Selling a car - I don't understand this scam...

shaun_from_Africa

SellMyCarCompany said:

Whatever you do, don't sell to this company.
If they can't be trusted to read up on the requirements for posting as a business on this forum, why should any one trust them when it comes to anything else?

Mutton_Geoff

MinuteNoodles said:

No. When I'm looking at a car one of the things I look for is the number of former keepers and how long the current owner has had it. A car that has had very few owners and an owner that has had it a long time is much more likely to have been looked after, maintained and serviced

Last year, I sold a 13 year old Audi A4 Avant I'd had since new. It had a full service history and every handbook/manual/receipt/MOT certificate etc since new. I put it on Autotrader at a slightly adventurous price thinking I'd have to accept offers but the phone rang continuously and I sold it to the first person to view. They tried to offer less but I fell back on the high level of enquiries and was ready to offer to the next caller.

It was proof the history of the car counted for a lot. Could have probably sold it for more!

frayedknot

motorguy said:

Penelopa.Pitstop said:

Recently saw old Rav4 for £3100 private sale. Two days later, the same photos, trader in different location selling it for £4900 and it was sold quickly. Seems like original owner priced it too low.

Yes when i was trading we scanned the new adverts dairly - sometimes several times a day - to find cars that were under priced and we'd then buy to resell.

Quite a common practice.

There's a difference between spotting a bargain and ringing a seller with a correctly priced car and making comedy offers even before seeing the car.

cymruchris

frayedknot said:

motorguy said:

Penelopa.Pitstop said:

Recently saw old Rav4 for £3100 private sale. Two days later, the same photos, trader in different location selling it for £4900 and it was sold quickly. Seems like original owner priced it too low.

Yes when i was trading we scanned the new adverts dairly - sometimes several times a day - to find cars that were under priced and we'd then buy to resell.

Quite a common practice.

There's a difference between spotting a bargain and ringing a seller with a correctly priced car and making comedy offers even before seeing the car.

Doesn't stop someone chancing their arm though - they might catch someone on a bad day who just needs to sell there and then... I'm sure they succeed from time to time - otherwise they wouldn't bother doing it

wesleyad

I used to work with a guy who just scoured gumtree and ebay, ringing up, making silly offers, getting turned down, moving to the next. He could make 20-30 calls a shift. And he invariably did get the odd one who agreed. So, whilst it's not something i'd do, it worked for him. 

Mutton_Geoff

Gumtree seems to be full of them. Whatever I sell on Gumtree, I get text messages, sorry txt msgs, asking "wots lowurst ull xcept mate?".

Penelopa.Pitstop

motorguy said:

Penelopa.Pitstop said:

Recently saw old Rav4 for £3100 private sale. Two days later, the same photos, trader in different location selling it for £4900 and it was sold quickly. Seems like original owner priced it too low.

Yes when i was trading we scanned the new adverts dairly - sometimes several times a day - to find cars that were under priced and we'd then buy to resell.

Quite a common practice.

I would do the same as trader. Just mentioned, that private sales can be underpriced.

Mercdriver

The_Rainmaker said:

The vast majority of private sellers think their car is special and worth more than the next one.   They are sadly mistaken and if yours is not the cheapest then it is probably overpriced and you will struggle to sell more so in these difficult times.

Why does it have to be THE cheapest?  Surely it just has to be priced correctly? If it is around the average price and in good nick then, it would be in the ball park.  

The_Rainmaker

Mercdriver said:

The_Rainmaker said:

The vast majority of private sellers think their car is special and worth more than the next one.   They are sadly mistaken and if yours is not the cheapest then it is probably overpriced and you will struggle to sell more so in these difficult times.

Why does it have to be THE cheapest?  Surely it just has to be priced correctly? If it is around the average price and in good nick then, it would be in the ball park.  

Because the average price in my view is usually way overpriced and folk tend to price on the back of what is already being advertised on autotrader etc which keeps prices unrealistic if compared to Parkers or Glass' guides.

So if you are going to price to the the market expect a long wait to sell it.

Nicky_S

I had similar problems then I updated my advert with "no time wasters". I think what you are describing may not be a scam, just people trying their luck: I got many ridiculous offers (like would I take £2000 for the car I advertise for £6000). The scams what I received were offering cheques for the car (even more than the asking price) without even having a look ("I'm an african prince and need a reliable car for my visit to the UK and I trust You" - and other similar believable stories). Those cheques are fraudalent and banks will automatically lock your bank account, so don't take them. I guess they are fishing for the one in a thousand case where the payment falls through and they get a car "free".