.

Same here. I've driven for hours only to be told what I came for was sold, even after I was assured it would be held at least until I saw it.
And none of those were in Edmonton.

Because of that I never travel to see one item. I will go if I can find several in the general vicinity but never for just one.

As for Edmonton I have a lot of good experiences there. The AO members I have met from there are all great people. The businesses I've dealt with were a mix of good and bad like businesses anywhere.

And you know what, I have been guilty of not showing. A while back I promised an AO member I'd give him my ice pick. It never worked out.
I haven't forgot, I just can't seem to make it happen.

A sixteen hour drive to give something away is no small deal for someone my age. It's a huge expense if I can't work it into a business trip.

Last time I did something like that the recipient got mad because I left his free gift in a place he didn't like. After he gave me the run around for two days. And that after he had the stuff in hand.

“There's no integrity in Edmonton”

My grandfather, father and I, and my two brothers, and my son were born here.

We would all say you’re wrong.

just saying
 

:scared0018:you hate it until your next trip to Edmonton life is good :):)

I had conversations with a guy about a dirt bike, even put a deposit on it (which could be a really stupid move in this day and age, but it hammered home that I was serious). Tells me the next day he sold it to someone else lol. Nevermind a mans word being worthless, but even making it a contract with a deposit doesn't help!

I got my deposit back and a week later found a 4 year newer pristine one for just a bit more, so it all worked out in the end. Just can't believe how some people operate now though, whether it's buying/selling, dating, or marriage. Is the Internet destroying us?

Ken


Sorry to hear that. For years I made a lot of deals on a handshake, some for VERY large dollars. Today, there are a limited few I would do a handshake deal with. I have sold stuff on Kijiji, and other sale sites that don't have trader ratings or any kind of screening; I have had a lot of people who have called, said they were coming, never showed up, others say on my way with the cash, never showed up, even had a couple of instances where they show up, check out the goods, say I will be right back with the cash and never came back. I have also had a large number of deals that went perfect. I do however tell anyone that calls, first person with cash in my hand gets the item because I have never got good enough at telling on the phone who will actually show up and who won't. I have no intention of missing a sale waiting for someone I have never met to maybe show up. I will sometimes make exceptions for people from a long ways out of town but in those cases I want at least 10% deposits by way of EMT. They don't show up on time, deposit is forfeit.


The unfortunate truth is most peoples' word means nothing and the idea of consideration and respect for another person's time and effort just doesn't exist much. It is why I much prefer to deal with AO and CGN folks, at least there you can get a sense of who they are as well as their trader rating.

If I go a year without touching a tire there life is good. The best thing about Edmonton is seeing it in my rearview mirror.
Trouble is it has certain goodd and services not available where I am.

Problem is people....just some people....not where they live etc.....periodically they pop up:(

Couldn't say, haven't dealt with you. But if you insist, I am willing to say I believe you.

Hilarious how people take this personally. I mean it is like you coined the phrase Edmonton. Built it from the ground up, had something to do with planning and build.

I do admit it is wrong to say there is zero integrity, sorry, but 3 of 3 cash in hand deals were dirty or sketchy. That's 100%.

It’s not the town
It’s the people nowadays
Same in sasky

It's all cities. It's so easy to spot. Out in the country driving on the highway to or from a city for the most part it is relaxed. Most within 15kph of the speed limit, people generally obeying laws.
But get within 30km of Edmonton and you see elbows thrown out. Non stop lane changes, people pass you on the left then immediately swing back in just to turn rigjt off the highway lol
You can see the aggression grow the closer you get.

Except for the Edmonton hating part, I found the 'adventure venting post' a good read as it was indeed
an exhaustive amount of energy & time that was wasted & expelled. I have nothing
but good things to report on all of my Kijijji dealings,
including getting 'within30kms of Edm city limits' boundry as I approached city
limits. It's interesting to hear someone else's perspective.
Your flaming comment is completely about something else going on to bring drama toward Ken, imo of course.

Don't let the negative nelly's deter your adventure postings Ken, there are those on AO that enjoy the thread !!
Other's just like to stir with their self righteousness.

I find Kijiji a bit of a **** show here in Edmonton too. More with buyers than sellers. For some reason people message you and say they're coming over and never do... I don't get it. With that in mind I usually tell everyone the same thing - first person to arrive gets it.

Obviously, if someone was coming from out of town and said they're coming in I'd hold onto it for them, but usually that's for high dollar stuff and the antecedent dialogue gives you a good idea if they're genuinely interested.

People say facebook marketplace is better, but I haven't tried it.

I was selling my truck and had a couple guys come to look and test drive but not commit. Third guy comes and says he wants it but will not have the cash untill the end of the week. I said to him I was not going to hold it without a deposit, which he was fine with so give me $150 and says will be back on the weekend. I hear nothing from him all week, first 2 guys both call me back and say they want it and will pick it up now but I say "sorry it is tentatively sold". Thursday comes and I have heard nothing about pick up from deposit guy. I call him friday night and he says "oh sorry I am not going to be able to do it, can I have my deposit back". Told him no, lost out on the sale twice because of you and wasted my time. He wasn't happy. Call back the first 2 guys, both have already bought other vehicles.

Lessons learned. No holds, first person to put cash in hand wins. It sucks that you had to come out of town and lost out because of it, but sellers get just as much run around from buyers as buyers get from sellers. So many people say they are coming then never do. You don't want to be a landlord trying to rent out a place, it's 10 times worse!!!

I find the same, have really pretty much given up on kijidiots.

Fb marketplace is where it is at.

With both I offer my phone number and ask for theirs. I can get a far better read on someone on the phone than in text. If they won't talk I keep looking.

Above anything else someone being honest means the most. If I am on the road after speaking to someone, if they say 'you have until x-o-clock and it is yours I am there before my time. I give the same courtesy if someone is on the road to me. It's easy. 'Someone else is coming first' doesn't mean it is a race, it means a phone call if sold or still available speaks volumes.

Yeah I'd say that's a pretty reasonable (and expected) way to go about it. It still surprises me that people are such turds.

I'm not sure what else a guy can do.
Aside from throwing hundred dollar bills in the air and hoping not to get ripped off or swindled it falls back on whether or not the guy on the other end of the phone is fos or a good guy.

Kind of a similarity to the above, 20yrs ago had a guy drive into yard, asked if I would sell my Camaro
(wasn't even listed for sale). He obviously really wanted it, so i gave him my price ($700), which was a
steal for an Iroc, mint interior/good stereo, no rust/easily a $2000 car. He looks it over intentively
burning up an hr of time, but I saw passion in his eyes of wanting it more than me, but then he turns and
spews out his ugliness: "it's to much" and leaves. Me, 'highly annoyed'(putting it mild).

Fast forward/over 2 weeks later, knock at the door, there he is again:
Him: "I'll take it".
Me: "Price is double"
Him: "Why"
Me: "It's my 'dumb tax' on a awesome deal passed by"
Him: (face turns a shade of red, then laughs) "ok, sounds good" & car gone within 20mins.

I have had similar dealings with people that get rude or pushy and I just tell them ,yes it is still for sale but not to you.

Great story
 

:) I love it (best part "It's my 'dumb tax')

I'm in this quandary myself. I am in GP, there are a couple of side by sides in Edmonton that I am interested in but don't want to drag my trailer all the way there to find out they are sold. It is a chance you take I guess.

Tri777 Love that story. Brought a big smile to my face. There are guys I have told I won't deal with them because theey act shady or like buttwads but never thought of doing a dumb tax.


To those of you shopping from far out of town, have you given thought to using local guys from here on AO to help. Sort of like the pony express threads. I know I have more than once gone and looked at guns, vehicles and a raft of other things and even bought some stuff for other AO members, who then picked them up or I mailed the stuff to them. I have also had a few guys come to town to pick up vehicles. They flew in and I picked them up at the airport, took them to the dealer, they bought and drove it home. A lot cheaper than driving two vehicles down and back and many don't have a second driver. Used to do the same idea for guys that wanted to put in at Clayhurst and pickup at Dunvegan, when I lived in GP. I would imagine there are quite a few guys that would be willing to offer some help if asked.

Lean on your AO buddies. I would bet there is someone there would do it for you, even maybe pick up for you and hold. I have done that many times for guys from here on stuff in Lloydminster, Vermilion, Wainwright etc. I have checked out vehicles, given opinions on them, whatever I can do to help and would bet others would do the same for you. Shopping with someone else's money is always fun!!! :sHa_shakeshout:

If I was in Edmonton at the right time I would do it for you.

edit- Dean beat me to it. Can't get up early enough to be ahead of that guy!

funny story- I was on the RB auction sale in GP last year and bought this very nice F150. 'runs drives all checked out'.

Got there paid, insured and plated and jumped in headed to town for fuel. The first stop sign and corner there was a thunk and a rattle. Hmmmm:thinking-006:
A couple more corners and the rear end was looking for daylight. I had heard of banana peels and sawdust in a diff, never saw it before.

I called RB who told me to come back so they could check it out. He got in this very nice blue xlt sport, drove 1/3rd of a circle and the rearend seized solid. :sHa_sarcasticlol:

'yep, can't argue with that, come into the office and we will reimburse you'.
Great guys to deal with.