So it is a buyers market? why does no one answer the phone?

[paulmnz]

... I've decided I'm going to buy a convertible E36 M3 EVO, I've seen a few I'm interested in, within budget. A couple of them have been for sale for quite some time and I've noticed the vendor drop the price a couple of times.

I've tried to call an enquire about 5 cars so far - voicemail every time. I've left a polite message saying I've seen an advert on pistonheads / autotrader / etc for an M3 and I'm interested in discussing, please call me back... I've tried calling at sensible times (mid-afternoon on weekends, during work hours, early evening). I had one person respond from eBay with lots of detail and it looked like a promising car, but it sold before I had a chance to view it. other than that, no one has called back?!?

I've emailed, even sent an SMS to mobile numbers that have gone to voicemail.

I haven't left low-ball offer messages or asked for a test drive to waste their time. I just want to talk to someone about the car they seem keen to sell!

All the cars I have enquired about are still listed on the sites, so they don't appear to have sold. Even if they had, surely it doesn't take much to reply with 'sorry, it's sold'

It seems the slow trade in 2nd hand cars isn't just because of a lack of buyers.

If I was selling a thirsty, expensive to insure convertible on the way into winter in an uncertain economic climate I think I'd be very keen to speak to a potential buyer!

What am I doing wrong here? or are sellers just testing the water with no intention to sell?

[SMcP114]

I have honestly no explanation for this. I reply to every enquiry about my cars except email.

[mattnunn]

paulmnz said:

... I've decided I'm going to buy a convertible E36 M3 EVO, I've seen a few I'm interested in, within budget. A couple of them have been for sale for quite some time and I've noticed the vendor drop the price a couple of times.

I've tried to call an enquire about 5 cars so far

Too busy ducking and diving selling gear outside the kebab shop.

[eldar]

SMcP114 said:

I have honestly no explanation for this. I reply to every enquiry about my cars except email.

Recent threads have indicated that car dealers do not respond to email. Or the phone. Or personal visits.

Must be facebook only

[rallycross]

If you are still looking for an M3 Evo convertible a friend of mine is thinking of selling his one to buy a 996 TT will send you an email with more details if you want, its low mileage and fsh and in london

[DeanR32]

If you can follow them on Facebook, try poking them!

You'd think they'd be mad keen to get cars shifted

[paulmnz]

rallycross said:

If you are still looking for an M3 Evo convertible a friend of mine is thinking of selling his one to buy a 996 TT will send you an email with more details if you want, its low mileage and fsh and in london

sure. bear in mind I might try to contact him, so he need be prepared for demanding questions about service history ;-)

[SMcP114]

eldar said:

SMcP114 said:

I have honestly no explanation for this. I reply to every enquiry about my cars except email.

Recent threads have indicated that car dealers do not respond to email. Or the phone. Or personal visits.

Must be facebook only

Don't be so sarcastic, there's always Skype or MSN Messenger.

[paulmnz]

Perhaps I could Fax them?

Suspect that would get someones attention.. they probably wouldn't even remember *having* a fax machine until it starts to burble paper out of it...

[jamiebae]

As someone who has recently sold a car I did reply to every single call and email I got, but did get utterly sick of idiots making stupid offers.

The car sold 2 days after being advertised for the full price, minus the cost of a pair of tyres so was far from overpriced, yet I had at least 12 people either call or email me offering between 25 and 40% under the asking price, then either hang up or not reply when I said I was looking for something nearer the full price but they were welcome to come and look and make an offer.

Is your name 'Adz', or 'Shaz', or something else ending with a 'Z' and/or are you from the outskirts of London? People fitting this description accounted for a good 90% of my timewasting calls/emails so I can totally understand a seller ignoring them. They started literally 40 minutes after the ad went up on PH and Autotrader incredibly!

[Robsti]

The motor trade are always trying to FAX people !

[RedAlfa]

Robsti said:

The motor trade are always trying to FAX people !

The motor trade will end up faxing themselves with their fking attitude . No response to emails, phone messages, texts ... fk 'em!

[paulmnz]

I guess faxing might be more appropriate if I was buying an 80's 911 targa with checker interior or perhaps an E30 convertible... although I concede an E36 convertible is perhaps just few years too late...

Maybe I could leave a beeper number?

I'd love to even get to the stage of making a 20-40% under offer, but so far no one is answering the phone...

[bazking69]

jamiebae said:

As someone who has recently sold a car I did reply to every single call and email I got, but did get utterly sick of idiots making stupid offers.

The car sold 2 days after being advertised for the full price, minus the cost of a pair of tyres so was far from overpriced, yet I had at least 12 people either call or email me offering between 25 and 40% under the asking price, then either hang up or not reply when I said I was looking for something nearer the full price but they were welcome to come and look and make an offer.

Is your name 'Adz', or 'Shaz', or something else ending with a 'Z' and/or are you from the outskirts of London? People fitting this description accounted for a good 90% of my timewasting calls/emails so I can totally understand a seller ignoring them. They started literally 40 minutes after the ad went up on PH and Autotrader incredibly!

Amazing how many of these 'Adz's' get upset when you bluntly tell them to go away. I have one 'blaad' offer me a lecture by email in his rather broken Engrish/txtspk when I told him in no uncertain terms to go away unless he had a serious offer. You could have used the email as a case study for everything that is wrong with modern society it was that good...

[snowen250]

It would be nice to even get a single call or email about the car im selling, even a silly offer would be appreciated at the moment!

[S8QUATTRO]

bazking69 said:

jamiebae said:

As someone who has recently sold a car I did reply to every single call and email I got, but did get utterly sick of idiots making stupid offers.

The car sold 2 days after being advertised for the full price, minus the cost of a pair of tyres so was far from overpriced, yet I had at least 12 people either call or email me offering between 25 and 40% under the asking price, then either hang up or not reply when I said I was looking for something nearer the full price but they were welcome to come and look and make an offer.

Is your name 'Adz', or 'Shaz', or something else ending with a 'Z' and/or are you from the outskirts of London? People fitting this description accounted for a good 90% of my timewasting calls/emails so I can totally understand a seller ignoring them. They started literally 40 minutes after the ad went up on PH and Autotrader incredibly!

Amazing how many of these 'Adz's' get upset when you bluntly tell them to go away. I have one 'blaad' offer me a lecture by email in his rather broken Engrish/txtspk when I told him in no uncertain terms to go away unless he had a serious offer. You could have used the email as a case study for everything that is wrong with modern society it was that good...

I had a pair of these jokers come to view a bmw e39 i was selling, started texting me about 15 minutes after the ad went up and were offering me 25% below the asking price. I arranged for them to view in the morning. They tried to make out there was something wrong with the engine and assumed i knew nothing. I had another person wanting to view that morning too. I eventually got pi**ed off with these two idiots and told them "the car is no longer for sale to you" The next guy came 30 mins later, chipped me £100 and took it away happy!

[Twincharged]

SMcP114 said:

I have honestly no explanation for this. I reply to every enquiry about my cars except email.

Out of interest, have you written in the advert that you only reply to phone calls?

I find it rather frustrating when I send an email about an advert (usually to find out basic information which should have been in the advert in the first place) and receive no reply.

I appreciate that each seller won't want to deal with lots of emails, but at the same time, buyers can't be expected to call the seller of every example in the classifieds to get the most basic information. Email can be a good form of communication because it can be sent and replied to as and when convenient- you don't have to worry about calling the seller one evening and waking them up. Generally, I like to get the basic information out of the way by email, before following up with a phone call to discuss the car and a meeting to see it.

If initial emails aren't answered, I won't generally chase with a phone call- there are usually enough examples of a model to look at. The seller who gets my cash is the one who writes a good advert in the first place, and responds to any queries I have in a timely manner- simple.

[johnnyBv8]

SMcP114 said:

I have honestly no explanation for this. I reply to every enquiry about my cars except email.

Arghh , unless this is a woosh moment, but I suspect it's not. At least put in your advert that you're a luddite, and then at least people will know not to waste their time.

[Patrick Bateman]

Email, get with the times.

Ignoring blatantly genuine emails would be stupid, it's far easier to ask a load of thing you want, in detail, without being rushed on the phone.

[nobrakes]

Looking for a cheap car, I spent so many hours phoning folk who never answered, or whose cars had sold (“oh, ah, yeah mate, that one’s sold” reply from a ‘private’ sale, which was still up weeks after that), that I hate to add up how much it cost me in my time. Nightmare.