What am I doing wrong?
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Discussion

Deluded

Original Poster:

4,968 posts

212 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
I don't get it.

Twice now, I have tried to sell cars stupidly cheap, with tax and MOT but I just can't shift them.

Car one was a Primera Estate. 1999 P11 model. 90k on the clock originally with 4 months MOT and tax. Tried to sell it on and off for 3 months with nothing but offers at scrap value. The lowest asking price I got to was £500 ono and the only offer I got was £150. Ended up putting it on ebay at 99p and ended up swapping it for my current run around as it got no interest.

The current car is a Volvo 850 2.5 10v Saloon. High milage but has 10 months MOT and Tax for a few months. Very good nick throughout. Good service history and cambelt changed 10k ago. Sound car. Really like it myself but the point in trying to sell the primera was to downsize, not upsize, so I'm still trying to sell it. Asking £500 ono which I think is very fair considering the amount of MOT on it and condition.

Been on here for over a week now. One person "interested" but never got back to arrange a viewing. Put it on ebay at £500 with a best offer function. Been on there for a few days now with 10 watchers but no offers. What are they watching? It's not an auction! Also listed it on Gumtree, Volvo-forums.org.uk and rat-look.com. Very little interest from anywhere.

Now, I know people aren't in the market for this kind of car at the moment due to petrol prices but at £500ono (and I'm willing to accept a fair bit less) I would have atleast expected an offer or two!

I just don't get it.

People are constantly moaning on here that they can't find cheap, reliable taxed and MOTed cars anymore, yet they seem to just overlook mine...

farrendahl

1,248 posts

195 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Deluded said:
I don't get it.

Twice now, I have tried to sell cars stupidly cheap, with tax and MOT but I just can't shift them.

Car one was a Primera Estate. 1999 P11 model. 90k on the clock originally with 4 months MOT and tax. Tried to sell it on and off for 3 months with nothing but offers at scrap value. The lowest asking price I got to was £500 ono and the only offer I got was £150. Ended up putting it on ebay at 99p and ended up swapping it for my current run around as it got no interest.

The current car is a Volvo 850 2.5 10v Saloon. High milage but has 10 months MOT and Tax for a few months. Very good nick throughout. Good service history and cambelt changed 10k ago. Sound car. Really like it myself but the point in trying to sell the primera was to downsize, not upsize, so I'm still trying to sell it. Asking £500 ono which I think is very fair considering the amount of MOT on it and condition.

Been on here for over a week now. One person "interested" but never got back to arrange a viewing. Put it on ebay at £500 with a best offer function. Been on there for a few days now with 10 watchers but no offers. What are they watching? It's not an auction! Also listed it on Gumtree, Volvo-forums.org.uk and rat-look.com. Very little interest from anywhere.

Now, I know people aren't in the market for this kind of car at the moment due to petrol prices but at £500ono (and I'm willing to accept a fair bit less) I would have atleast expected an offer or two!

I just don't get it.

People are constantly moaning on here that they can't find cheap, reliable taxed and MOTed cars anymore, yet they seem to just overlook mine...
Link please Mr Deluded, my interest is suddenly peaked

saaby93

32,038 posts

199 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Selling too cheap?
AT £500 they'll expect rubbish
Try £1200 and come down a bit

Hell27

1,564 posts

212 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
It's just after Christmas and many people are still skint.

Best time to sell - May / June as people fancy a new car when it gets a bit warmer and less miserable.

Best time to buy - just before or after christmas - as depressed market drives prices down.

If your cars have good service history, try taking a photo of the book and a stack of receipts - generally a good selling point, so why not show it off in the advert?

pacman1

7,323 posts

214 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Tried to sell an Orion, it was up together, but needed a spot of welding for the MOT, but I couldn't be arsed to sort it.
Advertised it for £50 just to get rid. I lost count of the number of callers who phoned up and said "will you take thirty for cash mate?"
No I fecking won't. I got so arsed off I readvertised it for £100. First guy phones up and says "will you take £80 for cash mate?"
Yep, I certainly will! biggrin

toast boy

1,242 posts

247 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
If you were'nt so far away I'd snap your hand off for that Volvo. All I can think is that people want small frugal cars now and don't see the value in something that should be a good investment, even if it only runs for a year it's cheap motoring.

Deluded

Original Poster:

4,968 posts

212 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Link to Primera advert - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Link to Volvo advert - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

As above, I always photograph the service history. Haven't with the volvo as it's just a book of stamps and some MOTs but I've listed the stamps.

farrendahl

1,248 posts

195 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Hmmmm time to see what my bonus is like this month, if it's a good un I'll call you about the Volvo, true it's not the Alfa I have my heart set on but £500 for at least 10 months motoring pretty much hassle free, works for me.

Deluded

Original Poster:

4,968 posts

212 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
farrendahl said:
Hmmmm time to see what my bonus is like this month, if it's a good un I'll call you about the Volvo, true it's not the Alfa I have my heart set on but £500 for at least 10 months motoring pretty much hassle free, works for me.
Thats exactly what I don't get. At that price, it doesn't really matter what it is, it's got 10 months MOT!

farrendahl

1,248 posts

195 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Deluded said:
farrendahl said:
Hmmmm time to see what my bonus is like this month, if it's a good un I'll call you about the Volvo, true it's not the Alfa I have my heart set on but £500 for at least 10 months motoring pretty much hassle free, works for me.
Thats exactly what I don't get. At that price, it doesn't really matter what it is, it's got 10 months MOT!
Well at the moment like I say it's not a definite yes but as long as enough comes into my account on the 28th for me to be able to pay for the bills and the Volvo I'll message you. If for no other reason it would make a brilliant barge to drive down to the family down south later in the year.

geeteeaye

2,369 posts

180 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
Looks tidy enough to me, mileage shouldnt be much of an issue for that, sure it has plenty left it in. Your issue with the Volvo is probably the low fuel economy and the relatively large engine making it tougher on the insurance especially for younger drivers, and the age of the car I suppose.

Only slight quibbles I'd have reading the ebay advert are:
  • Why have you not registered yourself on the V5 - does this mean the car is still registered to the previous owner, do they know this?
  • The fact you say you've only done 200 miles in it, would make me wonder why you want to shift it on so quick, most people will usually run a car for at least a good few months before moving it on.
  • Is it necessary to explicity say at the end Private sale with car sold as seen. No warranty given. - obviously this is true and the case but people will know this anyway, just creates a niggle in my mind making a point of this. Other adverts don't seem to state this.

Deluded

Original Poster:

4,968 posts

212 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
geeteeaye said:
Looks tidy enough to me, mileage shouldnt be much of an issue for that, sure it has plenty left it in. Your issue with the Volvo is probably the low fuel economy and the relatively large engine making it tougher on the insurance especially for younger drivers, and the age of the car I suppose.

Only slight quibbles I'd have reading the ebay advert are:
  • Why have you not registered yourself on the V5 - does this mean the car is still registered to the previous owner, do they know this?
  • The fact you say you've only done 200 miles in it, would make me wonder why you want to shift it on so quick, most people will usually run a car for at least a good few months before moving it on.
  • Is it necessary to explicity say at the end Private sale with car sold as seen. No warranty given. - obviously this is true and the case but people will know this anyway, just creates a niggle in my mind making a point of this. Other adverts don't seem to state this.
Not registered it to myself as I didn't want to wait 3 weeks for the new docs to come through, only to add a new owner for what I hoped would be a week or so of it sitting on the drive. Doesn't seem the case though and I will send the docs off if the ebay listing fails.

Only 200 miles yes but I'm still driving it every day. I put my reasons for why I'm selling it on. No different than a dealer taking a p/x and just wanting to shift it without knowing anything about it. At least i'm driving it.

As for the bit at the end. It is on Ebay. These days, it seems the majority of ebayers have no idea how Ebay works. Putting that at the bottom just makes them aware.

Dave Garrad

10 posts

180 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
At first glance:

Primera without wheels trims looks a bit shabby. Very short MoT and Tax.

Volvo is fine, but they are bad on fuel (I had one, great car, but 18-23mpg). Anyone who sees a 2.5 litre engine with fuel at £1.30p a litre with probably direct their money at a Nissan Micra instead at the moment.

I'm not saying you've done anything wrong, just telling it how I see it.