Car selling etiquette. What do you expect?

[R1XSTA]

Hey all, I'm currently in the stage of trying to sell my car.

This has brought some questions to me. The main one,

When you are buying a car privately. While going to view the car do you think it's appropriate for the car to be:

A) perfectly clean inside and out?
B) in it's day to day life, dirty exterior with clothes in the back etc


Is it expected for the car to be clean when looking?

[Stefan]

Filthy mate, infact maybe drop your guts in the car just before the prospective buyer goes for a test dive. Always nice to have some half eaten Maccas in the car too.

[HULK EF]

Having an imaculate exterior/interior and engine bay can nver hurt a potential sale!

[Kryton]

If you really need to ask, you really shouldnt be trying to sell a car privately.

[R1XSTA]

Well I know that I would expect a clean car inside an out. Although I believe that seeing a car in it's everyday form would give you a good impression on how the car is treated, be it exterior or interior.

[GS608]

Good luck selling it if you're going to leave it filthy..doesn't matter how its treated day to day, first impression count. I certainly wouldn't bother with a car in which the owner couldn't be bothered at least vacuuming and a quick wash.

[superpursuit83]

Originally Posted by HULK EF

Having an imaculate exterior/interior and engine bay can nver hurt a potential sale!

I would like to see an uncleaned engine bay.

A shiny engine says you may be hiding oil leaks ?

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by 5.0

Good luck selling it if you're going to leave it filthy..doesn't matter how its treated day to day, first impression count. I certainly wouldn't bother with a car in which the owner couldn't be bothered at least vacuuming and a quick wash.

What he said !

[GreenR]

It's easier to lose a sale then make one

[fmc351]

Clean, I can see how its been treated by the condition of the stuff you cant clean. ie: wear, or stains, or discolouring etc. Dirty interior or exterior makes it harder to see what will clean up and what wont.

Originally Posted by superpursuit83

I would like to see an uncleaned engine bay.

A shiny engine says you may be hiding oil leaks ?

No may about it IMO. I like to see dust and dirt on an engine, and an absence of oil.

If its clean, I always assume its leaking. Then again, you can usually find some old oil in hard to clean places or cross members etc.

[bafel]

I would expect the car to be clean, but not perfect, after all it's probably a daily driver.

Still, if you want the best price why wouldn't you want it looking it's best?

[Glen 5150]

Presentation is important, but the most important thing about selling a car privately is the wording of the ad in my opinion? The hardest thing about selling cars privately is getting people to your door and giving them a reason to. Get them there and your half way done to making a sale from my experience. Try wording like urgent private sale , must sell and immaculate presentation can't hurt? People will come out of the woodwork if they think theres potential for them getting a bargain?

Clean car on arrival helps also though?

[FG50T]

I will never buy a car that hasn't been at least cleaned (or you can tell it was cleaned). I've gone to see cars filthy, brake dust baked wheels, interior un-vaccumed. You can see the owners overall attitude to how he looked after the car. You can't see any stains, scratches or marks. You have to go home and spend 4 hours cleaning you new car you handed over your hard earned for.


No thanks.

[Franco Cozzo]

I probably wouldnt go through the bother of selling a car/buying privately, I'll take the few thousand less cash (more if buying) and go to a dealership.

[Windsor342ci]

buying a car I want to see it at its best. What would it look like if I put effort in to clean it?

Keep in mind, there’s a mega billion dollar global business out there with selling used cars and to the best of the dealerships abilities there clean, maybe not immaculate though most would be.

On the other note I had a mate that use to buy and sell cars all year long and never washed them, to his and my surprise people liked that fact that it was left in that condition for viewing.

But I believe IMO they should be very clean. There’s an industry out there that sell cars, we could learn a thing or 2 off them.

[mik]

if the cars all covered in dirt it`s pretty hard to see blemishes and faults in the paint work, personally if i was selling i would spend a few buks getting it detailed to the hilt.

[Suvo]

For me, if the engine bay has been made 'too' clean then I will walk away no matter how good the rest of the car is. A quick dust off under the bonnet is ok, but don't crack out the tyre shine etc. A clean exterior is recommended, also a vacuum inside doesn't hurt.

[FrogInASock]

A potential buyer may not notice if a car is perfectly detailed. But they will notice if it's filthy.

And Nigerians with paypal are best avoided.

[LightningStrike]

I am more likely to make an offer based on "worst case scenario" if a car looks dirty - in fact it shifts the price point down a bracket.

When I bought my Territory it was filthy, with maccas chips under the seat, and an owner who was a pain the butt.
The offer was 3k under redbook private sale minimum, and the deal was done.

When I bought the FG, it was off an owner who had to take the car out of the garage when I arrived as it was never left outside at home, gave me some tips on his preferred polish/wax combo, gave me the contact details of his specific dealer mechanic. My offer was within a couple of tanks of petrol of the asking price.

Both were deals I felt good about - the Territory had to be cheap because it was a brothel, the FG was someone pride and joy which I have then treated with similar respect.

I'd never sell something with crap in the interior - a little road dirt on the outside is (possibly) forgivable (on a week day maybe), but a dirty interior is a massive no no.

[mik]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Filthy mate, infact maybe drop your guts in the car just before the prospective buyer goes for a test dive. Always nice to have some half eaten Maccas in the car too.

you forgot the used condoms scattered around in the car as well

[R1XSTA]

Good to see some opinions. I agree and by my comment I should have stated the engine. I'm in 2 minds whether
I clean it or not. I know it a like any engine will possibly have a leak somewhere but have had it on the hoist and inspected by multiple mechanic's who've never spotted a wet/major leak.

[JamesR]

IMO a clean car comes across as a well looked after car.

[falconnut]

A Immaculate engine bay with a average Exterior/Interior is always a sign of trouble.

I like my cars worn though so thats just my preference.

I think the OP should present his car 'honestly'

Make sure the interior is clean, exterior is spotless and engine bay/underside quite 'normal' (Some dust ect.)

Out of curiosity do you have any pictures or price you want for it? Might be able to give you a few tips

[5.8]

Buy em dirty, better chance of negotiation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RAPID_BA]

Sounds like a thread from hulk_ba....

Wait a minute I'm hulk_ba, this thread could never have been started by me as I'm the most pedantic owner of a car, any sort of dust or scratch and I wash it or replace it.

One things for sure if ever a hulk_ba car comes up for sale grab it.

If a used car is dirty its representative of the care taken by the owner. Your inviting lowball offers with scrappy appearance.

[Blem]

Originally Posted by plarazza

It's easier to lose a sale then make one

^^^ Quote of the day ^^^

At the very least on any car I've ever bought I've always checked the oil colour

[Bobman]

A quick wash and vacuum. I thought most car enthusiasts would keep their cars relatively clean in its day to day life anyway?