Live and learn. Next time spell out all the terms. Not that its a guarentee that nothing will go amiss. If you're confident about finding a new buyer at your price I'd refund the money.
Sorry to hear, what a pain! If I were in your shoes, in the future I would only take a non-refundable deposit. This in itself may help weed out the difference between the serious and the tire kickers. Good luck!
Maybe I'm missing something, but a deposit is put in place to let the seller know you're serious. You back out, you lose the deposit period!!!! These ass clowns that want to write a deposit check, waste a bunch of your time while they decide and then ask for it back really get on my nerves. If this is the way it was supposed to work why not just call "first Dibs" and save the hassle of getting your check book out. I think you should just call "tough s&@t" and use the deposit money for a nice dinner for the time he's cost you. I deposit taken pending a mechanical issue is a different story but when you write a check asking the seller to hold the vehicle for you it's fair game!
Sadly, it sounds very much like what I just went through. Same drill and money returned. Absurd accusations. It should be clear that if a buyer is looking for a perfect new car, he should buy one. You have a very nice example and it should be in the hands of a real knowing new owner.
I think you said he accepted your price to take it off the market....then he backs out...and other potential buyers moved on since it was "off the market"....and now you are holding an unsold car...i would not refund deposit in that scenario (even though you are confident in selling). Beautiful car....GLWS
Its all part of selling cars. The deposit is to hold the car. Not to pay for the time spent with the seller. Id give the money back. I always give the deposit back when a deal falls through.
Geno, Sorry to hear about all that. You're in California and so the law there is "unusual". It looks like there between a car dealer and a buyer, a deposit is almost always refundable........ But if you are not a car dealer, just a guy selling his car, the $500 should be kept by you. It is payment for taking the car off the market as the buyer requested. If the deal had gone through, it would have been applied to the purchase price. Frankly, the buyer should be embarrassed to ask for the deposit back. He has cost you more than $500 in lost sales to a real buyer, and now the inconvenience of remarketing your car. Of course, buyers can be big babies. However, there is a bright side. Remember our earlier private messages? Now you can sell me one of those extra carb tops! Let me know and I'll send you the dollars for a carb top to fix my big DIY mistake from a few years back. I won't even call it a deposit, I'll man up and just buy it! Thanks, Jeff
Jeff, the car top is yours, my treat. PM me your address and I will ship it to you. Buy me a beer sometime and we'll call it even. The would-be buyer should be on here shortly to tarnish my creditability.......he veiled a threat do that Life is short, I am probably going to give the guy back his money, god knows I don't need my image tarnished
Everyone will remember that I sold my '84 308 QV here in 2 hours the first time it was listed. The buyer gave me a $2,000 deposit. After over 100 emails and transport already arranged he wasn't able to complete the purchase. He insisted that I keep the deposit and never asked for it back. In fact he may still buy the car when his situation improves in May. Never burn any bridges if you can avoid it but that deposit should be yours.
Mr. so and so shoud never have asked for the money back. Maybe he thought he was logged on to KiaChat.com $500 down might get him a decent used Kia. . Very nice car and nice write up/ description on the first page. Good luck in Lambo land.
Well, that 500 dollar may be yours by law (or how do you say that) and/or morally, the question is if the "buyer" will be backfiring on you for it in/with whatever action. The 500 dollar isn't that high an amount when it comes to damage or annoying actions in whatever way. Concerning your reputation: we don't know each other/I'm rather a newbie here, but I understand quite a few Fchatters know you in a (very) positive manner. Anyone who would be trying to tarnish you here: just let him/her try to do so and it will backfire on him/her. Also good luck with the sale, the market is "good", you have the right car for it, and it looks just (very) fine. And since you will be selling her only once, the price should/múst be right, read strong/high. If you would sell the car a bit below "market" to an aquaintance/fellow Fchatter/friend, the new owner for shure will be a lucky guy/girl !
Well done. For $500 you took the high road and played it liked a gentleman. In my experience when someone starts moaning about the price and tries to beat you down they are nothing but a cheap, PITA. Don't even talk to those people, nothing makes them happy. I'm sure you'll find the right buyer soon. Best of luck!
Hi Geno, I'm in Orange County and would like to chat with you but for some reason I can't PM you. Any suggestions?
This car is still for sale: After it came back from the major service, I couldn't help but enjoy it for a few weeks and question whether I really wanted to sell or not. I am going to sell the car, and if it doesnt sell here within a week its going to a local dealer. So, last chance here for Fchatters. Major service completed two weeks ago: Cam belts, bearings, cam pulley's, valve adjustment, carb adjust and sync, transaxle pan replace, shifter adjusted, passed CA smog, and other misc items ($11,000 total). Image Unavailable, Please Login
