Selling a bike - Soft VIN Lab report?

[Downeaster]

So Dale asked me to put the Beemer up for sale (for which I will get a commission) as he doesn't have the time to deal with the innerwebz and scammers and such.

One guy seems legit, but wants me to pull a VIN report which will be $30 out of my pocket, sale or no sale. At the moment, I'm not willing to go there. Am I being overly cautious?

 

[jetmechmarty]

So Dale asked me to put the Beemer up for sale (for which I will get a commission) as he doesn't have the time to deal with the innerwebz and scammers and such.

One guy seems legit, but wants me to pull a VIN report which will be $30 out of my pocket, sale or no sale. At the moment, I'm not willing to go there. Am I being overly cautious?

Is the interested party far away, buying sight unseen? IMHO, not unreasonable. Local, not so much.

 

[Downeaster]

Started out looking pretty legit.

Then it's "I need to see a VIN report from SoftVINlab.com" ($30 out of my pocket) followed by "I have to take a day off work to come see it" (on a Saturday?) and "I'm buying it for a friend" and finally "I sold my car so I have to hire someone to bring me down"

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

 

[jetmechmarty]

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

Maybe not, but I would say, "Please go away." (Nicely)

 

[MrBultaco]

SoftVINlab.com

Maybe he owns/operates/salesman on this site and wants your business?

 

[halfmile]

Started out looking pretty legit.

Then it's "I need to see a VIN report from SoftVINlab.com" ($30 out of my pocket) followed by "I have to take a day off work to come see it" (on a Saturday?) and "I'm buying it for a friend" and finally "I sold my car so I have to hire someone to bring me down"

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

I`d tell this Bozo to hit the road and do not let him know the VIN number of the bike. If the bike has a clear title that`s all anyone really needs. Sounds like a typical FB scam to me. I have my no theme bike on FB for a while now and it says right in the ad "I will not respond to is it still for sale" I`ve had over 50 messages that ask if it`s still for sale and haven`t replied to any of them.

 

[RC4MAN]

Ask if he's willing to spend on the report, if he wants it then he should pay, offer to take it off the purchase price, sounds fair to me.

 

[Downeaster]

Well, it's been strictly crickets since I called him on multiple changes to his story.

I'm not about to publish the VIN, I've heard of that becoming "HEY! That's MY bike" followed by a giant pain in the ass proving otherwise.

Best I can do is "Come on down, look at the bike, show me some cash and you can use my computer (and YOUR credit card) to pull a VIN report if you really want one.

Otherwise, bugger off...

 

[gggGary]

Mebby on a car but a vin is of very limited value on bike
And that's not a major player (never heard of em')
And yeah that type of buyer is never a sale. A quick weeder; you have my phone # CALL me. Stops many/most of the scammers.

read here; https://www.trustpilot.com/review/softvinlab.ca

 

[Jim]

Started out looking pretty legit.

Then it's "I need to see a VIN report from SoftVINlab.com" ($30 out of my pocket) followed by "I have to take a day off work to come see it" (on a Saturday?) and "I'm buying it for a friend" and finally "I sold my car so I have to hire someone to bring me down"

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

I'd reply...
"Here's the address. Title is clear. If you want to verify it, that's on you, not me.
Give me 24hr notice on when you want to look at it... I'll agree or veto that time.
Beyond that, I got nuttin' for ya."

 

[Mikey]

Ask if he's willing to spend on the report, if he wants it then he should pay, offer to take it off the purchase price, sounds fair to me.

Thats exactly what I told someone who "said" he was interested in buying a bike from me
Pure BS if you ask me
a 42 year old bike for under $3000 don't need a report
Kick the tires and make me an offer

 

[jpdevol]

Kick the tires and make me an offer

Perhaps I have a bad attitude in that regard; but I'm not even letting them kick the tires. Regarding old bikes (cars, ...machines), If they don't know what they're looking at and recognize its worth, they ain't smart enough to own one.

 

[Jan_P]

Started out looking pretty legit.

Then it's "I need to see a VIN report from SoftVINlab.com" ($30 out of my pocket) followed by "I have to take a day off work to come see it" (on a Saturday?) and "I'm buying it for a friend" and finally "I sold my car so I have to hire someone to bring me down"

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

It does sound like BS
What do you care what problems he have with transport or so.

Having said that not knowing the price range of the bike.
I have been in the last owner segment quite a lot.
And I have met colorful people Not mainstream folks so much can happen.
Not all there does it as one should expect
Seen documentation that showed a car dealer in Manchester UK as the bikes owner on my street for sale.
Here in Sweden.
Sometimes the deal can take a while. Thinking it over .. Negotiate the price.
Looking at it more than one time.
Especially if the price is a bit high or other concerns
Other times it is slam dunk.
I had a Friend sold a Ford 6 cylinder GXL for the asked price --the buyer virtually smashed the cash on the hood wanted to drive away.
My friend had to ask him to come along inside do the paper work receipts and so.

Perhaps a scanned copy of the vin with masked blacked out sections via e -mail

But it sounds a talker with no cash --- Bullshitter

 

[650Skull]

Started out looking pretty legit.

Then it's "I need to see a VIN report from SoftVINlab.com" ($30 out of my pocket) followed by "I have to take a day off work to come see it" (on a Saturday?) and "I'm buying it for a friend" and finally "I sold my car so I have to hire someone to bring me down"

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

Hey Friend, Sorry your down on your luck a bit. Tell you what, give me your Name, address and email and ill pay for, and get the Vin Report. As i'm really concerned about your transport problems i'll bring the bike over so ypu can appraise it. If your financially a bit short that's ok because i can do a payment plan as well. I hope this helps.

 

[atom4488]

Started out looking pretty legit.

Then it's "I need to see a VIN report from SoftVINlab.com" ($30 out of my pocket) followed by "I have to take a day off work to come see it" (on a Saturday?) and "I'm buying it for a friend" and finally "I sold my car so I have to hire someone to bring me down"

Ummmmmmm...bullshit?

In my recent experiences, there are two flavors of idiots on the ol' innerwebs... idiot buyers and idiot sellers. You seem to have landed one of the latter. I have been frustrated by both in recent weeks and am angry that good old-fashioned arms-length deals have become somehow convoluted by the fact that they are being done behind the screen of anonymity created by computers. Hope you find a bona-fide buyer soon!

 

[Downeaster]

Well I know most people have purchased reports from them. Soft Vin Lab do provide valid reports.

Bullshit.

 

[gggGary]

Well I know most people have purchased reports from them. Soft Vin Lab do provide valid reports.

Country: Pakistan
State/Region: Sindh
City: Gharo
Banned.
Guess that tells you something about softvinlab.....

 

[Exploding Coffin Emporium]

When I used to sell cars heavy on Craigslist for my old job we constantly had these interactions with “buyers” who wanted us to obtain vin reports on cars we were selling from some vin verification website(there’s tons of them). It’s kind of a scam, as you do get a legitimate report, however, it’s definitely not necessary and the “buyer” is really just selling you their service with no intention to buy.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Several years ago, I bought a $10,000 car on eBay. I waited for the auction to end that had failed to make reserve. Somehow, I managed to contact the seller by telephone, and we agreed on a price. I was in Atlanta. He was in Tampa. I said, "I will be there in the morning with a cashiers' check. Please pick me up at TPA." That's where it went sideways. This guy was sure he was getting scammed. I faxed him my driver license and maybe a picture of me in front of my house, etc. I was an airline employee and able to just jump on a flight at will. At any rate. I ended up flying down there with my wife and doing a handshake deal, the old fashioned way, but getting to that point was a challenge, especially due to me being against the wall on time. There are just too many scammers out there.

 

[gggGary]

Oh crap story time. About 2010?
Was looking for a sprinter van, found a really nice one on fleabay, contacted seller directly, against all the fleabay rules and clever blocking ploys.
I'm in Wisconsin
seller in New York
Van in California
A loan holder in Detroit.
Agreed to a price, he had a loan with Chrysler credit that was over the agreed price. This was a late model van $20K plus.
I sent a bank check priority for the asking price to Chrysler credit, seller said he sent the balance.
Got a ticket and flew to LA, seller to "meet me at the airport".
Get in to LA, call guy. "Didn't you get my message?" Well no I was on an airplane...
Big ice storm, I couldn't get out of New York!
My cheeks start clenching...
No, no, no, here's the address, it's at my sons house, sitting on the street, the key's in the tail pipe.
Grab a taxi (house is only a few miles from the airport) get there, yup! van-key, fire it up and head home 2000 miles, Ice snow wind storm across the rockies Iowa etc. Got home, loaded up van and we took off for Mexico. Well we ended up not crossing the Border cuz title, license plate etc. took a bit to get. All good, kept the van 10 years and 100K plus miles.
At the beach right after I picked it up.

Hick Farmers LOL

I've done the buy n fly many times, cars, vans, bikes but this was the most complicated one.