Selling a car and meeting potential buyers at the home...
Selling a car and meeting potential buyers at the home...
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Discussion

Chiddo

Original Poster:

64 posts

143 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
I am selling a car for quite a large some of cash £12,000. It's a hothach and I'm kind of paranoid I might get someone who is a complete of utter waste of space turning up and trying to buy for £8,000 which Is not happening, get's jealous and come back and damages the car.

Or worse of, car crimials seeing the ad and try robbing the car from me.

Is there any advice people could get on the best places to meet and if anyone has any good or bad experinces when carrying out a car transaction at their home address.

I did one two months ago for a £400 banger which I felt fine giving people the address to view but with this car I'm scared of something going wrong!

TA14

14,332 posts

288 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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You could have a mate with you when they come to view etc. but you sound so worried that I don't think that a private sale is for you. Forget the 'places to meet' idea as well.

ToothbrushMan

1,772 posts

155 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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If youre not happy with the situation it might be worth asking a local trader if they can sell it for you for a fee on completion?
Just a thought but really i think theres far more decent people around you than scum bags so you might just have to put your trust out there.
have a mate at the house but take all the usual precautions about test drives, not leaving valuables in the car etc.....

jayemm89

4,470 posts

160 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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As above really, I guess dealers are there to make selling "easier"... but at a cost.

I haven't had any problem buying/selling in the past. I also sell camera equipment which is worth more than a lot of cars, you get the odd joker but generally you can tell timewasters long before they come and see your stuff.

When it comes to cash I don't mind getting paid in it but I always ask them to come with me to the bank and I'll pay it in before I give them the keys etc...

danjama

5,728 posts

172 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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Here is an idea: Make a sound judgement on any potential buyer before inviting them to view the car?

R36vw

451 posts

176 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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If it is a real concern then via a dealer and accept a lower price is the way to go.
I sold an r36 last year which was up for 14k. I was mindful about the risks of theft. Easiest way to gauge if they're interested is talk on the phone to them. Do they know what size engine it has/service/ spec etc. although you will have listed this a genuine buyer will know most of it .a scammer in most cases it's got 4wheels. Also test drive. Don't get caught out. Keep the keys hand to them only when you are sat in pax seat. When stopping to get out...always make sure they get out first and hand keys to you before getting out of the car....these are the main ways if they are trying to nick it will happen or getting you to check a rattle they can hear. Selling elsewhere is not ideal and will put genuine buyers off. If I was coming to buy your car, apart from background checks on the car, I would want to make sure that the log book matched the seller and address. I wouldn't Be handing over any funds in sainsburys car park.

daemon

40,169 posts

227 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
Chiddo said:
I am selling a car for quite a large some of cash £12,000. It's a hothach and I'm kind of paranoid I might get someone who is a complete of utter waste of space turning up and trying to buy for £8,000 which Is not happening, get's jealous and come back and damages the car.

Or worse of, car crimials seeing the ad and try robbing the car from me.

Is there any advice people could get on the best places to meet and if anyone has any good or bad experinces when carrying out a car transaction at their home address.

I did one two months ago for a £400 banger which I felt fine giving people the address to view but with this car I'm scared of something going wrong!
Would you buy a £12K hot hatch from someone in a Tescos car park?

I think the meeting them elsewhere idea will come across as dodgy to a buyer - dont forget you have to convince them that you are a bone fide honest seller, in the same way as they have to convince you they are an honest buyer.

You *might* struggle to get a private buyer anyway. Usually people spending that sort of money will want full dealer facilities - trade in, warranty, finance, etc.

As has been said - local dealer sells it for you? OR you could try selling it to a specialist dealer, who sells hot hatches etc?

Maybe some of the online buyers but they're unlikely to give you a decent price.

Really over and above that you're into the realms of trading in.

ToothbrushMan

1,772 posts

155 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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The suggestion above about taking the buyer with you to payvthe cash into the bank is very good assuming its open but i cant think of a safer way to avoid being rogered. Genuine buyers wont mind. Tell them before they come.

darreni

4,542 posts

300 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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The contact leading up to a viewing always gives a pretty good idea if you want them at your house or not.

First impression is not usually wrong.

PositronicRay

29,039 posts

213 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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Last one I sold w drove to a local branch of buyers bank and had them transfer funds. By the time we got back to my house money was in the bank.

If you don't feel comfortable with the intial phone contact folow your gut instinct.

loskie

7,126 posts

150 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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If I was buying privately I would want to view it at the address on the V5 and deal with the registered keeper or spouse of.
State of the house may give some indication on how well the car has been looked after.

Sounds like you should put it in auction or WBAC.

Why are you so scared of folk coming round?

SteveSteveson

3,209 posts

193 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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One of the major rules of buying a car is, don't buy if the seller won't let you see it at their house. Your going to have to do it, or sell though a dealer, either to them, or on a commission basis.

ninjacost

980 posts

252 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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I have sold some big ticket cars privately just go with your gut instinct you can usually tell a knobber from intial contact first phone call etc .

shost

881 posts

173 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
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When I sold my Type R, I did similar to above. Another thing I did was making sure the car was running on fumes so they wouldn't get very far without filling up or stopping! We had two other cars which were both ready to go so to speak...

I was a bit stressed about the amount of cash too, so asked if the seller could accompany me to the bank so I could be happy that it was all genuine. I never counted myself, just had the teller do it. Alternatively for that amount I'd prefer an BACS which is much easier these days.

Then back home to fill out the docs.

In the end the guy purchasing my car turned out to be a plod!

Wacky Racer

41,371 posts

277 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
And if you do accept cash, get it banked ASAP, certainly hide it, it has been known for "buyers" to return 20 minutes after leaving to "reclaim" their cash armed with a baseball bat.

Certainly when talking about 12k be very very careful.

Chiddo

Original Poster:

64 posts

143 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
Many thanks for the responses, reason why I'm scared of them comming around because you always get people trying it with these cars. There is nothing wrong with the car and I'm not wanting them not to come to my home address because there is problems with the car, just these types of cars attract a lot of idiots to them. Living in Birmingham doesn't help as a lot of the idiots are from around here!

I guess as mentioned above, I can have a good chat with potential buyers and I'm sure I can filter out who are going to waste my time and who is not.

I was hoping to sell in my middle of December, (listing in two days) could be a problem though due the time of year, the price I want for it too, most of these cars are bought on finance when in the high range.

I will make sure that they is atleast one person with me at all times for any viewings, which helps.

In regards to seeing if a trader would put it up for sale and then getting a commisson, that seems interesting and I would be up for doing that, just a question on this though..

Would the likes of Volkswagen would do such a thing or are we talking about the small time independent 'specialist' type of traders?

Assuming I would advertise it through them and they did finance, would things get complicated if a buyer wanted it through Finance, with the V5 being in my name still and not the traders. I assume if accepted, finance house pays trader the amount & then trader pays me.

Car will have to be kept with myself as it is my daily... and if someone wants to view it, I'll just have to bring it to trader.





Edited by Chiddo on Saturday 29th November 20:19


Edited by Chiddo on Saturday 29th November 20:30

jayemm89

4,470 posts

160 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
To add to the above really, any sort of PH-worthy car, sellers have pretty much always done their research if they're genuine.

If you want the rewards, you gotta take the risks...

TA14

14,332 posts

288 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
What car is it? Sounds like a Golf GTi? If it is of that ilk, remember that whilst it may mean a lot to you there are many thousands of them around.

I doubt that a franchised dealer would sell on commission, esp. from an add only but you'll just have to approach a few dealers of all types. Terms and conditions for things like finances will be through the dealer so let them worry about that.

Have you done your homework? Do yo know the WBAC value?

If you need the car everyday how will you cope when it's sold? Buy another on the same day?

Chiddo

Original Poster:

64 posts

143 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
TA14 said:
What car is it? Sounds like a Golf GTi? If it is of that ilk, remember that whilst it may mean a lot to you there are many thousands of them around.

I doubt that a franchised dealer would sell on commission, esp. from an add only but you'll just have to approach a few dealers of all types. Terms and conditions for things like finances will be through the dealer so let them worry about that.

Have you done your homework? Do yo know the WBAC value?

If you need the car everyday how will you cope when it's sold? Buy another on the same day?
The car is a MK5 Volkswagen Golf R32.

Yeah I'll do so calling on monday, I thought the likes of volkswagen wouldn't do it anyway.

I filled out the details on WBAC the other week, they were offering 8k which is a joke.

I have done my homework on the car, I am wanting 12k for it and it seems like a fair price for what loads have sold for on the forum and on other car listing websites, just it MIGHT take a few weeks to sell..

censored

Edited by Chiddo on Saturday 29th November 20:52


Edited by Chiddo on Saturday 29th November 20:53


ETA

Too much information will get your post removed as an advert.

Edited by Big Al. on Sunday 30th November 09:49

Wacky Racer

41,371 posts

277 months

Saturday 29th November 2014
quotequote all
Chiddo said:
In regards to seeing if a trader would put it up for sale and then getting a commisson, that seems interesting and I would be up for doing that, just a question on this though..

Would the likes of Volkswagen would do such a thing or are we talking about the small time independent 'specialist' type of traders?

[/footnote]
Seriously, don't go there, it is fraught with danger.

There have been several threads on here over the years where dealers have gone bust or disappeared overnight taking customers cars with them.

I have first hand experience of this with a (nearly new) Triumph motorbike that I left with a MAIN DEALER, established for many many years.....they sold the bike within a day, and I was very lucky to receive my money four weeks later.... after many threats.

They went bust six months later.