Rant - People have no honor or integrity anymore

[Martinjmpr]

Here's a script for you:

So let me get this right...

You agreed last night to sell it for $5,500, we arranged terms and we shook hands and I took the steps necessary to complete my end of the transaction.

(wait for reply)

Then today, you say it's suddenly $7,500. Google "specific performance". Yeah, it's a thing in contract law. And yes, I'll do it to you. You already confirmed the existence of our agreement and the terms.

So when do you want to meet to complete the agreement under the terms we shook hands upon?

And how much is THAT going to cost? Not just in $$ but in time and aggravation?

I never would be in that situation, first because I would never finance a motorcycle but more importantly, if I agreed with you on a price, I'd stick to it.

But if I was and someone said that to me I'd just laugh at them and say "OK see you in court!" Because, really, are you going to waste your time on that? No reasonable or sane person would.

Think about it: At this point, OP is pissed, he took some extra time and drove some extra miles, but he's not out any actual money (yes, I know gas money or "money = time" but really, that's just part of life. If OP had driven to the seller's home and decided not to buy the bike he'd still be out that same amount of money so IMO it doesn't count as a loss - OP went there to look for a bike, there was no guarantee he'd buy one.)

Still, OP is in the same position he was when this whole thing started. So why on earth would he go to the step of filing a claim in court, hiring a process server, etc? Better to save that money for another bike, don'tcha think? Motorcycles for sale are like buses: You miss one, there will be another one along soon enough.

So I'd say OP's best option is to just move on and keep looking for the bike he wants.

Reading between the lines: He owes way more than he thought to the credit union, and can't make up the difference between the agreed sale price and the loan payoff. His wife may or may not have blown her stack because they don't have the money to make the deal happen. So, he comes up with a bullshit excuse, and backs out of the deal, rather than manning up and telling the truth. Dirtbag, 100%.

This seems a very likely thing. Seller just wanted out from under the bike payments and maybe had some penalties tacked on (maybe he missed a few payments) that he how has to pay. He doesn't want to have to pay money just to get out from under the bike so he needs the extra cash.

Of course, if you're a very cynical person, maybe this was his plan all along? Get you on the hook and then try to squeeze some extra money out of you once you had mentally "committed" to the deal. Seems unlikely but it's not completely out of the realm of possibility.