New 405 has landed...and shite motor sales route thoughts

[r.welfare]

Looks like it's been a good weekend for shite acquisition for our board members (wonder what Wuvvum's collected?), I took an early morning train down to Fareham on the South Coast yesterday to pick up this beauty:

 

 

Has cleaned up rather well, although I haven't subjected it to the "full treatment" yet. But that's a thread for the OCD sufferers on detailingworld.co.uk probably. Bonuses were finding the full history for the car (all MOT's, fully-stamped service book, printout from the lease company for the first 3 years/80k miles, loadsainvoices etc) tucked under the passenger seat, original radio with column stalk controls, roasting heater, front fog lights work! Also the headlining yielded to an attack with the staple gun to get it back up.

 

Only bad points I can see are - noisy aux belt, a/c not working, bulbs blown behind the clock and electric window switches and it needs an aerial.

 

 

Yeah baby - Plastic Wood trim & gearknob must be good for an extra 5mph on the top end. I need an Arfur Daley-style mobile "brick" for the retro hands-free kit.

 

 

Extensive internet research has failed to uncover whether the car ran in the '93 Le Mans, I was hoping for 1st in Class, Diesel Turdblower Production Estate category.

 

 

HI M8 DO YU LUV PUEGOT 405S OR SUMFIN, YUR DRIVEWAY IS A BLUDY DISGRASE

 

 

So, I'm left with the dilemma of what to do with the "405 Harlequin" which is currently in the garage feeling left out.

 

Do I:

 

1) Stick it on eBay as-is for £250 BIN or Best Offer (248k miles but long MOT and it runs well), putting myself at the mercy of the numpties;

2) Get out the spraygun and colour match the two back doors and offside front wing (wing's easy enough to unbolt, not sure about the doors though), then stick it in the Autotrader or Adtrader;

3) Stick it on R-R in either condition 1 or 2 and wait for someone to offer me 400 broken Playstations in p/x?

 

What I'm saying is - d'you reckon it's worth the time/effort/hassle to make it look more presentable to get a better chance of sale, or should I try and offload it as-is? Be interested to hear if anyone has successfully managed to sell something "cosmetically challenged" but mechanically strong recently...of course, if anyone here is interested then PM me!

[pandamonium]

Depends who you're selling to. I'm not in the slightest bit bothered about a cars looks. I reckon putting it on RR with a caption describing it as "ratlook" might be the way forward. lol. Is the profit you'd make by tidying it up worth the hassle???

[Mr_Bo11ox]

red x's all the way for me.

[wuvvum]

wonder what Wuvvum's collected?

 

 

Congrats on the new Pug - looks nice. Don't think lack of aircon is going to be a particularly huge drawback in this country... I'd stick your old one on the Bay as it is asnd see how you get on - of nobody bites then it might be worth tidying it up, but I'm sure there's plenty of people out there who want a cheap turbo diesel workhorse (that will run on veg oil...) and don't much care how it looks.

[pogweasel]

LUSH!New 405 seems a nice bus. I agree with the consensus of baying the old one. Buy now/best offer seems sensible. Set an automatic "no thanks" at like £200 to reduce numptyage, and ensure that all "HI M8 WUD U TAKE £50 COLECT TONITE" messages are publically derided. You should find a scruffy egg-bearded Twit will snap it up in no time.

[r.welfare]

Cheers chaps! I will play up the VEG OIL connotations with a cheap Bay ad. Will try and get some photos done later today - as you say, nothing to lose by doing it this way 'cept maybe a week out of my life (plus a day or so to paint) if no-one bites.Ace MetroCAB wuvvum - sideline business perhaps?

[retrogeezer]

Agreed, ebay as it is.....spend the time you would have spent on the spraying on your better half to keep her happy. (or on the new wagon to keep you happy!)Those seats in the new one look very comfy. (did I say that out loud?)

[pogweasel]

 

 

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Perfect friday night.

[bigstraight6]

Hey nice 405 wagon Mr Welfare! and what a wheeze wuv's will have negotiating bus lanes in the Metroidcab

[Richard]

I saw one one Metrocab listing that it was being sold due to tightening emissions regulations in London. If that's the case there might be quite a lot of taxi shite available soon.

[wuvvum]

I saw one one Metrocab listing that it was being sold due to tightening emissions regulations in London. If that's the case there might be quite a lot of taxi shite available soon.

Yup, and a load of Ford Cargos too. That Metrocab actually came from Grimsby. It's tested till December and the North East Lincs Council hackney carriage certificate only expired beginning of this month. It still has its taxi meter and CB radio. It was advertised in Car Parts > Volkswagen for some reason, and I was the only bidder. It's done 435,000 miles and takes a bit of cranking to start from cold - especially when it's -3 outside like it has been the past couple of days - but it drives OK and being a manual it's not quite as sluggish as some of the auto ones are. It'll hum along at 70 quite happily, if noisily. Only other problem is a dicky fuel gauge. Reckon it was well worth £200, even if it is made of plastic. I'd still like to own an FX4 one day though.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I saw one one Metrocab listing that it was being sold due to tightening emissions regulations in London. If that's the case there might be quite a lot of taxi shite available soon.

Crumbs, I can imagine a taxi-only banger racing series starting up if thats the case.

[r.welfare]

Well - that was quick, accepted an offer of £230 (because the sooner it goes the better really) from a lady in East London who wants to drive the thing to Morocco! I've told her it might be a good idea to change the cambelt first...

[bigstraight6]

Well - that was quick, accepted an offer of £230 (because the sooner it goes the better really) from a lady in East London who wants to drive the thing to Morocco! I've told her it might be a good idea to change the cambelt first...

Change the cambelt, and it will get to Morocco no bother!

[pogweasel]

Not that far to Morocco. I'd probably just wing it.

[r.welfare]

Instantaneous payment via PayPal, plus decent feedback level on her part, leads me to believe it ain't a windup.Guess that old Pugs are relatively well thought-of in North Africa, too - didn't CAR drive a pre-launch 309 there? I digress. The thought that it is going has pleased Pregnant Wife mightily - so I'm happy.

[mk2_craig]

Nicely done! I salute your no-nonsense shite-trading abilities