Does nobody sell cars privately now?
Discussion
griffter said:
I’ve tended to find that if you present a totally sorted car in genuinely excellent condition - and price it relatively high - it filters out the riff raff.
Last few I’ve sold privately have been on car and classic and PH.
I've sold many cars on autotrader from leggy small Peugeots to Range Rovers and 911,s. I really havnt had any problems, maybe I've been fortunate, I have allways been realistic in the asking price though. Last few I’ve sold privately have been on car and classic and PH.
Spotted yet another spectacular private sale whilst browsing Fiestas today.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023100225...
Nice enough car. 19k though?.....
Maybe this newer one with half the miles at a main Ford dealer perhaps?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081709...
Or a similar car from an independent dealer for 2k less?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023101229...
Honestly, I know people are free to ask what they want but that 19k private sale has a part ex value of 13k and a private sale price of 16k at best.
I do hope that in the near future we might return to the days of private sellers asking sensible money. Until then, might as well buy from a dealer.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023100225...
Nice enough car. 19k though?.....
Maybe this newer one with half the miles at a main Ford dealer perhaps?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081709...
Or a similar car from an independent dealer for 2k less?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023101229...
Honestly, I know people are free to ask what they want but that 19k private sale has a part ex value of 13k and a private sale price of 16k at best.
I do hope that in the near future we might return to the days of private sellers asking sensible money. Until then, might as well buy from a dealer.
ChrisH72 said:
Spotted yet another spectacular private sale whilst browsing Fiestas today.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023100225...
Nice enough car. 19k though?.....
Maybe this newer one with half the miles at a main Ford dealer perhaps?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081709...
Or a similar car from an independent dealer for 2k less?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023101229...
Honestly, I know people are free to ask what they want but that 19k private sale has a part ex value of 13k and a private sale price of 16k at best.
I do hope that in the near future we might return to the days of private sellers asking sensible money. Until then, might as well buy from a dealer.
Couldn't agree more. Some private sellers are being sensible, but many are not. There was a 2020 (70 reg) Fiesta ST-3 near me on A/T the other day, private sale, 30k miles, asking price £14,750. Snapped up within three days. Then there's the private sellers asking dealer money, and wondering why they aren't getting any calls.http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023100225...
Nice enough car. 19k though?.....
Maybe this newer one with half the miles at a main Ford dealer perhaps?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081709...
Or a similar car from an independent dealer for 2k less?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023101229...
Honestly, I know people are free to ask what they want but that 19k private sale has a part ex value of 13k and a private sale price of 16k at best.
I do hope that in the near future we might return to the days of private sellers asking sensible money. Until then, might as well buy from a dealer.
Meanwhile, I'm now seeing BMW M2 Comps from private sellers for £32,500 on A/T, some of which have both Comfort and Plus packs. I wonder whether we'll see them at £30k before long?
I called a seller and asked him about the history.
He took the question offended (or sounded so).
He told me about how he was well to do etc and going from 3 cars down to 1.
Then he said he had bought the car from the first owner and that the first 6yrs of history he was told are stored on the cars dashboard.
He then said he'd serviced it at a local garage 3 times. I asked if he had stamps for this (again quite cagey). No was the answer. He didn't keep receipts.
I had to keep asking questions with silences.
So no history. Yet the ad said full history.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310072...
If this pops up anywhere with a manufactured history it's fake.
I'm getting sick of looking now. I might have to go down the leasing route again.
He took the question offended (or sounded so).
He told me about how he was well to do etc and going from 3 cars down to 1.
Then he said he had bought the car from the first owner and that the first 6yrs of history he was told are stored on the cars dashboard.
He then said he'd serviced it at a local garage 3 times. I asked if he had stamps for this (again quite cagey). No was the answer. He didn't keep receipts.
I had to keep asking questions with silences.
So no history. Yet the ad said full history.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310072...
If this pops up anywhere with a manufactured history it's fake.
I'm getting sick of looking now. I might have to go down the leasing route again.
Unless you really need a car now I'd hold on for a bit.
Last week I noticed a nice MX5 for sale at a great price. It wasn't a private sale. In fact it was approved used from a Mazda dealer yet it undercut similar cars advertised privately. No surprise it sold within a couple of days. Goes to show that buyers are out there but they are no longer prepared to have the p*** taken out of them. That's good news if you ask me.
Last week I noticed a nice MX5 for sale at a great price. It wasn't a private sale. In fact it was approved used from a Mazda dealer yet it undercut similar cars advertised privately. No surprise it sold within a couple of days. Goes to show that buyers are out there but they are no longer prepared to have the p*** taken out of them. That's good news if you ask me.
Hugo Stiglitz said:
I called a seller and asked him about the history.
He took the question offended (or sounded so).
He told me about how he was well to do etc and going from 3 cars down to 1.
Then he said he had bought the car from the first owner and that the first 6yrs of history he was told are stored on the cars dashboard.
He then said he'd serviced it at a local garage 3 times. I asked if he had stamps for this (again quite cagey). No was the answer. He didn't keep receipts.
I had to keep asking questions with silences.
So no history. Yet the ad said full history.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310072...
If this pops up anywhere with a manufactured history it's fake.
I'm getting sick of looking now. I might have to go down the leasing route again.
If I see an advert as short as that, I just scroll on. If they can't take the time and effort to do a 'proper' advert, I'm not interested.He took the question offended (or sounded so).
He told me about how he was well to do etc and going from 3 cars down to 1.
Then he said he had bought the car from the first owner and that the first 6yrs of history he was told are stored on the cars dashboard.
He then said he'd serviced it at a local garage 3 times. I asked if he had stamps for this (again quite cagey). No was the answer. He didn't keep receipts.
I had to keep asking questions with silences.
So no history. Yet the ad said full history.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310072...
If this pops up anywhere with a manufactured history it's fake.
I'm getting sick of looking now. I might have to go down the leasing route again.
I've got my Jag STR up for sale at the moment [on here and a bunch of Jag Facebook groups]. I'm hoping, as it's a car that doesn't normally attract a certain kind of buyer, I won't have to deal with a bunch of time wasters....having said that, on the request of a chap who messaged me on FB [who came across very well], I spent hours clean my car last weekend so I could do a few videos for him. I sent the videos not long after, and....nothing!!! Thanks a f***ing lot. All it would take is a quick message to say 'thanks for the video's but I'm no longer interested'.
Not sure if I'm looking forward to buying a new car once my Jag is sold
If I were selling I'd put as much detail and as many pics in the ad as I was allowed. I don't think I'd waste a lot of time making videos for people as if they're genuinely interested they'll come and look.
What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
ChrisH72 said:
If I were selling I'd put as much detail and as many pics in the ad as I was allowed. I don't think I'd waste a lot of time making videos for people as if they're genuinely interested they'll come and look.
What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
My ad certainly had a good few pics [all sides of the car etc]. Details are all there etc. I was just trying to be amenable [is that the word] by doing a video. I think my price is good, considering dealers are asking 60%+ more....it is a pretty rare car, a Jag S-Type R.What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
Anyway, I've only had my ads up a short time, the games haven't really started yet
An S type r is possibly a bit more difficult to value. 15 listed on AT ranging from £3800 to £18500! There will be a buyer out there but it might take some time.
My Fiesta is a bit more common. Not for sale just yet but if was then WBAC say £5500, and there are plenty on dealer forecourts for £9000. AT recommended private sale price is £7500 which seems about right to me. I'd probably list it for that and consider offers over £7000. Enough over trade price to make it worthwhile.
My Fiesta is a bit more common. Not for sale just yet but if was then WBAC say £5500, and there are plenty on dealer forecourts for £9000. AT recommended private sale price is £7500 which seems about right to me. I'd probably list it for that and consider offers over £7000. Enough over trade price to make it worthwhile.
Yeah, crazy difference in prices on AT - you'd really really really have to love the STR to pay £18.5k!
I think mine is priced very competitively at £8.2k. 94k miles with the very important sill corrosion work carried out [a big problem for Jag's of this age].
I still think they are a bargain...£8k for a well sorted and still quite modern feeling V8 super-saloon. Snap it up while you can I say!!
I think mine is priced very competitively at £8.2k. 94k miles with the very important sill corrosion work carried out [a big problem for Jag's of this age].
I still think they are a bargain...£8k for a well sorted and still quite modern feeling V8 super-saloon. Snap it up while you can I say!!
ChrisH72 said:
If I were selling I'd put as much detail and as many pics in the ad as I was allowed. I don't think I'd waste a lot of time making videos for people as if they're genuinely interested they'll come and look.
What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
Indeed, and I've found that many private sellers are 1) greedy, or 2) lazy, or 3) both. I mean, the number of adverts that don't list the service history, when a couple of photos of the service book or the iDrive thingy are all that's needed, at least to get me interested. But no, they simply write an advert that says "full service history". Then you call them and they admit that their 2018 car has only ever had one service, in 2020, but "it was a full one"! Then again, many dealers are no better.What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
As for pricing, your method sounds about right to me.
ChrisH72 said:
If I were selling I'd put as much detail and as many pics in the ad as I was allowed. I don't think I'd waste a lot of time making videos for people as if they're genuinely interested they'll come and look.
What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
Exactly this.What I find fascinating is that pricing your car realistically is usually very simple unless it's something rare and special. You run it through WBAC, search for similar cars for sale at dealerships and then aim for the middle. How hard can it be?
I try to keep the narrative succinct, stating all the facts I'd be asking as a buyer and avoiding flowery nonsense like 'best colour'.
The last time I sold a car privately it was to someone round the corner who'd seen it parked in the road outside our house with a for sale sign on it.
Sold our last two cars to dealers who'd seen the adverts on Autotrader. We didn't get a single call for either of the cars from a private buyer. Admittedly they were both up for £10k+ but I've bought cars privately myself for significantly more.
Selling a car now on Autotrader and not a single serious enquiry - by which I mean someone asking to come to see it.
So is it WBAC or Motorway?
Sold our last two cars to dealers who'd seen the adverts on Autotrader. We didn't get a single call for either of the cars from a private buyer. Admittedly they were both up for £10k+ but I've bought cars privately myself for significantly more.
Selling a car now on Autotrader and not a single serious enquiry - by which I mean someone asking to come to see it.
So is it WBAC or Motorway?
Try both.
I had zero interest in my 2012 51k, full Ford Main dealer history. Immaculate. Not one call. Brother in law sold it within 1-2 weeks for 2k more.
People just don't trust private sellers. They think a dealer will offer them 100% guarantee when in fact the dealer buys from anywhere, washes it then resells.
I had zero interest in my 2012 51k, full Ford Main dealer history. Immaculate. Not one call. Brother in law sold it within 1-2 weeks for 2k more.
People just don't trust private sellers. They think a dealer will offer them 100% guarantee when in fact the dealer buys from anywhere, washes it then resells.
clive_candy said:
The last time I sold a car privately it was to someone round the corner who'd seen it parked in the road outside our house with a for sale sign on it.
Sold our last two cars to dealers who'd seen the adverts on Autotrader. We didn't get a single call for either of the cars from a private buyer. Admittedly they were both up for £10k+ but I've bought cars privately myself for significantly more.
Selling a car now on Autotrader and not a single serious enquiry - by which I mean someone asking to come to see it.
So is it WBAC or Motorway?
a genuine questionSold our last two cars to dealers who'd seen the adverts on Autotrader. We didn't get a single call for either of the cars from a private buyer. Admittedly they were both up for £10k+ but I've bought cars privately myself for significantly more.
Selling a car now on Autotrader and not a single serious enquiry - by which I mean someone asking to come to see it.
So is it WBAC or Motorway?
do you think it is priced correctly? ie closely aligned to the market hierarchy - WBAC at the bottom, then private, then indie trader, then dealer.
I always intended to sell privately but ended up part exing last week. My old car was almost due a service and MOT which really would have needed doing to sell privately. Then there's the cost and time spent advertising it and dealing with time wasters. Honestly, the thought of selling a cheap hot hatch privately was filling me with dread. Could I have got more money? Almost certainly. But ultimately I went for convenience and the safety of just swapping cars over with a dealership. I may or may not have done better with WBAC but with the short MOT it wasn't very clear.
Personally I think private sales are pretty much dead and gone. Too much risk involved for many. There are gains to be made if you're brave enough though.
Personally I think private sales are pretty much dead and gone. Too much risk involved for many. There are gains to be made if you're brave enough though.
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