Strange, interesting and funny stories buying and selling equipment

[CM1995]

I've been following the 303.5 mini-ex thread and thought I would post a sort of converse story about a T250 I sold around 10 years ago. Had a T250, S250 and 334 mini for sale at the same time.

CL add read - 2004 Bobcat T250 with 4K hours for $15K. Then there were 5-6 pics showing the condition of the tracks (poor) and bucket (poor).

I had used this machine in my building business and it was road hard and put up wet by many different operators. Open cab, no hydro quick-tach with concrete splatter. The price reflected the condition.

Guy calls interested and we meet. Upon discussing the machine I can tell this guy is the type of guy that has to get a better deal than advertised.

He asked multiple times - "Is that your best price?"
Me - "Yep the machine is priced to sell."
Buyer #1 - "Is that the only bucket you have? It's wore out."
Me - "That's the only bucket we have and yes the bottom is almost worn through."
Buyer #1 - "I don't think those tracks will make it through my first job."
Me - "Probably not. I am just hoping they last long enough to get on your trailer."
Buyer #1 again - "Are you sure that's your best price?"

At that time another gentlemen from North AL shows up to look at the T250 and the S250 I also had for sale.

Me to buyer #2 - "Are you interested in the machine?"
Buyer #2 - "I'll buy it as it sits."
Buyer #1 begrudgingly - "I'll take it".

Buyer #1 loads the T250 up as he had cash and buyer #2 bought the S250 after his wire cleared.

Here's the funny part Buyer #1 called me several times every time something went wrong with the machine. A year later the drive motor went out and he called wanting to let me know it went out. It was just a weird phone call like I was supposed to share the cost with him or something. Just a strange guy.

So I'm sure some of ya'll have some interesting stories both buying and selling used equipment from individuals.

 

[1693TA]

Having little to dampen, or stop that kind of chatter, it just readily flows in one ear and out the other. I typically set and price and it stays there, but I'm clear with that up front. Usually when someone starts berating anything I disengage, thank them for coming, and see them off usually with a comment like you've got time to reconsider, or something like that. Like you, I honestly represent anything, and explicitly offer my "Out of Sight Warranty". You know the one; Out of my sight and it's yours".

 

[BC Placer gold]

We briefly owned a grey market Hitachi 50urg. Bought it for 9k and (after some fix-up) had a sale lined up for 14k so feeling generous I agreed to deliver it to a location near Apex ski hill.

The purchaser was the operator of some kind of religious commune and had absolutely no experience on machinery…asked me to demo the machine. Ended up digging for a good 3 hours to expose damaged water lines…this was between 2 buildings with overhanging eaves and overhead low hanging lines (the whole place was really cobbled together) The only way to dig was by using the articulated ‘knuckle‘ boom/tracking and full crowd while swinging.

Seeing good progress he called over a member with a small Kubota tractor/loader. I proceeded to fill his bucket one scoop at a time lol! Finally I said ‘it’s getting dark I have to drive home!’

I gave him 3 new glow plugs for the Isuzu engine and a repair manual…he called me up several times over the next several months lol!

 

[Oxbow]

Kind of like horses, I tend to "buy high and keep them till they die"!

 

[Tyler d4c]

I sold a d5m to a guy in Texas who had got the money off another to buy it.
I made a bill of sale out and sent with the machine in the name on the check about 6 months later the buy sent me one in his name to sign for him witch I never did. And few weeks later I get a call from a fellow who turned out to be his cousin wanting to know how to disable it. He went nuts and leveled his paps house with it. He wound up doing about 90 days in jail. He got the dozer back and it appears he's using it. I'm sure glad that it happened far far away from me!

 

[oarwhat]

Sold an RV once to a guy that was 3 hours away. We talked on the phone and I found out he was a used car salesman. We agree on a price and I told him not one penny less. Shows up with the wife and kid and they all love it. He asked a few times can I go lower no, no and no. I could tell it was killing him he couldn't get a dollar off. Took him almost twenty minutes to take it.
I do have to say I'm the same way. LOL

 

[bam1968]

I had an experience of 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'

I had a cummins N14 engine that I wanted to sell 4 or 5 years ago. My son put it on FB Marketplace with pics and a video of it running IIRC he put a price of $8,000.00 firm. A couple days later a guy was coming from about 5 hours away. He showed up on a sunday afternoon. I specifically remember looking out to see a beat up half ton chevy pickup pull in that had definitely seen better days. He was pulling what looked like a half a$$ed homemade car trailer. My first thought was there is no way this guy has $800 much less $8,000. They had pulled up by the shop so I walked up there to find 2 guys in wearing wore out T shirts, sweatpants and sandels. I thought this is going to get real interesting real fast. They proceeded to look things over and said "we'll take it" and then pulled out a nice thick envelope of $100 bills and handed it to me and said "count it to make sure it's all there"..... It was all there. So we loaded up the motor, they tied it down and off they went. I remember thinking there is no way in hell I would have trusted that rig on a five hour drive. I was brought up not to judge people and don't for the most part but this deal was hard not to!!!

 

[Tyler d4c]

I had an experience of 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'

I had a cummins N14 engine that I wanted to sell 4 or 5 years ago. My son put it on FB Marketplace with pics and a video of it running IIRC he put a price of $8,000.00 firm. A couple days later a guy was coming from about 5 hours away. He showed up on a sunday afternoon. I specifically remember looking out to see a beat up half ton chevy pickup pull in that had definitely seen better days. He was pulling what looked like a half a$$ed homemade car trailer. My first thought was there is no way this guy has $800 much less $8,000. They had pulled up by the shop so I walked up there to find 2 guys in wearing wore out T shirts, sweatpants and sandels. I thought this is going to get real interesting real fast. They proceeded to look things over and said "we'll take it" and then pulled out a nice thick envelope of $100 bills and handed it to me and said "count it to make sure it's all there"..... It was all there. So we loaded up the motor, they tied it down and off they went. I remember thinking there is no way in hell I would have trusted that rig on a five hour drive. I was brought up not to judge people and don't for the most part but this deal was hard not to!!!

I sold a guy 2 300-6 ford's he showed up in a rated out f150 the bumper and tail hate where held on with ratchet straps... he made it out of the driveway with them in the bed. It was bad

 

[Welder Dave]

I've been following the 303.5 mini-ex thread and thought I would post a sort of converse story about a T250 I sold around 10 years ago. Had a T250, S250 and 334 mini for sale at the same time.

CL add read - 2004 Bobcat T250 with 4K hours for $15K. Then there were 5-6 pics showing the condition of the tracks (poor) and bucket (poor).

I had used this machine in my building business and it was road hard and put up wet by many different operators. Open cab, no hydro quick-tach with concrete splatter. The price reflected the condition.

Guy calls interested and we meet. Upon discussing the machine I can tell this guy is the type of guy that has to get a better deal than advertised.

He asked multiple times - "Is that your best price?"
Me - "Yep the machine is priced to sell."
Buyer #1 - "Is that the only bucket you have? It's wore out."
Me - "That's the only bucket we have and yes the bottom is almost worn through."
Buyer #1 - "I don't think those tracks will make it through my first job."
Me - "Probably not. I am just hoping they last long enough to get on your trailer."
Buyer #1 again - "Are you sure that's your best price?"

At that time another gentlemen from North AL shows up to look at the T250 and the S250 I also had for sale.

Me to buyer #2 - "Are you interested in the machine?"
Buyer #2 - "I'll buy it as it sits."
Buyer #1 begrudgingly - "I'll take it".

Buyer #1 loads the T250 up as he had cash and buyer #2 bought the S250 after his wire cleared.

Here's the funny part Buyer #1 called me several times every time something went wrong with the machine. A year later the drive motor went out and he called wanting to let me know it went out. It was just a weird phone call like I was supposed to share the cost with him or something. Just a strange guy.

So I'm sure some of ya'll have some interesting stories both buying and selling used equipment from individuals.

Sounds much like Dmillers sale of his AC track loader. Buyer didn't want a manual, he wanted it to come with a lifetime service and repair agreement.

 

[CM1995]

Sold an RV once to a guy that was 3 hours away. We talked on the phone and I found out he was a used car salesman. We agree on a price and I told him not one penny less. Shows up with the wife and kid and they all love it. He asked a few times can I go lower no, no and no. I could tell it was killing him he couldn't get a dollar off. Took him almost twenty minutes to take it.
I do have to say I'm the same way. LOL

That was this guy. Once I could tell he really wanted the machine at the price but desperately wanted to beat me down or at least get a 13th donut, I was determined to watch him to twist and contort. Buyer #2 showing up was icing on the cake.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

I got some free Dodge 3500 06' with Cummins 4x4 truck that was rusted out from saltwater incursions on putting a commercial bow picker in the strait every season and pulling it out. Anywho transmission was slipping, saltwater even got in the cab to the point the frame was showing on the seat and was flaking rust. The rear axle cover rusted out so bad I had to replace it for the previous owner before I got it, had saltwater in it, don't ask about any rear brakes.
Sold that for $3000 and bottle of bourbon, the buyer was a minor I came to find out he had to get his friends to buy it.

 

[OzDozer]

My first lowbed trailer I purchased in 1967 was a cut-down 1944 Trailmobile DT4, like the one in the WW2 photo below.
It had been sliced down the centre after the War to bring it down from the 9' 6" original width to a legal 8' 0" width.
On top of that, the single row of 8 wheels had been reworked into a standard setup of two axles with duals each end - by cutting all the original axles close to their hubs, and inserting and welding in, two pieces of heavy tubing.
There was no suspension, it was simply two axles pivoting on two solid pivoting castings.

This old rig served me pretty well until 1974, when I was able to purchase a brand new tandem, drop-bed, over-the-back loading, low-loader trailer.

The old Trailmobile got relegated to the scrap yard at the rear of my 5 acre lot in the Wheatbelt, and it sat there unloved and unwanted for about 12 or 13 years. Scrap metal was worth nothing, so it wasn't even worth cutting it up.
I moved away from the property and moved up to the W.A. Goldfields for work - and then one day, I got a call out of the blue. It was a contractor from the Wheatbelt who had spotted the old Trailmobile lying derelict in my yard. He wanted to buy it.

I met him in the yard and he told me how he'd bought a D7E and how he wanted a bigger trailer to haul it around.
I told him the Trailmobile wasn't legal with a D7E, and it was partly because of this, that I had bought a new trailer to haul my D7F's.
It was basically too heavy, it still weighed 8 tons, and the braking components were impossible to find after so long, so there was a huge amount of work required to even make it roadworthy.

He was quite keen on it, and said he'd simply put another axle under it, to make it legal! I was quite amazed at him wanting to do this, with what I regarded as a totally obsolete, chopped-up, scrap trailer, with a long and dubious and hard-worked, 40+ year history!!

However, I did know he was a good engineer and had a good workshop. He carried out local engineering and fabrication work, as well as being a contractor.
So we cut a deal for basically a little over scrap value (I can't even recall what he paid for it, it's so long ago now), and he came and picked it up, and took it away.

About 12 mths later I caught up with him, and examined the work he'd done on the old Trailmobile. It was quite amazing what he'd done.
He'd made a beautiful job of installing a 3rd axle in front of the other two axles, and had totally reworked all the braking system and suspension to make it all legal - and he'd got it re-registered for road use, and was hauling his D7E around on it!

However, he told me he'd had an accident with it, too! He was heading East on a good wide gravel road that contained a couple of big sweeping curves - and as he rounded a RH curve, a local hare-brained accountant came around the curve from the other direction, in a hot little Toyota coupe - doing about 80mph! - and this guy had slid across the curve, to his side of the road, and the Toyota had slammed straight into the leading axle of the Trailmobile - that he'd only recently installed!!

He said the crash sheared the entire RHF corner off the hot little Toyota, from near the centre of the grille, through to the drivers door pillar!

He told me the crash had left the Toyota drivers feet hanging out in space!! - everything in front of his feet, and half the engine on his side, was gone!! - but the Toyota driver was basically only lightly injured!

The Trailmobile owner said the crash bent the axle he'd only just installed, and he had to take the trailer back to his workshop, and set about rebuilding it all over again!!

But the insurance company paid for it, so that helped. And he'd made an excellent job of bringing it all back to good operating condition again!

This guy used that trailer up until he retired about 2010. He died about 10 years ago I think, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that old Trailmobile still parked up in his sons yard, where he has a big collection of old machinery!

 

[JD955SC]

Dad always told me you sell for “as is” full cash price and never entertain payments or repairs/help after the sale.

 

[oarwhat]

We had an old very rusty Oshkosh salter with a front plow and wing. A guy call from 5 hours away and wants to drive it home. I told him no way I'd do it but he was determined. It's summer and he takes off with the wing sticking out of the salter. Calls me twenty minutes later. He got pulled over two blocks away for switched plates and no registration. Again I tell him just have it trucked. Nope he'll be back. Next trip he calls and says he made two hours then the drive shaft broke and tore out the transfer case mounts. The driveshaft was all rusted from the salt.

 

[Old Doug]

As most of you know my Dad bought and sold every thing one thing i learned from him was to price everything a little higher than what you want for it so the buyer can get you down on the price a little. The funniest thing i had happen when buying a old pickup . I wanted it and would have payed what they wanted but wasnt exactly sure how much cash i had on me but i knew i had ex amount . I told the seller a woman i would give $$ . She said its going to be advertised next week they would just hold off. I turned around and pulled my cash out to count it to see if i had what they wanted . She went to her son "He has cash should we take it? " He said yes. Most of the time if its what i want i will give what they are asking.

 

[mowingman]

I have a lot of funny stories about buying and selling stuff, and some that are not funny. However, one happened fairly recently and had a great outcome. About 2 years ago, we relocated from Texas to a new retirement location in SE Ohio. We had a one year old 35' fifth wheel and a one year old F350 pickup for pulling it. The pickup was 4x4, diesel, and loaded. After settling in, we decided our camping days were probably over and I figured we would be lucky to recover 50% of our money when we sold the RV and truck. Out son, down in Texas put the trailer on Facebook marketplace, and we waited to see if we got any response. Just a few days later a guy called and said that was exactly the RV he and his wife were looking for,but did not want to pay new price for one. They thought ours was reasonable in price, and wanted to fly down and look at it. He said they needed to understand that it was with us in Ohio, and no longer in Texas. They said they were in Ohio, where is it?. We turned out being only about 60 miles from them. They came to look it over and bought it on the spot.
Now for the rest of the story: The guy looked at my pickup and asked what I would charge to deliver it to his place. He said he was still shopping for a truck and could not find a heavy spec F250 or F350 anywhere throughout Ohio, that was what he wanted. He loved our truck. I told him the truck was for sale also since the trailer was now sold. He told me to give him a price. I priced it at the same price I paid for it a year before. He said he would take it, along with the RV at my price. A week later, we had the money in the bank and they were headed home with an almost new RV and pickup. Due to insane price increases, I had sold the truck and the RV for exactly for what I had paid for them.
I don't think I have ever come out so good selling anything. The Lord was definitely involved in this deal.

 

[farmerlund]

Friend of mine was selling a snomobile around the mid 90's, Not many cell phones around in those days. We agreed to meet at a bar parking lot in Fargo.

While we were talking to the original buyer a random guy pulled up and asked if we were selling that machine. We said yes but first guy has the first chance. So the second guy just stood there and waited. lol.

I am prety sure the 1st guy thought it was set up. It wasn't, but it really made it hard to negotiate the price for the first buyer. He just paid what we were asking. I always thought we should have had a mini auction.

 

[Welder Dave]

With a buyers premium!

 

[cfherrman]

What's a heavy spec f250 or f350?

 

[1693TA]

Used to be anything with a GVW over 8600# was a "heavy spec" pickup truck, and had full floating hubs. There were several of all brands that were 3/4ton rated but slightly below that. Most of the lighter trucks did not have the full floating rear axle hubs but were more like rear wheel drive autos and 1/2 ton trucks used being a semi floating axle setup.