Searching craigslist for tool deal tips

[scott37300]

I am constantly seeing everyone on here get some great deals on things from craigslist, like jacks, boxes, etc. I have tried to search before and I don't ever seem to be able to find much. Either I am not searching good enough or there is nothing decent for sale around here.

Anyone have some tips on how to search craigslist for things like jacks? Do you use a searching service like searchtempest or something?

 

[davidj]

searchtempest is the best way to go. I have used searchtempest like its my job for the past year or so.

 

[truckdriver]

I just google craigslist. The craigslist result (don't click on the link) will have a search bar so you put in "wilton vise" and it will give every result in the country.

 

[freeskier]

serchtempest? i just trawl my local listings

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

I usually use searchtempest as well and love it if I'm looking for something specific. However, you have to be a little careful as people misspell, or label something it's not, etc.

 

[Danglerb]

Unless you are in a really lucky area, or maybe unlucky, CL may have little good deals. You do have to search frequently, use alternate spellings, etc. because good things won't last and after a few calls people delete the listing.

 

[Rickster]

I'm always pulling up craigs list and searching through the tools section. Also check the garage sale ad's and search that section on "tools". Auto parts is another section I chack out every day.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Look at the garage sale ads that mention tools. Email or call first and feel em out. Find out what they mean when they say tools (brands/type) you can score some major deals there but it's a numbers game.

 

[mojo3120]

I find better deals here than on CL

but there are some sites that will constantly monitor CL for certain terms for you (ie. "Snapon") and instantly alert you by email every time a new ad is posted.

 

[justanengineer]

Personallly I think 99% of the time when people on here get "deals," they were ripped hard. That being said, I occasionally buy something off of craigs using searchtempest, but the majority of my buying is at auction. I have a list of my local auction houses, and check auctionzip.com weekly for others. I usually spend an hour or two (sometimes 5-6) at one or another every Saturday morning without going more than 50 miles from home. If you attend a few, realize that probably half of them tend to have nutty prices too, but the others prove ridiculously cheap. Most of the time I either go home empty, with one or two items, or I fill my truck full for < $100, and I only buy the best.

 

[rob05]

I use searchtempest as others have said but also get on the "tools", "materials" and "auto parts" sections and just scroll through. if someone misspells something or doesn't quite know what it is you can find it just scrolling through.

 

[Joe B.]

In Chicago, there is a lot of good stuff but it goes quick. If you are only looking in once a day, most of the good deals will be gone. It is also a city that has been big for a long time so there is a lot of old stuff sitting around.

I have lived in smaller areas that just don't have the critical mass for Craigslist but you only need to check once a day to find the few deals there are. Cities that are new like Las Vegas just won't ever have the remnants of a few centuries of industry to supply the good old stuff.

 

[scott37300]

Thanks for the advice guys. Justanengineer, that is a pretty neat auction site. I was just looking around on it. I have never been to an auction, I have talked to some older farm guys that go to farm auctions and they seem to find some pretty good deals on certain things. Maybe I will have to go to one this summer and see how it all works.

 

[BEAVO]

you mean like this lol
http://columbus.craigslist.org/tls/2335639764.html

 

[mojo3120]

In Chicago, there is a lot of good stuff but it goes quick. If you are only looking in once a day, most of the good deals will be gone. It is also a city that has been big for a long time so there is a lot of old stuff sitting around.

I have lived in smaller areas that just don't have the critical mass for Craigslist but you only need to check once a day to find the few deals there are. Cities that are new like Las Vegas just won't ever have the remnants of a few centuries of industry to supply the good old stuff.

I live in Charlotte, but there's a few craigslist cities that are basically the boon docks but only an hour or so away.....I always seem to have better luck with those than Charlotte. I got my Classic 78 Roll cab (like new condition) for $1000 & drove 2 hours down to SC to pick it up.

 

[Danglerb]

Auctions can be very expensive addictions that eat time and money, but sure can fill a garage.