406 beats the frag feeder! Selling Q

[r.welfare]

Oh yeah, WTF is that all about? And the ad is still showing the mileage...

[Richard]

In my opinion you're best leaving the mileage in. If anybody is going to be scared off by the mileage it's unlikely that you'll be able to talk them round so it's probably best if they don't phone. Does it look as good in real life as it does in the pictures?

[r.welfare]

It's not far off. There's a fair bit of stone chipping on the bonnet and front bumper (to be expected), a bit of bubbling round the sunroof and some slightly mismatched touchups on the leading edge of the bonnet. Interior is excellent though.I've had to pull the ad and re-submit it to get the transmission right, so I'm in the lap of the Autotrader gods at the moment. It's on Gumtree Reading now as well though. Had my first scam e-mail as well...

[Pillock]

'tis true.... I'd rather go looking at a car knowing it had done taxi-mileage, than turn up and feel i'd been misled when i saw the odometer. Brutally honest is the way to go. Fastest ever car sale for me was "For Sale: 1993 Polo Coupe. 65k, no tax, 6 months test. Slow, new engine fitted as the last one imploded. Utterly basic, no history. It's as honest as I am and about as cheap too. £350." Sold later the same day

[r.welfare]

Ad amended with the mileage added. Had another caller who hung up when I told him what miles it had done... :roll:This is unusual - the last two cars I put on Autotrader (probably about a year ago, for other people) were a 95/M Mk3 Golf GTI 16v, bit ropey but full ticket, £895, and a 97/R Rover 220SD, 164k, full ticket but scruffy, £600 - and both were gone for the full asking within 12 hours! Wife's old L-plate Golf CL takes the record though - 4 hours from eBay listing to buyer (who clicked the Buy It Now) putting cash in my hand. Ahh, the glory days when eBay was good Must be the mileage on the 406 putting folk off, I guess.I've bunged it on RR for a laff too, let's see what kind of response I get there.

[pogweasel]

Wow! I'd buy it in an instant but unfortunately you are more than the distance from here |<-to->| here from me and my auntie's budgie has just run off with my life savings etc....

[r.welfare]

Right, sum total of the last 24hrs activity:2 middle-aged Asian chaps cutting straight to the chase and asking for "best price", one said he would "think about it", the second hung up when I told him the mileage;Polish fella wanting to drive it back to the mother country (one assumes to convert to LHD then sell on at a profit - fair play to him), said he would "speak to friend", then nothing;Young flyboy Asian fella, accused me of having the car up for sale for 4 days therefore I should be falling over myself to do a deal with him (???), wanted to P/X, then told me he only had £200 cash. So I told him that there was no point in proceeding and hung up on him.How f***ing difficult is it to sell a decent cheap car (I say this as the f**ker emitted no smoke when I unearthed it from the garage earlier in anticipation of a visit from Mr Pole) these days? It's now on Pistonheads as well (so on there, AT, Gumtree and RR); at this rate eViLbAy or the local paper is looking like a viable option. Either way I may lose my trousers in advertising costs...

[Milford Cubicle]

97/R Rover 220SD, 164k, full ticket but scruffy, £600

How do you rate those Rover 220Ds r welf? I had a 220Di which was a bit of a disaster but I still liked it. Thinking of buying a 220D with 200k for vegetable oil use/ragging around, quite a bit simpler than the 'Di' so should be a bit less troublesome.

[r.welfare]

Err...lemme see. I only drove it properly once, then shuffled it back and forth along the road a few times to fit a new front wing then give it an RW-spec valet. 86bhp seemed OK in a car that size, engine is rough as arseholes, but it did start absolutely instantly. Apparently they will do 60mpg too - that's what I put in the ad anyway, but never actually drove it long/far enough to find out You will know the rest of the bubble 200 weak points (rust, space, rust, broken trim, rust). Joking aside I don't think they rot badly. And I just couldn't get on with the driving position.

[Volksy]

And I just couldn't get on with the driving position.

I had a '98 220 as a company hack when it was new, was a pretty capable machine, as i had to hammer it all round the country. The driving position, and i'm average height of 5'11, was atrocious. Seemed impossible to get comfy, and the seats gave me chronic backache. Funnily enough the guy who took my job after I left said the same thing.

[Milford Cubicle]

I'm 6'3" and I got on OK with the driving position, I tried to drive an MG ZR with a sunroof though and it was hopeless.

[r.welfare]

I'm 5'10" but with short legs and a long torso, so even I was up against the sunroof. You'd need a basic 220D to avoid a sunroof I think? It's one of those cars you feel you are sitting "on" rather than "in". The relationship of the wheel and pedals also seemed a bit off, but then it was better than a Saxo/106.

[wuvvum]

Right, sum total of the last 24hrs activity:2 middle-aged Asian chaps cutting straight to the chase and asking for "best price", one said he would "think about it", the second hung up when I told him the mileage;Polish fella wanting to drive it back to the mother country (one assumes to convert to LHD then sell on at a profit - fair play to him), said he would "speak to friend", then nothing;Young flyboy Asian fella, accused me of having the car up for sale for 4 days therefore I should be falling over myself to do a deal with him (???), wanted to P/X, then told me he only had £200 cash. So I told him that there was no point in proceeding and hung up on him.How f***ing difficult is it to sell a decent cheap car (I say this as the f**ker emitted no smoke when I unearthed it from the garage earlier in anticipation of a visit from Mr Pole) these days?

I have to confess that these days if I have a car advertised and someone phones with an Eastern European accent I always say "sorry, it's sold". In my experience they are almost invariably more hassle to deal with than they are worth. They either want you to drive the car to them 30 miles away so they can look at it, or they turn up with about seven shaven-headed mates, thrash the crap out of the car on the test drive and then offer you about a third of your asking price and get arsey when you say no. I've only ever made one successful sale to a Polish buyer, and that was a very pleasant chap who spoke surprisingly good English and to whom I sold a Citroen Xantia. That was a few years back though, before the invasion started - these days they all seem to be out to make a quick profit to supplement their wages as black market builders' labourers. Or am I being cynical?Anyway, my red 166 dismally failed to sell on the Bay (V reg, 114K miles, 11 months' test - didn't meet its £750 reserve and the best offer I've had is £600, which is taking the widdle really) so it looks like that might be going on Autotrader - we'll have to see if I have as much fun with it as you did with the 406.

[r.welfare]

In fairness the Polish fella has been the most coherent of the lot, so far. Car's not taxed so any 'test drive' is (a) going to be conducted by me and ( be limited to purely around the block for 1/2 a mile or so.Had another call this morning, again in broken English, again asking for "best price" and asking about the mileage - with predictable sucking of air through teeth when I reiterated it - again! The mileage and the price are clearly listed in every single ad...it's exhausting, really. This bloke may (or may not) ring back later as he seemed surprised that I was at work (???) and he therefore wouldn't be able to see the car until after 6pm. It's just very difficult not to be rude to be honest!It's now listed on the French Car Forum as well. Hopefully there will be some semi-sensible enquiries before the weekend, but I am hopeful that the Bank Holiday spirit will bring out some more serious punters.Maybe it's too much to expect it to be gone within 2 days, but based on past experience, and with this "credit crunch" business (sorry for using that phrase SL!) I would have expected it to have flown out already.BTW, I hope I'm not coming over all Oswald Mosely with some of this ranting. Having owned a number of older Japanese cars, I have sold several to Asian people, and the ones who have bought them (incidentally the ones who turn up when they say they will, are friendly and don't bang on about "best price" or "too much mileage"!) have been absolutely spot-on.

[Spottedlaurel]

Be thankful you're not selling something of potential drifting interest, that'd bring out the crazies. Like the guy who turned up to look at my Starlet then expected me to accept a pitiful offer because it wasn't the white 3dr he really wanted (eBay pic's clearly showed a brown 5dr). Had it been a 3dr I would have been expecting a bit more than £500-600 it was for sale at...My sole experience of selling to a Pole was top-notch.Luckily most of my cars get sold to friends so I don't have the hassle of advertising to Joe Public.About selling on forums, or rather the response to ad's on there, my approach is to say nothing if I'm not genuinely interested. I might sometimes say it's a shame to see it up for sale and good luck, or confirm it's a good price if it's a car I know about and encourage someone else, but it's of no help to the seller to respond by saying "I'd have it if it wasn't for the distance, money, space etc".

[retrogeezer]

I'd have it if it wasn't for the distance, money, space etc

Sorry...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I've been pretty lucky selling my crud on forums, in fact I have sold several cars through R-R to other forum members - Prisma, Integra, 323, Audi 200 etc etc.

[Torsten2001]

I too have gone the Autotrader route with my latest sale, I've had one African asking for my best price to which I arsily replied to come down with some cash and we'd have a chat about it otherwise youngish types looking for the cheap hatchback that it is, no one has been to see it yet. My exprience with East Europeans has been mostly infuriating with a couple of gems, I uess in the words of Messrs Depeche Mode, People are People

[r.welfare]

I sold the Mk3 Cavalier and the 323 successfully through forums, true. I was hopeful that the RR mob might be interested from the "daily driver" angle but nothing yet.My experience of one-make/model forums is generally that most users (particularly those that require club membership to access) have an example (or more than one!) of that model, so interest is low.That said, let's see how things progress over the week. My local paper charges £10+VAT for one week online, so that's out. Thinking about the "shop window" route, then eBay after that, once Autotrader runs out in 2 weeks.SL, was your Accord 3dr sold via word-of-mouth or local advertising, out of interest?

[Volksy]

My Volvo 850 Estate sold (to torsten) within a couple of days on R-R.BUt their does seem a huge amout of people with lame excuses, if you dont want it/cant afford it, why not just say?

[Spottedlaurel]

SL, was your Accord 3dr sold via word-of-mouth or local advertising, out of interest?

Word of mouth, through a colleague in this instance.Generally the way I prefer to sell my cars. Most of those people are still talking to me Retrogeezer, I know your circumstances changed from when you first expressed interest.The other thing about selling through forums is that often people like to buy something from outside of it then show it off on there, otherwise they perhaps have a bit of a 'sloppy seconds' attitude to something everyone already knows about?

[wuvvum]

Do you reckon it'd be worth advertising the 166 on RR then? Not sure if it's the type of car that would garner much interest on there.

[Volksy]

I dont see why not Mr W, its free, and more advertising would increase the chance of a sale.

[r.welfare]

Other free methods include Gumtree and Pistonheads - the latter might be a better target.I think SL is right on forum purchases - a lot of people like to get something at a knockdown price. We already know that for my asking price I'm purely covering costs, with nothing for my labour.Anyways, I've had my first 'sensible' caller (a bit of phone banter on price notwithstanding - I stood firm!), and he's coming up from Bournemouth tonight to view the car. Also had a chap on FCF express an interest, but he can't get to me before next weekend.Wish me luck...

[retrogeezer]

I think it's worth sticking anything on RR to be honest.Others sell all sorts of stuff, stickers, posters, bikes etc etc .I even bought a metal 'Fallout Shelter' sign form someone.

Retrogeezer, I know your circumstances changed from when you first expressed interest.

Cheers SL, I'd still like that car TBH....but the 323 is going fine and even the better half likes it!

[Marty]

The last 3 vehicles I have punted on the bay ( 2 Bikes and a car) have all been sold outside of ebay privatly, but to people who have seen the well worded ads interspaced with LOTS of photos (use Photobilge and link in) and then contacted me either via the mobile number (disposable PAYG sim) or email.Thus, because I pulled the ads off ebay the total to sell was £8, £8 and £4 (half price insertion) - which I thought was quite cheap all things considered.Just DONT put "ofers considered" or words to that effect in your ad or ebay gestapo will pull the advert. But do put - Contact me to arrange viewing, discuss further etc etc.....

[Torsten2001]

My Volvo 850 Estate sold (to torsten) within a couple of days on R-R.BUt their does seem a huge amout of people with lame excuses, if you dont want it/cant afford it, why not just say?

It continues to give stirling and popular service as well!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

these 'if only....' comments don't do any harm do they, at least you get a free bump and some mild amusement. I think the R-R for sale section is pretty credible overall, must be a lot of people looking at it who you never see getting involved, my Prisma and Integra were bought by folk who very rarely post on there but they jumped on em pretty quick.Defo worth wanging interesting old stuff on there, it is free after all isnt it!

[r.welfare]

More faff - prospective buyer 1 (another phone haggler) rings me at 18.59 to tell me he hasn't left Bournemouth yet. YEAH CHEERS. Then he twigs that it ain't actually an auto - he's going off the original AT ad. So the deal is off because, and I quote "it's for someone spacky". Classy...Prospective buyer 2 who rang at 5 sounded like much more my kind of bloke, but can't rustle up a trailer to get it back to Wiltshire (as there is no tax) and didn't want to wait till Saturday when he can get here during Post Office opening hours, so has also passed.Onwards to Tuesday then

[Guest]

I like RR, but I wouldn't want to sell a car there. The Galant thread sums up why quite nicely, something like 8 pages of mostly excuses for a £350 car that you could legally drive back and push into daily use.I could understand and wouldn't be so bothered if it was a thread with zero interest, but there's a lot of talk when it comes to non-sporting J-tin. Many people are willing to say how utterly cool it is and how easy it would be to bosh on some 10J Hayashis, OOOOF, etc. but when it comes to actually forking out money on them you get the utterly pointless random excuse picker.I'd buy it but.....- I only buy cars that I can see from within my cellar- I spent all my money on a velvet painting of Tom Selleck- I'd prefer it in a bodystyle which doesn't exist- I asked my mum and she went mental and threw a dustbin off Skegness Pier- I am a fictional character from the Robocop universe- etc.I'm utterly dreading selling the Cuore. To be honest I want rid of it fairly soon, but the sort of buyers it will attract (being a small cheap turbo-ed hatchback) frightens me. I think I might just bury it in a concrete tomb.