Selling a car and enquiry from abroad - thoughts?
Discussion
Hi
I put my Lotus up for sale yesterday and have had an enquiry from Austria, which on the face of it sounds serious.
Normally whenever I see this mentioned I always, always assume scam - but a lot of Lotus have been heading over the Channel in recent years from what I have read on here.
So, anybody done it? How did you handle the payment etc. Any advice welcomed, otherwise I think I will have to ignore it.
thanks
David
I put my Lotus up for sale yesterday and have had an enquiry from Austria, which on the face of it sounds serious.
Normally whenever I see this mentioned I always, always assume scam - but a lot of Lotus have been heading over the Channel in recent years from what I have read on here.
So, anybody done it? How did you handle the payment etc. Any advice welcomed, otherwise I think I will have to ignore it.
thanks
David
My previous S2 Honda Elise went to France and my S2 Exige went to a German buyer. First one was cash paid into my account a week prior to pick up and the Exige was cash on collection that went straight to the bank with the buyer in attendance.No Paypal or drafts, cash or BACS transfer only into your bank account.
These Europeans were more reliable buyers that the TWT(Time Wasting T##sers) from some parts of the UK.
You will need the COC from Lotus and some patience with their broken English. I picked up the French buyer from Gatwick airport and then they drove the car (very quickly) back to Lyon. The German guys bought at least two cars on the same day including my Exige and drove them home later that day.
Good luck
These Europeans were more reliable buyers that the TWT(Time Wasting T##sers) from some parts of the UK.
You will need the COC from Lotus and some patience with their broken English. I picked up the French buyer from Gatwick airport and then they drove the car (very quickly) back to Lyon. The German guys bought at least two cars on the same day including my Exige and drove them home later that day.
Good luck
Edited by JACK6284 on Tuesday 10th July 11:12
I seem to be getting a lot of interest from foreign buyers for my Europa, lots of talk and emails bounced about but none actually made the effort to come and see it yet. If they turn up with the payment I'm not that bothered who I sell it to, I would just have to sort out a Certificate of Conformity.
S2Mike said:
Could you please explain the Certificate of Conformity and where to get them if needed! I have my MG for sale and it is possible to get enquiries so would like to be prepared.
Loads of blurb on Google but seems straightforward enough.https://www.google.com/search?sugexp=chrome,mod=11...
This site is quoting 119€ for 14 days
http://www.eurococ.eu/en/
Editted to as, bit more info here, presume you can get one off the manufacturer, fee seems to apply
http://www.anglophone-direct.com/Registering-a-Bri...
Edited by limpsfield on Tuesday 10th July 13:31
I sold my 156 GTA 6 months ago before buying my Exige. It sold to a chap in Malta who had it collected, paid via bank transfer and the whole transaction was seemless.
When giving out your bank details you just have to provide a (from memory) a BIK and BAN number and money can only go into your acoount and not back out so its very safe.
When giving out your bank details you just have to provide a (from memory) a BIK and BAN number and money can only go into your acoount and not back out so its very safe.
I sold my 111r sport racer a few months ago.
Whilst I received lots of enquiries, all of the offers from UK based people were asking about the lowest price I would take for the car.
In comparison I received serious enquiries from people in France and Belgium all of whom were happy to pay the full asking price.
In the end it was a very straight forward sale to a chap who lived in Paris. He paid my full asking price with no quibbles.
When I was chatting with him after the sale was concluded, he advised that in France the cost of Lotus cars were several thousand euros more expensive than UK prices. Hence, he planned to run my car for three years and sell to a French person for the same price that he purchased the car from me
He also told me about his old Caterham, which he owned prior to buying my lotus, which in the UK market would cost circa £10k and which he sold in France for the equivalent of £13k.
Cheers, Ed.
Whilst I received lots of enquiries, all of the offers from UK based people were asking about the lowest price I would take for the car.
In comparison I received serious enquiries from people in France and Belgium all of whom were happy to pay the full asking price.
In the end it was a very straight forward sale to a chap who lived in Paris. He paid my full asking price with no quibbles.
When I was chatting with him after the sale was concluded, he advised that in France the cost of Lotus cars were several thousand euros more expensive than UK prices. Hence, he planned to run my car for three years and sell to a French person for the same price that he purchased the car from me
He also told me about his old Caterham, which he owned prior to buying my lotus, which in the UK market would cost circa £10k and which he sold in France for the equivalent of £13k.
Cheers, Ed.
Thanks again for the comments.
It's these guys apparently so all looks serious enough.
http://home.mobile.de/ANNEGRETHAUCKKFZVERMITTLUNG#...
It's these guys apparently so all looks serious enough.
http://home.mobile.de/ANNEGRETHAUCKKFZVERMITTLUNG#...
I bough my Cerbera in the UK and took it overseas.
I made sure the car was ok first and once I was happy to proceed with the purchase I made plans to meet the seller on a weekday at his bank and paid him there in cash.
That way I was happy that some scumbags weren't going to turn up and rob me at some obscure meeting place and he was able to be sure he had the money before I drove off in his car.
I wanted the car, was a genuine buyer and I made the effort to arrange this to make sure the seller was comfortable with the arrangements.
I'm not saying it has to be done like this, I'm just saying that this method does work.
I made sure the car was ok first and once I was happy to proceed with the purchase I made plans to meet the seller on a weekday at his bank and paid him there in cash.
That way I was happy that some scumbags weren't going to turn up and rob me at some obscure meeting place and he was able to be sure he had the money before I drove off in his car.
I wanted the car, was a genuine buyer and I made the effort to arrange this to make sure the seller was comfortable with the arrangements.
I'm not saying it has to be done like this, I'm just saying that this method does work.
Bought mine from a guy in Blackburn, drove it home in 2 days back to Stuttgart, Germany. I wired him the money from the US so it ended up taking almost 2 weeks after I first saw it to get him the money but at least he was patient. I also gave him a cash deposit after agreeing on a price and he gave me the UK title to hold until pickup.
For the CoC I asked Bell and Colvill and they gave me the contact info for the one guy that handles it at Lotus, it was 60GBP for processing and they mailed it to my German address.
I also got temporary German plates and insurance to drive it back on, technically I should have had a "D" sticker on it since the temp plates don't indicate the country but wasn't a problem.
The reason I went with a UK car and dealt with the extra paperwork is because they are significantly cheaper for us over here, take a look at the higher prices on autoscout 24 for example:
http://www.autoscout24.eu/ListGN.aspx?vis=1&st...
For the CoC I asked Bell and Colvill and they gave me the contact info for the one guy that handles it at Lotus, it was 60GBP for processing and they mailed it to my German address.
I also got temporary German plates and insurance to drive it back on, technically I should have had a "D" sticker on it since the temp plates don't indicate the country but wasn't a problem.
The reason I went with a UK car and dealt with the extra paperwork is because they are significantly cheaper for us over here, take a look at the higher prices on autoscout 24 for example:
http://www.autoscout24.eu/ListGN.aspx?vis=1&st...
EddieSteadyGo said:
I sold my 111r sport racer a few months ago.
Whilst I received lots of enquiries, all of the offers from UK based people were asking about the lowest price I would take for the car.
In comparison I received serious enquiries from people in France and Belgium all of whom were happy to pay the full asking price.
Probably because prices are much higher on the continent, people already feel like there getting a good deal, and the priority is to find a good car, and buy it with as little hassel a possible, you also have the language barrierWhilst I received lots of enquiries, all of the offers from UK based people were asking about the lowest price I would take for the car.
In comparison I received serious enquiries from people in France and Belgium all of whom were happy to pay the full asking price.
Here in the UK people want to haggle a bit so they feel like there getting a good deal
Lucky you, I have had very little interest in mine and been offered what amounts to an insult off a couple of dealers.
If I don't sell by the end of the month I will be keeping it and will be entering my third year of ownership with the same car - which is a record for me and says a lot about the best Lotus I have owned.
If I don't sell by the end of the month I will be keeping it and will be entering my third year of ownership with the same car - which is a record for me and says a lot about the best Lotus I have owned.
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