Private Car Buyers – again.
Discussion
I’m selling a car, I won’t bore you with the details.
But, I’ve just had a few days worth of text conversation with a chap interested in buying it.
All was going well until
- We will need to negotiate the price, yours is the same as dealers price.
- Can you please show me a dealer with a car within 2k of my price?
- All the dealers are overpriced. They should be 3k less, they are just inflated prices because of summer.
I find myself a little confused.
How can all dealers be overpriced when all of the cars are that price.
I can understand one dealer or car being overpriced compared to another, but I don’t understand the logic of a person thinking they are all overpriced.
It’s just baffling.
I know how you all love stories of people selling their cars and the trials they must go through before they find a genuine buyer, so I thought I’d share this with you.
It’s all for your enjoyment, it’s nothing to do with my just having a little rant to get it out of my system.
But, I’ve just had a few days worth of text conversation with a chap interested in buying it.
All was going well until
- We will need to negotiate the price, yours is the same as dealers price.
- Can you please show me a dealer with a car within 2k of my price?
- All the dealers are overpriced. They should be 3k less, they are just inflated prices because of summer.
I find myself a little confused.
How can all dealers be overpriced when all of the cars are that price.
I can understand one dealer or car being overpriced compared to another, but I don’t understand the logic of a person thinking they are all overpriced.
It’s just baffling.
I know how you all love stories of people selling their cars and the trials they must go through before they find a genuine buyer, so I thought I’d share this with you.
It’s all for your enjoyment, it’s nothing to do with my just having a little rant to get it out of my system.
Well i'm trying to sell at the moment a fairly common car - It has Tax and MOT and in really good condition. I really want rid of it and despite it being one of the cheapest in the country I am still getting people saying its too expensive. I have priced it cheap as I really want to sell the car as I dont have space to park it front of my house anymore. I'm only looking for 1k.
Ozzie Osmond said:
If you're selling privately, just give buyers an honest description over the phone/text and tell them to come and see it. Anything more is IMO just wasting your time.
Yep, I guess that’s the best plan.I did think it was a nice idea to get the price agreed on the phone in advance.
If it’s a long journey for the buyer it saves him having a wasted journey.
It was a tactic I planned to use when I buy my next car.
But, I think I might have to rethink that plan.
I have just had a bit of an experience with a potential buyer of my car. He wasn't pleased to hear the car sold to a friend the day before he was going to come and look at it. I received a text message the next day saying he was coming down to the post code I'd given him to have a chat and get £150 off of me for insurance and money he had paid someone to drive him down to see the car. Apparently it's my fault he insured himself on a car he had never seen, never driven and never paid any money for (I hadn't even agreed to sell it to him, it was just a viewing!). Despite that he insisted that he was coming down at 6pm and that I had to be there.
Thankfully I haven't heard from him since, I'd hate to think what he would have done if he'd bought the car and something had gone wrong with it!
Thankfully I haven't heard from him since, I'd hate to think what he would have done if he'd bought the car and something had gone wrong with it!
offspring86 said:
Apparently it's my fault he insured himself on a car he had never seen, never driven and never paid any money for (I hadn't even agreed to sell it to him, it was just a viewing!). Despite that he insisted that he was coming down at 6pm and that I had to be there.
Thankfully I haven't heard from him since, I'd hate to think what he would have done if he'd bought the car and something had gone wrong with it!
Oh no, I have someone in a similar position coming to look at my car on Friday. I do hope that he is not expecting me to pay for his insurance/travel costs if he doesn't end up buying the car.Thankfully I haven't heard from him since, I'd hate to think what he would have done if he'd bought the car and something had gone wrong with it!
aka_kerrly said:
Oh no, I have someone in a similar position coming to look at my car on Friday. I do hope that he is not expecting me to pay for his insurance/travel costs if he doesn't end up buying the car.
I may have to try this when I purchase my next car."Sorry mate, my Mum's had to be rushed to hospital so I can't view the car. Insurance and petrol invoice is in the post."
Mines been up for sale (2010 diesel Civic) for about 6 weeks now with nobody coming to view it although had about 3-4 phone calls and the same in emails/ebay messages.
Priced below any other diesel of the same model on sale either private or dealer. In no rush but market seems slow, i would of thought a low mileage diesel would of been snapped up in the current environment (maybe the £11k+ asking price makes it less popular!).
Had one funny one from someone asking me what i'd take for it and then wanting another £500 off this reduced price because it didnt have rear parking sensors or bluetooth and these were "essential". Jog on!
Priced below any other diesel of the same model on sale either private or dealer. In no rush but market seems slow, i would of thought a low mileage diesel would of been snapped up in the current environment (maybe the £11k+ asking price makes it less popular!).
Had one funny one from someone asking me what i'd take for it and then wanting another £500 off this reduced price because it didnt have rear parking sensors or bluetooth and these were "essential". Jog on!
jonesy000 said:
You must be doing it wrong OP. i put my mx5 up at 1am sunday morning, had a text monday morning, chap came an left a deposit. It was gone by tuesday afternoon. No hassle, and he paid what i wanted.
It sometimes goes smoothly doesn’t it.When I sold my last for (a £4k sale) it was pretty straightforward too.
This one is closer to 20k and a bit more prestige*, so I guess it brings out more of the idiots.
(* depending on your point of view
)I only had one when I was selling my E92. Conversed via email for a week making odd points about he was going to view an Audi instead and didnt have a penny over £X (Even though the comparable Audi (S5) was quite over his budget), etc etc. Eventually we agreed on a price and he said he'd come and collect the car if it was as described.
Turned up after being given a lift from 2 hours away in a 745i. Not cheap. Had a look around the car. Didn't appear to know much about it. Took him for a drive. Seemed to like the car. It was faultless and there was nothing anyone could use to knock it down condition wise.
Suddenly announced, much to the suprise of the guy who had driven him up, that he needed to go away and think about it.
Emailed me the next day saying he couldnt get comfortable in the seat.
Turns out it was the first 3 Series he had ever looked at. Now dont get me wrong I totaly understand you need to be comfortable in a car but why make the first example you've ever even sat in a private sale example you've made and had accepted an offer on?
Bizarre.
Sold the car a month later, for more money, to a completely decent no hassle guy who phoned me up, had a chat about the car, left a sizeable deposit, got the train down from 300 miles away 2 weeks later, shook my hand and drove it away. Job done.
Turned up after being given a lift from 2 hours away in a 745i. Not cheap. Had a look around the car. Didn't appear to know much about it. Took him for a drive. Seemed to like the car. It was faultless and there was nothing anyone could use to knock it down condition wise.
Suddenly announced, much to the suprise of the guy who had driven him up, that he needed to go away and think about it.
Emailed me the next day saying he couldnt get comfortable in the seat.
Turns out it was the first 3 Series he had ever looked at. Now dont get me wrong I totaly understand you need to be comfortable in a car but why make the first example you've ever even sat in a private sale example you've made and had accepted an offer on?
Bizarre.
Sold the car a month later, for more money, to a completely decent no hassle guy who phoned me up, had a chat about the car, left a sizeable deposit, got the train down from 300 miles away 2 weeks later, shook my hand and drove it away. Job done.
Selling a car privately is one of the more painstaking aspects of motoring!
I think - and this applies to houses as well - that people are under the impression that everything can be bought for a snip these days "because of the economy 'innit". People genuinely don't seem to have any grasp of value.
My car is up for sale also. Priced at (what I can find anyway) the lowest in the UK in terms of its age and mileage which you would think would generate some interest.
The best I have had so far is an "offer" of, and I quote, "I was thinking you would knock at least a grand off it". No actual number given, no negotiation, no follow up thanks but no thanks.
I can't understand the whole trying it on thing. Sure, a little cash knocked off for bits that need doing is fine, but almost 10% of the asking price is ambitious, especially considering that private sales are generally cheaper than a dealer equivelant.
I think - and this applies to houses as well - that people are under the impression that everything can be bought for a snip these days "because of the economy 'innit". People genuinely don't seem to have any grasp of value.
My car is up for sale also. Priced at (what I can find anyway) the lowest in the UK in terms of its age and mileage which you would think would generate some interest.
The best I have had so far is an "offer" of, and I quote, "I was thinking you would knock at least a grand off it". No actual number given, no negotiation, no follow up thanks but no thanks.
I can't understand the whole trying it on thing. Sure, a little cash knocked off for bits that need doing is fine, but almost 10% of the asking price is ambitious, especially considering that private sales are generally cheaper than a dealer equivelant.
Due to the sheer amount of time wasters I don't think people expect to sell a car easily.
Around 3 weeks ago I went with a friend to take a look at a car he'd seen on the autotrader. He'd text the guy a couple of times and we went over for a look. The car was tidy, not the cheapest, but reasonably priced. A 15minute test drive later we pulled out £4500 cash and offered to buy it there and then. He was so shocked he looked like he didn't want to sell the car
40mins after turning up we drove it away. Job done.
Around 3 weeks ago I went with a friend to take a look at a car he'd seen on the autotrader. He'd text the guy a couple of times and we went over for a look. The car was tidy, not the cheapest, but reasonably priced. A 15minute test drive later we pulled out £4500 cash and offered to buy it there and then. He was so shocked he looked like he didn't want to sell the car
40mins after turning up we drove it away. Job done.
Cant blame anyone for haggling if they are serious about buying.
I offered £4500 for a S2000 on ebay, as it said "make an offer" and to me that was the right price for a 2001 S2000 with 84000 miles on it.
The seller said he wants £5000, and said he didnt know where i got £4500 from!
I said, thats all its worth. He said good luck in my search then.
That was 3 weeks ago, his is still for sale. I have bought one, same colour etc for £4500.
Some people massivly overprice thier cars.
I offered £1500 for a Golf GTI turbo last year up at £2250. Seller wasnt going to go below £1800. It had an engine warning light on which I checked was 4 codes.
The following week he rang back and took the £1500
I offered £4500 for a S2000 on ebay, as it said "make an offer" and to me that was the right price for a 2001 S2000 with 84000 miles on it.
The seller said he wants £5000, and said he didnt know where i got £4500 from!
I said, thats all its worth. He said good luck in my search then.
That was 3 weeks ago, his is still for sale. I have bought one, same colour etc for £4500.
Some people massivly overprice thier cars.
I offered £1500 for a Golf GTI turbo last year up at £2250. Seller wasnt going to go below £1800. It had an engine warning light on which I checked was 4 codes.
The following week he rang back and took the £1500
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