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5 things I learned about selling a car privately

Ecarlcl

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Huntington, NY
1. Even though the car is 15 years old and the factory stereo is not present some people will still assume the $300 head unit comes with the car for $1100

2. Some people expect used cars to be perfect with a low price tag

3. Even though you are busting your balls for them, they still want to drive you lower.

4. No matter what stick to your guns. Its not worth taking it up the butt just to sell a car.

5. Even though the jeep looks nicer, the old jeep still has a lot of life in it and still has a ton of potential.

Sorry just kinda had to vent a little. My potentail buyer of my '90 flew off the handle when I told him I was taking the stereo out. Appearently the agreed price of $1150 was supposed to include a 3 month old stereo. Just because it was in the pics I sent him. Then he wanted to go down to $1000 and I killed the deal. I did kinda forget to tell him in the beginning but I never said I was including the stereo, and he never asked. Idk, I guess we were both in the wrong, but sheesh, he didnt even care that it wont pass emissons.

Ecarlcl
 
Sorry, but I gotta go with the picture.
 
Thats the main thing I learned. Specify everything. Assume nothing.
 
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6. Don't let someone else sell your car for you.

One of my buddies had a '90 Mustang that he had put over $4K into the engine and he had also built the tranny, rearend, and a lot of other stuff. He was away at school so he had his dad sell it for him. It left his house for $1,500 because his dad just wanted it out but could have easily got at least $4k for it.

Dean
 
#7 - Make sure your pictures only include what is included in the sale. If you make an error, be prepared to drop a few bucks for your error.

Rev
 
If you show it in the picture it better be there for the buyer. If it is NOT to be included make a BIG NOTE of it beforehand. To take a pick of it with lift, nice wheels and tires then have a buyer show up and find the wheels and tires different would tick me, as a buyer, off no end. On the last couple of vehicles I sold at the end of my driveway I took pics but did not put any 'extras' I had like service manuals, stick on moulding replacements, oem wheels, etc. When the buyer showed up and looked it over and did not try to nickle and dime me I would generally throw them in as kind of a bonus and they generally bought it and left feeling a bit better afterwards.
 
ECKSJAY said:
Wow, you're one of the very very few people I have met who would pay sticker price for a vehicle without negotiating whatsoever.


you'll never guess what a "JEW" like me does to a potential salesman...for some reason they hate me! Why I... :dunno:

It's even more FUN when I go to a wholesale manager at a dealership for my work. They must all be jewish too because I can't stand the bastards...they are the worst people on the planet to deal with. I thought I was tight...they're tight like a hotel bed. :D
 
Ecarlcl said:
1. Even though the car is 15 years old and the factory stereo is not present some people will still assume the $300 head unit comes with the car for $1100

2. Some people expect used cars to be perfect with a low price tag

3. Even though you are busting your balls for them, they still want to drive you lower.

4. No matter what stick to your guns. Its not worth taking it up the butt just to sell a car.

5. Even though the jeep looks nicer, the old jeep still has a lot of life in it and still has a ton of potential.
Ecarlcl said:
Thats the main thing I learned. Specify everything. Assume nothing.
Or did you learn it? Because you neglected to tell us the "main thing you learned" in the first post. Hopefully by now and with the help of some of the comments here you have learned that if it's in the pic and not specifically mentioned otherwise, it's part of the sale.
 
Yucca-Man said:
Or did you learn it? Because you neglected to tell us the "main thing you learned" in the first post. Hopefully by now and with the help of some of the comments here you have learned that if it's in the pic and not specifically mentioned otherwise, it's part of the sale.

And if you have ever owned or will own a house then sell it just remember this, if it's fastened to the wall, floor or ceiling you can't take it with you.. at least in NJ thats a state law. If it is there when the buyers inspect it better be there when they move in unles it is specified in the contract.
 
Wow, I guess I didnt see it that way with the pics. Well now I know and same mistake wont be made in the future. Thanks.
 
I go with the picture, too. If someone is selling a car (vehicle) and they send me pictures of the vehicle, I think it is only fair to assume that what's shown in the pictures is what I'm buying. Why else ask for pictures?

So your basic rule is -- don't show or advertise the vehicle unless and until it is in the condition in which you plan to sell it. If that means taking out the new stereo and driving it around for a few weeks (or months) with no radio or the old OEM radio, and rolling on bald tires and stock rims rather than your new mudders and thousand dollar alloy rims -- so be it. If I show up to look at a used vehicle, and the buyer starts listing all the things he/she is going to remove before I can take it -- I walk. There's no way of knowing how poorly the changes will be executed. Besides, I may be some distance away. If I show up to look, I probably have cash in my pocket. If I decide to buy it, I want it NOW, not whenever you get finished stripping it.

If it ain't ready to sell ... don't say it's for sale. Never mind "specifying" what you're going to remove. That's a deal breaker as far as I'm concerned. I want to see what I'm buying, and if you're not prepared to show it to me in the condition you're going to sell it ... don't waste both of our time.
 
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People can be a real pisser, I can understand why so many just take it in the shorts and do a trade in, no hassles, calls, etc to deal with. some of the stuff Ive sold I would have felt better burning it in a sacrafical offering than letting it go for nothing like I did.
Another touchy spot. Everyone always asked for a bill of sale for $100 bucks or so to lower used sales tax here in Ca. If an issue comes up and you demand your money back as I have done this can bite you in the ass. The guy says " sure Ill give you your $100 back for the car like the bill of sale says. Kinda like a junkie calling the cops cause someone stole his drugs.
Your shit outta luck.
 
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Eagle said:
I go with the picture, too. If someone is selling a car (vehicle) and they send me pictures of the vehicle, I think it is only fair to assume that what's shown in the pictures is what I'm buying. Why else ask for pictures?

So your basic rule is -- don't show or advertise the vehicle unless and until it is in the condition in which you plan to sell it. If that means taking out the new stereo and driving it around for a few weeks (or months) with no radio or the old OEM radio, and rolling on bald tires and stock rims rather than your new mudders and thousand dollar alloy rims -- so be it. If I show up to look at a used vehicle, and the buyer starts listing all the things he/she is going to remove before I can take it -- I walk. There's no way of knowing how poorly the changes will be executed. Besides, I may be some distance away. If I show up to look, I probably have cash in my pocket. If I decide to buy it, I want it NOW, not whenever you get finished stripping it.

If it ain't ready to sell ... don't say it's for sale. Never mind "specifying" what you're going to remove. That's a deal breaker as far as I'm concerned. I want to see what I'm buying, and if you're not prepared to show it to me in the condition you're going to sell it ... don't waste both of our time.

I never saw it from that point of veiw........taking notes.....
 
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