Now I Remember Why I Hate Trying to Sell a Car

Selling a car can be a pain in the butt.  Not as stressful as buying/selling a house, but it's typically the next most expensive thing we seem to own and selling one is such a headache.

We recently listed our 2012 vehicle for sale.  Nobody seems to read the newspaper anymore so we are sort of forced to list it online as putting a sign on it will reach no-one (we live at the far end of a cul-de-sac).  Back in Maine we had more options aside from just Craigslist, we had the fabulous Uncle Henry's Swap/Sell Guide - best place to find the weirdest things.  So we cleaned her up, took some nice pictures, and then put together the most comprehensive description and put her out there on Craiglist in hopes someone would want to snatch her up immediately.

It's been a while since we listed a car for sale that was worth anything.  So I had pleasantly forgotten about all the scammers from Nigeria that start to roll in when you list a vehicle for more than $20K.  Last time we did this it was a truck.  We were contacted by the usually scammer, suggesting they had a buyer and would send us a cashier's check for more than our asking price.  We were then supposed to cash the check and the extra funds were to be paid to an auto shipper of the buyers choice.  I knew it sounded fishy, so I declined the deal.  A week later an envelope arrived with a huge cashier's check, and nothing else.  Apparently their broken English not only made it difficult to speak the language, but also to understand the word "NO!".  Out of curiosity I took the check to the bank.  I knew it couldn't be legit, but it sure did look real.  My credit union dug around and ultimately called Bank of America (who was supposedly the creator of the check) and discovered that the color of the check (I think it was blue) was wrong for BOA as their cashier's checks are green.  So the gist of the scam is that they send you this check, you cash the check and send on the funds for the shipping (if you're trusting soul) which is around $3000-$5000, and then the check never clears the bank (because it was fake) and you are now out the $3-$5K.

Well now they've advanced their technology.  Now the scammers are still at it with the same old scam, but try to lure you in by saying they can pay you via paypal; as if this is a safer transaction.  There have to be a ton of marine biologists working on off-shore rigs (thus unable to come to pick up the vehicle) and a whole bunch of really generous engineers who are on business trips to Boston and wanting to purchase the vehicle for a relative out of the goodness of their heart.  Unfortunately, for them, I'm not a sucker.

First, nobody calls you up, after seeing your vehicle listed with every detail imaginable, and asks what condition the vehicle is in... and then takes you at your word.  Second, nobody tells you that they have a buyer for your vehicle that is willing to pay exactly your asking price and a few thousand on top of that to have it shipped to them (because this is not a classic car we're talking about, it's a mass produced 2012 Dodge Journey!).  Third, if you select the name "Gary" as your uber American name, you best be able to pronounce it!!!  Fourth, if they want you to make a transaction via paypal this whole thing is fraught with trouble - 1. Someone has to pay the transaction fee, right?  Well don't you think that would be a large amount if the money transferred to another person was over $20,000?  I sure do.  So the fee to wire funds directly to a bank account would be much less expensive and if you suggest this as the only option you'll entertain, you won't hear from them again.  2.  They are wanting you to make the transaction via paypal and asking as though this offers some sort of safe-guarding for this transaction.  IT DOESN'T!  Paypal doesn't protect purchases of vehicles made off of Ebay, and I'm sure if I continued digging deeper I'd find a notation that indicates it doesn't protect vehicle purchases made anywhere.

The most recent phone calls I've received were a recording saying they were interested in my "classic car" listed online.  Classic?  A 2012 Dodge?  What?   Ugh.  This whole ordeal is enough to make you never want to do anything but buy a vehicle and drive it into the ground so you only have to deal with buying from someone and then carting it off to the junkyard in the end.  Clearly these soulless @$$-clowns are making money off people somewhere, otherwise they would have moved onto a new scam, so if you're looking to sell a car, be on the lookout.

A day in the life of super mom

Yesterday was a busy busy day.  I spent the morning watching a friend's daughters.  Now typically when the kids play together there is a nice "honeymoon" period where they get along famously, and then after about 90 minutes they start acting like brothers and sisters - trying to kill each other (or at least seriously wound each other).  This was not the case yesterday.  My 5-year-old was off at school, and my 3-year-old and the two little ladies got along great, for a few hours!  I was able to finish my reading of research proposals so I could submit my final assignment for one of my grad classes.  The day was off to a great start.  We ate lunch, had a little down time, and ventured off to collect my oldest from school.  The youngest (who I will refer to as "G" from here on out) had a melt down in the school yard when we told him that it was too cold to stay and play on the playground - threw himself on the ground and had a fit.  We got in the car, and drove home so Daddy could get changed for a trip to the store for dress pants. 

It gets dark here pretty early, but the sky still had a little light to it.  We crossed the bridge, and I suddenly realized that I didn't see my headlights reflecting off the back of the car in front of us.  Now anyone who knows the trials and tribulations of our Chevy Trailblazer is aware that we have some electrical idiosyncracies.  It likes to lock itself with the keys and children inside.  It likes to turn off random lights, like the driver's side headlight or a brake-light.  Sometimes the passenger door loses electrical power so you can't roll the window down (or back up) and it won't unlock.  Anywhoo, so we pull over and realize that I can't see my headlights because they are both out!!  AHHH!  We opened the hood and I fiddled with the driver's side wires and the headlight came back on.  The passenger side light is blocked on the back by the air filter cover, and I had no screwdriver with me to move this.  Out of frustration I hit the headlight with my fist, and it came back on - seriously when does that ever work???  And we were off again, with headlights operational.

We got into Burlington, found some pants and shoes for Daddy at Ross - which I've never been in before, but happily discovered is sort of like TJ Maxx.  Found a dress for me to wear as well, which was hard since my "helpful" husband kept pulling out the most hideous options and suggesting I would look good in them.  Tried to find some shoes, but I have an issue with heals as I have a tendency to walk like a drag queen, and the higher the heel, the worse the strut becomes.  Left the store with clothes for the holiday party tonight.  On to the mall so the boys could deliver their wish lists to Santa.  My 5-year-old (who I will refer to as "P" from here on out) took just a moment to warm up to Santa and then was happy to let him know what he desired.  G just looked shell-shocked.  His eyes were huge and he kept looking at P and then nodding, but wouldn't say anything.  Picture time, and P was happy to smile because he was feeling good that Santa was going to deliver what he wanted.  But G looked like a zombie.  He just stared off into outer space.  I don't think he was even blinking!  He wasn't upset and crying, he really just looked a little creepy.  Santa pulled out a candy cane to entice him to smile, even unwrapped it and put it in G's mouth, but still no smile (or blinking).  Sweet pictures.  I was dying I was laughing so hard.

Headed home.  I changed into my new dress while Daddy tried on his dress clothes - because you know they always look horrible in the store dressing room as compared to your own bedroom.  P remarked that I looked beautiful - he's always good for an ego boost.  He then went on to let me know that at school that day two girls were kissing him!  They weren't even sneaky about it, like waiting until recess.  Nope, they were kissing on his face right in the classroom!  And so it begins.  I told him it's because he's so sweet and has those nice puffy kissers.  I'm just hoping he stays sweet and doesn't try to fashion himself as a little ladies man like his Daddy was.  :)