Being 'too honest' when sellling a car? - Page 2

AU Mont · 26-01-2013, 07:46 PM

you can be honest all you like, in the end the buyer doesnt appreciate it, and will purchase from the other fella who says his car is perfect & driven by the jesus himself once a upon a time.

ea90gl · 26-01-2013, 09:39 PM

Another good reason to be honest and list the defects is it eliminates them tights ***** that start whining every time they see a fault and expect you to drop the price $500 for every scratch, dent, mark ect. People use those small issues as some sort of bargaining tool and demand a much cheaper price the more they find making out the car is so bad but magically they are still so keen on it. What you see and what you know of is what you get at this price end of story is the best way i reckon

NickyN · 27-01-2013, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU Mont

you can be honest all you like, in the end the buyer doesnt appreciate it, and will purchase from the other fella who says his car is perfect & driven by the jesus himself once a upon a time.

Yea then whatever, that's what he wanted, his choice. But remember, that car Jesus himself drove that was perfect and super shiny outside? Probably isn't inside and under the hood, esp if the seller is a smooth-talker.

zilo · 27-01-2013, 12:15 PM

Just tell them it's average for its age and has a few nicks and dents that will buff out...

OffRoadFalcon · 27-01-2013, 12:29 PM

Absolutely be as honest as possible. Good communication and honesty always makes a better experience for seller and potential buyer.

I went to look at a car that SOUNDED good over the phone, six hours there and back and a tank of LPG and 8 or so litres of petrol, the paint was much worse than described, two rusting dents that weren't mentioned, a deep scratch and dent,the edges of the front tyres weren't 60%, they were bald. Opening and closing the tailgate was a trial and error exercise, massive stain on the roofliner........... the driveline was good though!
Overall though, it was not "good condition for its age"!

After that experience (being my first car inspection), I have a much better idea of what to ask and find out before I go to see a car.

AU Mont · 27-01-2013, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyN

Yea then whatever, that's what he wanted, his choice. But remember, that car Jesus himself drove that was perfect and super shiny outside? Probably isn't inside and under the hood, esp if the seller is a smooth-talker.

thats my point, being completely honest puts you out of the buyer's market because everyone else is talking up there car. Buyers dont want to know the bad points of your car, they want to know the good points and they want you to make them feel like theyre making the right choice buying your car.

When i sell, i make sure the car is running spot on, everything works, and is in Roadworthy condition........... whats wrong with it then?, well......you get your lazy *** off the phone, come around and inspect the thing and find out the minor faults yourself, and make your own conclusion if you still think the price is worth it. Why should i do my best to talk you out of it?

OffRoadFalcon · 27-01-2013, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU Mont

thats my point, being completely honest puts you out of the buyer's market because everyone else is talking up there car. Buyers dont want to know the bad points of your car, they want to know the good points and they want you to make them feel like theyre making the right choice buying your car.

When i sell, i make sure the car is running spot on, everything works, and is in Roadworthy condition........... whats wrong with it then?, well......you get your lazy *** off the phone, come around and inspect the thing and find out the minor faults yourself, and make your own conclusion if you still think the price is worth it. Why should i do my best to talk you out of it?

You have a point... to a point. But a buyer such as myself, I'm looking for a good cond car that looks good enough without too much scratching etc, and works... Most good cars are a three hour drive from home, and I don't like not knowing about things until I've wasted a day and a tank or so of fuel.
Telling a buyer of the good points is always good, but it's best to make sure (especially if they're travelling a good distance to see it!) they are aware of the 'faults'.

P6LTD351 · 27-01-2013, 03:41 PM

I believe in being honest. Fair enough if you don't list absolutely EVERY minor flaw, unless the buyer asks. It is really annoying (as a buyer) when you phone a seller and you ask questions such as "any rust?" only to hear "nah mate, no rust at all." Then when you get there, it's full of rust. That kind of dishonesty is unacceptable. I think it's the responsibility of the buyer to ask the questions and for the seller to answer honestly. In the end, the buyer should check everything out when they inspect the car. But I have a conscious. I've been burnt before and I wouldn't want someone to be put in that situation.

xisled · 28-01-2013, 11:46 AM

Being to honest is good and bad. The good thing is the buyer will be aware of all the issues, but being an older car, they will still find faults that were not listed. The bad thing is you will never sell the car. Being in the lower end of the market, unless you price it lower than anything else you are not going to sell it.

I would say in the add the car is in good condition, come and inspect the car.

The problem with the market in the lower end, that it is flooded with cars. Pointing out the bad will get you dropped to the bottom of the queue really fast.

noflac52 · 28-01-2013, 02:51 PM

If your car is crap you are selling to a small market anyway and crap car means crap price. I you lie about it, when people see it, they walk away which means you have turned a small market into no market.

If you are straight forward without talking it down and they still come to look at it you have a fair chance of selling. Just price it reasonably for what it is and be prepared to negotiate a bit. It's when sellers think that all buyers are wood ducks that they kill their chances of selling. There aren't as many out there as you think. It just depends whether you want to waste a lot of time waiting for the right wood duck to come along or you actually want to sell the car. What's the point of waiting around for someone to view the car when you know that the odds are they will walk away because they are not looking at the car described to them. A waste of everyones time.

I like to sell a car quickly rather than wasting my time waiting around for buyer after buyer to, maybe come and have a look or maybe not, just to get a few hundred more.

290GTP · 28-01-2013, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP534

Honesty is the best policy.

When I was selling my BA GTP early last year I disclosed in the ad it had a kerb graze on the LF wheel and stone chips on the front bar. Mechanically she was immaculate and had done 35000km. I priced it accordingly.

A couple of people rang up to enquire and I took more photos of the rim and stone chips for them.

A price was negotiated with the second serious purchaser and she found a good home with another Forum member. They're happy, I'm happy and more importantly, I have a clear conscience!

You've done the right thing.

Actually Jim, you disclosed faults with the car that I would have never picked, like the tiny bubble on top of the dash. I asked if he had anymore photos & within 30 mins he sent through around 20 pics detailing every tiny little fault with the car.

I would certainly buy another car off "Honest Jim". Maybe your R Spec in about 9 years LOL.

Djrystofer · 28-01-2013, 03:51 PM

More rotten luck, front indicator bulb blew on a drive to fill it up (not selling a car with a fuel light on) & of course, nobody that's open at the moment sells Amber indicator bulbs.
And it's decided one of its tires decides it doesn't want to be an inflated tire anymore. Had to chuck the spare tire on & of course they won't let me put it needs a new spare in the ad.
It's funny how a car can have absolutely no drama's when you drive it daily, but as soon as it goes up on the market...

This thing just doesn't want to be sold...

Yellow_Festiva · 28-01-2013, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djrystofer

More rotten luck, front indicator bulb blew on a drive to fill it up (not selling a car with a fuel light on) & of course, nobody that's open at the moment sells Amber indicator bulbs.
And it's decided one of its tires decides it doesn't want to be an inflated tire anymore. Had to chuck the spare tire on & of course they won't let me put it needs a new spare in the ad.
It's funny how a car can have absolutely no drama's when you drive it daily, but as soon as it goes up on the market...

This thing just doesn't want to be sold...

List it anyway... Make yourself 'busy' the first 2 days and push out the first inspection till after you have got around to fixing the faults.

Get a new bulb, get the tyre repaired. Would take all of 2 hrs and then you have no dramas.

Regarding the topic.... I hate it when people go out of their way to lie in an add using the usual lines...

"Full service history - with books".... that seem to have been lost 2 days after listing the car.

"Recent work includes XYZ".... yet not one receipt or even a picture to prove it (ie engine work, all fluids changed, clutch, timing belt, brakes etc)

"Moving OS, got company car, wife is preggers etc"... only to google the number and find several cars for sale over several months with the same wording from he same person.

"100% factory original".... except for the new cam, steering wheel, stereo, lowered suspension and mags you mention further down the add that are anything but original.

"Oh... and the spate of sellers selling written off cars which say that "all you need is a Blue slip and you can get it registered", knowing FULL WELL that the car also needs a $440 inspection.. bloody mongrels. Seen HEAPS of adds like that, reported a few to Ebay and they never pulled the listing or got them changed.

"Aircon works, but needs re-gassing"... sure it does. So get it re-gassed...

my_gxl · 28-01-2013, 08:45 PM

Too many buyers want the car to be as new for practically free.

There are good buyers out there, as well as good sellers. Unfortunately the 2 don't come together much.

I have told buyers that they obviously don't want the item (if they make stupid low offers).

Yellow_Festiva · 28-01-2013, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my_gxl

I have told buyers that they obviously don't want the item (if they make stupid low offers).

I have seen this reply several times when people offer much below market value for a car - especially on Ebay.

"Sorry mate, would like to sell the whole car"....

99AUXR · 28-01-2013, 11:05 PM

Great for being honest mate, when I sold my AU I was honest with small bit of clear peeling and this very intermittent problem it has that the new owner may never strike. Needless to say when he picked the car up he was 100% happy as there were no surprises

Be honest as you only waste your own and other peoples time and money.

XrRabbit · 28-01-2013, 11:11 PM

Hey mate, you shouldn't go out of your way to lie about the car. Should be a decent bloke about it. Any minor work you could do to get more for the car but that is up to you.
I get attached to my cars and when I sell them I want them to go to a good home, so I do let them know what's wrong with the car so they understand what they are getting into. But that's me.

Djrystofer · 05-02-2013, 11:02 PM

Sold the car today

I remember telling my doubtful family, first person to look at the car will buy it on the spot and they said I'd never get even an enquiry about the car...
It's a good feeling knowing you're right and they're wrong, then reminding them of it every minute.
A businessman (Solicitor, I think) was buying it for his son as a first (proper) car, & the son couldn't be more happy with the condition of it, was over the moon with the immaculate leather seats & build quality of the beamer.

40 minutes within them calling up, they'd bought it. Overall, couldn't be more happy.

Mr G8 · 06-02-2013, 01:31 PM

I have huge respect for people who are honest, so good on you for being honest about it. I've never lied about problems when selling a car, if they don't like it, fine by me, plenty of others out there. At least I know i've told them what's wrong, and i've been up front, all about that clean conscience!

my_gxl · 06-02-2013, 09:26 PM

Trying to sell an 06 Lancer VRX now. I have taken care of every little thing I can find, but still seem to be getting tyre kickers.

99AUXR · 07-02-2013, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my_gxl

Trying to sell an 06 Lancer VRX now. I have taken care of every little thing I can find, but still seem to be getting tyre kickers.

Just wait mate, As long as its priced right dont changed the price and let it sit. You will get someone its just about finding someone at the right time who is looking for that car.

my_gxl · 10-02-2013, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99AUXR

Just wait mate, As long as its priced right dont changed the price and let it sit. You will get someone its just about finding someone at the right time who is looking for that car.

Ok, you were right. Had a few looks, and then the guy who picked it up today was happy with it, esp the fact it has a younger motor in it. Most buyers get put off by that.

Not bad that it was the ex's car, and she let me use it when my car was missing, and until I got myself the turbo to get around in. She gave me $50 for helping keep the price up too.

gtfpv · 10-02-2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djrystofer

Hey guys, I've been in quite the dispute with my fellow female family members over my advertisements of a car we're trying to sell.

In the ad (on carsales/gumtree etc) I've put exactly what's wrong with the car down;
Roof liner coming off glue, RH passenger power window not working, control arm needs replacing, been keyed all down one side (with a picture)

Now, they're saying I am being far too honest with that and I should remove all of the bad things & say it's a perfectly good car, no issues if I ever want it to sell.

Am I being too honest (I can't stand rip-offs), or are they just liars willing to cheat someone out of their money to sell it quicker?

NO MATE , i think honesty is a good thing , if its priced right it will sell .
as far as females go , did you know that most of them are virgins when they get married? , just ask them .Honest !