Is it worth putting a Chim for sale on ebay?
Is it worth putting a Chim for sale on ebay?
Author
Discussion

StreetDragster

Original Poster:

1,575 posts

249 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
Afternoon All,

My theory on cars on ebay is a last chance saloon, where cars go if the seller is desperate and willing to take naff all for their motor to shift it.

But a pal of mine thinks i should put my Chim on there, as much of the public knows ebay, but not generally pistonheads/tvrcc/classic cars etc.

I did try autotrader with no success, and very expensive IMO

So, what do you think, should i put my car on Ebay? Any success storys of buying decent cars, for decent money off ebay?

Thanks

Matt

pilgrim13

103 posts

220 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
In my experience Autotrader has been useless, I've advertised vehicles on there and had no replies then put them on ebay for the same price and sold it easily. Just had my Chim on ebay and Pistonheads at the same price, I did eventually sell it to someone who saw it on Pistonheads but I had lots of serious interest from ebay and it was 50/50. I've sold bikes on ebay and got 100's more than I would have accepted, auction fever and all that!! I've had good results from Gumtree in the past and when I sold my Jag XK8 The Sunday Times did the trick.

StreetDragster

Original Poster:

1,575 posts

249 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
Interesting, does sound like a worthwhile place to advertise then, especially so now that i have discovered they do a classified listing type thing with no auction bidding/haggeling.

I think i'll list it, thanks

Matt

pilgrim13

103 posts

220 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
I had mine on a buy it now and used the make an offer feature, I had mine on for 6995 and a good idea is to use the automatic offer rejection for which you can set the level, I had 6500 as the level, then I could consider offers between 6500 and 6995 and accept/reject manually, stops you having to deal with the wacensoredrs that offer you 500 quid

pilgrim13

103 posts

220 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
12 good photos are the secret I think on ebay

stu 9thgate

240 posts

245 months

Monday 18th August 2008
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To be honest i havent sold a car on e-bay. If i was a Serious buyer in the market for a Tvr chimaera ( wich i have been of coarse). I would not be looking on E-bay .Any one who has gone to the trouble of researching the car and finding out its history would have been put onto this site long ago.
Too many scare storys of scams and the like for me on e-bay.weeping
The way i see it is, if its a good one then it will sell to a like minded and interested tvr enthusiast through the usual channels ( good money) if its a bad one then its likley to be sold by Auction (Bad money).
Im sure thats not the case all the time. but its just how i see it.
The other option , and if i was to sell my beloved beast( not likely, but if), then i would consider polishing it up and puting it out on a hot sunny day with the roof down on a popular busy road. Sitting on a nice grass verge with a big for sale sighn on it.yum
Pictures alone do not do the chimaera justis. seeing it in the flesh could be just enough to turn someone in to your buyer.;) or make you change your mind !.

jaxdanjo

111 posts

232 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
I'm having the same problem at the moment. My Impreza is on Pistonheads and Autotrader. I think the current climate is not helping with sports car sales. Fingers crossed she goes soon though. I can't concentrate on anything else but getting my first TVR biggrin

pilgrim13

103 posts

220 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
stu 9thgate said:
To be honest i havent sold a car on e-bay. If i was a Serious buyer in the market for a Tvr chimaera ( wich i have been of coarse). I would not be looking on E-bay .Any one who has gone to the trouble of researching the car and finding out its history would have been put onto this site long ago.
Too many scare storys of scams and the like for me on e-bay.weeping
The way i see it is, if its a good one then it will sell to a like minded and interested tvr enthusiast through the usual channels ( good money) if its a bad one then its likley to be sold by Auction (Bad money).
Im sure thats not the case all the time. but its just how i see it.
The other option , and if i was to sell my beloved beast( not likely, but if), then i would consider polishing it up and puting it out on a hot sunny day with the roof down on a popular busy road. Sitting on a nice grass verge with a big for sale sighn on it.yum
Pictures alone do not do the chimaera justis. seeing it in the flesh could be just enough to turn someone in to your buyer.;) or make you change your mind !.
I've sold many cars and bikes on ebay and this isnt the case in my experience. More than not I've sold them through an enquiry through ebay and not in the actual auction. Its just another tool for getting your vehicle exposed to the market. I've sold much more specialist cars than TVR's through ebay. You've surely got a better chance of someone who is seriously looking seeing your car on ebay than parked up on some grass verge.

fenderbender

339 posts

255 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
I've sold several motors on eBay but have had notable failures. My last Jaguar failed to reach the reserve and a recent attempt to sell my brother's MG was also a dismal flop.

My considered opinion (as an eBay user since 2001) is that eBay buyers are generally looking for a bargain, not for a way of parting with top money. That said I have watched a number of pre 1962 minis go for frankly ridiculous money (over £9,000 in one case).

Nevertheless I would list on eBay as well as Autotrader. The guy who eventually bought the Jag had seen the eBay advert and came round to view/negotiate a direct cash sale.

Drawbacks to Autotrader are (1) you are continually pestered on a daily basis by callcentres trying to get you to advertise your car on their rival system and (2) you are a constant target for the scammers who claim they want to export your car via an agent and would you please accept an international cheque for more than the car is worth to cover fluctuations in the exchange rate. I assume everyone reading this knows how this scam works...??

Drawbacks to eBay are (1) the bargain hunting mindset, (2) timewasters and tyre-kickers

V8 Animal

6,015 posts

241 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
Ive had good response on ebay.
My advice is to start the auction at a pound and reserve your asking price ad should cost you £15 approx
Don't bother with the classified ad.
That way you create alot more intrest in the item as every ones after a bargain the classfied ones don't shift easily unless underpriced.
You also can't lose apart from your listing price if you set a reserve.
Just ignore the can i part exchange a motorbike/jetski/old banger/wife etc.
V8 Animal

stu 9thgate

240 posts

245 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
pilgrim13 said:
stu 9thgate said:
To be honest i havent sold a car on e-bay. If i was a Serious buyer in the market for a Tvr chimaera ( wich i have been of coarse). I would not be looking on E-bay .Any one who has gone to the trouble of researching the car and finding out its history would have been put onto this site long ago.
Too many scare storys of scams and the like for me on e-bay.weeping
The way i see it is, if its a good one then it will sell to a like minded and interested tvr enthusiast through the usual channels ( good money) if its a bad one then its likley to be sold by Auction (Bad money).
Im sure thats not the case all the time. but its just how i see it.
The other option , and if i was to sell my beloved beast( not likely, but if), then i would consider polishing it up and puting it out on a hot sunny day with the roof down on a popular busy road. Sitting on a nice grass verge with a big for sale sighn on it.yum
Pictures alone do not do the chimaera justis. seeing it in the flesh could be just enough to turn someone in to your buyer.;) or make you change your mind !.
I've sold many cars and bikes on ebay and this isnt the case in my experience. More than not I've sold them through an enquiry through ebay and not in the actual auction. Its just another tool for getting your vehicle exposed to the market. I've sold much more specialist cars than TVR's through ebay. You've surely got a better chance of someone who is seriously looking seeing your car on ebay than parked up on some grass verge.



I was thinking piston heads AND the grass verge.
I didnt say i was right, i just said what i think. I was looking at it from the point of the buyer. Piston eads is a car site for enthusiasts( spelling!?) .
I wanted to buy my car from someone who uses this site. I felt it gave me the best chance of buying one that had been looked after and cared about.
All our cars will have user history on here. For me thats a good thing, its not about the price its the car im thinking of.
but sure every one uses e-bay so give it a shot m8.

StreetDragster

Original Poster:

1,575 posts

249 months

Saturday 23rd August 2008
quotequote all
Thanks for all advice, Ebay worked for me and i've just sold to an overseas buyer

Thanks

Matt

roysum

961 posts

220 months

Monday 25th August 2008
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StreetDragster said:
Thanks for all advice, Ebay worked for me and i've just sold to an overseas buyer

Thanks

Matt
Not suprised Matt, nice looking car !