Help Selling My Gti

[adammada33 0]

After 10 years of owning my 205 I have finally decided to sell it, I would like it to go before the end of the month. I have it on ebay and on here - what do you think is a fair price?

 

Adam

[adammada33 0]

sorry link: http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=134254

[Anthony 1,003]

My 2p.

 

You're trying to sell at exactly the wrong time of year, especially for this sort of car that is quickly becoming a weekend/fun/classic and thus not the sort of thing that people generally buy a month before Xmas - typically, early spring, throughout the summer and early autumn is a much better time to sell. Not much help if you need it gone of course, but that's generally how it is.

 

The economy isn't helping either, with lots of cars on the market and perhaps fewer buyers than there once was - the right cars still sell of course, but shifting others for good money can be difficult.

 

As for the advert itself, reading through it the alarm bells in my head are ringing loud and clear and to be completely honest, if I was in the market for a 205 I wouldn't come and look at it for anything like the money you're asking. Reading through the advert, rightly or wrongly, I'm reading it as that it's had an accident at the front and now neither wing sits properly and one is the wrong colour, that the rear beam is likely knackered, and wondering why it's retrofitted with the wrong (BE1) gearbox. There's a few other bits, but they're the main ones.

 

As you've advertised it, it sounds like it's worth £800-1000 tops - I suspect that it's actually a far better car that you're making out and that you're being over-critical of it in an attempt to be completely honest, but the way that it's written would instantly turn me off the car.

 

To get anything like the money you're asking at the very least that advert needs properly re-writing to sell the car - not suggesting to be anything less than completely honest about it, but the whole advert has a very negative feel about it as it is now and the way parts are written is very offputting at that price point.

[maturin23 10]

We had a thread a while ago about how to word an ad for a car and it threw up some strong and entirely opposing views.

 

I agree with Anthony - what you've written probably really undersells the car. It reads like an eBay listing ie you've listed every negative you can think of to avoid having a situation when the winning bidder claims it's 'not as described' and pulls out.

 

I wouldn't waste my time with eBay, and I would write an ad that actually 'sells' the car. You really do not need to list every minor defect - that's for the buyer to spot and decide whether it's a problem or not. (disclaimer - I'm not saying that you should advertise as perfect something in dangerous condition - but accentuate the positive and don't go into detail about the faults unless they're fundamental).

 

Stuff like this "The body is ok but not up to the standard of the rest of the car" reads very 'half-empty' - why not say the exterior of the car is in pretty good condition given the age/mileage? Then go on to say the car is in first class mechanical condition and the interior is pretty much as-new.

 

I would cherry-pick some key work that's been done and put it at the top - a new engine loom is a big deal I'd say given everyone's fear of crispy french electricals. New clutch, gearbox and top-end rebuild in the last 10k miles are also big selling points.

 

My advice would be to sort out the rear suspension, oil pressure switch and maybe get the front end blown-over - then re-write the ad with an eye to actually getting people to view the car. You'll at least get your money back on the work and should sell much easier.

 

Take plenty of photos of the selling points rather than writing loads of text. Take photos of the interior, the boxes of spares, spread the service history/old MOTs etc on a table and photo those as well. Use a camera not your phone!

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Not really worth mentioning, but I had a quick look at the add and ask eBay is blocked in work (and quite possibly many other 'lunchtime browsers' are affected).

 

It may pay to pop a Price in your ad on here so people that come across it on a 'flick through' may get tempted.

 

You may have listed a BIN price in your auction so I apologise if so

 

Experience tells me that people with no intention of buying something can often end up doing so when they see something that takes their fancy upon liking the price.

 

Numerous times in the past I have heard of something selling for X price, and thought to myself, 'I would have actually been interested at that price if I had known'.

 

Im ranting, but it's food for thought.

[damien 22 1 Cars]

Use a camera not your phone!

 

 

this bugs the hell out of me, your trying to sell something but you take pics which dont show the item at its best.

people spend stupid money on smart phones but wont pay £50 for a camera

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Those pictures are awful! All other £2k 205's are polished and waxed and sat in a lovely spring meadow

[omega 82]

as said you need better photos

i also think your price is to high

it needs paint and a rear beam repair so it needs about 500 pounds spending on it to make it a 2k car

also if you useing ebay why not but a reserve on it? this way if i dosnt meet the reserve you can always speak to the high bidder to see if you can do a deal

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Agree with all of the above, Too many faults and crash damage would steer me away and the pictures are poor, Dirt in the door shuts etc points me towards a uncared for car,

A fair amount of work to make Mint so it's either sell it cheap or carry out the work and get a fair price next year

 

Having a re-wired engine bay and a faulty Oil switch sounds Irish to me, it should work, I'd also want to know if it was a Pug loom or a home made one.

 

But a good clean, Polish, Detailing will net a good price, a mate just sold his for £3500.00 but that did have a Spot on Re-spray and new Plastic's

[GLPoomobile 958]

I'd agree with many of the comments about the photos being poor (taken at a very bad time of day ) and the description needing some work, but I think some people are being overly critical and jumping to conclusions. Sadly though, if that's what a few people on here are thinking then that would sum up your wider audience, so you need to clarify those points.

 

Crash damage? The advert doesn't say that, it just says both front wings had bumps. I've got a badly dented wing on mine too but that's not because it's been crashed. If you are sure your's were just innocent dents and not the result of crash damage, then clarify that in the advert.

 

Knackered beam? Again, you never said that, yet people are assuming the worst. Have you checked the obvious things to track the problem. It could be something as innocent as the exhaust, exhaust heat shield, or spare wheel cage clattering. If the beam is generally fine, mention that in the advert (no visible camber, no creaks, beam moves freely etc).

 

Oil pressure signal issue? Mile's thinks that's "Irish" ( ), yet I put a brand new wiring loom in mine and then had the terminal snap off the sender So these things happen. It could be something simple, so try to trace the fault, and if you can't fix it prior to sale, at least confirm what the cause is (remember, 205 buyers have oil pressure paranoia). I would also clarify how, and to what extent it's been re-wired. Is it all new wiring and new connectors etc (to a good standard) or just some half arsed tidy up with a few new bits of wiring spliced in here and there and some electrical tape wrapped around parts? No offence, but when some "professional" companies are offering bodged together old looms as being new, and charging a premium for it, then you have to wonder.

 

I actually think you've got a lot of real positives going for the car, so don't be on a downer after this. Just jazz the advert up a little and take some clearer photos in better (neutral) lighting conditions and it'll be much better. Many people (myself included) are crazy for Steel Grey GTIs with the green check interior, so that's another plus point.

Edited November 15, 2011 by GLPoomobile

[harryskid 193]

After reading the ad and the bland pictures i would be put right off !

[adammada33 0]

Thanks for the all the useful comments, after spending huge amounts of time and money on it I could not face any more. Was attempting to be totally honest to make a hassle free sale. It was the car I always wanted when I was young but just doesn’t make sense to keep it any more. Fair point with the pictures also. Rather than through away money I will do the work you recommend and sell it in spring, Although If someone makes a offer I will still sell it.