State of the used car market

[Deleted member 11979]

in just wondering what people’s thoughts are on the state of the used car market.

I’m selling my w124 cab and have had some decent interest but no sale, my friend is selling an sec and 6.9 and has had no interest.

All cars we think are decent examples and priced realistically (we think).

Looking about there seem to be quite a few bargains around that don’t seem to be selling.

Any thoughts on the market in general?

 

[merc85]

A friend of mine has been trying to Sell his 2007 focus for ages, all there seems tobe are time wasters.

 

[219]

People are skint in general

 

[french]

I think an SEC & a 6.9 are a very narrow market so you can expect to wait, maybe even approach a classic auction to be honest, As Gavin has said its hard enough trying to sell a humdrum bread & butter car nowadays ...

 

[Eddy77]

Mate is trying to sell his 2009 BMW 320i Cabriolet. Totally mint car, low miles, right colour and spec. He can't get a sniff and the price is very good. He also has an Audi A3 soft top up for sale for buttons and he can't get a sale on that either. The market is dead. I had to offload my 2010 Mondeo last month to make way for my new car. I took it to the local used car shop and he gave me £2,150 for it as a "buy your car for cash" sale. Given it was worth £2,500 on a good day in a private sale according to local autotrader and ebay prices, I shook his arm off. He's now had the wheels refurbed, fixed a dent in the boot and got it up for sale on his forecourt. Good luck to him - I was more than happy with the deal. He's got it up for nearly 4 grand which is strong money. But with a dealer warranty etc, he might get it sold for £3,500 - it is a decent car, but well used!!

 

[daveenty]

Recently sold my 190E and, whilst attracting a bit of interest, it also got more than it's share of idiots and dreamers. If you're convinced that the cars are priced competitively and accurately described then just hang back a while for the right buyers, they are out there, just take a bit of finding.

I was probably lucky with mine in that I was in no rush to sell so priced it a little on the high side expecting to take a bit of a knock on it. The eventual buyer appreciated this and after a bit of negotiation soon bought the car as it was a good example of the marque.

 

[219]

It’s also hard looking for a cheap used car .

I’m now finding that I could at times do with another estate , just to use as a hack for household stuff and for work .

Time was you could get an eminently decent S124 for a few hundred , now all the cheap ones are just rubbish , and decent ones , like this

Beautiful Mercedes-Benz W124 E320 320TE estate 24 valve sportline 7 seater | eBay

are serious money .

There are cheap S210s aplenty , but most have serious rust issues , and 211s are dropping in price , but I don’t want manual , diesel , grey exterior or black interior, and must have a sunroof. Nor do I particularly want a big engine , but don’t entirely mind if the car is otherwise right .

Ideally , an S124 in either Nautic Blue or Almandine Red , mushroom leather , electric heated front seats ( 5 seats only ) air , cruise , ASD , sunroof , factory tow bar , 8 holes , and bodily good - mechanical issues can be fixed .

There are reasonable 124s out there at up to about a grand , which is really the most I’d be prepared to pay , and I’m in no great hurry . Another reason , besides I know them inside out , to get another 124 , is that I have the correct factory ORIS detachable tow bar to put on it . Bought from eBay.de with a view to making it fit the SL , but will bolt straight on to the right car .

So , yes , there are fussy people like me looking for a very particular car , and in no real hurry .

However , while I keep looking at different cars , and try to get a sense of the market , what I won’t do is to waste sellers time unless I’m really serious about a car .

 

[219]

It’s also hard looking for a cheap used car .

I’m now finding that I could at times do with another estate , just to use as a hack for household stuff and for work .

Time was you could get an eminently decent S124 for a few hundred , now all the cheap ones are just rubbish , and decent ones , like this

Beautiful Mercedes-Benz W124 E320 320TE estate 24 valve sportline 7 seater | eBay

are serious money .

There are cheap S210s aplenty , but most have serious rust issues , and 211s are dropping in price , but I don’t want manual , diesel , grey exterior or black interior, and must have a sunroof. Nor do I particularly want a big engine , but don’t entirely mind if the car is otherwise right .

Ideally , an S124 in either Nautic Blue or Almandine Red , mushroom leather , electric heated front seats ( 5 seats only ) air , cruise , ASD , sunroof , factory tow bar , 8 holes , and bodily good - mechanical issues can be fixed .

There are reasonable 124s out there at up to about a grand , which is really the most I’d be prepared to pay , and I’m in no great hurry . Another reason , besides I know them inside out , to get another 124 , is that I have the correct factory ORIS detachable tow bar to put on it . Bought from eBay.de with a view to making it fit the SL , but will bolt straight on to the right car .

So , yes , there are fussy people like me looking for a very particular car , and in no real hurry .

However , while I keep looking at different cars , and try to get a sense of the market , what I won’t do is to waste sellers time unless I’m really serious about a car .

 

[KennyN]

It’s also hard looking for a cheap used car.

It certainly is , especially north of the border.

I have been actively looking for a runaround for the last few weeks , no real criteria but has to be a small SUV or an estate with a £5k budget and preferably petrol.

Lots of shocking bad cars out there and a complete waste of my time looking at them , excellent condition now translates as it has had a rub over with some colour match polish and the interior has had a liberal application of some super shiny coating,

There are also very few cars for sale privately , most £5k cars being are being sold from some back street garage or by a "private" sellers driveway even though they have a few other vehicles also for sale.

K

 

[neilrr]

my friend is selling an sec....

I know someone looking for a 560SEC. Details?

 

[Deleted member 11979]

I know someone looking for a 560SEC. Details

I know someone looking for a 560SEC. Details?

It’s a 420

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Any thoughts on the market in general?

I’ve sold a couple recently and had no bother whatsoever - one was my Hilux (took 3 days) and the other was an Audi A4 (took 4 days).

I’ve just bought a 2016 Focus estate 1.6 TDI with 25k miles on for £5500 (it’s an insurance repaired though) and been looking at a 2014 A4 Technik along with facelift W212’s too.

The market is buoyant from what I’ve found, and ultimately comes down to my one golden bit of advice when people say their car isn’t selling - it’s the price, the price, the price.

 

[rockits]

I have been actively looking for a runaround for the last few weeks , no real criteria but has to be a small SUV or an estate with a £5k budget and preferably petrol.
K

What you need is a nice midsize reliable SUV like an XC90 V8 [emoji6]

Just put mine up for sale this week. Great car the XC90 especially the V8 had it for 3 years and never gone wrong, never not started and never complains about anything. Just no longer needed as replaced it with an Outlander PHEV recently.

Advice & Opinions - My XC90 For Sale Advert

VOLVO XC90 SE LUX NAV 4.4 V8 VOLVO MAIN DEALER SERVICE HISTORY FROM NEW RARE | eBay

 

[MCFastybloke]

Cant sell anything unless its cheapest closest best thing available. If its a few Thousand then a huge raft of the population are hand to mouth

 

[rf065]

Cant sell anything unless its cheapest closest best thing available. If its a few Thousand then a huge raft of the population are hand to mouth

Correct, and if they need credit, only a dealer can sell them a car. Private sales are no use.

 

[T5R+]

Buyers (cash) are out here for pre-used cars but we want value for money or will pay a "little over the odds" for something special eg Dave's 190.

Somebody mentioned "cheap". To me a private car at £23K is not cheap compared to a comparable franchised item at £25K.

Personally, I do not think that people are skint as see some cars fly out of the door eg try buying a well specified and priced Hyacinth+Porcelain CLS350 (seem to sell over the phone in <24hours).

Generally, if a vehicle does not sell. it is one of 3 reasons

• priced too high
• unappealing vehicle or specification
  
• owner/seller is rude or advertising poor, versus not used to negotiating

Really have sympathies with anyone selling a car because people like me enjoy a haggle, as it is the way that I have always always bought cars (except at auction) for no other reason than the thrill of the deal.

 

[Crazyfool]

I sold my 2.6V6 Audi Cabriolet. I put it on various forums, including Facebook, but got absolutely no interest.

As soon as I put it on Autotrader it was gone within the week.

I would have preferred £2k, but after dropping it to £1.5k, it started to show more interest.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

Buyers (cash) are out here for pre-used cars but we want value for money or will pay a "little over the odds" for something special eg Dave's 190.

Somebody mentioned "cheap". To me a private car at £23K is not cheap compared to a comparable franchised item at £25K.

Personally, I do not think that people are skint as see some cars fly out of the door eg try buying a well specified and priced Hyacinth+Porcelain CLS350 (seem to sell over the phone in <24hours).

Generally, if a vehicle does not sell. it is one of 3 reasons

• priced too high
• unappealing vehicle or specification
  
• owner/seller is rude or advertising poor, versus not used to negotiating

Really have sympathies with anyone selling a car because people like me enjoy a haggle, as it is the way that I have always always bought cars (except at auction) for no other reason than the thrill of the deal.

I love a haggle, it’s a lost art, if I like someone I’ll give them a good deal and enjoy it, the thing is I’m wondering if nowadays a lot of people like to buy a car via the internet without either picking up the phone or travelling to see it.

Oh for the old days....