How to sell a car?

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Never done this before. I dont want to do it privately.

Is it simply a matter of finding a car yard that is willing to buy? What steps do I have to take? Any advice?

 

[BotsMaster]

What car are you trying to sell?

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

What car are you trying to sell?

BA Falcon.

 

[Gough]

Go see this man

 

[Gasometer]

Are you trading it in? Be aware that you will not get what you think it is worth trading it in.

 

[Niximus]

A car dealer is less hassle for you, but they will screw you for price as they also need to make a profit when they sell.

Selling privately (drive.com.au, eBay, gumtree, just putting for sale and a number) will be more work, but you'll get a better price.

 

[Freofalcon]

You will get f&^k all if you go to a dealer. If you want anything close to what it's currently worth, you need to sell it privately.

Do some research. There are sites you can go to that will give you the current value of your car. Better to wait a while and sell it privately, then get bent over at a dealership.

Edit : What Nick85 said.

 

[Freofalcon]

Go see this man

Great movie. Claudia Karvan was a hottie.

 

[Scotland]

carsales.com.au, gumtree.

Look at what similar cars are going for, work out what you're willing to let it go for and advertise it for slightly more than that. Take some decent photos, fill in the details (year, k's etc.) and anything additional (ie if the timing belt has been recently done, new motor etc.) and wait for interest.

I'd also recommend requesting that people do not text as when I last advertised a car I got a bunch of 'whats ur lowest price 4 car' texts which are a pain in the arse.

 

[dont bowl there]

carsales.com.au, gumtree.

Look at what similar cars are going for, work out what you're willing to let it go for and advertise it for slightly more than that. Take some decent photos, fill in the details (year, k's etc.) and anything additional (ie if the timing belt has been recently done, new motor etc.) and wait for interest.

I'd also recommend requesting that people do not text as when I last advertised a car I got a bunch of 'whats ur lowest price 4 car' texts which are a pain in the arse.

Yep good advice, I sold a car on gumtree and got a lot of those texts. I called back each one and most were pretty dodgy, one didn't even know which car he had asked about. Got one text that was basically "interested in buying the car, whats ya best price?" Called them back and he was a good bloke, came over for a test drive and bought it on the spot. Do not organise a meeting without calling them up, you can tell within the first 30sec if they are dodgy. And as Scotland said advertise for a few hundred more than you want as you will never sell it for the advertised price.

Good luck!

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Cheers guys. Im a bit wary of private buys as if something goes wrong with the car after purchase, they know who you are, phone number etc.

 

[The_Reaper]

Yep good advice, I sold a car on gumtree and got a lot of those texts. I called back each one and most were pretty dodgy, one didn't even know which car he had asked about. Got one text that was basically "interested in buying the car, whats ya best price?" Called them back and he was a good bloke, came over for a test drive and bought it on the spot. Do not organise a meeting without calling them up, you can tell within the first 30sec if they are dodgy. And as Scotland said advertise for a few hundred more than you want as you will never sell it for the advertised price.

Good luck!

And with gumtree always arrange to meet them at a nearby petrol station.

Random blokes don't need to know where you live and store your car.

 

[Gasometer]

What's the next car you want Smirkin Dirk and how much you want to spend?

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

What's the next car you want Smirkin Dirk and how much you want to spend?

Anything that's reliable and want to spend 5-6 grand

 

[Jackfrost]

I did a Gumtree add and listed all the things I knew were wrong with it (except the leaking head gasket) which was a lot as well as the positives. Made the sale within 2 days for $800 less than my asking price of $2800. The dealer offered me $400 on trade in.
After the sale I rang the dealer to let him know the price I sold it for and after letting his joy at making the sale with me become apparent I told him I was not going to be dealing with him any further. He could have given me a much better price fixed up a lot of the issues and flogged it for about $4000. Geez I hate salesmen but real estate and car ones in particular. Scum of the earth.

 

[Scotland]

Yep good advice, I sold a car on gumtree and got a lot of those texts. I called back each one and most were pretty dodgy, one didn't even know which car he had asked about. Got one text that was basically "interested in buying the car, whats ya best price?" Called them back and he was a good bloke, came over for a test drive and bought it on the spot. Do not organise a meeting without calling them up, you can tell within the first 30sec if they are dodgy. And as Scotland said advertise for a few hundred more than you want as you will never sell it for the advertised price.

Good luck!

Yeah, I got a couple of 'I'll offer you $x cash for car tomorrow' texts as well with 'x' being a fair bit under market value. If I wanted to sell a car to someone to then onsell and make a profit I'd just go to a dealer...

Also, some people are just unreasonable when it comes to (buying and selling) second hand cars. I once advertised a car for $14k and ended up selling it for $12k. Similar models were selling anywhere around $13-15k with some listed higher but mine had slightly higher than average km so it was about fair. First or second person to look at the car within a day of it being listed came and had a look, drove the car then said (was a recent African migrant - from Guinea IIRC) 'I really like the car, I'll give you $8000'. Errr, no thanks chief. $500 off straight up, sure. $1000? Yeah maybe. 43% discount? Yeah, nah.

I sold another car for $4k. Was a common model and comparable cars (same year, km etc.) were selling for around $6-7k and upwards. Mine had been very well looked after and was in amazing condition for its age, however the gearbox had developed a drone (still drove fine) and would need to be reco'd within 6-12 months. I put this on the ad in clear English and still had people come and look at it and go 'gearbox is bit noisy' and expect that I would basically give the car away for nothing. I'd already priced up fixing it completely with a mechanic and it would've been $1500. If I spent $1500 I would have had a car I could sell for $6-7k easily. By my reckoning that puts the value of the car at $6-7k less the cost of the repair less a discount for the inconvenience of having to do the repair - basically someone could spend $4-5k now then spend $1500 in a few months or just spend $6-7k+ now on a different car. Had contact from quite a few people who thought they would get it for nothing, do the repairs then come out thousands ahead - yeah, nah.

Looked at a second hand car for someone in a dealership in October 2012. Was listed at $13k and I said we might be interested and we should talk price. He said it was a cheap price (it wasn't) and would not budge a dollar. We walked out and they bought a near identical car for $10k a week later. In January 2014 the same car is still for sale on the same lot, $4k cheaper. Great work by that guy, really using his capital and yard space well.

 

[Gasometer]

In the end, there are no winners in this, the whole buying selling a car is one of the worst experiences to endure.

 

[dont bowl there]

And with gumtree always arrange to meet them at a nearby petrol station.

Random blokes don't need to know where you live and store your car.

Yep good advice, in any case its not hard to tell if you are dealing with someone a bit off. If you feel even a little bit wary just say thanks but I dont think this will work.

 

[dont bowl there]

Cheers guys. Im a bit wary of private buys as if something goes wrong with the car after purchase, they know who you are, phone number etc.

The paperwork you have to fill out etc tells you all you need to know about them as well. As I said before, if you feel even a little bit wary of someone just walk away. Easy.

I have sold two cars on Gumtree and said no to a couple of people that wanted to buy it, just something didn't feel right about them.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Selling and buying cars privately is one of the most excruciating painful experience I've ever had.

On either side of the transactions all I've encountered is an endless queue of w***ers, crooks, bogans, kids and tools - 90% of whom won't bother showing up when you've made a time with them. Buyers will consistently want the car for thousands less than you're asking, the opposite with sellers.

Would like to be more positive but all I've had is heartache. I'd trade in if at all possible.

If you have to do it I'd use a business address or whatever, and buy a prepaid mobile before you start - then toss it when you're done.

And of course don't ever meet somebody at home.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Im having the same problem

Those bastards want to hear it run, I insist on not running it, Because it will probably not start since they do not have "The magic touch" and suddenly they are no longer intrested

 

[Scotland]

'Hey can I come and see the car?'
'Sure, I'll be at work during the day and free from 6pm onwards'
'That's OK can I come by during the day and see it'

I actually rang up a guy once to look at a car. He said he had bought another and was offered $x for a trade in but decided to list it anyway and if he could get more than $x before the paperwork went though for the sale of the new car he'd do that. Fair enough. He said he would be out all Saturday but told me his address and said it's in the driveway go and have a look any time. Pretty trusting, or perhaps it wasn't his car and he knew whoever owned it has a couple of savage dogs or something...

 

[little graham]

BA Falcon.

These guys will give you a good price, probably the best one you'll get with it being a ford.

http://www.fordwreckers.com.au/

 

[Scotland]

Selling and buying cars privately is one of the most excruciating painful experience I've ever had.

On either side of the transactions all I've encountered is an endless queue of ******s, crooks, bogans, kids and tools - 90% of whom won't bother showing up when you've made a time with them. Buyers will consistently want the car for thousands less than you're asking, the opposite with sellers.

Would like to be more positive but all I've had is heartache.

Agree. It's a giant pain in the hole.

Buyers: 'hey this well priced, low km, good condition car will need of new $100 tyres in 6 months time, that must mean I can get $2k off the price'

Sellers: 'sure my car has high km, legally bald tyres which are $300 each to replace and is due for a new timing belt in 500km but I did vacuum it and take it through the car wash so I'm sticking to my higher than average price'

 

[Messenger]

Selling and buying cars privately is one of the most excruciating painful experience I've ever had.

On either side of the transactions all I've encountered is an endless queue of ******s, crooks, bogans, kids and tools - 90% of whom won't bother showing up when you've made a time with them. Buyers will consistently want the car for thousands less than you're asking, the opposite with sellers.

Would like to be more positive but all I've had is heartache. I'd trade in if at all possible.

If you have to do it I'd use a business address or whatever, and buy a prepaid mobile before you start - then toss it when you're done.

And of course don't ever meet somebody at home.

This. You'll take a lower price selling to the dealer, but save the bullshit. What is your time worth after all?