Utter disbelief at the state of selling a car online
Discussion
Listed my car (Golf GTI) on eBay and Autotrader over the weekend.
Has had lots of interest as it's priced sensibly and is mega clean.
Have had many messages forcefully trying to push me down on price, but that's not the real issue.
Twice in a row, I have had buyers arrange to come down and view the car, only to fail to show up and completely ghost me, sitting like an idiot having just washed and detailed the car waiting for them to arrive.
Both individuals phoned me before 'setting off' and had my postcode. All it would have taken was a quick message to say "hey, can no longer make it."
Have I just had bad luck or is this the state of the used car market now? If it is, I can totally see how companies like Cazoo and Webuyanycar are so successful, seems like people have zero manners or appreciation for others time.
Has had lots of interest as it's priced sensibly and is mega clean.
Have had many messages forcefully trying to push me down on price, but that's not the real issue.
Twice in a row, I have had buyers arrange to come down and view the car, only to fail to show up and completely ghost me, sitting like an idiot having just washed and detailed the car waiting for them to arrive.
Both individuals phoned me before 'setting off' and had my postcode. All it would have taken was a quick message to say "hey, can no longer make it."
Have I just had bad luck or is this the state of the used car market now? If it is, I can totally see how companies like Cazoo and Webuyanycar are so successful, seems like people have zero manners or appreciation for others time.
aceofspades1 said:
Have I just had bad luck or is this the state of the used car market now? If it is, I can totally see how companies like Cazoo and Webuyanycar are so successful, seems like people have zero manners or appreciation for others time.
No this is what it is like mostly, people don't give a crap about other people they just want you to virtually give it away.Pebbles167 said:
Bad luck.
I've only ever had one arse turn up, and I've been able to spot most other potential arses at the message/phonecall phase. Generally selling my cars and bikes has been easy and a pleasant enough experience.
Keep at it.
Encouraging to read this. Seems like it might just be my luck but couldn't believe it when a SECOND buyer ghosted me today! I've only ever had one arse turn up, and I've been able to spot most other potential arses at the message/phonecall phase. Generally selling my cars and bikes has been easy and a pleasant enough experience.
Keep at it.
I’ve just had a surprisingly easy sale of a low mileage Toyota with a knackered engine, stuck it on eBay as an auction and had loads of ‘best price M8’ messages almost instantly. One sensible chap sent a coherently written message, asked to come view, turned up and gave me cash before he’d even really looked at the car. Left to fetch a trailer (and left the keys and paperwork with me), came back an hour later and took the car. Could tell straight away from his messages that he was a serious buyer.
Considerable number of people at the bottom of the used car market who are complete time wasters. Probably not the majority, at least not quite yet.
I think there is a change in our culture being brought about by the car buying people from Eastern Europe, Africa and the middle East, who are very keen on a haggle, which has resulted in very low ball offers.
I was selling a Toyota one day, and I missed he last digit from the price, so, instead of selling for £2350, it was being sold for £235. And I still had people offering less than £200. This speaks to me of a culture of haggling, rather than assessment of what might be called value for money.
I think there is a change in our culture being brought about by the car buying people from Eastern Europe, Africa and the middle East, who are very keen on a haggle, which has resulted in very low ball offers.
I was selling a Toyota one day, and I missed he last digit from the price, so, instead of selling for £2350, it was being sold for £235. And I still had people offering less than £200. This speaks to me of a culture of haggling, rather than assessment of what might be called value for money.
aceofspades1 said:
Listed my car (Golf GTI) on eBay and Autotrader over the weekend.
Has had lots of interest as it's priced sensibly and is mega clean.
Have had many messages forcefully trying to push me down on price, but that's not the real issue.
Twice in a row, I have had buyers arrange to come down and view the car, only to fail to show up and completely ghost me, sitting like an idiot having just washed and detailed the car waiting for them to arrive.
Both individuals phoned me before 'setting off' and had my postcode. All it would have taken was a quick message to say "hey, can no longer make it."
Have I just had bad luck or is this the state of the used car market now? If it is, I can totally see how companies like Cazoo and Webuyanycar are so successful, seems like people have zero manners or appreciation for others time.
Maybe they heard it had an iffy DSG gearbox? Has had lots of interest as it's priced sensibly and is mega clean.
Have had many messages forcefully trying to push me down on price, but that's not the real issue.
Twice in a row, I have had buyers arrange to come down and view the car, only to fail to show up and completely ghost me, sitting like an idiot having just washed and detailed the car waiting for them to arrive.
Both individuals phoned me before 'setting off' and had my postcode. All it would have taken was a quick message to say "hey, can no longer make it."
Have I just had bad luck or is this the state of the used car market now? If it is, I can totally see how companies like Cazoo and Webuyanycar are so successful, seems like people have zero manners or appreciation for others time.
t, we'll expect sCanon_Fodder said:
OP how much over the WBAC price are you asking
The WBAC price is stupid, well below market average at £9500. I know I’ve priced mine sensibly as it’s gotten so much interest and is the cheapest one online with a good write-up and looks clean - maybe pricing it so cheap has attracted the timewasters?I sold my car on Motorway this week. Sold for £9700, dealer has it up for £11400. WBAC offered £8300. I wish the dealer well as he should sell it for that and hopefully make something in finance etc. For the sake of another £600 quid after tyre kickers and nit picking it worked out better using Motorway. There was only 1 bid on my car too so I got my reserve price, it could have easily been bid up but that didn’t happen. It also costs nothing to list and you reserve the right to not sell.
It does sound like bad luck. I’ve not had anything like that in 25 years of selling cars privately. I am getting better at ignoring messages from time wasters though - anything focusing on knocking the price down before they’ve said hello, basically.
Anyone serious tends to want to arrange a viewing before discussing a price.
August is a terrible time to sell a car though, and this August is probably worse than most!
Anyone serious tends to want to arrange a viewing before discussing a price.
August is a terrible time to sell a car though, and this August is probably worse than most!
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