Selling a vehicle privately through Facebook Marketplace can be a frustrating experience. Many sellers report wasting time managing hundreds of leads that go nowhere, dealing with no-shows, and even worse, scam attempts. Recently, one woman who listed a “mechanic special” used vehicle on the platform says the buyer came up with a questionable way to deal with a car that was supposed to be towed. How The Facebook Marketplace Sale Unfolded In her trending video, which got over 7,921 views, TikTok creator Christina (@original_wildcatnv) describes the frustrating Facebook Marketplace car sale. She begins by asking viewers what they would do in her situation before explaining that she and her husband listed a vehicle for sale. According to Christina, their listing was “fully transparent” about the car needing a new battery and having to be towed away when picked up. “There was a lot of things that we had already fixed, but it still overheats,” she says. “We were told by a mechanic that it would probably be needing a new thermostat, but still needs to be towed away.” After listing the vehicle, she says they received interest from many people. Eventually, one couple arranged to come see the vehicle, but when their arrival time came, they messaged saying they would be late. “They said, ‘Oh, sorry, we’re gonna be late,’” Christina recalls. Instead, they said they’d be arriving two to three hours later. Though frustrated, she agreed to wait for them. “They showed up,” she says. “They legit tried to get the car to start—again, needed a new battery—for, like, two hours.” Eventually, the buyers negotiated the price down to roughly half of what Christina and her husband were asking. “Fine, whatever,” she says. Things Get More Complicated As Pickup Day Approaches Originally, the buyers were supposed to come on Sunday at 11 a.m., but that time “came and went.” Instead, they messaged Christina, saying they’d come on Monday at 3 p.m. That time also passed with no sign of the buyers. “Messaged them,” Christina says. “‘Oh, sorry, we’re looking at like five or six now,’” the buyers told her. Before arriving, the buyers told her they planned to bring a mechanic with them. Christina says she agreed, but she was under the impression they would simply inspect the vehicle. They finally arrived at around 7:15, but started doing something questionable: working on the car in her backyard. “I feel like our kindness is being taken advantage of,” she says. “I kind of want to charge them $100 just for the use of our yard.” Christina says the buyers are still working on the car at the time of filming. “It’s now 7:53 p.m.,” she says. “They’re still out back trying to work on this car when I’m ready for bed because my shift starts for my job at 6 a.m.” She acknowledges feeling “cranky,” but still wants to know what viewers think and their take on the situation. Commenters Think They Were Too Nice In the comments section, viewers thought Christina and her husband should’ve been more strict. “As someone that buys and sells cars for a side hobby. I tell them they have 24 hours to remove it from my property. If they don’t. Then I’ll have it towed,” one user wrote. “I understand being nice to ppl. It’s hard not to be. But ppl are very quick to take advantage of nice people. So just give them a deadline that it has to be removed from your property.” “The answer to all of their asks is a hard ‘no,’” chimed in another. “You pay me, you remove the vehicle. Period. You are experiencing typical FB Marketplace behavior. It will happen EVERY time you try to be nice.” “Never ever be that accommodating to anyone, especially fb mp because they take advantage,” advised a third. “Should have told them come with a tow truck when you come look at it, if you want it it needs to be towed when paid for.” Tips On Dealing With Facebook Marketplace Buyers According to a guide by Keeper Security, while the platform is a convenient way to sell and purchase goods, it can also be dangerous and rife with scams. To stay safe, the company recommends reviewing a buyer’s profile, avoiding meeting alone, declining overpayments, and taking other basic precautions. A common scam on Facebook Marketplace is the gift card scam, in which a buyer either tries to pay with one or asks the seller to purchase one on their behalf. Once lost, this money is very difficult to trace or reverse, so it’s a good idea to avoid interacting with anyone who involves gift cards in the transaction. Motor1 has reached out to Facebook via email and Christina via Instagram direct message for comment. We will update this story if either party responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team