Mods: Please lock.

[sjwaste]

You ended up doing the right thing. I'll give you a lot of credit for that, since so few people do these days. It's hard to change course, admit we were assholes, and make things right.

 

[UncleWai]

You are talking like around $50 difference, are you really that broke?
My god.

 

[Whisper]

wtf is up with this handshaking bullshit? I mean, in a business environment I would agree but this guy started low balling the op right out of the gate and the "agreement" was performed without him being able to do much research. I'm going to totally pull my hand out if I ever meet any of you in the future, in the course of any type of agreement, because it means you are my bitch.

Thing is, if he was worried he didn't have an opportunity to research it thoroughly, he could've just said that--"I'm not sure I can sell it for that price, lemme think about it a bit longer and I'll get back to you."

By actually shaking on it, he agreed to the terms. Technically he still doesn't have to sell it obviously, but I'd consider it a jerk move not to honor the agreement.

 

[arcenite]

Well, the bike I bought I had paid $260 for ('08 Scattante R-330) for it.

The market value for this bike is $350-$400, but I'd be content as long as I'm not losing any money.

how about $275?"... What?

You would've made $15, kept a friend, not looked like a douche, and not lied to ATOT and yourself about what you wanted out of this deal.

You fucked up.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

frankly im surprised you have friends at all based on you posting history

 

[Sluggo]

I would agree but this guy started low balling the op right out of the gate and

In what bizzare-O-land is 275 a lowball on 300?

150 would be a lowball, 200/225 is low and 250/275 is a perfectly reasonable offer for a 300 bicycle.

 

[SooperDave]

snip
He then goes on to explain how his wife doesn't want him to have an expensive bike, he's moving into a new apartment, he wants the bike to commute with, blah blah blah.
more snip
He then responds that I should honor my agreement, that he had to get his wife to agree to the bike, and that I shouldn't ruin his hopes.

Your "friend" is a pansy.

 

[slag]

You shook. By backing out, you are showing that you are not a man of your words. If you think a few dollars is worth more than your integrity, then go ahead and back out. But don't be surprised if your friend doesn't look as highly of you afterwards.

I agree completely with this. You agreed on the price and your handshake was the seal on the deal.

If you don't have your honor, you have nothing.

 

[slag]

WTF? "breach of contract"? It's a dam sub-$500 bike, not a $2000 motorcycle.

Your point? The dollar amount doesn't matter, an agreement is an agreement. The OP didnt tell the guy he would think about the offer and get back with him, he accepted the offer and they shook on it.

 

[Ricemarine]

You are talking like around $50 difference, are you really that broke?
My god.

Half a week's worth of work. I can live without $50, but it would be nice if the $50 could go towards something else.

In what bizzare-O-land is 275 a lowball on 300?

150 would be a lowball, 200/225 is low and 250/275 is a perfectly reasonable offer for a 300 bicycle.

I'm still not content with haggling when you're trying to help a friend by selling it low. What I expected was for him to say "Now that's a good deal. Done." Not, "Here are some scratches, and bad tires, can you go lower?" From now on, the next $300 bike (if I buy one) will have an initial offer of $350-$400 (market value). When doing business, they'll be treated just like other people I talk to on Craigslist. I should've held my ground here, but as stated in the OP, I'm still taken back by the fact he haggled anyways.

To sum up what I agreed to:
2x Michelin Lithion 2 tires, $50
Light kit, $15
U-lock with cable, $25

$330 - $50 - $15 - $25 = $240. I'd lose $20.

frankly im surprised you have friends at all based on you posting history

Frankly, I'm surprised too buddy. It must be that I'm trying to make things right, huh?

I agree completely with this. You agreed on the price and your handshake was the seal on the deal.

If you don't have your honor, you have nothing.

Once again, this whole verbal agreement thing was pretty new to me. I always considered a handshake to just be a handshake, and not what finalizes the deal. IMO, only when the goods are actually exchanged would the deal be finalized. But, not so supposedly. My honor is intact. My understanding of when an agreement is made and must be followed through was not clear to me.

The previous bike transaction I had was with a former classmate. I contacted her on a Thursday (CL), she said she could meet on Saturday, and 30 minutes before my appointment with her, she contacted me selling she sold the bike. I responded saying wtf, and she responded I shouldn't be, because CL is a first-come, first-serve.

The same day this whole thing occurred (OP), I had put on hold a laptop at Staples in the morning. The guy took my name, #, and said he'd have one on hold for me. When I got there in the evening, I learned the laptop was never reserved, and the model was now sold out all over the region. Breach of verbal agreement? Or is this "a totally different story?"

 

[OverVolt]

Your friend is an asshole by the way.

I'm good at bargaining, and waiting the right amount of time to get the most amount of money out of a deal, etc. The "Oh $300? but look at the scratches" is a bargaining technique, which is an asshole move to a friend.

It basically gives you free reign to be an asshole back. I don't know why he is playing such hardball over a bike. If he is really in that desperate of a need, he should be asking for a favor as a friend instead of trying to bilk on you on a deal,

 

[Itchrelief]

Just a nitpick, but the word you are probably looking for is haggling.

 

[Ricemarine]

Just a nitpick, but the word you are probably looking for is haggling.

Edited. Thanks.

 

[alkemyst]

You realize your 'values' are not real figures except what they are worth to you and those amounts are pretty inflated. It didn't help you paid a little more than the bike was worth at $260 a few weeks ago. It wasn't a rip off, but definitely a premium price on a bike that sold for around $500 4 years ago.

I sold a $1000 bike rig to a work associate that needed a bike for around $200 that had 2 years of easy use on it and only some trail work (a 1992/1993 Marin Bear Valley SE with lock/cable, some upgrades). Nothing but a few minor blemishes, no rust and new tires. That's the kind of deal you do for a friend...at 50% street cost you are not really doing any favors.

At the time I had it stored at my parents house...I had no room at my apartment. I regretted it a bit once I found some trails in my area and didn't have a bike nor could afford to replace the one I sold.

I finally came across the bike I really liked but was way out of my 'budget' for a casual pastime: 2010 Specialized Rockhopper Pro SL left over model for $750 ($1550 MSRP and sold typically for that price). Your bike ('08 Scattante R-330) was a $499 bike (sure the retail was $1000, but they never sold for that amount).

You got a very fair, if not a little higher than average amount for this.

 

[KLin]

/me adds OP to "do not trade" list.

 

[Ns1]

/me adds OP and OP's friend to "do not trade" list.

FTFY

 

[IcePickFreak]

Well good for honoring the deal. A handshake is a gentlemens agreement, sure you can back out but your "word" at that point just took a big plunge on it's worth. When he offered the lower price and you were thinking you already offered him a low price, right then and there you could have said "Bro, it's a $350 bike, I'm already cutting ya a deal. *lol*"

Personally I never look at haggling as offensive. I buy & sell with my friends all the time, but there's been plenty of times where we couldn't reach a deal. Were we still friends? Hell yes, it didn't impact our friendship in the slightest.

On the flip side, if I shook hands on something, either buying or selling, and then the other person wanted to back out of the deal, I'd be questioning how trustworthy they are in general.

 

[Ricemarine]

You realize your 'values' are not real figures except what they are worth to you and those amounts are pretty inflated. It didn't help you paid a little more than the bike was worth at $260 a few weeks ago. It wasn't a rip off, but definitely a premium price on a bike that sold for around $500 4 years ago.

...

I finally came across the bike I really liked but was way out of my 'budget' for a casual pastime: 2010 Specialized Rockhopper Pro SL left over model for $750 ($1550 MSRP and sold typically for that price). Your bike ('08 Scattante R-330) was a $499 bike (sure the retail was $1000, but they never sold for that amount).

You got a very fair, if not a little higher than average amount for this.

:hmm: I sense contradicting statements. FWIW, the original owner paid $800 for the bike, and not in '08..

Well good for honoring the deal. A handshake is a gentlemens agreement, sure you can back out but your "word" at that point just took a big plunge on it's worth. When he offered the lower price and you were thinking you already offered him a low price, right then and there you could have said "Bro, it's a $350 bike, I'm already cutting ya a deal. *lol*"

Personally I never look at haggling as offensive. I buy & sell with my friends all the time, but there's been plenty of times where we couldn't reach a deal. Were we still friends? Hell yes, it didn't impact our friendship in the slightest.

On the flip side, if I shook hands on something, either buying or selling, and then the other person wanted to back out of the deal, I'd be questioning how trustworthy they are in general.

I did, but he kept on at it. Now for the normative statement, "I should have backed out/held my ground." I can see how haggling wouldn't be offensive, but in this case, I'm offended by his haggling tactics. Call me out on a scratch and tires, fine. Ask for less because of it? Not on the next bike :thumbsdown:.

 

[alkemyst]

:hmm: I sense contradicting statements. FWIW, the original owner paid $800 for the bike, and not in '08..

He got ripped off. You can search for your bike model and verify what is sold for in 2008.

 

[TuxDave]

I'll probably get flamed for this BUT....

Your friend is a douche:
1) Asking for a lower price is OK if you just say you were looking for a lower price because of the wife blah blah blah. There's no reason to be an ass and start saying crap like "oh these tires are worn, this other thing is bad, I'll give you a $x instead". That's like treating your friend the same way you'd treat a car salesman.

2) Giving you hell for having second thoughts. If my friend wasn't comfortable with the deal he made with me, fine, I'll let it go. My friendship is worth more than that.

So based on the two above, I say screw him and let him get upset.

 

[SP33Demon]

Friends don't rip friends off, period. So if you were telling the truth and he was your friend, then he'd agree it was fair. If he thinks you're being unfair and provided adequate evidence, then you should agree to his terms. Either way, friends would have reached an agreement.

Summary: Based on the behavior, you two aren't "friends" by any definition of the term.

 

[gorcorps]

You agreed to it, and now you're being a dick and having second thoughts. You should have told him you'd get back with the exact figure because you didn't want to lose money. Instead you agreed without looking, so took the gamble yourself.

So you're kind of an ass, but depending on the people you each are I can't say a friendship would be ruined by such a thing. You'll just be forever labeled as a cheap ass from here on out, and may miss out on plans if they think you're too cheap to go.

 

[Taejin]

any good friend of mine is welcome to back out of something noncritical like a bike. what's most important between friends is that both parties feel happy about the situation (or at least compromise), and I wouldn't want my friend to feel like I was ripping him off if I bought a bike from him, stupid handshake or not.

edit: and i'd expect him to treat me the same way

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

You are a douche. If $15 loss is the most slack you'll ever cut a friend, you have some serious issues.

 

[deanx0r]

I didn't know people could be that stingy with money, especially to the point where you trade in your integrity for a mere 20 bucks.