Jeez! Some of you guys! At least I get to use the throttle & brake, turn signals, etc. I admit, it's only by command, but what the hey? It's better than nothin'.

very nice Barth - I would drive it anywhere (let Marvin watch that in motion satelite) Doris

I received this PM and felt that the response was something that might benefit more people who feel the same way.

quote:

Good morning Bill,
Thanks for kind of "going to bat" for the Regency seller. I sometimes wonder why anybody would advertise their Barth for sale on the site the way some of the guys go after them. For a bunch of guys who think Barths are the greatest (and I'm one of them) I wonder why there is always so much chatter faulting guys trying to get a good dollar out of their Barths. As we know the market will decide. I appreciate your gentle guidance of the demeanor of the site, its what sets it above and apart from the rest. Sorry to vent. Have a great day!

I agree 100% with your statement. But, I also appreciate someone opening up our eyes to a potential problem. No one here said anything wrong as the general tenor was one of "Watch out & keep your eyes open". You'll need to be the judge on what way to approach each situation.

Some people are "Vipers" that have no redeeming qualities, others are clueless at selling something and might not know how to list an item. We all saw how Steve S got his 1970 Barth out of a time capsule for a cheap dollar because the seller couldn't take a photo to save his life. Does anyone remember some of the quotes when it was first listed on ebay?



In this case, I saw a gentlemen who wanted to be honest with why he was selling his coach. He might even have listed it with a little levity in his selling spiel.

After requesting photos and getting his emails I saw a very nice Barth that looks like it would be a very serviceable unit for anyone here. I then called him and felt that my initial gut feeling was probably correct.

I've sold several vehicles on Ebay with a starting bid of 1 dollar and have been accused of forcing the price up, through underhanded bidding or having friends bid to get a better price. I am offended by such accusations as I WOULD NEVER DO THAT but I can see where some people would be skeptical, so I pay it no mind. Why should I? I honestly don't care because I truly do want to see what the market will bear for said item. Why else would I start bidding at $1 with no reserve?

Being skeptical is a good thing that helps keep us from being taken advantage of. Being cynical of all things can also keep one from seeing a potential good/great deal.

We would all like to receive a high dollar amount when selling our coaches, likewise we would like to get a great deal when buying it too.

This gentleman's attempt to sell his coach I found to be a little humorous and homespun. When I talked to him, his charm and willingness to go out to his coach gave me further reasons to feel good about him as a seller.

Do your homework, check things out, be skeptical but don't close off discussions because of wording in an ad. If, after a phone call or 2 you still get a bad vibe, then move along. There are other coaches out there, Barths or other Brands, that will eventually come along.

We've had discussions like this in the past where someone wants me to censor a post or to have me tell someone else to cool it in their replies. I try not to be the censor as most here are truly trying to help someone be realistic in their expectations. Keep posting as you see fit, but be mindful of the fact that it is truly a small world and with the reach we have here for Barths, it's only a matter of time before the new owners, or the ones selling said coach, stumble on to your post.

Now, if the guy is trying to sell you a coach like The Congress & Senate passes certain laws, then run like "The Devil" was after you.

Thanks for the heads up on this from several of you; yes, I have been in contact with this seller for a few months, and we have talked of swap scenarios. Like Bill NY, I have thought he was sincere from the start, and he and I have tried to set up an appt to meet each others' coaches. fwiw, I thought the thread was meant to be humorous rather than critical: my beloved never drove our breakaway nor our PW. Altho to quote Lyle Lovett, "the preacher asked her, and she said 'I do'; the preacher asked me, and she said 'he does too'; the preacher said, 'I pronounce you, 99 to life'..."

quote:

We've had discussions like this in the past where someone wants me to censor a post or to have me tell someone else to cool it in their replies. I try not to be the censor as most here are truly trying to help someone be realistic in their expectations. Keep posting as you see fit, but be mindful of the fact that it is truly a small world and with the reach we have here for Barths, it's only a matter of time before the new owners, or the ones selling said coach, stumble on to your post.

Keep doing what you do Bill, it works!

For my part in commenting on said gentleman's ad, I certainly meant no harm and can appreciate the comments that he is a sincere and honest seller. In reflecting back I can see where it is a distinctly different scenario commenting on someone's "third party" ad versus seeing the ad posted directly from the individual and then responding to them conversationally. I, for one, will be more careful that I don't offend in these situations in the future and extend an apology if the gentleman does see my post as offensive.

On the other hand, I love the banter and humor that ensues and have never seen it to be with true malice on BM - as is found on so many other sites of this genre. I think it is important to have a thick skin when selling on-line and a suspicious mind when buying.

Even though I'm going to turn up my self-sensor meter, I really think there is a tremendous public service done in making people aware that there are both unscrupulous sellers and unaware/uneducated sellers in droves out there. I'm not sure which are more dangerous, but the buyer must carry the responsibility of "caveat emptor". I'm sure I have saved tens of thousands of dollars by doing on-line research prior to making a very bad or uninformed purchase.

Just last week, in fact, I saw a CraigsList ad for stone tile that was left over from a job. The seller posted the value was $600 and he'd let it go for $300. On my way to pick it up I went to Lowes to get grout and priced the same tile at $180! I got it at Lowes, of course. Called the guy to tell him and he said he must have paid too much then. Who knows? Glad I checked!!