Selling a car, Why such hardwork?
Discussion
Why does selling a car have to be such a ball ache.
I sold my MX5 this weekend, it had been up for sale for just under a fortnight In the end, before I finally got fed up with all the idiots calling and asking what my final price is.
The number of conversations that I had which went something like this was incredible:
Me: Hello
t
t: You have car for sale
Me: Yes I do
tt: What is your final price / Bestest price / Last price / Give me good price
Me: The car is advertised at £1795 ono come and take a look at the car and we can discuss the price
tt: I will give you £400,500,600,700 etc
Then I had the other tts with whom the conversation would be something like:
Me: Hello
tt: Calling about the car you have for sale
Me: Ok yup I still have
tt: I am a tt and only have £800, I have had to borrow another £200 my max is £1000 is that ok, I really cant afford anymore will you take £1k
Me: No sorry that’s far too low, anyway maybe you should be looking at something cheaper, how will you run this car if you only have £1k, the tax will be due at the end of Feb, you need to insure it etc…
tt: Ok the best I can do is £1100 I have the cash now and will come pick it up
Me: No thanks
Don’t get me started on the emails, got so many emails with the text was something like ‘£1000 cash today’ nothing else that’s it.
When I call about a car I like to ask about it get an understanding of what the car and the owner are like, whereas all I seemed to be getting at the moment was people asking my final price.
In the end got pissed off and decided the minimum I wanted for it was £1100 and wanted rid, so on sat morning I dropped the price to £1200, no offers. Within an hour or so I had a local trader call up and ask about it. Nice guy, don’t normally like dealing with traders but this chap was very polite and asked lots of questions. Arranged to view it later that afternoon. Was pleasantly surprised when I got a text about an hour later saying he was early and asking if I could direct him towards a local coffee shop so he could kill some time. Instead told him to come and take a look at the car, he walked around it and said ‘Ok I will take it, shall we do the paperwork’.
He never drove it, never even looked inside, said yes deal, filled out the trade section, handed the money over and done deal.
Once I had done the deal I asked him why he didn’t drive it and his response was something along the line of, it the engine is knackered I will get more then £1200 for it in parts…
I was happy as I had got rid of it and got the price I wanted, plus got to deal with a very professional/polite guy. Granted he was a dealer, but a nice one, maybe my faith in second hand car dealers has been restored.
Interestingly it’s now on his forecourt for £3495, fair play to him.
I sold my MX5 this weekend, it had been up for sale for just under a fortnight In the end, before I finally got fed up with all the idiots calling and asking what my final price is.
The number of conversations that I had which went something like this was incredible:
Me: Hello
t
t: You have car for saleMe: Yes I do
t
t: What is your final price / Bestest price / Last price / Give me good priceMe: The car is advertised at £1795 ono come and take a look at the car and we can discuss the price
t
t: I will give you £400,500,600,700 etcThen I had the other t
ts with whom the conversation would be something like:Me: Hello
t
t: Calling about the car you have for saleMe: Ok yup I still have
t
t: I am a tt and only have £800, I have had to borrow another £200 my max is £1000 is that ok, I really cant afford anymore will you take £1kMe: No sorry that’s far too low, anyway maybe you should be looking at something cheaper, how will you run this car if you only have £1k, the tax will be due at the end of Feb, you need to insure it etc…
t
t: Ok the best I can do is £1100 I have the cash now and will come pick it upMe: No thanks
Don’t get me started on the emails, got so many emails with the text was something like ‘£1000 cash today’ nothing else that’s it.
When I call about a car I like to ask about it get an understanding of what the car and the owner are like, whereas all I seemed to be getting at the moment was people asking my final price.
In the end got pissed off and decided the minimum I wanted for it was £1100 and wanted rid, so on sat morning I dropped the price to £1200, no offers. Within an hour or so I had a local trader call up and ask about it. Nice guy, don’t normally like dealing with traders but this chap was very polite and asked lots of questions. Arranged to view it later that afternoon. Was pleasantly surprised when I got a text about an hour later saying he was early and asking if I could direct him towards a local coffee shop so he could kill some time. Instead told him to come and take a look at the car, he walked around it and said ‘Ok I will take it, shall we do the paperwork’.
He never drove it, never even looked inside, said yes deal, filled out the trade section, handed the money over and done deal.
Once I had done the deal I asked him why he didn’t drive it and his response was something along the line of, it the engine is knackered I will get more then £1200 for it in parts…
I was happy as I had got rid of it and got the price I wanted, plus got to deal with a very professional/polite guy. Granted he was a dealer, but a nice one, maybe my faith in second hand car dealers has been restored.
Interestingly it’s now on his forecourt for £3495, fair play to him.
A fortnight isn't long to sell a car.
You done the right thing in telling potential buyers you are not discussing figures until they show some commitment and come to see it.
I think as a private seller you will tend to get more of these type of calls than a professional, as well as all the canvassing calls.
In the end you reduced the price, and someone who was prepared to commit quickly (which is where a trader has the advantage) recognised the value and bought it.
I'm sure you could have got more with a bit more patience, but you did what suited you.
You done the right thing in telling potential buyers you are not discussing figures until they show some commitment and come to see it.
I think as a private seller you will tend to get more of these type of calls than a professional, as well as all the canvassing calls.
In the end you reduced the price, and someone who was prepared to commit quickly (which is where a trader has the advantage) recognised the value and bought it.
I'm sure you could have got more with a bit more patience, but you did what suited you.
kentmotorcompany said:
A fortnight isn't long to sell a car.
You done the right thing in telling potential buyers you are not discussing figures until they show some commitment and come to see it.
I think as a private seller you will tend to get more of these type of calls than a professional, as well as all the canvassing calls.
In the end you reduced the price, and someone who was prepared to commit quickly (which is where a trader has the advantage) recognised the value and bought it.
I'm sure you could have got more with a bit more patience, but you did what suited you.
Potentially yes i could have got more but was happy to get it shifted, plus i would have had to get a minimum of 6 Months tax today.You done the right thing in telling potential buyers you are not discussing figures until they show some commitment and come to see it.
I think as a private seller you will tend to get more of these type of calls than a professional, as well as all the canvassing calls.
In the end you reduced the price, and someone who was prepared to commit quickly (which is where a trader has the advantage) recognised the value and bought it.
I'm sure you could have got more with a bit more patience, but you did what suited you.
In the end happy to have sold it, just annoyed with the amount of muppets i had to deal with.
Whats even funnier is the ones that called back once it was sold saying, but i offered you x amount last week why didnt you sell it to me.
Even had one who had the cheek to say i will give you £1300 for it and sell it to me, even though i had taken a deposit from the original guy. Thought that was bang out of order. I had shaken on a deal. He could not understand why i would not take the extra £100 and sell it to him instead.
RZ1 said:
kentmotorcompany said:
A fortnight isn't long to sell a car.
You done the right thing in telling potential buyers you are not discussing figures until they show some commitment and come to see it.
I think as a private seller you will tend to get more of these type of calls than a professional, as well as all the canvassing calls.
In the end you reduced the price, and someone who was prepared to commit quickly (which is where a trader has the advantage) recognised the value and bought it.
I'm sure you could have got more with a bit more patience, but you did what suited you.
Potentially yes i could have got more but was happy to get it shifted, plus i would have had to get a minimum of 6 Months tax today.You done the right thing in telling potential buyers you are not discussing figures until they show some commitment and come to see it.
I think as a private seller you will tend to get more of these type of calls than a professional, as well as all the canvassing calls.
In the end you reduced the price, and someone who was prepared to commit quickly (which is where a trader has the advantage) recognised the value and bought it.
I'm sure you could have got more with a bit more patience, but you did what suited you.
In the end happy to have sold it, just annoyed with the amount of muppets i had to deal with.
Whats even funnier is the ones that called back once it was sold saying, but i offered you x amount last week why didnt you sell it to me.
Even had one who had the cheek to say i will give you £1300 for it and sell it to me, even though i had taken a deposit from the original guy. Thought that was bang out of order. I had shaken on a deal. He could not understand why i would not take the extra £100 and sell it to him instead.
I bet you that if you had said to people on the phone "yes I'll take X for it" most of them would have said "ok, I'll let you know" or something similar and you wouldn't have heard any more.
I just got pissed off with all the time wasting muppets that rang up and arranged to view the car, so I wait around, droped jobs I could have been getting on with etc. They don't turn up so give em a ring to be told they'd already bought bought a car and arena longer interested. Fair enough but it wouldn't take 2 minutes to ring me n let me know, save me wasting an afternoon hanging around! wkers.
kers.Yup agree with most of the comments above, and agree the one that annoyed me most was the ones who never called to say they would not be coming. So i sit around playing with my cock all day waiting for them.
I was surprised that the guy that bought the car was polite enough to keep me updated that he had arrived early and did not knock on the door, instead sent me a message asking where he could go to kill some time.
I was surprised that the guy that bought the car was polite enough to keep me updated that he had arrived early and did not knock on the door, instead sent me a message asking where he could go to kill some time.
I have had this now for about 2 years I am currently selling my gf car and its nothing but hassle, its fair priced but they all want to knock u down before they even view it .Best one was I sold my passat a few years back and it was up for 3500 witch was cheap at the time got a text one night saying would u take 1200 cash if I come and get it in the morning .It had only been for sale 3 days I just laughed .All I want is a normal person to come and view my car then make an offer that's how it used to be done ,bit of a rant I know but it is annoying .
I must have been lucky the last time I sold a car! Ad on here for a fortnight - not a call (didn't use telesafe either). Then, one guy called me, came to view that weekend and bought it for very near my asking price.
No hassle, great buyer and purchase, mutual trust both ways and a perfect sale. Weird?
No hassle, great buyer and purchase, mutual trust both ways and a perfect sale. Weird?
I can see why people take rubbish part ex deals or just scrap a cheap car when trying to sell
HI M8 WHATS THE LOWEST U TAKE 4 CASH? CN COLLECT 2NITE - plenty of the texts
"the headgasket is definitely gone mate" - said to me by someone looking at old oil on the rocket cover
"well my mate [who can't speak any English] is a mechanic and he says it will need a lot of work"
"I'll be right back with the cash"
and so on
HI M8 WHATS THE LOWEST U TAKE 4 CASH? CN COLLECT 2NITE - plenty of the texts
"the headgasket is definitely gone mate" - said to me by someone looking at old oil on the rocket cover
"well my mate [who can't speak any English] is a mechanic and he says it will need a lot of work"
"I'll be right back with the cash"
and so on
If you're that adverse to negotiating why not just sell to a "we buy any car" type outfit, or put it in the auction? Regardless of the price you advertise, the car is worth what someone is prepared to pay, it really is that simple.
When buying a car I prefer to get as much info as possible over the phone, including an idea of how much negotiation in price there might be. Low ball offers are sometimes part of the negotiation process and some times not. Your storey illustrates how low some people will go and why a low-ball offer is sometimes a good starting point, after-all you did take nearly 30% less than your original advertised price!
Personally I've had much more of my time wasted when I'm buying, with sellers mis-adversing cars, than people wasting my time when I'm the seller.
When buying a car I prefer to get as much info as possible over the phone, including an idea of how much negotiation in price there might be. Low ball offers are sometimes part of the negotiation process and some times not. Your storey illustrates how low some people will go and why a low-ball offer is sometimes a good starting point, after-all you did take nearly 30% less than your original advertised price!
Personally I've had much more of my time wasted when I'm buying, with sellers mis-adversing cars, than people wasting my time when I'm the seller.
It can be frustrating but your car was overpriced for a quick sale. I had people offering me £6k for my golf Gti I had up for £9500 originally! I just ignored them as the telesafe option seems to keep timewasters to the email. Took me over a month but I got much closer to my asking price.
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