When did selling a car become such a ball ache?
Discussion
Since I put my car up for sale on Autotrader and Gumtree I've had nothing but loads of texts with stupid offers or 'best price', people calling asking if I can deliver it across country and just general people who waste your time saying they'll be there etc etc.
I've sold cars before but I've never had much issue. Pretty close to taking a hit and going to Evans Halshaw
I've sold cars before but I've never had much issue. Pretty close to taking a hit and going to Evans Halshaw
Not sure what you are doing wrong. I've found selling through Gumtree and AT easier than ever as traders have got so greedy.
I was offered £6.5k by EH on a car that was worth £8k as a quick sale. Put it on Gumtree at £8.5K, got a few calls and the first guy to see it took it at the asking price.
My wife's Mini, again, sold through Gumtree without hassle.
My neighbour was swapping their car, got the usual piss take offer from the trader nad sold it through Autotrader for £2K more than the trader was offering.
Just price it sensibly with good photos and make sure it is clean when the prospective buyer turns up.
I was offered £6.5k by EH on a car that was worth £8k as a quick sale. Put it on Gumtree at £8.5K, got a few calls and the first guy to see it took it at the asking price.
My wife's Mini, again, sold through Gumtree without hassle.
My neighbour was swapping their car, got the usual piss take offer from the trader nad sold it through Autotrader for £2K more than the trader was offering.
Just price it sensibly with good photos and make sure it is clean when the prospective buyer turns up.
Thankyou4calling said:
WBAC have been the death of the private sale.
How has WBAC caused what the O/P is seeing - "loads of texts with stupid offers or 'best price', people calling asking if I can deliver it across country and just general people who waste your time saying they'll be there etc etc."If anything, WBAC pitch as a simple easy transaction rather than having to deal with all the dolts out there.
Andy665 said:
Never as a problem selling privately.
Detailed description, lots of photos, clear pricing that is realistic.
Only car that attracted stupid offers from a clearly defined section of the UK population was my 500 CL but not a problem to deal with them
I think it depends on the car and the price point. If your car / price point attracts the dolts they can be very annoying.Detailed description, lots of photos, clear pricing that is realistic.
Only car that attracted stupid offers from a clearly defined section of the UK population was my 500 CL but not a problem to deal with them
Barchettaman said:
Ignore the numpties and ‘best price bruv’s.
Don’t be in a rush to sell.
Insist that viewers come solo.
You can hardly do that though can you? People often like to bring a mate for a second opinion or moreoften as a driver to get their purchase home.Don’t be in a rush to sell.
Insist that viewers come solo.
Insisting people come alone to view your car sounds... well, weird.
Edited by daemon on Sunday 22 April 17:23
people want everything for nothing these days. seems to have been a change in behaviour or society has just dumbed down over the decades even more than when i first sold a car when younger.
I tend to price things dirt cheap so they go in seconds or put them max price i could posssibly get.
Selling cheap gets rid quick and lessons the pain.
Selling pricey filters out the poor people who seem to want more for thier money. You sell a banger for 500 and people still want the thing to be a minter and perfect yet sell a better car top dollar and you cut out those kind of
tards and get people who are more realistic for what is a 10-15 year old car.
I tend to price things dirt cheap so they go in seconds or put them max price i could posssibly get.
Selling cheap gets rid quick and lessons the pain.
Selling pricey filters out the poor people who seem to want more for thier money. You sell a banger for 500 and people still want the thing to be a minter and perfect yet sell a better car top dollar and you cut out those kind of
tards and get people who are more realistic for what is a 10-15 year old car.As the day has gone on I received a few more unrealistic offers, and one guy wanted to travel over 200 miles to see my Chevrolet Lacetti, I suggested that travelling all that way for this car wasn't really worth his while.
I had a small dealer phone me up, he took the car for a price I was happy with and even took another car away I was looking to sell as well without even looking at it. So all in all, mission accomplished.
It's definitely been my worst experience though and I've sold a fair few cars in my time.
Here's just some of the texts I received today...
"We pay upto 400 for cars thanks"
"car for sale" No seriously that's all it said
"Wot mot on and I'd their history with it also could I test drive today" Both MOT and history explained in detail on the ad
"RE: Chevrolet Lacetti MOT Until 2019 £350?"
"RE: Chevrolet Lacetti MOT Until 2019 £250?" Both from different numbers, exact same layout, bot?
I had a small dealer phone me up, he took the car for a price I was happy with and even took another car away I was looking to sell as well without even looking at it. So all in all, mission accomplished.
It's definitely been my worst experience though and I've sold a fair few cars in my time.
Here's just some of the texts I received today...
"We pay upto 400 for cars thanks"
"car for sale" No seriously that's all it said
"Wot mot on and I'd their history with it also could I test drive today" Both MOT and history explained in detail on the ad
"RE: Chevrolet Lacetti MOT Until 2019 £350?"
"RE: Chevrolet Lacetti MOT Until 2019 £250?" Both from different numbers, exact same layout, bot?
I've never had a problem selling privately in the past but have had my car up for a couple of weeks and not had a single viewing. Only 2 people with any contact at all, and they didn't reply after the first email.
Thought it must be price (car is pretty much as good condition as you could get for age and mileage and even has a bit of warranty) but it's priced very closely to similar ones on AT and PH, generally at the cheaper end.
I think the rise of lease and PCP, combined with the WBAC types has dented the private sale market somewhat.
Car I'm selling is a convertible so I'm hoping the recent shift in weather might generate some interest!
Thought it must be price (car is pretty much as good condition as you could get for age and mileage and even has a bit of warranty) but it's priced very closely to similar ones on AT and PH, generally at the cheaper end.
I think the rise of lease and PCP, combined with the WBAC types has dented the private sale market somewhat.
Car I'm selling is a convertible so I'm hoping the recent shift in weather might generate some interest!
WBAC might have had an impact when they first started but for most stuff, they are so far off the market price that they must only be getting stuff which has major hidden issues or lazy sellers.
Car dealers also want to give sellers the impression that uying or selling private is hard or risky. It usually isn't.
If you are selling a car which attracts the racial stereotypes then I imagine you may get a few idiotic texts but I've kept away from those types of car so have not had an issue.
Car dealers also want to give sellers the impression that uying or selling private is hard or risky. It usually isn't.
If you are selling a car which attracts the racial stereotypes then I imagine you may get a few idiotic texts but I've kept away from those types of car so have not had an issue.
Jasandjules said:
There do just seem to be more tw*ts around these days who will take the pee and have no manners.
I think technology has made it easier for them, they probably always existed just most of them wouldn't be so rude if they were talking to somebody rather than messaging etc. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff