Selling a car through ‘Carwow’
Discussion
I sold one through CarWow last year and it was horrific!
It started well, they gave me a better estimated sale price than the other similar services, told me my car was very much in demand (Touareg R-Line) and that they expected it would sell comfortably over the 'reserve'..... It then sold AT the reserve, which was some way below the estimated price they gave me and the nightmare of the collection began....
The winning dealer got in touch and arranged to collect, sent THREE guys who all descended on the car like locusts, started picking it apart and conversing in a foreign language between them, took me for the most alarming 'test drive' I've ever been on - full bore acceleration, then hard on the brakes repeatedly - before trying to tell me the gearbox was broken and the turbos were noisy (none of which was true - it had a full VW service history!)... When we got back to my drive they sat in the car, repeatedly revving it and started trash talking the car before putting me on the phone to their 'boss' who promptly offered 30% less than the price 'agreed'.... At which point I lost my composure and suggested they might all like to foxtrot oscar..... which they didn't.... insisting they still wanted to buy the car!
It was beyond uncomfortable and I eventually accepted a price more than 10% less than I was expecting just to get them off my drive....
I reported all this to CarWow, 3 times! They made sympathetic noises, said someone would be in touch and nobody ever came back to me. In the end I gave up on customer service, parked it under 'experiences never to be repeated' and moved on..... Horrific...
It started well, they gave me a better estimated sale price than the other similar services, told me my car was very much in demand (Touareg R-Line) and that they expected it would sell comfortably over the 'reserve'..... It then sold AT the reserve, which was some way below the estimated price they gave me and the nightmare of the collection began....
The winning dealer got in touch and arranged to collect, sent THREE guys who all descended on the car like locusts, started picking it apart and conversing in a foreign language between them, took me for the most alarming 'test drive' I've ever been on - full bore acceleration, then hard on the brakes repeatedly - before trying to tell me the gearbox was broken and the turbos were noisy (none of which was true - it had a full VW service history!)... When we got back to my drive they sat in the car, repeatedly revving it and started trash talking the car before putting me on the phone to their 'boss' who promptly offered 30% less than the price 'agreed'.... At which point I lost my composure and suggested they might all like to foxtrot oscar..... which they didn't.... insisting they still wanted to buy the car!
It was beyond uncomfortable and I eventually accepted a price more than 10% less than I was expecting just to get them off my drive....
I reported all this to CarWow, 3 times! They made sympathetic noises, said someone would be in touch and nobody ever came back to me. In the end I gave up on customer service, parked it under 'experiences never to be repeated' and moved on..... Horrific...
Horrific. I would have told them to get lost within a few minutes and would not have entertained any test drive. I sold a car via Carwow last year. The best price was less than I wanted and Carwow then pro-actively negotiated a better deal for me with the buyer. The buyer sent a driver who simply checked I had both keys and then drove off once the money was transferred. All simple and relatively painless.
Edited by Mark V GTD on Sunday 16th February 10:36
larrylamb11 said:
I sold one through CarWow last year and it was horrific!
It started well, they gave me a better estimated sale price than the other similar services, told me my car was very much in demand (Touareg R-Line) and that they expected it would sell comfortably over the 'reserve'..... It then sold AT the reserve, which was some way below the estimated price they gave me and the nightmare of the collection began....
The winning dealer got in touch and arranged to collect, sent THREE guys who all descended on the car like locusts, started picking it apart and conversing in a foreign language between them, took me for the most alarming 'test drive' I've ever been on - full bore acceleration, then hard on the brakes repeatedly - before trying to tell me the gearbox was broken and the turbos were noisy (none of which was true - it had a full VW service history!)... When we got back to my drive they sat in the car, repeatedly revving it and started trash talking the car before putting me on the phone to their 'boss' who promptly offered 30% less than the price 'agreed'.... At which point I lost my composure and suggested they might all like to foxtrot oscar..... which they didn't.... insisting they still wanted to buy the car!
It was beyond uncomfortable and I eventually accepted a price more than 10% less than I was expecting just to get them off my drive....
I reported all this to CarWow, 3 times! They made sympathetic noises, said someone would be in touch and nobody ever came back to me. In the end I gave up on customer service, parked it under 'experiences never to be repeated' and moved on..... Horrific...
Similar thing happened to a colleague of mine just last week using Motorway. Selling an Audi S5. It started well, they gave me a better estimated sale price than the other similar services, told me my car was very much in demand (Touareg R-Line) and that they expected it would sell comfortably over the 'reserve'..... It then sold AT the reserve, which was some way below the estimated price they gave me and the nightmare of the collection began....
The winning dealer got in touch and arranged to collect, sent THREE guys who all descended on the car like locusts, started picking it apart and conversing in a foreign language between them, took me for the most alarming 'test drive' I've ever been on - full bore acceleration, then hard on the brakes repeatedly - before trying to tell me the gearbox was broken and the turbos were noisy (none of which was true - it had a full VW service history!)... When we got back to my drive they sat in the car, repeatedly revving it and started trash talking the car before putting me on the phone to their 'boss' who promptly offered 30% less than the price 'agreed'.... At which point I lost my composure and suggested they might all like to foxtrot oscar..... which they didn't.... insisting they still wanted to buy the car!
It was beyond uncomfortable and I eventually accepted a price more than 10% less than I was expecting just to get them off my drive....
I reported all this to CarWow, 3 times! They made sympathetic noises, said someone would be in touch and nobody ever came back to me. In the end I gave up on customer service, parked it under 'experiences never to be repeated' and moved on..... Horrific...
Only accept a simple walk around and confirmation of condition when your car is being collected via a Carwow sale. It’s not an opportunity to renegotiate the price or host test drives. It’s collection and payment. If the buyer wants do any of the shenanigans mentioned above tell them to leave.
I was selling a Golf a couple of years ago and Carwow came up with the best offer (about £12,000). I was happy to sell at the price they quoted.
The dealer rang me up and asked a couple of questions regarding full service history (which it had) and if it had a parcel shelf (which it did). Having got the best possible answers from his questions, he proceeded to say the best he could do was £900 below the quote. I hung up, and ignored the t
t's attempts to call me back.
A matter of minutes later, I received an email from WBAC saying their valuation had increased by almost a grand to approximately £12,850, meaning they were now offering more than Carwow's best offer.
When I got there to the WBAC branch, they picked up on the tiniest of stone chips but their price was so good that I didn't mind them knocking a couple of hundred quid off.
The car was on the Cinch website a few days later for £15,000!
The best experience I've had selling a car to one of these companies was Motorway, even though their photo app didn't work properly. It helped that - on that occasion - the winning bidder was a franchised Hyundai dealer.
I wouldn't have used Carwow again anyway but, having read the experience of the poor chap above selling his Touareg, I'll actively encourage others to avoid using them too from now on.
The dealer rang me up and asked a couple of questions regarding full service history (which it had) and if it had a parcel shelf (which it did). Having got the best possible answers from his questions, he proceeded to say the best he could do was £900 below the quote. I hung up, and ignored the t
t's attempts to call me back. A matter of minutes later, I received an email from WBAC saying their valuation had increased by almost a grand to approximately £12,850, meaning they were now offering more than Carwow's best offer.
When I got there to the WBAC branch, they picked up on the tiniest of stone chips but their price was so good that I didn't mind them knocking a couple of hundred quid off.
The car was on the Cinch website a few days later for £15,000!
The best experience I've had selling a car to one of these companies was Motorway, even though their photo app didn't work properly. It helped that - on that occasion - the winning bidder was a franchised Hyundai dealer.
I wouldn't have used Carwow again anyway but, having read the experience of the poor chap above selling his Touareg, I'll actively encourage others to avoid using them too from now on.
Trying to sell through Carwow at the moment. Lukewarm impression so far.
Hooked me in with an email valuation based on car and mileage of about £24500. The car is a couple of years old with about half a dozen small stone chips from motorway travel (standard surely) and a couple of pretty minor interior scratches in the rear. Otherwise, in superb condition for its age, f/s/h and all that stuff.
They revalued it at £24100, fair enough, but failed to put the listing online. The following day, revalued it at £24000. Auction bids were less than £23350, which they've been pretty pushy about me accepting. Almost in part-exchange territory at that price, which would have been a lot more convenient. When the guy insisted that part-ex generally offers more than the auctions, sounded like b/s to me. I think it became pretty clear his motivation is primarily moving the car on quickly to get their cut.
Bottom line, we've dropped more than £1100 from their original 'expert' valuation. I get that the market decides. It's worth what someone will pay. What's annoying is the falsely raised expectations to get the business initially.
Have dropped my reserve price a bit but not as low as they want. If it isn't met, will try Motorway instead.
Hooked me in with an email valuation based on car and mileage of about £24500. The car is a couple of years old with about half a dozen small stone chips from motorway travel (standard surely) and a couple of pretty minor interior scratches in the rear. Otherwise, in superb condition for its age, f/s/h and all that stuff.
They revalued it at £24100, fair enough, but failed to put the listing online. The following day, revalued it at £24000. Auction bids were less than £23350, which they've been pretty pushy about me accepting. Almost in part-exchange territory at that price, which would have been a lot more convenient. When the guy insisted that part-ex generally offers more than the auctions, sounded like b/s to me. I think it became pretty clear his motivation is primarily moving the car on quickly to get their cut.
Bottom line, we've dropped more than £1100 from their original 'expert' valuation. I get that the market decides. It's worth what someone will pay. What's annoying is the falsely raised expectations to get the business initially.
Have dropped my reserve price a bit but not as low as they want. If it isn't met, will try Motorway instead.
Mark V GTD said:
He is right because he is talking about part-exing which will be a figure that includes a discount on the new car.
Well, right in a way, yes. But if there is no new car in the equation and it's a level playing field, then the auction price should be better I think? Disingenuous of Carwow to pretend otherwise to try to push through a low bid. As they make their money from the dealers - and the guy was fairly unlikeable - I wasn't really going to take his word for. It was their suggestion in the first place that the car's condition merits about £600-£700 more than the highest bid - should have been more up front. I think it generally depends on the trader who actually buys the car. I sold a car last year and it was a painless experience. Agreed I would drop the car off as they were localish and suited me better, quick test drive on arrival and bank transfer of full funds immediately. There was no haggling upon seeing the car, and the chap dropped me back at the train station.
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