Car Selling Etiquette

["Joseph M. Shaw, II" <MikeIIDC@domain.elided>]

Well, my fellow IH lovers, 'tis a sad day indeed!  After not hearing
from the young lad from whom I hoped to buy the formerly mentioned '65
Scout, I called him.  The last thing I had heard from him was, "Okay,
you can have it.  I've just got to tell the other guy.  I'll call you
tonight or tomorrow morning."  After not hearing from him for two days
(I didn't rush it as he had been 12 hours late calling me to tell me I
could have it for my offered $1000.00, and also not rushing because he
was not the sharpest knife in the drawer by a long shot!!!), I called
this morning.  
"Sorry I didn't call yesterday, I fell asleep."  He said.
"No problem.  What's up?" I asked.
"Well, the other guy matched your offer, and since he's closer and I
didn't want to have to get it down to you, I took his offer."

I about blew my top.  I had told him that I might be able to come up
with more money in the first place, and to let me know for sure what the
other guys best offer was before making up his mind.  He assured me he
would.  As I said, this kid was no Einstein, and I know the other guy
was making him a very lowball offer, 'cause he was thrilled to hear me
offer $1000.00 (He lit up like the 4th of July).  I probably should have
called him back as soon as I didn't hear from on time, but I was trying
to be polite-my mistake!
Anyway, If any of you have children, please teach them the ins and outs
of selling/buying cars.  If this were an isolated incident, I would be
bummed and that would be that.  However, if any of you keep score, I've
been trying to buy another IH for a month to six weeks (I think I
usually mention them on here), and noone knows how to sell a car
anymore!  I've gotten people who were to lazy to get the car from their
mother's house, people who won't return calls but the ad is still
running a month later-in a publication that charges by the two weeks, so
I know it wasn't sold.  I've encountered people that were not home at
the designated meeting time (and I've been fifteen minutes early and
stayed for an hour late waiting for them!).  I got a call from a dealer
yeaterday returning a call I placed ten days ago about a vehicle!!! 
This is someone who makes their living selling vehicles and they don't
call me for nine days?  At the rate I move, I bought and sold another
vehicle in that time once!
I remember going around shopping for cars with my dad a couple of
times-once even, he tried to get a Scout II-and watching the fine art,
the beautiful dance of two savvy negotiators feinting and jabbing until
an agreement was reached.  And even as a nine year old I was in awe of
the process!  Now I can't even get someone that wants to sell a car
badly enough to return a phone call?!?
Well-sorry for the wasted space, but I am really P.O.'d, and thought
that perhaps a few of you could sympathize with me-this is like an AA
meeting.  Spilling my guts to the only people that I think, and hope,
can understand.

Michael

P.S.  Here's to Jeremy Jones, the first person that I've seen quote
themselves in their tribute at the end of their post!!!