Author Topic: Selling a car privately  (Read 3663 times)

guest5079

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Selling a car privately
« on: May 22, 2018, 09:11:14 PM »
Perhaps not the correct place, so apologies to the Administrator.
I advertised our 2010 EX I shift in Autotrader. I looked at their recommended price for the mileage, year and condition and duly advertised the Jazz. I have just had it MOT'd as the current one runs out in July and too close for a selling point. Sailed through even under the new regs. My local garage told me the car is a 'genuine' one in as much one would have to go a long way to find one as good.
Despite assurances I would have no problems selling it all I seem to get problems with prospective buyers, yes of course I expected the request to lower the price but when I check the so called comparison sites including Honest John my price seems well into the 'fair 'price  bracket and I  get offers some as much as SEVEN hundred pounds less than my asking price.
Have others experienced problems such as this. I am only selling the Jazz as I have gone over to Motabilty. We tried for some while to find an auto box car that was a little higher than the Jazz but they were either too old or out of our price range. Hence motability.

madasafish

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2018, 06:36:48 AM »
You are a private seller.  Do you offer a legally enforced warranty as dealers have to?
Do you offer cheap finance?
Do you offer a free HPI clear guarantee?
And 7 dyas free insurance?

If not - then any buyer is going to expect you to be at least 10% cheaper than a dealer. THERE IS no LEGAL COMEBACK if a private seller sells a car which breaks down after a week- a dealer would have to fix it FOC.



culzean

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2018, 07:41:52 AM »
You are a private seller.  Do you offer a legally enforced warranty as dealers have to?
Do you offer cheap finance?
Do you offer a free HPI clear guarantee?
And 7 dyas free insurance?

If not - then any buyer is going to expect you to be at least 10% cheaper than a dealer. THERE IS no LEGAL COMEBACK if a private seller sells a car which breaks down after a week- a dealer would have to fix it FOC.

+1

Dealers have many more legal responsibilities than private sellers,  although a lot of dealers chance it and sell cars that may not be in best condition but they bank on the fact 'they may get away with it at least 50% of the time, and only have to fix the ones that complain' - so save money that way.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Jocko

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2018, 09:14:25 AM »
I find selling cars a PITA. Guys turn up and want you to give it away. The few cars I have sold I always ask a rock bottom price and tell the punters, take it or leave it.
I sold my Volvo using Gumtree. The 3rd chap that phoned came to see it. Took him for a test drive and before a quarter mile, before even driving it himself, said he would take it, "No quibbles". I still see it going about. But it is still a PITA.

guest5079

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2018, 12:14:09 PM »
I wish my price was just 10% less than a dealer. I checked all around for some idea of what to ask. One dealer was asking £6,249 for a Jazz EX roughly the same mileage which was a 10 plate and mine is a 60 plate. Yes he has to keep it till its was sold. Autotrader suggested circa £4400 to sell privately, the dealers price is nearly  £2000 above the private price. Honest John was above Autotrader at up to £5000 and a couple of others all roughly the same. At the moment I have an offer but it is a bit wierd as they are travelling by train/bus for some distance. I have asked what  happens if you don't like the car? I have an inquiry from over 100 miles way.  I have tried to be honest with description etc.  I read Auto Traders description suggestions and according their criteria our Jazz is immaculate but it ain't in my opinion just a good one.
It is just the niggling picky way they complain about a tiny dent on a car nearly eight years old. One wanted to know if an advisory last year had been attended too. I cracked the drivers door mirror two days prior to MOT and got the advisory. Mirror replaced immediately. They do not read the advert despite trying to get everything correct in detail and spec. I can see why Part Exchange is attractive but unfortunately not possible with a Motability car.

Jocko

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2018, 03:17:54 PM »
When I sold the Volvo, the guy told me he would try and get there on time, but if he was a little late it was because he had two buses and a 15 minute walk to get here. It wasn't 100 miles, but I was fairly confident he was interested!

Ozzie

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2018, 05:28:13 PM »
Have you tried selling it to a local used car dealer? Or WeBuyAnyCar??

MicktheMonster

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2018, 11:13:52 PM »
These days, with internet etc. people will travel fairly big distances to look at the right car, having read enough of your posts I'm pretty sure your car will be accurately described, their choice (and risk) to travel so far, they aren't doing you a favour, don't let it influence your negotiations over price.

Finding "normal" people with a reasonable attitude to sell a car to seems to have become harder over recent years, when I sold my Vectra (advertised at a reasonable £400) on gumtree, a buyer was outraged I hadn't changed the cambelt, I pointed out it was chain drive engine, but this wasn't good enough for him, he demanded to know when the chain was last changed, my answer only elicited more outrage from him, entertaining as it was, I eventually tired of his company and asked him to leave the premises, the eventual (normal) buyer, drove it, made an offer and we settled at £380, easy. The point being, you may have to deal with a few clowns before your serious buyer comes along, hopefully not! Good luck.

guest5079

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2018, 09:53:23 AM »
Have had some people allegedly interested in buying our Jazz. For several days they have prevaricated over one thing or another. They allegedly were happy about paying cash. I downloaded the 'Money Advice' piece on selling your car and there they suggested taking the prospective buyer with you to the Bank and have the Bank count the notes and check for counterfeit. Even the new notes are being forged. I checked with my Bank that this was OK. Yes. The prospective buyer was coming by public transport. I found what buses served the nearest town and were he could leave the train and get the bus and I would meet him. It was arranged for today. What do I get a message last evening do I bank online? I am a luddite and after the TSB even more so, no banking on line and certainly not on the phone. That is another story that ended up with Barclays giving my Wife £100 and an apology for the way she was treated over a telephone query about a missing £3000 cheque. For many days there had been discussion about payment I even explained what would happen with the cash and how it would be counted at the Bank. I have been advised against this instant transfer as I have to give my account details. Perhaps this is the norm. I was brought up to make arrangements and to do my best to adhere. I have been asking for days his name and address for the V5 and the receipts nothing except Mr Lau. Yes it seems the family is Chinese. I cannot use a phone so I am trying to do all this online. In desperation last evening I went to We buy any Car. Quoted a price of £3600 providing there were  NO dents or scratches inside or out and might be subject to an administration fee. How many 8 yr old cars are completely free of minor dents and scratches? When we collected the Motability car I was told if I returned it in three years in the condition our Jazz is I would get £250 for looking after the car.
All I want is to sell our little Jazz NOT pigging give it away.

culzean

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2018, 10:30:33 AM »
'We buy any car' used to be (maybe still are) notorious for offering a price and then dropping it when seller got to their depot.  They relied on the fact that sellers had made a journey to get there and may not want to leave without selling,  so they 'tried it on' by saying car was not in condition described and picking on minor details.   

Try Evans Halshaw - they advertise they will give you more than we buy any car.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

coffeecup

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2018, 10:40:47 AM »
My god man, your getting paranoid !! Just put it for sale and accept cash only !!! Whats with looking at all the directions someone is coming ?? Just sell it.

If they want it they want it, if they don't then wait for the next man !!!!

sparky Paul

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2018, 10:49:01 AM »
'We buy any car' used to be (maybe still are) notorious for offering a price and then dropping it when seller got to their depot.

Still are, AFAIK.

I would be surprised if neddy even walked away with the paltry £3600, it's not uncommon for them to put a car up on the ramp and find £100s, or more, of work that "needs doing". As you say, the online offer is just to get you to drive to the plot.

The whole thing is run by British Car Auctions to make profit pushing cheap cars into the trade. They want to pay less than auction prices, and preferably as low as they possibly can. You may as well shove it in an auction yourself.

Jocko

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2018, 11:37:49 AM »
When my brother was selling his immaculate 55 plate Accord, WBAC did that, then offered him £500 for it. When he declined, and said he would sell privately, the guy advised him to ask £1500 for it! He advertised it for £1800, sold it to the first chap who came to see it for £1750, and could have sold it 10 times over, the phone calls he got.

guest5079

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2018, 11:56:45 AM »
Oh, how I wish it were as simple as that. The Chinese couple wanted to do anything except pay cash. After TSB I am even more paranoid about telephone and online banking. Offend or please I am sure as hell not going to give my account number to any stranger, if they want to pay by cheque they will have to wait FIVE clear days for it to clear. I have merely followed the guidance given by the 'Money Advice Service'
I would defy ANY body putting the car on a ramp and being able to find many pounds worth of work. Especially as it had a MOT last Monday under the new rules. I was able to check the car myself with the Tester. Although a long time ago I was a MOT tester.
Yes, I would dearly love to go on to the next one queuing up to buy. Despite every one telling me I would have no trouble in selling our Jazz the prospective buyers are very thin on the ground.
We do live in a very sparcely populated area.
I shall have to tough it out a bit longer and see. The car is insured until June 22nd so I have a little time.
Thank you Culzean for the suggestion re Evans Halshaw, I will investigate.

MicktheMonster

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Re: Selling a car privately
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2018, 02:37:16 PM »
It:s your car, you set the conditions of sale, if you go on forum hondakarma.com you can advertise on there (for free I think) and might get a like-minded honda enthusiast looking for one who knows what he's (or she) is looking for and will appreciate car's condition etc.
Worth a try?

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