Why does no one want second hand petrol cars any more?!

[Bezza1969]

My 2003 VW Passat has been on sale for nearly 3 weeks on auto-trader now and 4 on Gumtree. Its priced competitively (actually about £250 below book value for a private sale car for its age) but I haven't had one single phone call! I find it unbelievable that even allowing for Christmas, not one of the 450 people who have viewed both ads between them has picked up the phone or e-mailed me. I can only surmise its because mine is the 1.8T model and everyone wants the bloody diesels! Now I know the TDI does much better MPG, but my car doesn't have troublesome injector problems, a DMF, a DPF or any of the other troublesome diesel bits that go wrong when a car has done 100K or more. Do people not look beyond MPG any more when choosing a cheap second hand car?

[johnnyBv8]

Time of year as much as anything, I'd guess. Try auctioning it on eBay? If you're pricing it under market price then you'll probably get just as much on eBay.

[Welshbeef]

They do suffer cool pack failure (our 1.8T has had them changed) the engines can also suffer from losing boost and also the secondary air pressure regulator or whatever its called.


I guess the other thing is the way they drive the TDI will feel quicker

[TheLordJohn]

I can't give my Audi Allroad 2.7T away. Much cleaner than many 3 year old cars, full RS6 interior, lovely car.

[Negative Creep]

Took me nearly 3 months to shift my perfectly good petrol W124 estate! People just seem to see mpg as the sole cost of running a car.

[Mr GrimNasty]

Bezza1969 said:

My 2003 VW Passat has been on sale for nearly 3 weeks on auto-trader now and 4 on Gumtree. Its priced competitively (actually about £250 below book value for a private sale car for its age) but I haven't had one single phone call! I find it unbelievable that even allowing for Christmas, not one of the 450 people who have viewed both ads between them has picked up the phone or e-mailed me. I can only surmise its because mine is the 1.8T model and everyone wants the bloody diesels! Now I know the TDI does much better MPG, but my car doesn't have troublesome injector problems, a DMF, a DPF or any of the other troublesome diesel bits that go wrong when a car has done 100K or more. Do people not look beyond MPG any more when choosing a cheap second hand car?

Well most VAG diesels of 2003 vintage have arguably the best mass produced diesel engine ever made in terms of performance/efficiency/reliabilty, NO DPF. And your car probaly does have a DMF. So why would anyone want your knackered old petrol when they can have twice the mpg and better performance with some very simple/cheap tinkering from the tuning fairies?

[TheLordJohn]

Negative Creep said:

Took me nearly 3 months to shift my perfectly good petrol W124 estate! People just seem to see mpg as the sole cost of running a car.

Mine will get 30 on a run (cruise control at 75) - it's absolutely comfortable, it's a nice head turner, it's had a cambelt and clutch in the past 2 years and I can't even get £3k for it.

[smiffy180]

TheLordJohn said:

I can't give my Audi Allroad 2.7T away. Much cleaner than many 3 year old cars, full RS6 interior, lovely car.

If you're giving it away I'll have it?

[Finlandia]

TheLordJohn said:

I can't give my Audi Allroad 2.7T away. Much cleaner than many 3 year old cars, full RS6 interior, lovely car.

Yes you can. When can you deliver it?

[9mm]

What's your asking price and what's the mileage? I don't think 'book' has too much to do with it in most cases. There's a gut feel that something is cheap, about right or overpriced so it will be interesting to see the reaction to your numbers.

[covmutley]

Agree, people just see the mpg. I bet they think diesel and petrol engines are basically the same.

[philmots]

Let's see the car/advert?

I could understand if it was the 2.0NA but that 1.8T is a nice engine

[anonymous-user]

I paid 625 for my full service history 1.8t 145k audi a4 2 owner car, with full mot 6 tax. I presume yours i advertised at 1.5k, the problem is it will hard to sell this time of the year

[Baryonyx]

Because people love rattly, st, unreliable diesels which are awful to drive?

[jasongtr]

TheLordJohn said:

I can't give my Audi Allroad 2.7T away. Much cleaner than many 3 year old cars, full RS6 interior, lovely car.

how much for it>?

[TheLordJohn]

9mm said:

What's your asking price and what's the mileage? I don't think 'book' has too much to do with it in most cases. There's a gut feel that something is cheap, about right or overpriced so it will be interesting to see the reaction to your numbers.

Here is the ebay auction link -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181272555723?ssPageName=...

Reserve set at 2750.

It's a REALLY nice car, comfortable as an old pair of boots, goes like stink if you want it to, chuck the dog in the back and still have more than enough space for a weeks worth of shopping.

Thanks for all the comments

[B.J.W]

TheLordJohn said:

I can't give my Audi Allroad 2.7T away. Much cleaner than many 3 year old cars, full RS6 interior, lovely car.

Ditto. I was offered as low as £800 part/ex on mine. I've sold it to a mate (who is an Audi technician) for £1500 after the best offer I could get was £1200. He has an absolute bargain. He couldn't find a similar condition diesel for less than £5,000. The difference buys an awful lot of petrol...... And a fighting fund for stuff going wrong. He knows the car and is as happy as a pig in muck.

[itz_baseline]

I for one would pick a diesel over a 1.8 petrol any day for a normal daily family run around. Better economy, probably better performance than the gutless 1.8, easier to sell after I've finished with it. Unless it was an R36 model that offers true performance then in general a 2nd hand diesel makes more sense IMO.

I always run 2 cars, petrol for my performance car and a diesel family car. There are big differences in economy as well let's be honest. 30mpg of a 1.8 vs 50mpg of a diesel is nearly 70% more!

[0a]

Did someone buy it?! Ad ended.

[jasongtr]

TheLordJohn said:

Here is the ebay auction link -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181272555723?ssPageName=...

Reserve set at 2750.

It's a REALLY nice car, comfortable as an old pair of boots, goes like stink if you want it to, chuck the dog in the back and still have more than enough space for a weeks worth of shopping.

Thanks for all the comments

just noticed you bought an air box off me