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Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #25
"getting a good idea what he looks like and the sound of his voice so you’ll know if you’re dealing with him"

That's a good point. And yes, I know an individual view of a YouTube video doesn't by itself create a large income for the person who posted it. But they do add up. Bob Wells of "Cheap RV Living" fame makes a very good living from his video, because they typically get hundreds of thousands of views. That phony "stealth sub" video I mentioned got a million views--I'm pretty sure that added up to serious money for the scammer who threw together some stock footage and added a faked-up narrative.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #26
Well if this video is the same as one I watched, it is depressingly enough a real view of the factory. I haven't been by since Covid hit the scene, and with the way purchasers and suppliers dried up, I can see why it looks so bad.  L.A. County does have a moratorium on using water for non essential purposes, and landscaping is in that category. People from rainier parts of the country won't appreciate that part of the southern California experience.   RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #27
I split the Josh discussion into it's own topic so as not to take away from the LD closing discussion

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #28
Well if this video is the same as one I watched, it is depressingly enough a real view of the factory. I haven't been by since Covid hit the scene, and with the way purchasers and suppliers dried up, I can see why it looks so bad.

Disappointed I never got to visit the Mothership, planned on stopping by on the way to Tucson for Thanksgiving 2020, but they never reopened the showroom after I got on the list earlier that year.
Dave

2017 TK

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #29
Josh is annoying and shady but I must admit this video is very interesting to see the complete abandonment of the business. As a “YouTuber” myself on the side for fun, I have about 1.6 million total views and I’ve only made a few thousand bucks. Don’t worry, he’s made about 4 cents off of this video.  :D

Honestly, I think it’s complete crap that Steve just completely left the customers out to dry. Up and closed and didn’t look back. Thank goodness Todd has a heart.
Joe B.
2008 26ft  grey/white Rear Bath
Family of 5 hitting the open road as much as we can.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #30
"Don’t worry, he’s made about 4 cents off of this video."

Thanks for putting it in dollars and cents terms. :-)

"Steve just completely left the customers out to dry."

It's water under the bridge, of course, but I have to agree that the company's closure was not handled well. It's really unfortunate for an old, family-owned business with such a close-knit group of customers to end its run in what seems such like a casual, thoughtless manner.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #31
I posted pictures (and videos if the moderator will do that) of the Lazy Daze headquarters so you can see it without watching Josh’s video.
SoCal-Gal  (Tracy)
1991 26.5 RB
Previous 1988 22’ LD Multi plan
Previous 1992 Six-pack Camper
Spare the sealant, spoil the job.
Travelers: Tracy, spouse Anthony, Coton de Tulear, Gabby and parrotlet, Indigo

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #32
RE:  "As far as I can tell from the accounts that have been posted here, Josh isn't doing anything illegal."

It is my understanding (based upon several reports from Josh's buyers) that Josh sells his RVs with an "open title" to avoid paying CA sales tax.    This practice is called "title jumping", or "title skipping" or "title floating".   Title jumping is illegal, and is a felony in some states.    
Wendy and Eric in Boulder, CO
2016 24TK  "Lucky"
Wandering... But Not Lost!

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #33
I was warned about Josh but wanted the LD he advertised on Facebook. I paid a certified RV inspector to check everything. Got a detailed report including photos. Flew from Central Texas to LA. Josh picked me up. I paid his price without question. It was a fraught transaction but I have my LD and love it.  Btw, Josh refused to accept a deposit. Thanks everyone for contributing to this forum.  Really helps me.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #34
I was warned about Josh but wanted the LD he advertised on Facebook. I paid a certified RV inspector to check everything. Got a detailed report including photos. Flew from Central Texas to LA. Josh picked me up. I paid his price without question. It was a fraught transaction but I have my LD and love it.  Btw, Josh refused to accept a deposit. Thanks everyone for contributing to this forum.  Really helps me.

Just out of curiosity, was "Josh the Flipper" able to provide information about the history of your LD and give instruction on how to operate everything? If anyone thinks this question is inappropriate, please let me know, and I will delete the post.
Sam

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #35
It was a fraught transaction but I have my LD and love it.

First of all welcome to this Neighborhood and secondly congratulations on your new to you LD.  More LDs in Texas is a good trend.  And it sounds like you approached this transaction with your eyes wide open.  So good for you. 

If you have a chance can you please explain the quote in this post?   Btw, we live in Fort Worth and if in the area and you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #36

We sold the LD in 2017 and bought a Minnie Winnie (2017 31D)...it has worked out very well for us. No regrets.


Did you notice a significant difference in the road handling and the build quality of your Winnebago Minnie Winnie compared to your previous LD RB? Thank you in advance for any input.
Sam

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #37
Hello and congradulations on your new lazy daze you will love it what model did you buy.
                Jody
2009 Kodiak 32 foot Island Bed

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #38
I was warned about Josh but wanted the LD he advertised on Facebook. I paid a certified RV inspector to check everything. Got a detailed report including photos. Flew from Central Texas to LA. Josh picked me up. I paid his price without question. It was a fraught transaction but I have my LD and love it.  Btw, Josh refused to accept a deposit. Thanks everyone for contributing to this forum.  Really helps me.
I'm supposed to be down at Inks lake Aug 12 & 13.  Would be glad to give you a tour and the few tips I've learned over the last 5 years if you want to drive out. Or I live in Mansfield now if you are up this way.
Rick and Melissa
2016 27ft RB

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #39
RE:  "As far as I can tell from the accounts that have been posted here, Josh isn't doing anything illegal."

It is my understanding (based upon several reports from Josh's buyers) that Josh sells his RVs with an "open title" to avoid paying CA sales tax.    This practice is called "title jumping", or "title skipping" or "title floating".   Title jumping is illegal, and is a felony in some states.    
This can be a real problem.
We had a car dealer try to sell us a car in CA and though they knew we lived out of state before we even made our appointment all was fine until hour 3 when they just found out they didn't  have a title for this car [yet].  I checked, they didn't have titles for any of their vehicles (all in the old owners name).
They started wheedling us to give them an address in CA (did we know anyone in CA to give their address). 
When we didn't give them a CA address, they said they could not sell it to us.   They said they could sell to a CA resident with no title but not to someone from out of state.
Without the title you will likely run into problems - e.g. unable to or big problems trying to refinance it or get insurance to pay out on claims, etc. 

IMO, this dealership tried to get the person to accept their financing while you were waiting for the check from your bank/credit union, so you could drive it off the lot.  But they admitted if we had given them a CA address it would have increased the interest (already twice what our credit union charge) much higher because we had not lived there for 2 years [they were using it as our current residential address even though they knew it was not].  But would say things like why should we care, we will pay it off in a couple days.  In reality, our lender likely would not have issued a check for a car that was not held by the dealer.
Note:  In AZ, the same car dealership owns titles for their vehicles, it was only the CA dealership that didn't own the title.

I do sales at the DMV office, so I confirm the person really owns it and can transfer title right there and then.  Otherwise how do you know they really owned that vehicle at all and that it was free of liens.
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #40
I've been informed that Josh has been  making a concerted effort to take advantage of present owners of Lazy Daze motorhomes, by trying to buy at a lower price by pointing out that the factory is 'out of business' and that prices will go down.
   If you have contact with him, pay attention, He hasn't been very truthful, or in my estimate 'honest', in dealing wth buyers or sellers. RonB

Ron, funny.  I think I just talked to him but he gave a different name.
But I was looking to buy something and he was telling me how the factory closing would make prices go up (I said that is unproven as orphans drop in price).

Flippers will say anything to get you to lower your selling price, raise your buying price, disregard the things you think are important, either make themselves out to be an expert so you believe what they say even if it is not true OR make themselves out to be helpless so you feel sorry for them and help them out (by over paying or selling for less).
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #41
I just spoke to someone that had a facebook add for a 2008 LD.

I strongly think it was  a flipper, I watched the Josh video and it could be him (hard to tell with traffic) though I think the guy said his name was Frank.
Phone number started with 858-668 (La Mesa, CA in the San Diego area).

Indicators I was dealing with a flipper.
A woman placed the add but a guy called and never referred to her (we say hey, you sent messages to my wife on Facebook...., then start talking).
He didn't talk like any other LD owner I have spoken to over the years that wanted to sell their LD. 
No voice mails were left when they called and both calls prior to this afternoon were outside the times I said I was available in my voice mails.

He claimed he was a master mechanic early on and did all his own work.  However, he said he didn't know electrical at all and then said that a back up camera he paid a shop to do installed it in a bad location yet he apparently didn't figure that out up front and 8 months later "is gonna get it fixed".
Later he said he was in the construction industry.

Flippers will either be an expert so you trust them and let down your guard OR they will be helpless so you step in and take care of them (good ones play the role that seems to fit to pull in the caller the best).

He didn't seem to know much about LDs nor repairs.
He knew some had 3 gears and overdrive and others like this had 4 gears and overdrive but LD owners of two different LDs say a lot more than just that.
He never talked about maintenance (I don't know anyone who takes care of their LD who doesn't talk about maintenance because they know how important that is).

He took several minutes to write/update his notes of who I was, my "partner", Jody (who contacted the woman on facebook for me when facebook quit talking to me), to get people straight. 
For individual sellers they have a few notes somewhere on the handful of people they talked to before selling the item.  Flippers are selling lots of items so they have to keep a detailed notebook on the information.

He tried to tell me what I cared about didn't matter e.g. I wanted a 2008 chassis, not just a 2008 LD (coach 2008 but chassis 2007).
That is what flippers and sales people do.  They are taught when you have an objection (e.g. want a specific feature or have a concern), they need to counter it (e.g. you say you want, or don't want something.. they give reasons why that is not important.)
He must have given 5 reasons why I should not care about the chassis year.  He didn't understand anything about CCC or what would increase this (actually stated that he didn't believe a chassis change could increase CCC) - Larry, that doesn't sound like a master mechanic that has worked on his own LD for years to me, what about to you?

He was very interested in my current LD, e.g. was I going to sell it (the only question/statement when his voice sounded animated).  Note:  Why did a family who was heartbroken to sell their LD show strong interest in me selling mine (wanting to know year/model etc.)

He made vague references implying there was other interest in the LD while taking days to contact me.
He didn't tell me much about the LD for sale (I had no questions other than Chassis year as I said there was no point going forward if it was not a 2008 chassis).  But he made sure I knew the factory had closed and that prices were rising.
Typical salesman thing, get it now or someone else will, prices are rising so buy now at a high price (as it will just go up).

Flippers often throw things out to see how much you care, e.g. will you take the item as is with some known flaws (poorly installed backup camera). 
Flippers often want to get the more more motivated buyers/sellers so waiting for someone to try and reach you multiple times means you are more motivate than someone who tries only once. 
If you are willing to put aside your concerns or accept something with an issue, they know they can push you on other things also.

About the 3rd or 4th time that I said I was only interested if it was a 2008 chassis and told him how to find this out (typically door sticker and/or original purchase info).  He made a comment on how that would be good for him to know this (after implying it was not important as no one else asked this question).  Again, someone selling many LDs would want to know, an individual would not say something like that. 

I didn't expect to hear back from the person as I am pretty sure they want an uninformed buyer.  But I did just get a text of the door lables, it was a 2007 chassis so I said thanks but not interested.

Update:  here is an interesting link on open titles:  https://www.autolist.com/guides/what-is-open-title

A big problem I see (besides legal issues and if you actually own the vehicle o and was it a salvage vehicle that is not being disclosed), is with a dealer you expect to not get accurate info and to be pressured to give them (not you) the best deal with used car salesman tactics.

If you are dealing with an owner you do not expect to be lied to about use, about problems, or about if it is a salvage unit.  You might not get accurate info about everything but you don’t get totally made up info either.

You do not expect to have an owner  use used car salesman tactics to get more money from you (sell for less or buy for more).  And with a salesman if they give you a sob story about how they have been looking for this vehicle for years to take their family member on a last trip before they die - you know they are full of garbage.  But a halfway good flipper flipper knows how to pull heart strings and , push your buttons, etc. and  will gladly do so to get more of your money.

I always do a cargax (or equivalent) to confirm I am dealing with the owner and check for problems, but note all information is not on the car fax (eg accidents can be missing).

)I always do my buy of a used vehicle at the DMV/MVD  to confirm I am buying the vehicle from  the actual owner, all liens are paid off, and there is no surprises (like vehicle is salvaged).

If someone would not give me a vin I would be concerned.
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #42
My "fraught" comment was because, before I flew to LA, Josh agreed to a check for $40k from my financial institution and a personal check for $3,500.  But when I arrived he required cash instead of my personal check.  Getting money wired to him before the weekend was rough. (I'd landed on Thursday about noon.) He insisted on talking to my bank officer who then feared I was being coerced. So the bank drug its feet and I had to stay in a motel overnight. Josh offered to let me stay in the LD I was buying, which was in an industrial area parking lot.  I felt his offer was unrealistic and possibly unsafe. Anyway, I received a call from my bank Friday morning and managed to convince them I wasn't in trouble and so they wired him the money. Josh asked me what dollar amount I wanted on the bill of sale.  I told him to fill in the amount of money I actually paid him.  So I left LA only about 24 hrs. later than planned. (This was in May.) I figure buying from Josh could have been worse.  I just spent an enjoyable July at state parks in New Mexico.

And to answer the question about information on my LD from Josh, yes.  He gave me the Carfax report and a packet with manuals and maintenance documents. I already knew from the RV inspector that the awning crank and Owners Manual were missing, but I was able to order those from Lazy Daze before they closed. Josh would have given a lengthy intro to my "new" LD but I declined because I wanted to get on the road.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #43
I do sales at the DMV office, so I confirm the person really owns it and can transfer title right there and then.  Otherwise how do you know they really owned that vehicle at all and that it was free of liens.
I live in LA County. Typically our DMV will not make an appointment for a title change and appointments are scheduled at least six weeks out. To go to the DMV and stand in line will take anywhere from 45 to 120 minutes. I'm curious, how do you get the seller to be willing to wait so long at the DMV?
SoCal-Gal  (Tracy)
1991 26.5 RB
Previous 1988 22’ LD Multi plan
Previous 1992 Six-pack Camper
Spare the sealant, spoil the job.
Travelers: Tracy, spouse Anthony, Coton de Tulear, Gabby and parrotlet, Indigo

 
Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #44
Hi;  The CA AAA office seems to have a direct pipeline (software wise) into at least some of the government database, and can find insurance coverage, owner ID, violations, ownership and liens. I'm not sure if they can transfer title. Seeing that two people can transfer title without any intervention, I think that AAA  can come pretty close to being an official go between.    RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #45
Hi;  The CA AAA office seems to have a direct pipeline...
I've used AAA to register a vehicle purchase. They will only provide a service between two parties if both parties are AAA members.
For registering a vehicle, AAA is great when they do it correctly.  But that's a story for around the campfire.
SoCal-Gal  (Tracy)
1991 26.5 RB
Previous 1988 22’ LD Multi plan
Previous 1992 Six-pack Camper
Spare the sealant, spoil the job.
Travelers: Tracy, spouse Anthony, Coton de Tulear, Gabby and parrotlet, Indigo

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #46
I live in LA County. Typically our DMV will not make an appointment for a title change and appointments are scheduled at least six weeks out. To go to the DMV and stand in line will take anywhere from 45 to 120 minutes. I'm curious, how do you get the seller to be willing to wait so long at the DMV?

We were in AZ, pre Covid both times.  So took less than an hour.  Maybe find a small town not to far away?

Buying used vehicles…
  I have had 2 sellers be funny before, one really tries to talk me into buying sight unseen with no inspection, not even talking to her mechanic (I am sure I was not being told accurate info about anything). [LD purchase before had any LD]
Another waffled about everything (evaded continually when I asked to have the car inspected by my mechanic, or any mechanic).
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #47
In my searches for an LD I came across this guy on marketplace.  Been seeing his ads and then I sent a question to him.  I did not put 2 and 2 together until he told me he owns the former Lazy Daze phone number and that all former customer calls go to him. Then I remembered this post and came back here. 

I asked what he is doing for old customers and he said nothing.  He is helping all customers by buying and selling LD Rvs.

All I can say is his prices are very high.

Ramon
2000 Mid-Bath
2012 Lance 830 Truck Camper/2006 Cummins Dodge Ram Megacab
1985 Multi Plan - Donated to the American Breast Cancer Foundation.

Re: Josh, the flipper
Reply #48
LD is available new, price would be at least 50% more compared to what I paid in 2021 and fact that it is not available I will put at least 10% premium on it and if I put emotional attachment it is priceless. As for LD is out of business, LD was not in fabrication but quality assembly ... with new technology you can just have a picture of a part and system will tell you the details like name of the part, what it is used for and where you can buy it from, etc. ....  lense is available in google for years and available in amazon at least for couple of years. Plus this group have more information than a vendor can ever provide .... Not having LD around for spare part has not impacted me yet.