Craigslist Exchange Of The Week
Sometimes you deal with truly great folks who are a true pleasure to do business with. Then there’s that other creature that you can only find on Craigslist.
It had been a pretty good weekend for the most part at my little old car lot.
A 1998 Volvo V70 wagon with only 96,000 miles sold for $2300 to a long-time Volvo enthusiast whose son serves as an EMT here in my county.
We talked Volvos for a solid two hours straight and went through all the strengths, maladies, and frailties of the last pre-Ford era Volvo wagons. The opportunity to talk to someone who actually knows quite a bit about cars made that conversation a pure pleasure from beginning 'til end.
I buy weird stuff all the time. I'm known for it. In fact, that Volvo and two Smart cars were the only sales I had this weekend. Good cars. Great conversations. Everyone is happy. That's what life should be about.
But then I have to also deal with the lazy lying lowballers of the car business. Those folks who embody that slimy green stuff at the bottom of the barrel who make ridiculous offers to strangers they never met on cars they have never seen and have no intent to ever buy.
I had one guy who no-showed on the Volvo wagon earlier that day and, honestly, I can't recall ever talking to him. Just a couple of texts with no surprises as to the outcome.
Mr. No-Show wrote to me the following:
"I just wanted to let you know that because you were so impolite that we found another vehicle even though we had to drive farther to get it hope you sell yours maybe next time try being a little more polite."
This is what I wrote back.,,,
"You're mistaking me for someone who isn't laughing right now. It's obvious that you happen to be a very unkind man who has chosen to say unkind things about me. This is a scarring experience and I will never recover from it.
By the way, if you listened to more songs by Karen Carpenter, you wouldn't feel this way about people you never met. I forgive you. Wholeheartedly and unconditionally. Now please fuck off."
