Selling a car...too honest?
Discussion
I've been trying to sell my car for a good couple of months, on here and a couple of times on eBay but no joy. Made me wonder what I am doing wrong. I've got the full amount of pics up on the PH ad and a comprehensive description...which made me think, is my honesty in listing the niggles (it's an 18 year old TVR) putting people off? should I not mention any of it and maybe get some more "bites"? but the flipside is if I was a buyer i'd be a bit annoyed by this.
I've also dropped my price a few times and TBH I really don't think it's greedy (I won't say any more in case a Mod gets funny)
Basically what else can i do
Pics- check
Honest and decently written ad- check
Realistic price- check
I'm also in the middle of the country and 5 mins from a motorway, not as though i'm in the Hebrides! Starting to lose the will with it now
I've also dropped my price a few times and TBH I really don't think it's greedy (I won't say any more in case a Mod gets funny)
Basically what else can i do
Pics- check
Honest and decently written ad- check
Realistic price- check
I'm also in the middle of the country and 5 mins from a motorway, not as though i'm in the Hebrides! Starting to lose the will with it now
theironduke said:
I've been trying to sell my car for a good couple of months, on here and a couple of times on eBay but no joy. Made me wonder what I am doing wrong. I've got the full amount of pics up on the PH ad and a comprehensive description...which made me think, is my honesty in listing the niggles (it's an 18 year old TVR) putting people off? should I not mention any of it and maybe get some more "bites"? but the flipside is if I was a buyer i'd be a bit annoyed by this.
I've also dropped my price a few times and TBH I really don't think it's greedy (I won't say any more in case a Mod gets funny)
Basically what else can i do
Pics- check
Honest and decently written ad- check
Realistic price- check
I'm also in the middle of the country and 5 mins from a motorway, not as though i'm in the Hebrides! Starting to lose the will with it now
Right, to start with the cars not even clean.I've also dropped my price a few times and TBH I really don't think it's greedy (I won't say any more in case a Mod gets funny)
Basically what else can i do
Pics- check
Honest and decently written ad- check
Realistic price- check
I'm also in the middle of the country and 5 mins from a motorway, not as though i'm in the Hebrides! Starting to lose the will with it now
If you can't be assed to wash it, what else could be hiding.
You mention the FSH, well why not list some of the bigger and more recent items (date, item, price).
Its a thirsty convertible, at the end of a non-summer, in a recession.
Although the price is very keen, there is no reason to suggest its a 'good' car.
Doing little things (new straight numberplates, pictures in a sunny day,etc) should help.
M
_Batty_ said:
Right, to start with the cars not even clean.
If you can't be assed to wash it, what else could be hiding.
Harsh but not too unfair. When I found the ad it took me a while to work out if the wheels were grey or just dirty.If you can't be assed to wash it, what else could be hiding.
Give it a good clean and polish and take some top down pics in a nice location and you'll give it the best chance.
It's cheap enough and the wording wouldn't put me off.
_Batty_ said:
theironduke said:
I've been trying to sell my car for a good couple of months, on here and a couple of times on eBay but no joy. Made me wonder what I am doing wrong. I've got the full amount of pics up on the PH ad and a comprehensive description...which made me think, is my honesty in listing the niggles (it's an 18 year old TVR) putting people off? should I not mention any of it and maybe get some more "bites"? but the flipside is if I was a buyer i'd be a bit annoyed by this.
I've also dropped my price a few times and TBH I really don't think it's greedy (I won't say any more in case a Mod gets funny)
Basically what else can i do
Pics- check
Honest and decently written ad- check
Realistic price- check
I'm also in the middle of the country and 5 mins from a motorway, not as though i'm in the Hebrides! Starting to lose the will with it now
Right, to start with the cars not even clean.I've also dropped my price a few times and TBH I really don't think it's greedy (I won't say any more in case a Mod gets funny)
Basically what else can i do
Pics- check
Honest and decently written ad- check
Realistic price- check
I'm also in the middle of the country and 5 mins from a motorway, not as though i'm in the Hebrides! Starting to lose the will with it now
If you can't be assed to wash it, what else could be hiding.
You mention the FSH, well why not list some of the bigger and more recent items (date, item, price).
Its a thirsty convertible, at the end of a non-summer, in a recession.
Although the price is very keen, there is no reason to suggest its a 'good' car.
Doing little things (new straight numberplates, pictures in a sunny day,etc) should help.
M
If you're doing as muh as you can to encourage interest, I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. If the car has been advertised a while with little response then a refresh of the photos is always a good idea.
You might blame the thirsty V8 holding it back; well right now I have a BMW 320d, Audi A3 2.0TDI and an Alfa 156 2.4JTD for sale - all very sensible diesel cars and all keenly priced, bought (with the exception of the Alfa) with the sound knowledge that I've had similar cars in the past, tried and tested and sold very well. Alas, nothing on the Audi, nothing on the Alfa and just a fews sniffs at the BMW; what the hell's going on???
You might blame the thirsty V8 holding it back; well right now I have a BMW 320d, Audi A3 2.0TDI and an Alfa 156 2.4JTD for sale - all very sensible diesel cars and all keenly priced, bought (with the exception of the Alfa) with the sound knowledge that I've had similar cars in the past, tried and tested and sold very well. Alas, nothing on the Audi, nothing on the Alfa and just a fews sniffs at the BMW; what the hell's going on???
Ozzie Osmond said:
110 Chims advertised on PH and yours is one of the older cars. I suggest it needs to be in remarkably good condition and/or very keenly priced to find a buyer.
...and the badge needs to match the car.
Best to get rid of the badge all together maybe? nobody selling a 400 one on ebay atm...what are the chances theres a 450 with a 400 badge on somewhere!?...and the badge needs to match the car.
TBH on the price front I think i'd rather keep in then go below 4k
Edited by theironduke on Tuesday 11th September 18:02
Have to agree with the others....
Photos aren't up to much and the car looks grubby in them.
Location of the pics doesn't look good either.
Clean the floor mat in the drivers footwell.
Give her a shine, take her somewhere pretty and take some new pics.
I don't know how the number plates are meant to look on Chims but that front one looks a bit ropey too.
List the service history (recent big, stuff)
Other than that I imagine its just a slow market - - as you say its an 18yr old TVR with a v8, and a soft top that your trying to sell at the end of summer.
Photos aren't up to much and the car looks grubby in them.
Location of the pics doesn't look good either.
Clean the floor mat in the drivers footwell.
Give her a shine, take her somewhere pretty and take some new pics.
I don't know how the number plates are meant to look on Chims but that front one looks a bit ropey too.
List the service history (recent big, stuff)
Other than that I imagine its just a slow market - - as you say its an 18yr old TVR with a v8, and a soft top that your trying to sell at the end of summer.
Dan_1981 said:
Have to agree with the others....
Photos aren't up to much and the car looks grubby in them.
Location of the pics doesn't look good either.
Clean the floor mat in the drivers footwell.
Give her a shine, take her somewhere pretty and take some new pics.
I don't know how the number plates are meant to look on Chims but that front one looks a bit ropey too.
List the service history (recent big, stuff)
Other than that I imagine its just a slow market - - as you say its an 18yr old TVR with a v8, and a soft top that your trying to sell at the end of summer.
Cleaning done, new photos soon.Photos aren't up to much and the car looks grubby in them.
Location of the pics doesn't look good either.
Clean the floor mat in the drivers footwell.
Give her a shine, take her somewhere pretty and take some new pics.
I don't know how the number plates are meant to look on Chims but that front one looks a bit ropey too.
List the service history (recent big, stuff)
Other than that I imagine its just a slow market - - as you say its an 18yr old TVR with a v8, and a soft top that your trying to sell at the end of summer.
Just ordered a new front plate as yes, it does look tatty.
Will add more info on SH.
ked._Batty_ said:
Sorry, didn't mean to be harsh.
Just you've got to make an effort to sell your car
No problem Just you've got to make an effort to sell your car
All criticism is good! Sometimes you just don't "see" the obvious stuff and need some outside eys to give their perspective!This isn't the first time i've sold something a bit different, I think a ropey Porsche 928 still holds the record for the hardest car i've ever had to get rid of!
I'd get rid of all the sales platter, much is patronising (if looking then I'd know about TVRs foibles, uses less oil/outside parameters than you'd expect implying it uses it up in the first place etc.) or appears you have a chip on shoulder (about people talking nonsense about them being unreliable etc.). Remember, people are also looking at the buyer in this part of the market. Buyers also want to know facts on an ad, not "opinions" as they will already have an opinion on the type of car to be looking in the first place.
Scrap the reason for sale, no-one "really" cares. If they ask, tell them
After your price, scrap all the blurb and list out the service history (10/15 lines will do). Buyers like to see the facts about the history as they will be comparing a few.
Put the bad points by all means but the pics show the blemishes. Maybe clean up the engine bay a bit or leave it out of the ad.
Scrap the reason for sale, no-one "really" cares. If they ask, tell them
After your price, scrap all the blurb and list out the service history (10/15 lines will do). Buyers like to see the facts about the history as they will be comparing a few.
Put the bad points by all means but the pics show the blemishes. Maybe clean up the engine bay a bit or leave it out of the ad.
Edited by Dracoro on Tuesday 11th September 18:44
I sold my 96 Chimaera earlier in the year and it took a bit of time to find a new owner. I think the problem is that although it's not a particularly common car there's usually quite a wide selection available, and buyers usually have very specific requirements (paint colour, interior colour, engine, upgrades, chassis condition etc) so it takes time for the right buyer to come along for your car. It's definitely very keenly priced though, at £6.5k I think mine was the second cheapest on PH in February!
Saying that, as others have said definitely improve your pictures and elaborate on the history. And if the chassis is good consider getting it up on a ramp and taking a photo of it - TVR owners will tell you that this is pretty much the most important factor when buying a Chimaera, so show it off!
Are you advertising it anywhere else? In the end I think mine was sold through the Ebay advert - a classified ad is £15 IIRC and it's a good way to get plenty of exposure. I definitely got more enquires through Ebay than Pistonheads (although I was having major issues with the new PH classifieds at the time!).
Saying that, as others have said definitely improve your pictures and elaborate on the history. And if the chassis is good consider getting it up on a ramp and taking a photo of it - TVR owners will tell you that this is pretty much the most important factor when buying a Chimaera, so show it off!
Are you advertising it anywhere else? In the end I think mine was sold through the Ebay advert - a classified ad is £15 IIRC and it's a good way to get plenty of exposure. I definitely got more enquires through Ebay than Pistonheads (although I was having major issues with the new PH classifieds at the time!).
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