[sirdaft1]

BIMMERPOST / Classifieds

Asking Price:

None

Item Interest

Another forum member was asking for advice on buying or selling on the forums. I've completed hundreds of transactions between various forums, Craigslist and eBay; many of which were successful transactions and a few that were train wrecks. So to help you cover your ass, I figured it'd be helpful to share a few guidelines I follow when conducting business on here. Please feel free to contribute any tips you may follow as well.

- As a buyer ask for every imaginable detail so you are sure that every expectation of yours will be met. Always pay for an item you have not seen in person via PayPal (No wire transfers, no Chase QuickPay, no Western Union). NEVER send payment as a gift via PayPal even if the seller adds the 3% fee to the total cost. Consider that 3% your insurance. It is WELL worth it. Trust me.

- As a seller, provide every imaginable detail and pictures of the item for sale so there are no surprises. And ALWAYS purchase shipping insurance. If the item arrives broken or is lost in the mail, this is the sellers liability 99% of the time.

- Use your intuition. I've found that I stay far away from sellers (and sometimes buyers) that have poor communication or poor grammar. That's almost always been a recipe for bad bad news. On the contrary, some of the best sellers I've purchased from sound educated, provide lots of photos and will address anticipated questions or concerns up front; either in their for sale post or in private communications.

- Lastly, post count helps. If the seller has a strong and consistent reputation on the forums, that may equate to less risk. But do they have 5 total posts, all of which bump their one for sale thread for a rare Competition Kevlar/Carbon Fiber CSL trunk that they have listed for $2,000? Yellow flag. If in doubt, it never hurts to do your own due diligence. Pull up the sellers past forum posts. Search their username via Google. It may unearth a link to another forum, their Facebook profile, etc. You're looking for any additional context to legitimize the seller.

And good luck buying/selling! Always happy to be a resource for the community.

[sirdaft1]

Figured this could use a bump.

[gerryE90]

[sirdaft1]

Bump

[sirdaft1]

Bump

[tshoww]

One would think this is common sense

What's better saving 3% off let's say $1000 aka $30 and losing all $1000

Or

Paying 3% of $1000 aka $30 and being protected if the seller is a low life scammer

Thanks for the post op, rep'd

[sirdaft1]

Bump

[sirdaft1]

Brought to my attention that there are a few scammers gracing these forums as we speak.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1224432

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1224655

Aside from the obviously scammy request to send via Western Union (RED RED FLAG). This is also a brand new user with NO post or iTrader feedback sending individual PM's. The red flags on this one are glaring. Remember, ONLY do transactions via PayPal for an item you have not seen in person. NEVER use Western Union or deposit cash directly in their bank account. There are no repercussions with the later when you are inevitably scammed.

On the contrary, if you're contacted via PM by a Nigerian Prince with 1,00000,000 USD he would like to transfer to your account. It's probably legit lol

[jskin1510]

Good advice. I've had a decent amount of transactions through the same places, tried to the above as well. Had a shitty scenerio trying to sell my E46, that I learned from... Drover 1 hr 45 mins away in my car (with someone following me to bring me back) to show/deliver my car get there, dude looks at it and on our way to the bank to make the transfer of $ tells me he's a "broker" and a "buyer" will be there in 5 mins to look at the car. SMH.

This "broker" basically told this "buyer" a price $200 higher than mine, got us both to meet to try to make a cut for "facilitating" (lying about whose car it was) this deal.

Turns out the dude wasn't interested (probably seemed sketchy from his point of view, I don't blame him, "broker" tried to start the car and it didn't start because he didn't push the clutch in). I ended up not selling it and had waste a half day off work driving too and from with two cars.

I thought I asked all the right questions but was a little desperate to sell the car so figured I'd bite the bullet and drive that distance "if that's what it takes to get it done" was my thought process.

In hindsight, I could have asked for a $100 or $200 deposit through paypal or some reliable source before driving down there. If it's a legit deal try to think outside the box to weed out people who aren't serious or to get a better idea if someone is trying to pull some Shady stuff.

[sirdaft1]

Bump. Apparently the scamming continues...

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1247671

[sirdaft1]

Bump

[sirdaft1]

Sounds like the scammers still can't get a clue.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1412073

Western Union is red flag #19809834 used by scammers. I can say that in the dozens (err.. hundreds??) of private party online sales/purchases I've made, not ONCE has Western Union ever been used.

[Bmwboy01]

Most ask zelle or Venmo, and the locals won’t meet to allow pick up.

[e91n52power]

Best for both sides of transaction is PayPal from my experience.

[Serf27]

“Half now and half when I send the part so you know it’s legit”

Sounds good but don’t do it!
No one selling parts is willing to do that.