How to respond to AutoTrader buyer query.

Avoriaz

Hi, I am selling a 9 year old Golf 1.6 FSI on Autotrader. The car is nice but nothing special. There are plenty of similar age, similar mileage cars listed. It is in good to excellent condition for its age and mileage. It drives well and is reliable. It passed its MOT last month so has 11 months remaining.

I have described the car well with a full description and I have added a lot of high quality pictures.

I have blanked out the number plate in the pictures.

I have received the following email query:

Hello I am interested in Ur Golf. Can U plz send me MOT & Reg number as I wanna see the MOT history before travelling this long distance. Many Thanks

I smell a possible scam.

Am I worrying unnecessarily?

Why would someone travel a long way to buy a Golf that is nothing special and isn't priced cheaply? I have priced it fairly realistically but definitely in the upper regions of its true value.

Why does he need to know the number plate. He knows it is a 55 plate first registered in January 2006.

I am happy to send him a copy of the MOT history but I am uncomfortable telling him the reg number. I am well aware that it is visible to anyone as I drive along and when parked on my drive etc but I don't particularly want to broadcast it to the internet.

I do see plenty of AutoTrader ads with the numberplate clearly photographed.

Comments and advice please.

motorguy

It's common and reasonable for a careful prospective buyer to be doing g this

Avoriaz

motorguy wrote: »

It's common and reasonable for a careful prospective buyer to be doing g this

Thanks, I understand that but is there any risk in me telling him the reg number?

I realise that a circa £3k car isn't a prime target for scammers but this is only the second time I have sold a car on AutoTrader and the first time was four years ago selling a £500 16 year old BMW.

I was expecting to get responses from circa only a few tens of miles distance for the Golf.


Should I have left the reg number visible in the advert? I can easily upload replacement pictures showing it if there is no significant risk.

DUTR

Avoriaz wrote: »

Thanks, I understand that but is there any risk in me telling him the reg number?

I realise that a circa £3k car isn't a prime target for scammers but this is only the second time I have sold a car on AutoTrader and the first time was four years ago selling a £500 16 year old BMW.

I was expecting to get responses from circa only a few tens of miles distance for the Golf.


Should I have left the reg number visible in the advert? I can easily upload replacement pictures showing it if there is no significant risk.

Don't get desperate to sell the car, and on the whole don't deal via email, the prospective buyer can look elsewhere, whatever any prospective buyer needs to know they can discuss upon inpsection of the vehicle.

motorguy

Avoriaz wrote: »

Thanks, I understand that but is there any risk in me telling him the reg number?

I realise that a circa £3k car isn't a prime target for scammers but this is only the second time I have sold a car on AutoTrader and the first time was four years ago selling a £500 16 year old BMW.

I was expecting to get responses from circa only a few tens of miles distance for the Golf.


Should I have left the reg number visible in the advert? I can easily upload replacement pictures showing it if there is no significant risk.

Travelling large distances for the right car at the right price is not uncommon.

Hes only asking for info that people can otherwise see every day on your car.

Similar thread here on pistonheads.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1499464&mid=101804&nmt=%26quot%3BBuyer%26quot%3B+wants+log+book+document+number

Avoriaz

DUTR wrote: »

Don't get desperate to sell the car, and on the whole don't deal via email, the prospective buyer can look elsewhere, whatever any prospective buyer needs to know they can discuss upon inpsection of the vehicle.

Fortunately I am in no hurry to sell it. We collect our new car (a 3 month old BMW Series 1) on Tuesday.

If that takes a month or two I'm not bothered. I paid for a 6 week AutoTrader advert.

Avoriaz

motorguy wrote: »

Travelling large distances for the right car at the right price is not uncommon.

Hes only asking for info that people can otherwise see every day on your car.

Similar thread here on pistonheads.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1499464&mid=101804&nmt=%26quot%3BBuyer%26quot%3B+wants+log+book+document+number

Ok, looks like I am worrying unnecessarily. I'll send him the information.

Thanks for all your responses.

motorguy

DUTR wrote: »

Don't get desperate to sell the car, and on the whole don't deal via email, the prospective buyer can look elsewhere, whatever any prospective buyer needs to know they can discuss upon inpsection of the vehicle.

Thats the perfect guide on how not to sell a car these days :rolleyes:

The market has moved more and more to internet purchasing and people want to do as much homework as possible before travelling.

People more and more open with an email or text for basic info, then moving on to a call when they're ready. Clearly though the "whats the least you'll take for it mate", or "i'll give you a graaand for it now mate" or anything that involves the buyer being on mainland europe or "shipping" or "i am interested in the vehicle, what is your best price?" type messages are best ignored.

The prospective buyer is asking reasonable questions and asking the right sort of questions to make you think they're thinking of buying.

Declining to give them such basic info will make them think you've something to hide, therefore they'll look elsewhere.

Avoriaz

Thanks Paul.

No offence DUTR but I am more than happy to deal via email or txt messages with prospective buyers. It is a way of life these days.

Email gives me time to think of the best responses too.

DUTR

Avoriaz wrote: »

Thanks Paul.

No offence DUTR but I am more than happy to deal via email or txt messages with prospective buyers. It is a way of life these days.

Email gives me time to think of the best responses too.

No offence taken, I remember getting calls on previous cars from long distances, I simply asked the caller , if there is not a similar example between themselves and me?
On the last car I included 'no texts or emails' still got them, but simply ignored them, fortunately the 1st to see bought.
The caller did ask, "what's the lowest you will take?"
My simple answer view the car and make an offer, I was the 1st owner and the car was paid for from the moment it left the showroom, so I'm not selling it because I'm desperate for the money.
Then again, I knew the car I was selling was already one of the better purchases for price age and mileage at the time.

DUTR

motorguy wrote: »

Thats the perfect guide on how not to sell a car these days :rolleyes:

The market has moved more and more to internet purchasing and people want to do as much homework as possible before travelling.

People more and more open with an email or text for basic info, then moving on to a call when they're ready. Clearly though the "whats the least you'll take for it mate", or "i'll give you a graaand for it now mate" or anything that involves the buyer being on mainland europe or "shipping" or "i am interested in the vehicle, what is your best price?" type messages are best ignored.

The prospective buyer is asking reasonable questions and asking the right sort of questions to make you think they're thinking of buying.

Declining to give them such basic info will make them think you've something to hide, therefore they'll look elsewhere.

I agree with you on the methods of contact, however I have found the more serious prospecters simply pick up the phone and ask for info that is not in the advert .
Naturally the buyer has to be wary, but indeed so does the seller.