Am I deluded about value?

[oscarisapc]

Hi Folks, Can you help me with a valuation please? I am trying to sell my 55 plate C320cdi W203 estate. I have paid for a valuation from Autotrader/CAP which came in at £5925 to £6300 for a private sale so I have advertised it (here and on eBay) at £6150, being prepared to take a litle bit less as part of the negotiation. The car has 101k miles and is immaculate with FSH and high specification with metallic, heated leather, comand, xenons etc. I have had two viewings. One chap declined to offer at all and the other ran a full Star diagnosis on it (he found no faults) and then offered max £5250, saying that there were many cars just like mine being sold for far less. Am I being unrealistic in the price I want for it or am I just being persuaded into thinking it is worth less than I think?
[I thought coming equipped with a Star Diagnosis kit meant the last viewer was a dealer but he said he ran a small machine company and he buys MB vans for it – he did roll up in a Vito so that was probably true! I was quite reassured he found no current faults.] Thanks

 

[jaymanek]

I think you should hang on... There arent many C320 CDI estates out there...

 

[Darrell]

I think that the guy who turned up with his Star, then checked and offered a lesser value should have had his backside kicked.

P**s taker.

 

[jaymanek]

If he has a star then probably someone on one of these forums!

We get the odd customer who comes in with their £9.99 code reader from ebay... we dont mind...

 

[After Shock]

I'm looking for an E class estate at the moment. Probably a 320cdi.

I'm finding it hard work picking out the right spec (that I want) and looking at prices!!!

Surprised a "trader" wouldn't offer you the going rate! I do think it is worth hanging on as eventually that right person will come along.

 

[NISFAN]

I think that the guy who turned up with his Star, then checked and offered a lesser value should have had his backside kicked.

P**s taker.

Why?

 

[davidjpowell]

Stick with it.

I sold a C320 saloon last year and it was hard work. The guy I sold it to had previously lowballed at £2k below what we agreed. He'd talked to a 'dealer' who had advised him apparently. I suggested that if he could buy one that price, he should not bother with mine...

He came back...

 

[Darrell]

Why?

Because the car is advertised at a price.

Mr Star Diagnosis comes along, plugs in his wotsit, see's that all is above board; meaning that there isn't a problem and offers a lower price.

 

[NISFAN]

Because the car is advertised at a price.

Mr Star Diagnosis comes along, plugs in his wotsit, see's that all is above board; meaning that there isn't a problem and offers a lower price.

So you are saying used car prices are non negotiable?

Did the OP put NO OFFERS or such like in his advert?

When someone agree's to come and 'look at the car' they are coming to assess whether the MINT condition, actually means MINT condition, etc. quite often used cars sold privately aren't as described. So I can't see any reason why anyone should be upset by an offer, even if lower than asking price. It is up to the seller to say, Yes or No.

You don't even know the car in question.....perhaps in the buyers mind, he thought, needs two new tyres £300, needs an MOT next month £50, stone chip in windscreen is £150, etc etc. just going to plug into STAR to see if anything else is wrong.......nope good well it is worth £5.25k to me then.....if all those things weren't there then I would have paid closer to asking for it.

EDIT: My post has no reflection on the OP and his description. All I'm saying is, there is often a difference in a potential buyers mind what condition a car is in and the reality.

 

[Darrell]

So you are saying used car prices are non negotiable?

Did the OP put NO OFFERS or such like in his advert?

When someone agree's to come and 'look at the car' they are coming to assess whether the MINT condition, actually means MINT condition, etc. quite often used cars sold privately aren't as described. So I can't see any reason why anyone should be upset by an offer, even if lower than asking price. It is up to the seller to say, Yes or No.

You don't even know the car in question.....perhaps in the buyers mind, he thought, needs two new tyres £300, needs an MOT next month £50, stone chip in windscreen is £150, etc etc. just going to plug into STAR to see if anything else is wrong.......nope good well it is worth £5.25k to me then.....if all those things weren't there then I would have paid closer to asking for it.

EDIT: My post has no reflection on the OP and his description. All I'm saying is, there is often a difference in a potential buyers mind what condition a car is in and the reality.

I was only going by what the OP said. I just think that Mr Diagnostic was taking the p a bit. Ok, we all like a deal but some people go too far.

 

[EdmundIJones]

Just wait, it only takes the right person to buy a car.
Keep it up on ebay with make an offer. Don't accept any offers if they are made, contact the person and say if you will accept the offer and leave it up on eBay until they come and drive the car away. That way time wasters don't cost you anything and if you have it on a 10 day auction you will get maximum visibility.

I don't think people like buying Mercedes on eBay, it's not the right sort of people... although I did! Just use it as an advertising tool like Autotrader and only take it down when people come and buy.

£6K for a 55 plate car is reasonable. It just takes time. It certanly helps if you have a long MOT on the car, it shows people they can run it with little hassle for a year.

Maybe post a link to your car here.

 

[gIzzE]

Many people buying a 7 year old car might prefer a 220cdi doing 50mpg vs a 320cdi doing 35mpg, that narrows your market.

There are lots of cars out there, not just mercs, but you are also into BMW E91 price territory there, early ones, but newer shape and better reviewed.
You can also buy a B7 A4 avant for that money too, not saying you would want to, but for many they will be looking at those as well.

Also, not many people have £6000 in their pocket at the moment.
£2-3000 cars are selling very quickly, as you get more expensive things are taking a little longer.

Having said all that, if it is specced right, with decent history and in good nick it will sell, but be realistic about the price, right now I would have probably offered to meet halfway at £5600 and been grateful for the sale, not that many punters out there for private sales.

 

[gIzzE]

What is your advert like?

I have just bought an S203 myself and amazed at how poor the adverts were.

Take some really nice photos and most important in a nice location, the amount of car ads with the cars looking like they are on some dodgy estate or scrap yard is just crazy.
Then you get the adverts where they have their phone charger cables all over the place, or packets of crisps on the seat, dirty carpets etc.

Clean interior...

Clean location, doesn't have to be fancy, but not looking like somewhere you may be mugged always helps!

Or find a nice a location and really help sell it..

You need to get people to come and see you, if don't get them out you don't stand a chance.

 

[oscarisapc]

THis is the advert and photos

Thanks folks, I haven’t taken offence at the hypothetical description of my car – that issue needed to be explored. However, the car isn’t a dog – new tyres, immaculate bodywork, no leaks, 11months MOT etc. There is no expenditure needed. Although I was surprised to see a Star Diagnosis kit, having everything tested for free was reassuring – if it wasn’t for the fact that I want an SLK, I could be tempted to keep the car in that condition! The link to the car on eBay is as follows.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170909424024?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
It is also advertised on this forum but I was limited in the photos I could upload, so the eBay link is better if anyone feels able to comment on my asking price relative to the condition of the car. And if you think the photos should be better. All helpful advice

 

[Will]

Don't think that link works - should be:

2005 MERCEDES BENZ C-Class C320 CDI ELEGANCE SE AUTO Estate BLUE | eBay

 

[Will]

It's a nice looking car, if I was after one I think I'd give yours a viewing - good spec, looks/sounds immaculate and well cared for.

Advert is probably 8-9/10. I guess I'd take those rubber mats out, very slightly better pics, little bit more detail - and maybe reduce the price by £155.00 (£5995 sounds better than £6150 when looking )

No point giving it away if you're in no hurry - and if you take a little less for this eventually than you'd ideally like, remember than as a cash buyer you'll be just as able to negotiate on your next car

Good luck!

 

[Pringles]

That looks like a good spec car. I have no idea how many C320 cdi there are for less, but I think it is worth giving it some time. Whatever price you set you seem to get someone offering £1000 less. I wouldn't take offence but it is your car and it is up to you what you sell it for. It just depends if you want a quick sale or are happy to hang on. I see the service is not far away and you might want to sell it before that.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Besides the steering wheel picture, there's very little wrong with the price, photos or description.

If you're a private seller, always take every photo of your car while it's sat outside your house, try not to take pictures outside poncy places like castles etc it says that you're embarrassed about where you live.

 

[davidjpowell]

I personally don't like this paragaph

"I am selling this car because we now only need one sensible car in the family. It is in beautiful condition – you would be surprised at how many compliments it receives including the last one from the man who did the recent MOT! There is a stonking amount of torque from the engine - at 380 lb.ft it has more than the same age Mercedes SL350 sports car which is quite sufficient to wipe the smile from any boy racer trying to box the car in on the motorway. The C320cdi was summarized by Mercedes Enthusiast Magazine (February 2007) as "This is a car at the top of its game and set up in such a way that you can both enjoy driving it hard or let it look after you when you just want to relax and unwind"."

It does not tell me much, other than this is not the sensible car, 2007 was five years ago, and you've raced boy racers. I'm not saying that this is what you've done, but it's not a paragraph I would put in personally.

 

[gIzzE]

Besides the steering wheel picture, there's very little wrong with the price, photos or description.

If you're a private seller, always take every photo of your car while it's sat outside your house, try not to take pictures outside poncy places like castles etc it says that you're embarrassed about where you live.

Sorry, that's ******.

I always take pictures of my cars outside poncy places and I tend to sell them within a week, 2 at most.

When buying I tend to know that people probably don't live in the castle in the background, but it reassures me that the person is the sort of person I would want to deal with as they 'get it'.