selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

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4nwestsaylng
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selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by 4nwestsaylng »

For several weeks I have posted a 40 year old car on eBay; I am the original owner. The car is in good shape,it runs, paint is original and ok, interior is good except for needing a headliner. It is a pretty uncommon car, I just don't see the model around anymore and I get comments on it when I take it out.

So I posted it an an auction price , got hundreds of views, and about ten "watches" each week I posted, but no bids.

I then lowered the price by $500, again lots of views and ten "watches", but no bids.

My concern is that the "watchers" just want to see the ad re-posted with me lowering the price over and over. I don't need the money, but have a few other cars, and with umbrella insurance you have to have all cars licensed and with liability insurance, even if just in storage, so I want to sell the car, it would be a nice restoration for someone with not a lot of work.

What is the best strategy here? Should I do a listing with "make an offer" or does that lock me in to a low ball offer? I just don't seem to be able to get the people who have flagged this as a "watch" to give me any idea on price. There are not enough others of this year (in fact none other on eBay currently).

Or should I try to sell locally on Craigs List? I would prefer not to have people coming to my house to look at it.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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sunny_socal
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by sunny_socal »

I wouldn't sell it on ebay, I think you'll just end up getting ripped off unless you know exactly what you have and what it's worth.

Join a forum for classic cars and sell it there.
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lthenderson
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by lthenderson »

4nwestsaylng wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:04 pm So I posted it an an auction price , got hundreds of views, and about ten "watches" each week I posted, but no bids.
This makes me believe you have it over priced. Sometimes it is better to start with a low initial bid and put a reserve in place than to start with the minimum amount you would accept. People who bid once are more likely to bid again if outbid.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by bloom2708 »

There is a regional aspect to eBay. Are you close to a major urban area?

It has to be a pretty special car to fly out and drive back or pay to have it shipped from long distance.

It may be that you are valuing it higher than it is actually worth. That happens. Did you take a lot of good photos? Detailed description? Is there a "Reserve price" that is hidden? Many nuances to eBay.

If you list it on Craigslist and LetGo in your area and it doesn't generate any good offers, that may be your sign to keep it or lower the price.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

What year and model car. There's plenty of car nuts like me on Bogleheads and I would bet that we can give you an idea whether the car has any value or if you should be looking at the price of scrap steel.

Note: I have cut up and sold scrap steel from a dozen cars. Not all cars are valuable just because they're old.
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adamthesmythe
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by adamthesmythe »

At 40 years old it's either a classic or junk. Or both.

If I were looking for a "cheap car that runs" for a couple thou or less I wouldn't start by looking at the really old ones.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Sandtrap »

Craig's List.
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dm200
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by dm200 »

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:25 pm Craig's List.
Have sold two cars on Carigslist - both with fully disclosed engine problems. Very surprised (pleasantly) that there is a market for cars with bad engines.
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dm200
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by dm200 »

Or should I try to sell locally on Craigs List? I would prefer not to have people coming to my house to look at it.
You could put an intersection a modest distance from your house - and arrange to meet potential buyers at some public location - perhaps a cooperative car service/repair place.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by mouses »

Awhile back I thought about selling my even older car (and then decided not to.) I take it to a mechanic who specializes in old cars for any work it needs as regular mechanics are hopeless about getting parts. He was willing to, for a fee of course, handle the whole sale process, dealing with prospective buyers, registration, etc.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by 123 »

Relax eventually you will get an over-asking offer for the car from someone in Nigeria. They will then send you a check for more then their offer by accident and then ask you to send part of the excess back. They may even say they will send somebody over to pick up the car.
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renue74
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by renue74 »

dm200 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:27 pm
Sandtrap wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:25 pm Craig's List.
Have sold two cars on Carigslist - both with fully disclosed engine problems. Very surprised (pleasantly) that there is a market for cars with bad engines.
+1 I sold a crappy VW Passat station wagon on CL a few years ago. Every time I would go to the VW dealership to get something fix (because my local mechanics didn't have the VW diagnostic computers), they would charge me $800 to $1000. The last time, I needed a flux capacitor for another $1K and I asked if I could drive it home...he said "sure."

I told him I would drive it home and Craiglist it and sell it the next day for $1500. I did.

There are tons of people who flip cars, appliances, building supplies, you name it on CL. Full disclosure to the buyer....they knew and they said they could fix the issues.
onourway
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by onourway »

Selling any car, let alone a classic car is difficult this time of year in much of the country. You'd probably be wise to sit on it until April when the market really comes back to life.
Greentree
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Greentree »

If it really is unusual, take a look at bringatrailer.com. They auction really nice cars as well as just weird stuff you don't see around.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by tcassette »

4nwestsaylng wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:04 pm For several weeks I have posted a 40 year old car on eBay; I am the original owner. The car is in good shape,it runs, paint is original and ok, interior is good except for needing a headliner. It is a pretty uncommon car, I just don't see the model around anymore and I get comments on it when I take it out.

So I posted it an an auction price , got hundreds of views, and about ten "watches" each week I posted, but no bids.

I then lowered the price by $500, again lots of views and ten "watches", but no bids.

My concern is that the "watchers" just want to see the ad re-posted with me lowering the price over and over. I don't need the money, but have a few other cars, and with umbrella insurance you have to have all cars licensed and with liability insurance, even if just in storage, so I want to sell the car, it would be a nice restoration for someone with not a lot of work.

What is the best strategy here? Should I do a listing with "make an offer" or does that lock me in to a low ball offer? I just don't seem to be able to get the people who have flagged this as a "watch" to give me any idea on price. There are not enough others of this year (in fact none other on eBay currently).

Or should I try to sell locally on Craigs List? I would prefer not to have people coming to my house to look at it.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Did you compare the cost of selling on Ebay with Autotrader.com? I agree with another poster who says wait until spring to sell.
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4nwestsaylng
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by 4nwestsaylng »

123 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:10 pm Relax eventually you will get an over-asking offer for the car from someone in Nigeria. They will then send you a check for more then their offer by accident and then ask you to send part of the excess back. They may even say they will send somebody over to pick up the car.
meh
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4nwestsaylng
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by 4nwestsaylng »

tcassette wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 8:10 pm
4nwestsaylng wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:04 pm For several weeks I have posted a 40 year old car on eBay; I am the original owner. The car is in good shape,it runs, paint is original and ok, interior is good except for needing a headliner. It is a pretty uncommon car, I just don't see the model around anymore and I get comments on it when I take it out.

So I posted it an an auction price , got hundreds of views, and about ten "watches" each week I posted, but no bids.

I then lowered the price by $500, again lots of views and ten "watches", but no bids.

My concern is that the "watchers" just want to see the ad re-posted with me lowering the price over and over. I don't need the money, but have a few other cars, and with umbrella insurance you have to have all cars licensed and with liability insurance, even if just in storage, so I want to sell the car, it would be a nice restoration for someone with not a lot of work.

What is the best strategy here? Should I do a listing with "make an offer" or does that lock me in to a low ball offer? I just don't seem to be able to get the people who have flagged this as a "watch" to give me any idea on price. There are not enough others of this year (in fact none other on eBay currently).

Or should I try to sell locally on Craigs List? I would prefer not to have people coming to my house to look at it.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Did you compare the cost of selling on Ebay with Autotrader.com? I agree with another poster who says wait until spring to sell.
Thanks, agree with you and onourway, will wait to Spring.

The car is probably overpriced but that is hard to be sure. I have gone on classic car sites and seen similar models at what I regard as very overpriced. I know what it costs for a fully restored car, that is a different story. But I might try the classic car sites. This was my first new car purchase, never bought new again, and at 40 years of use, I think it has been a good purchase. Since then have bought Mercedes and trucks, but always five years or more older.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Sandtrap »

Craigslist.
Keep renewing the ad every week so it remains at the top of the listings.
Pictures, lots. No pictures, no sale.
Post in surrounding states and counties as well, not just locally.
Occasionally take the ad off, wait a few weeks for everyone to forget it's the "same old ad". Then repost it again.
Price then OBO, or best offer.
Listings that are "firm. . . firm. . no haggling. . . absolute price. . " do not get as many responses.
rinse, repeat.
Any time is a good time to sell because you never know who's looking, who just came into money, who has the urge to "buy something".
It will sell.
j :D

what kind of car is it?
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Watty
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Watty »

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:29 pm What year and model car.
+1

40 years ago was 1977. As I recall the model years after the 1973 gas crisis were pretty bleak as the manufactures scrambles to make smaller and more gas efficient models. I think in the car show "Car Talk" they referred to those years through the 1980's as the dark years especially for GM. There may be a very limited number of people that would really want a car from that era unless it is something like a performance car.
4nwestsaylng wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:04 pm I then lowered the price by $500, again lots of views and ten "watches", but no bids.

My concern is that the "watchers" just want to see the ad re-posted with me lowering the price over and over.
There are auctions intentionally set up like this which are called reverse auctions. There is nothing inherently wrong with that.
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You need better marketing

Post by FraggleRock »

Last edited by FraggleRock on Tue Dec 05, 2017 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Millennial
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Millennial »

What's the car? Is it interesting or desirable, even if only to a niche market? If so, I would look for an enthusiast forum online with a marketplace and at bringatrailer.com. I think one of those would be your best option for a well preserved 40 year old car.
Bacchus01
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Bacchus01 »

You’re asking too much Money

If it has any value or collectability, eBay will move it. I’ve bought and sold a lot of classic cars on eBay. If you can’t get a bite there, then you are asking too much.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by 4nwestsaylng »

Bacchus01 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:26 pm You’re asking too much Money

If it has any value or collectability, eBay will move it. I’ve bought and sold a lot of classic cars on eBay. If you can’t get a bite there, then you are asking too much.
Probably right, don't need to sell it so will take off the market for now.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by JBTX »

I've sold a couple of cars on cars.com and auto trader. Overall satisfied with the experience
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by DrGoogle2017 »

I just gave a 20 year car away because I knew I would net less than $500 if I were to sell it. Very good car, nothing wrong with it and 4 brand new tires. Liability is a good enough reason not to sell to anybody, but donation is ok. I think my guess is right because I have not receive anything from the KCET for the receipt if it was sold more than $500. So maybe your is not worth anything.
strafe
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by strafe »

Consider listing it for auction at Bring a Trailer.

For a classic car, it’s a better bet than Craigslist.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by tim1999 »

I suspect the OP's nostalgia for a car he has owned for 40 years has led to an overestimation of its value.

Just because a car is old and in decent shape doesn't mean it's worth a fortune. I am seeing this now especially with people asking ridiculous money for 20-30 year old mass produced cars with low mileage. A well preserved 1988 Plymouth Reliant isn't worth $10,000!
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

tim1999 wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 5:55 am I suspect the OP's nostalgia for a car he has owned for 40 years has led to an overestimation of its value.

Just because a car is old and in decent shape doesn't mean it's worth a fortune. I am seeing this now especially with people asking ridiculous money for 20-30 year old mass produced cars with low mileage. A well preserved 1988 Plymouth Reliant isn't worth $10,000!
^this

A friend of mine has an 80's Pontiac Firebird SE automatic in his garage. His brother in law left it to his son when he passed away years ago. The son refused to drive it and bought his own Honda. My friend came to me asking a value on it (this was 15 years ago) and with pictures and lots of domestic muscle car friends, knowing everything about the car, came up with no more than $3k. He insisted that it's a "special edition" (SE) which he thought made it special. My response was that it's not a 4 speed.....it's not a formula.....it's not a trans am, so the biggest and only draw to the car is that it's old enough not to be tested for emissions in our state. That doesn't make it more desirable than its market value, though. Plenty of old cars are out there, even in salt ridden Massachusetts. It's still in my friend's garage.

Also, as mentioned, this was a horrible time for performance cars. In some of these years, the highest horsepower Camaro available was 160 HP. This is in the area of the lowest horsepower FB20 Subaru these days. Manufacturers had not figured out how to keep cars from rusting out in 5 years....or at least they didn't bother doing anything about it. That could be why you don't see a lot of your model around. They've all rusted to nothing and become scrap to be shipped to China.
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mouses
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by mouses »

I see a couple of posts about the time of year mattering when selling a car. Why is that?
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Bacchus01 »

4nwestsaylng wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:35 pm
Bacchus01 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:26 pm You’re asking too much Money

If it has any value or collectability, eBay will move it. I’ve bought and sold a lot of classic cars on eBay. If you can’t get a bite there, then you are asking too much.
Probably right, don't need to sell it so will take off the market for now.
Or price it right. It’s unlikely to appreciate
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by ddurrett896 »

4nwestsaylng wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:04 pm Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Sold a 50+ year old car on Ebay a few years ago. My recommendation would be:

1) Put your phone number in the ad so people can call and ask questions. This also puts you in contact with a buyer and the potential to sell outside of Ebay.
2) Set a reserve and have someone you know bid, and keep bidding if someone else starts bidding but stop before the reserve.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by sschullo »

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:25 pm Craig's List.
Sold a 15 year Lexus in 2 days, hands down and got my price. Also sold a used Asian carpet and a watch.
Never in the history of market day-traders’ has the obsession with so much massive, sophisticated, & powerful statistical machinery used by the brightest people on earth with such useless results.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by lthenderson »

mouses wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:08 am I see a couple of posts about the time of year mattering when selling a car. Why is that?
Everyone is focused on the upcoming holiday and spending all their money for presents. Used cars are pretty low on the list right now. Also, buying used cars sometimes means spending some time fixing things to the way you like which in an ice cold garage isn't the most pleasant thing. Come spring when people are willing to get outside into the nice weather, have money burning a hole in their pockets and the weather is more conducive to fixing up cars, they start selling again.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by onourway »

mouses wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:08 am I see a couple of posts about the time of year mattering when selling a car. Why is that?
Same reason real estate has a season. As a general rule, the market for cars is strongest ~April to September, and weakest ~November to late January. This is more pronounced in the used car market, and much more pronounced in the Classic car market. In much of the country people don't drive classic cars from late November to the beginning of April; most good cars are in storage during that period. Even for regular cars, who wants to go car shopping on a grey February day when everything is covered in snow and slush?
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by dm200 »

onourway wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:04 am
mouses wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:08 am I see a couple of posts about the time of year mattering when selling a car. Why is that?
Same reason real estate has a season. As a general rule, the market for cars is strongest ~April to September, and weakest ~November to late January. This is more pronounced in the used car market, and much more pronounced in the Classic car market. In much of the country people don't drive classic cars from late November to the beginning of April; most good cars are in storage during that period. Even for regular cars, who wants to go car shopping on a grey February day when everything is covered in snow and slush?
Good - since I am looking for a used car now...
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by onourway »

dm200 wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:25 am Good - since I am looking for a used car now...
Indeed! I was going to point out that this is car shopping season for Bogleheads!
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by chevca »

OP, are you going to tell us what kind of car?! Some of us are car guys in here and would like to know! :happy

It's pretty much been summed up and seems to me, we're talking a car from 1977 when there wasn't much cool out there and the OP is asking a premium because they have been the one and only owner. Nothing wrong with that, but realize it's worth more to you for that reason and folks aren't likely to pay for that. I also agree with Craigslist, if you choose to put it back on the market.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Sandtrap »

chevca wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:08 am OP, are you going to tell us what kind of car?! Some of us are car guys in here and would like to know! :happy

It's pretty much been summed up and seems to me, we're talking a car from 1977 when there wasn't much cool out there and the OP is asking a premium because they have been the one and only owner. Nothing wrong with that, but realize it's worth more to you for that reason and folks aren't likely to pay for that. I also agree with Craigslist, if you choose to put it back on the market.
Classic 1977 Ford Pinto, 4 door, roof rack, wood trim on the sides, 4 cylinder.?
:D
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wrongfunds
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by wrongfunds »

I don't think Ford Pinto came in 4 doors; may be that is why it is classic? I had Ford Pinto 2-door which I rolled over on the roof and then drove for another year!
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by chevca »

And, no one is buying?! :D

I'm hoping the OP would say Camaro/Trans Am/FIrebird. Outside of those, there wasn't much happening in 1977. That was the Mustang II era even... a rough stretch for cool cars then.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by Sandtrap »

wrongfunds wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:04 am I don't think Ford Pinto came in 4 doors; may be that is why it is classic? I had Ford Pinto 2-door which I rolled over on the roof and then drove for another year!
My brother had a 4 door Ford Pinto station wagon with real authentic vinyl wood on the sides and a roof rack. It was in Hawaii so it rusted out long before the motor gave out.
The 1977 Ford Granada is not as common so may be a collectible classic. . . . It would do well on CraigsList and a good sales example for the OP.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by pangea33 »

mouses wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:08 am I see a couple of posts about the time of year mattering when selling a car. Why is that?
For one thing, non-Bogleheads overestimate their withholdings in order to get a "windfall" tax return in spring.

For certain vehicle types like convertibles and motorcycles, spring weather just gets the blood flowing.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by abner kravitz »

renue74 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 7:08 pm
dm200 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:27 pm
Sandtrap wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:25 pm Craig's List.
Have sold two cars on Carigslist - both with fully disclosed engine problems. Very surprised (pleasantly) that there is a market for cars with bad engines.
+1 I sold a crappy VW Passat station wagon on CL a few years ago. Every time I would go to the VW dealership to get something fix (because my local mechanics didn't have the VW diagnostic computers), they would charge me $800 to $1000. The last time, I needed a flux capacitor for another $1K and I asked if I could drive it home...he said "sure."

I told him I would drive it home and Craiglist it and sell it the next day for $1500. I did.

There are tons of people who flip cars, appliances, building supplies, you name it on CL. Full disclosure to the buyer....they knew and they said they could fix the issues.
Nothing worse than a faulty flux capacitor, except for a bad Johnson Rod perhaps
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rocket354
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by rocket354 »

I agree with the seasonal aspect to these purchases. Wait until Spring.

Another aspect of ebay is the emotional attachment to something someone has already bid on. I've never sold a car on ebay, but I've sold many other items and I do believe for anything that will have a number of people looking at it (which it sounds like your car does) starting at 0 is the way to go.

I sold a pool cue on ebay. I started it at 650. No takers. Relisted at 600. No takers. Relisted at 550. No takers. Threw my hands in the air and listed it at 0. It got bid up to near 700.

I can't imagine the psychology of car bidding is any different from the psychology of bidding on other items.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by bloom2708 »

abner kravitz wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:24 am Nothing worse than a faulty flux capacitor, except for a bad Johnson Rod perhaps
I had a car with a bad muffler belt and the blinker fluid was bad. Cars are a lot of work. :wink:
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by 260chrisb »

Send the EBay link.
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Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by harrington »

:oops: Hey OP just tell us what year and model....
snowox
Posts: 520
Joined: Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:17 am

Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by snowox »

CL- I have sold several autos and a whole lot of other things.
WhiteMaxima
Posts: 3323
Joined: Thu May 19, 2016 5:04 pm

Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by WhiteMaxima »

List here. BH will bite.
randomguy
Posts: 11285
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:00 am

Re: selling an older car on eBay-no bites!

Post by randomguy »

chevca wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:05 am And, no one is buying?! :D

I'm hoping the OP would say Camaro/Trans Am/FIrebird. Outside of those, there wasn't much happening in 1977. That was the Mustang II era even... a rough stretch for cool cars then.
The guy is on bogleheads. it is clearly going to be a first generation Accord/Civic. Or maybe a Gremlin/Pacer.

Price is probably the #1 reason why it doesn't sell. If you think you have a 5k classic and the world think it is a 500 beater, you are not getting offers.
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