Earlier this week we asked readers to share the biggest red flags to avoid on car listings. Deception was the general theme from the responses in the comments section. Naturally, no one wants to feel like they’re being deceived when they’re looking for a used car. Obnoxious sellers were a close second, but without further ado, here are the biggest red flags on car listings:
“no lowballers, I know what I have”
Yeah, whoever is selling the car is an asshole whom my life will be richer for never dealing with. No car is ever gonna be worth that hassle.
Submitted by: skeffles
I haven’t purchased a car from a private seller in over 20 years but I tend to browse a lot. Wealth-signaling vanity shots where someone carefully arranges every “nice” thing they have into frame always gets under my skin and gives me the ick. Like, no way do I want to deal with that person and their ego.
Submitted by: Hankel_Wankel
“A/C needs a re-charge” = “Add another $1000 to replace the A/C compressor, lines, condenser and everything else related to the system.”
Submitted by: Serolf Divad
Taking pictures and omitting certain sections of the car, or just taking really bad pictures. If you don’t show any pictures of the interior, or you crop out the bumper, I am going to assume there’s a real good reason you don’t want me to see those. If you take a haphazard snapshot with grease on the lens and the hood ajar, I am going to assume you’ve given the same level of haphazard care to the car.
Submitted by: Stephen
This shit. Bonus warning for those that do this in a couple pics but at least one clearly shows the plate. If you are this dense, I don’t want to give you money.
Submitted by: dustynnguyendood
came here to say this - “License Plate Thumb” - hard nope
Submitted by: Ricky Sunnyvale
Ran when parked.
Does it run now? No? Then why are you asking for running car prices for your lawn ornament?
Submitted by: Half Man Half Bear Half Pig
Ran when parked, yeah, sure. Every car ran at one point. What do they want, a participation trophy. All I want to know is can I drive it away right now or do I have to bring a flatbed for it.
Submitted by: skeffles
Modifications of any form.
Lowered car? Pass, it will need to be redone right for street use.
Cold Air Intake? Pass, the driver likely ran it hard and put it away wet.
Pep Boys interior parts? Double pass on principal.
Giant Subwoofer? Likely wired by a drunk chimp.
I guess once in a blue moon, someone takes a car I like and does modifications that I find are tasteful and puts it on the market....
And charges what it would cost to do the modifications, parts, labor AND profit....
Sigh... pass
Submitted by: hoser68
“In great condition, just needs. . . *lists a dozen weekend projects* . . . parts are in the trunk, easy fix, just haven’t had time to install them.”
If your caveats are in the form of a list, it’s not in great condition. If the fixes are so easy, you would’ve done them and asked thousands more for the car. Either it’s a basketcase, or you’re a terrible mechanic. In either scenario it’ll probably take 10x the stated work to actually fix.
Submitted by: Garland - Last Top Comment on Splinter
“Just needs.” There’s no such thing as just needs. If it just needs a $300 freon charge do it and ask for $500 more. But you know it’s not that. It needs a $1,500 in compressor/clutch/lines work. If it just needs an O2 sensor to pass inspection, buy the $50 thing and put it in. But you know it’s not that. It needs $1800 worth of catalytic converters. Just needs pads? Sounds like someone who hasn’t done rotors and calipers in years. Just needs a cleaning? What else have you ignored for the last 60,000 miles. If I see “just needs” in the listing its an automatic out.
Submitted by: Kerberos824
A photo of the car that is not of the actual car.
A friend of mine from the local Buick club found an ad where HIS 1967 Riviera (a very nicely restored example. BTW) was the lead photo.
Scrolling down a bit showed several pics of a not-so-nice Riv and at the very bottom a statement along the lines of “Top photo for attention only, this is what the car COULD look like with a little TLC.”
My friend contacted the seller, threatened legal action, and the photo of his Riv was removed from the ad later that afternoon.
I have also come across ads where the lead photo was obviously from a dealer’s ad with the background photoshopped out.
Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I
Biggest red flag BY A MILE.....
When I see a car pictured with a dealer temp tag on it. In my state, the expiration date is VERY plainly visible, and this tactic tells me two distinct possibilities -
1. You bought it, and you can’t afford it, so you’re trying to unload it before the first payment comes due.
2. Since the car in question is usually something like a 2012 Hyundai Elantra, the real fact is that the dealer fucked you with a dick big enough for an elephant to feel it because the car is such a piece of crap you won’t even wait for the plates to come in the mail to unload it.
Submitted by: Mod Motor Guy
When the owner is too lazy, too whatever to spiff up his wheels. A filthy carpet, fogged headlights, struts that no longer hold up the hatch—if the owner can’t be bothered to address the obvious issues with his vehicle, what’s wrong with the rest of the turdmobile? Oil last changed 15,000 miles ago? Last time the grease fittings got new shots of grease was when Obama was prez?
If he can’t make any attempt to make his wheels shine, I’d balk and walk because the rest of the vehicle is bound to be a nightmare.
Submitted by: the1969DodgeChargerFan