Less private cars for sale?
Less private cars for sale?
Author
Discussion

s3fella

Original Poster:

10,524 posts

218 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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Are there generally less private cars for sale now than there used to be?

Is it just people cannot be arsed, (it is a lot easier to advertise than it used to be) or is there an effect caused by the stupid continuous insurance rules meaning unless you sell a car before buying another, it's a pain in the arse as you have to sorn a car an bung the tax in, meaning people are not so interested in buying?


BULLITT Rich

550 posts

247 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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I'd think the sheer amount of scammers also puts people off with the hassle of trying to sell a car might also have something to do with it.

Denis O

2,141 posts

274 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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I think people have just got fed up with all the timewasters, tyre kickers and scam artists and rather than get a few quid more will sell to a dealer as a part ex, or cash or one of the webuyanyste operations, and be done with it.

It's no fun selling cars these days so let the "experts" have their cake and eat it.

Eventually there will only be a private market for specialised and known value rare vehicles. Everything else will be trade.

wemorgan

3,583 posts

209 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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Has webuyanycar scooped up that end of the market?

Generally if I buy a cheap car I try to buy private as you tend to get a lot more car for your money. But I've also noticed that there seem to be fewer private car ads than there used to be. Having said that, there always seem to be a healthy number of cars for sale through forums - is this where private sales have migrated to?

Chapppers

4,483 posts

222 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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Fewer.

Jasandjules

72,674 posts

260 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
s3fella said:
Are there generally less private cars for sale now than there used to be?
It may be all the muppets who waste your time, then buy the car then 2 days/weeks later discover a "major fault" for which they want money back etc..

Not to mention just how little all too many cars are worth these days, more hassle than it is worth.

Crafty_

14,214 posts

231 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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I wonder if its more to do with the prevalence of finance. pcp and lease plans nowadays ?

People with cars on finance trade in, refix the finance and drive off in something new.
PCP/lease cars just go back before the balloon payment is due and sold through dealer networks, probably on finance.



TankRS

2,850 posts

185 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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Denis O said:
I think people have just got fed up with all the timewasters, tyre kickers and scam artists
This!

After selling my car through autotrader earlier in the year and experiencing all of the above, it has left me with no desire to repeat the process in future! the idiots outweighed the genuine buyers by about 6-1 I'd say.

Also tried the webuyanycrap route, but after they found non existent damage on the car and this fault and that fault reducing it to almost below half what the car was worth/valued at I walked from them too.

I'f I'm looking for a specific car, like an RB5 Impreza, I'd trawl the owners forums and specialist sights first. cars like this seem to be sold more through there.


Also not sure what other councils are like, but mine have cracked down on roadside cars for sale, slapping huge notices on the screen and then towing it away after a few days. I remember a time when any bit of land that would fit a car on would have one there with a huge for sale sign in the windscreen

RedAlfa

480 posts

215 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
s3fella said:
Are there generally less private cars for sale now than there used to be?

Is it just people cannot be arsed, (it is a lot easier to advertise than it used to be) or is there an effect caused by the stupid continuous insurance rules meaning unless you sell a car before buying another, it's a pain in the arse as you have to sorn a car an bung the tax in, meaning people are not so interested in buying?
I think car ownership has peaked (for now). Ripoff insurance premiums and 70% tax on fuel haven't helped matters! I also detest the continual insurance rule ... it's just another way for insurance companies to make money. Motor insurance - the only service where you pay to be treated like a criminal hehe

wemorgan

3,583 posts

209 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
Crafty_ said:
I wonder if its more to do with the prevalence of finance. pcp and lease plans nowadays ?

People with cars on finance trade in, refix the finance and drive off in something new.
PCP/lease cars just go back before the balloon payment is due and sold through dealer networks, probably on finance.
I'm sure that accounts for cars 3-5 years old. But what of the older cars?

Autotrader stats:

All cars: 382,315 of which 10% private sales
Cars over 10 years: 35,006 of which 20% private sales

I'm surprised how so few private sales there are even of old cars.

Chim

7,259 posts

208 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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Cars are becoming commodity, you set aside what you can pay a month, wander into a dealer and he gives you the keys. Take it back three years later and repeat.

Banks are also not see eager to lend money anymore so the market for getting a bank loan to buy your car has died off as well, most private buyers of cars used this route (unless of course you are a PH'er, in that case its always wads of cash you have lying around that is used).

So in effect, the market has dried up and many sellers have no choice but to trade in and the easier option now is just pay and play.

Coolbanana

4,419 posts

231 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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I would never sell privately - I really would not have the patience to deal with timewasters and would even rather accept a lesser offer from an Indy or Dealer than bother with the annoying aspects of a private sale.

Case in point: I sold my Ducati last weekend to the Dealer I bought it from - I could have got a bit more privately for certain but felt it worth the money cost to just get the deal done.


CubanPete

3,818 posts

219 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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The days of replacing a private car at 4 years old have gone.

My car is ten years old now, I see no need to replace it, and will keep it as long as it remains reliable. A newer car will be slightly better on fuel, but not enough to pay for the depreciation. My mate (and his family) to whom money isn't an issue all run their cars to 7-8 years old.

It's hard to get excited about motoring and cars in the same way as a few years ago, the bulk of my time is spent in traffic, when there are gaps in the traffic cyclists and horses now populate the driving roads around every corner and having a comfortable seat is more important than alloys or a spoiler!

Scuffers

20,887 posts

305 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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interesting, just changed our S4, put it on classifieds here, nothing, not a squeak.

(PX'ed it, now it's on the dealers forecourt at some £3K more than I listed it at and £6K more than it's PX...)


wemorgan

3,583 posts

209 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
Scuffers said:
interesting, just changed our S4, put it on classifieds here, nothing, not a squeak.

(PX'ed it, now it's on the dealers forecourt at some £3K more than I listed it at and £6K more than it's PX...)
I imagine it was quite an expensive carm which most buyers would rather buy through a dealer with a warranty and possibly finance included.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

305 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
wemorgan said:
Scuffers said:
interesting, just changed our S4, put it on classifieds here, nothing, not a squeak.

(PX'ed it, now it's on the dealers forecourt at some £3K more than I listed it at and £6K more than it's PX...)
I imagine it was quite an expensive carm which most buyers would rather buy through a dealer with a warranty and possibly finance included.
it was still under manufactures warranty (till Jan)...

wemorgan

3,583 posts

209 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
Scuffers said:
it was still under manufactures warranty (till Jan)...
IMHO those type of cars have always been dealer bread and butter cars. For me it's the lack private cars at the other end of the market that's surprising.

mph1977

12,467 posts

199 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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PCP /lease

We buy any car etc ...

405dogvan

5,329 posts

296 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
quotequote all
PCPs are a BIG part of this - they're now the de-facto way for people to get cars they cannot actually afford and don't really need.

As well as making more money out of 'I'm in for the debt' mugsm the dealers get to keep their hands on the best of the used stock AND the punter has to come back for more teasing - it's a win-win for them.

That said - I never really saw a vibrant private market in nearly-new (<3 years old) cars - it was never easy to get people to spring large sums on the kerbside because the 'saving' never easily offset against the risk.

As for the other end of the market, the 'recession' has meant a lot of dealers will now spruce-up and sell tattier cars than they used-to. The dealers who stuck to cleanish younger models will now carry the older (6+ years old) cars because there's a readier market for the sort of idiot who pays proper money for cars of that age (remembering that a dealer wants £1-1.5K out of everything they have).

A lot of people think the entire car market is overpriced where it's sitting right now - lots of people sitting in older cars 'until they break', lots of people in-hock for cars which will end-up clogging forecourts at the end of the PCP etc. - sooner or later, something may go twang...

Edited by 405dogvan on Sunday 22 September 14:46

Contigo

3,141 posts

240 months

Sunday 22nd September 2013
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405dogvan said:
PCPs are a BIG part of this - they're now the de-facto way for people to get cars they cannot actually afford and don't really need.

As well as making more money out of 'I'm in for the debt' mugsm the dealers get to keep their hands on the best of the used stock too - it's a win-win for them.

That said - I never really saw a vibrant private market in nearly-new (<4/5 years old) cars - it was never easy to get people to spring large sums on the kerbside!?
If it wasn't for those people buying new cars we wouldn't have such a good second hand car market in this country. If people can afford the monthlies what is the problem?