Selling car with a fault.

[Thin White Duke]

I have a second car (1990 Firebird) that I want to sell/part exchange.

The fault on the car is the engine cuts out when it gets warm - say after 30-40 miles of driving.

It also needs some welding on the sills to get it through another MOT (which runs out next April along with the tax).

I do not intend to sell it privately due to the hassle (though being what it is I suppose only people really interested would make contact).

Would it be worth selling it to a dealer, if so is it best to inform them of the fault?

I would prefer something else but was going to wait until next spring - but I don't really want this car taking up space when it's not going to be used.

[tyranical]

Depends on your morals.

You can part ex it without telling them as long as they don't specifically ask if you are aware of any problems which in my experience they never ask as they are so desperate for a sale.

Morally you should probably tell them though.

[daemon]

Thin White Duke said:

I have a second car (1990 Firebird) that I want to sell/part exchange.

The fault on the car is the engine cuts out when it gets warm - say after 30-40 miles of driving.

It also needs some welding on the sills to get it through another MOT (which runs out next April along with the tax).

I do not intend to sell it privately due to the hassle (though being what it is I suppose only people really interested would make contact).

Would it be worth selling it to a dealer, if so is it best to inform them of the fault?

I would prefer something else but was going to wait until next spring - but I don't really want this car taking up space when it's not going to be used.

I would have thought any regular car dealer will not be giving you anywhere near its proper value for that as they wont know what to do with it.

[Thin White Duke]

daemon said:

I would have thought any regular car dealer will not be giving you anywhere near its proper value for that as they wont know what to do with it.

That's what I was thinking. It's not even your everyday classic like an XJS is it?

I suppose I'd better look at specialist car dealers.

[daemon]

Thin White Duke said:

daemon said:

I would have thought any regular car dealer will not be giving you anywhere near its proper value for that as they wont know what to do with it.

That's what I was thinking. It's not even your everyday classic like an XJS is it?

I suppose I'd better look at specialist car dealers.

Why not stick it on privately? Give it a good writeup and plenty of pics and see what happens.

[CYMR0]

What is proper value for a 1990 Firebird with MoT issues and an engine fault, albeit intermittent?

£500?

I'd be tempted either to eBay with everything declared, or put through a specialist auction if you can find one that will take it. To me though, this sounds like either a spares car or if it's very lucky, a restoration project - and not big value, as this is the typical 'end of life' for specialist cars like this anyway: the shortage that comes after cars like this have been broken will be what eventually pushes the values up.

[4key]

Just advertise it with a good write up as spares or repair, otherwise it is probably just worth what it weighs in its current state.

[CYMR0]

4key said:

Just advertise it with a good write up as spares or repair, otherwise it is probably just worth what it weighs in its current state.

I've just seen that the OP paid nearly £5k for it six months ago... ouch.

Looking at what's on eBay, I can't see him getting anywhere near that back, even allowing for the cost of repairs.

[daemon]

4key said:

Just advertise it with a good write up as spares or repair, otherwise it is probably just worth what it weighs in its current state.

Because it needs the sills welding for MOT next April???

[CYMR0]

Sills, done properly, with good paint, etc... £400?

Intermittent engine fault - £600? Probably electrical so even a complete engine swap might not be right. Could be less of course but I wouldn't price in any less!

So the car has to be at least £1k behind a similar car with a year's MoT, plus something for your trouble in making it right...

Well under £3k would buy you something apparently similar unless the OP's car is very special, which means that this car is worth maybe £1k as is, and that's if you'rep prepared for the hassle of advertising, preparing and dealing with the public, which the OP isn't.

[daemon]

CYMR0 said:

Sills, done properly, with good paint, etc... £400?

Intermittent engine fault - £600? Probably electrical so even a complete engine swap might not be right. Could be less of course but I wouldn't price in any less!

So the car has to be at least £1k behind a similar car with a year's MoT, plus something for your trouble in making it right...

Well under £3k would buy you something apparently similar unless the OP's car is very special, which means that this car is worth maybe £1k as is, and that's if you'rep prepared for the hassle of advertising, preparing and dealing with the public, which the OP isn't.

The car has six months MOT remaining, and a very slight engine fault - sounds like most classics out there if you ask me.

Cant see why that suddenly makes it only fit for weighing in?

[daemon]

CYMR0 said:

Sills, done properly, with good paint, etc... £400?

Intermittent engine fault - £600? Probably electrical so even a complete engine swap might not be right. Could be less of course but I wouldn't price in any less!

So the car has to be at least £1k behind a similar car with a year's MoT, plus something for your trouble in making it right...

Well under £3k would buy you something apparently similar unless the OP's car is very special, which means that this car is worth maybe £1k as is, and that's if you'rep prepared for the hassle of advertising, preparing and dealing with the public, which the OP isn't.

Heres a similar year one on ebay that needs quite a bit of bodywork by the sounds of it, and its on for £3295.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Heres another slightly younger for £6.5K

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Maybe the O/P had very good reason for giving what he did for his, and thus, can expect a similar return?

Edited by daemon on Sunday 30th September 17:01

[andy-xr]

Pointless guessing, if you try and pinpoint the engine fault and someone buys off the back of that, then they've got a way back at you. I've sold cars before with genuine dontknowwhatswrong faults, took the hit on the price.

I'd be touting owners club/forums first, then ebay

[Carpal]

Surely this has got to be worth looking at fixing before moving on? It will make a massive difference to the value of the car.

Maybe sign up to and enquire on a few US forums re the engine.

In my experience welding is usually cheap as long as it is accessible. A decent mobile mechanic should be able to sort both of these issues without you having to leave the comfort of your sofa.

[daemon]

andy-xr said:

Pointless guessing, if you try and pinpoint the engine fault and someone buys off the back of that, then they've got a way back at you. I've sold cars before with genuine dontknowwhatswrong faults, took the hit on the price.

I'd be touting owners club/forums first, then ebay

Theres no comeback on a private sale.

I'd be dropping into the conversation when someone is test driving "the car has cut out on me a couple of times after a long journey, but other than that its been running great."

Not sure why that suddenly knocks thousands off the price.

RE: the sills, either get them repaired prior to sale for probably £200-£300, or use it as part of the negotiations - "i can knock a couple of hundred off for you to get the sills tidied next year"

Stunned that on a Pistonheads forum people are suggesting that a car that cost £4850 earlier in the year (and presumably had good reason to cost that) is now only worth scrap metal value?

Edited by daemon on Sunday 30th September 17:16

[andy-xr]

daemon said:

Theres no comeback on a private sale.

It's hassle more than anything - having heard tales of people who advertised cars with Easy Fix banded around, last thing you want is some knuckledragger turning up 2 days after buying the car saying it needs £x and they want some money back

[daemon]

andy-xr said:

daemon said:

Theres no comeback on a private sale.

It's hassle more than anything - having heard tales of people who advertised cars with Easy Fix banded around, last thing you want is some knuckledragger turning up 2 days after buying the car saying it needs £x and they want some money back

I'd never suggest putting 'easy fix' in the advert. I wouldnt even mention either in the advert. We are talking about a 22 year old car here, so its never going to be perfect - if someone doesnt grasp that when they're looking at the car, then dont sell them it.

Its about expectation management, and picking your customer.

I'd even note it on the receipt - "car has been known on occassions to stall after long journeys - buyer to rectify if and when required.", "sills may require attention at next MOT".

[4key]

daemon said:

Heres a similar year one on ebay that needs quite a bit of bodywork by the sounds of it, and its on for £3295.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

For £3295, with no bids hitting that mark the advert says:

lets start with the exterior she has very good paint work, no massive patches of rust, no massive dents, no massive scratches, she does have a tiny bit of rust starting to come on the passengers door and 2 tiny bubbles on the bottom of the rear quater, and mechanically its spot on.


Compared with one that needs welding to pass its next mot and cuts out when it gets up to temprature.

Its pointless guessing as we dont know the condition of the rest of the vehicle, but as soon as someone says they want rid of a car because it cuts out all of the time and it needs welding to pass an mot, then yeah to me its a breaker/project and I would out it as such. Either that or do the work to it and then sell it, but the overall profit compaired to its current condition and your time may not be worth it.

[daemon]

4key said:

For £3295, with no bids hitting that mark the advert says:

lets start with the exterior she has very good paint work, no massive patches of rust, no massive dents, no massive scratches, she does have a tiny bit of rust starting to come on the passengers door and 2 tiny bubbles on the bottom of the rear quater, and mechanically its spot on.


Compared with one that needs welding to pass its next mot and cuts out when it gets up to temprature.

Hes had three offers on the car and we dont know what they were, but i'd suggest probably more than 'scrap value'

That rot that is coming through on the bottom of the doors and wheel arches, how would you be proposing resolving that without having the metal professionally cut out or the panels replaced, and then having most of the sides of the car resprayed??

As opposed to a bit of welding to the sills??

4key said:

Its pointless guessing as we dont know the condition of the rest of the vehicle, but as soon as someone says they want rid of a car because it cuts out all of the time and it needs welding to pass an mot, then yeah to me its a breaker/project and I would out it as such. Either that or do the work to it and then sell it, but the overall profit compaired to its current condition and your time may not be worth it.

No, he didnt say he wanted rid of the car because it was cutting out, merely that he fancied a change next year but didnt want the car sitting around unused in the meantime.

Also, are you really suggesting that O/P is that poor a judge of a car that it can go from being worth £4850 to scrap value in a matter of months?

Seriously?

[falkster]

Stick it on eBay with a very detailed write up and let it go with no reserve. It'll go for what it's worth - otherwise you put a classified advert up with a price and offers.
Looks like, either way, you're going to get bummed seeing as you paid a lot of money for it only 6 months ago.