"Unless the prospective buyer doesn't own the vehicle (stolen) - seen that on a few police reports... "
Absolutely true, but I can't think of a way to protect yourself from *all* types of fraud. That's one of the hazards of selling it yourself. But I don't think it's unreasonable to protect yourself as much as possible using all of the precautions mentioned. Just make sure you tell the prospective buyer before he/she arrives.
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If there is such thing. anyway I was hoping somebody could direct me.I have ab 04 wrangler which I love, but now i am needing a car, but i dont wanna raise my payments at all in fact i'd like to trade down..how likely is a new car dealer with used cars on his/her lot to trade me for a car that is worth less than my trade considering my trade is an '04 Wrangle r,5speed, is it better to try to trade to a jeep/chrysler dealer for a used car on there lot? Will they cut me a check for the difference?please help,sean
Hi Sean. The problem with trading in your Wrangler for a less expensive car is that even if your new car is considerably less money, you still may be upside down on your Jeep. By this I mean that you owe more money on it than it is currently worth on the open market. Unless you made a substantial down payment when you purchased your Jeep there is a very good chance that this is the case on such a new model. You may be able to roll some of your negative equity into your loan for your new car, but doing so is never a good idea.
The Shadow is sitting in the front yard with a 1295 OBO sign in the window.
Drift will appreciate this. I told my wife how much I was asking and she went "Gaaahhhhhh...." I told her about the "if you don't ask for it, you won't get it" point and she said, "Well, yeah. That's true."
I was selling a new Ford truck, and the folks were trading in a decent, paid for, clean trade. My boss started at $500 below wholesale book (holding $500 on the trade) and MSRP for the truck...
I had just come back from a Chrysler sales conference where an old car guy and I got into a discussion about closing techniques - I was a greenpea, of course. He told me "you only get what you ask for"...
That made sense - if you don't ask, you'll never know, and the worst they can do is say "no" and you'll have to negotiate another deal.
I showed the worksheet to the truck deal to the postential truck buyers and said "I'm asking for your business, and here's how I'd like the numbers to work".
They said "OK" and I got 30% of a $4,200 deal - $1,260. That one deal was almost as much as my monthly base pay as a staff sergeant in the Air Force around the time I got out (1992)...
I also took Terry's 'dirty cars get dirty money' to heart. Had the thing cleaned up, and dang, its a good looking (as much as a Shadow with faded paint can be. LOL) car again.
Gotta go phone the paper in a few minutes to place an ad.
Perfect example - I was looking for a CHEAP 4x4 for service as a backup vehicle for me, plus on snow days, my youngest son could drive it to school, since his 240SX is set up for drifting, not inclement weather.
A good friend told me about a Chevrolet Tracker (2-dr) down the road from his house. I stopped by to see a grey Tracker, out in front of the house, with a FOR SALE sign in the windshield.
I noted that the tires and wheels were dirty, it needed washing badly, but what REALLY got me was looking into the truck, I noted that the floor and seats were covered in trash, dirt, cigarette butts, etc - it was 3" deep on both sides!
Again, I started thinking like a car biz manager, and thought...a vacuum at a car wash usually costs a dollar in quarters - even if you've got a big mess, maybe two bucks. The car wash itself wouldn't cost more than $5. Clean the glass, using 1.876 ounces of Windex and 6 paper towels for an additional cost of 22 cents.
So, for less than $10, while far from being "detailed", it would be fairly clean, and more importantly, presentable. Factor in the concept that you have a shop vac and a water hose at home, and all it costs you is a half hour and the aforementioned Windex and paper towels.
If it had been fairly clean, I would have knocked on the door and asked to look at it closer - as it was, I drove off.
Now, the big question as to WHY I have a problem with it being dirty...if you are so freakin' cheap that you won't spend $10 to clean it up before you try to sell it, I'm sure you're also saving money by not doing oil changes, tuneups, buying the cheapest junk tires you can get, etc.
I also assume (safely) that the major items for service like transmission, differentials, transfer case, fuel injection cleaning, etc would NEVER be considered, with your cheap budget...
Last October we were looking for a new Acura RSX, and I went to a local dealer. A nice new red one, exactly like we wanted, with about 40 miles on the odometer was sitting on a dirt lot behind the store.
The seats still had the protective plastic on them, but the carpet was filthy. I mean really, really filthy. The dirt was so thick I could have scooped it up with one of my gandson's toy shovels.
I didn't want to buy from a dealer who would treat a nice car like that, so I left. I never even considered making an offer.
How someone keeps their car, appearance-wise, save for tough times like the dead of winter up North, or the middle of rainy season down South, says truckloads about how the car is maintained overall.
I'm meticulous when it comes to my rides (my wife wishes it extended to the same degree with yard work... but that's another story). On several occasions, I've had friends and co-workers tell me, upon riding in one of my vehicles, that if ever I want to sell my car to let them know. These propositions always come right out of the blue. I'm convinced a clean well cared for car sells itself... no question.
I'm getting ready to sell my white Tacoma. I'll get it detailed before putting it on the market, but now I'm wondering about driving it. It has been our daily driver but it gets dirty quickly. Should I detail it and leave it parked in my (dirt) driveway or should I put a for sale sign on it and continue to drive it? It has so many miles on it already, that the extra mileage wouldn't make a difference to the price.
isn't always necessary - people can tell from a first look if the car has been kept clean or not, I've found.
All I recommend is reading my post a few posts back about the Chevrolet Tracker - the way it was, I ran from it - if the guy had spent $10 (or less) and 30 minutes of his time, I would've knocked on his door.
Just make it presentable, unless you're really taking your time selling it and waiting for that perfect buyer and absolutely the last nickel, then a professional detail is necessary.
I say this on older vehicles, but on newer ones (2-3 years old), if there have been any freedom fry attacks or funky smells from puppies or soccer shoes, get it detailed.
To detail or not - now that's going to be an interesting question for me. From your point of view it wouldn't be necessary. The vehicle is a 2000 so it is not in your 2-3 years old category. It will probably be about the lowest priced vehicle for its year because of the 175,000 miles on it. Perhaps just a good bath and a vacuum would be all that's required, though I'd be happy to spend the money for detailing, especially if it would increase the sale price by more than the cost of the detailing. And it has been driven by a smoker, though he always smoked with the window open. Wouldn't detailing help with that?
using involves cleaning the carpeting and seats, so as far as foreign odors, they may be masked, but not gone. I don't care how much you clean a car that's been smoked in, one good warm humid day brings it all right back...
A car with 175k miles? I don't know that a $200 detail will earn you your $200 back - if you're handy with some carpet shampoo, engine cleaner, and wax, you can save yourself $190...
I'll save the $190, just get it washed and waxed, use some carpet shampoo on a couple of coffee stains. I don't think I'll use it for my daily commute though - too much chance of additional coffee spills.
I completely agree that there is no need to get a car that has almost 200,000 miles on it professionally detailed. If I was in your situation, I would just wash, wax, and vacuum it myself on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Doing so will make it much more presentable without hitting your wallet nearly as hard as having it professionally done.
If I can do all my own detailing, then anyone can. Use some car wash, touch up any obvious paint chips as long as you can closely match the paint, use some high quality wax and maybe a little rubbing compound if needed, vacuum and spot wash the interior, again to get any obvious spots or flaws, give any vinyl or leather a going over with some conditioner, throw in some new rubber mats. A couple of areas that many people overlook and can really make a difference without a lot of extra work is to clean and polish inside the door sills, wipe down the engine compartment especially the hoses and any plastic parts, and clean out the trunk. It's gotten so I can completely detail out even something as big as my wife's Odyssey in a single weekend day in my driveway and have it looking showroom ready.
With a high mileage car it's not that you will cover the cost of the detail so much as it makes the sale go sooooooo much easier. When I sold my wife's 89 Sable wagon w/145K miles a few years ago. The guy and his wife who bought it said they had been searching for weeks and mine looked better then newer cars that had half the mileage. They nearly fell over themselves to give me my full asking price. Like I said, it will sell itself if you present it in the right light.
but after having my own detailing business twice (once as a teenager, once while in the Air Force) and maintaining my vehicles to a fault, this scares me:
"maybe a little rubbing compound if needed"
There isn't an automotive paint produced in the last 15-18 years that you can use rubbing compound on. Even polishing compounds will cut right through the clear and base coats, and you'll find yourself with primer and/or bare metal.
I can't believe places like Pep Boys and Autozone still sell the red containers of Dupont rubbing compound and the green and white containers of polishing compound...you might as well be using gravel for what they do to this wimpy, EPA-friendly paint.
The harshest thing you should ever use is like Meguiar's Cleaner Wax - while very slightly abrasive, it's tough enough to clean fogging from paint, but not strong enough to scratch.
After that, a nice glaze, like Wax Shop Super Glaze is very easy to get on and off and looks great. It's also easy to use since it doesn't chalk up on your rubber trim and things like most waxes.
Just my opinion, since I never made a profession of it... but I get turned off by "nu car smell", or glossed-up older tires. I believe a car should have an honest look about it; a 2-year-old car can certainly look new, but a 10-year-old car should look well-used and well-cared-for rather than glossy. YMMV. -Mathias
mistakes I see while appraising the 15,000+ cars I have is shining up a dirty car. Folks will coat the hoses and other plastic stuff in the engine with Armor All without cleaning the engine. They'll hit the trunk/hatch weatherstripping real good, but not wipe out all the crud you see when you open the trunk/hatch.
They wipe at the door jambs, but you can see years of crud built up in the hinges - while the hinges don't need to be cleaned with a Q-tip, you can tell if someone has been cleaning the car or not from these things.
You can also look into the dash vents - if you see a thick layer of grunge 1/4" in, you know the story. Same with the center console, seat frames, hood liner, etc...
I should have said polishing compound (green container). I've used it with limited success on very specific problems that usually involved paint that was pretty much shot to start with. It has to be used very sparingly and very gently. But, in general, I agree it's not something that would be used for normal grime or polishing applications. Unless you happen to own an old Granada or something.
The detailing I mentioned above is targeted at the average curbside shopper who is looking for a used, inexpensive, and still reliable piece of transportation. They tend to see a lot of junk in their travels and when confronted with anything that has a hint of newness to it, they seem to be immediately impressed. The ones I've dealt with are typically happy just to see they don't have to remove 10 lbs of trash from the seat of your car before they get in. They will almost never notice if I have a clean door hinge. But, they do seem to be swayed if all the plastic interior parts have a nice new looking sheen and scent to it and the rugs are spotless. It also helps when all the expected and some unexpected but easily visible painted surfaces are clean and shiny. A thoroughly cleaned engine is great. But, IMHO, most are happy with little more than the appearance of newness when they pop the hood. And it doesn't take too much effort or any cost to wipe away a few layers of grime from the most visible parts of the engine with a rag. No one likes to smudge their fingers while wiping the grease off the battery check window or oil dipstick.
Detailing, to me, is all a matter or degrees. Certainly, if you're looking to trade or sell a late model, low mileage, expensive vehicle, spend the money and have a pro do it. But, if it's a 10 year old high mileage piece of transport parked in your driveway with a big red FOR SALE sign, that's a different story and brings a different (i.e lower) level of expectations. As stated, YMMV.
dropping realistic recommendations on an otherwise "too lazy to make a real buck" audience?
People always seem to want the lazy way out on things, and selling a car privately is no exception. I don't care if you spray Windex into a fan and blow it towards your car, if giving a proper wash, wax and vacuum are too much for your busy schedule or couch time...
You'll get less for your car, and I'm trying to show easy ways to get more - your mileage may vary.
I have the car parked on the curb in the front lawn. Older couple walking down the road stop and look at it. I tell my wife. She asked if they were laughing.
One guy finally calls on the Shadow. Told the wife somebody may be coming to look at it, but truly doubted he would. I was right. Wow! I could be a greenpea!
"Your Mileage May Vary", and the other one is "If I Remember (or Recall) Correctly".
I try to use words instead of acronyms, however - too many military acronyms still running around in my head, these things like "LOL" and "IIRC" just get in the way...
and stay away from acronyms when placing an ad! Just because you know what PS and PB means, doesn't mean the person reading the ad does.
Ex-USAF NCO, with SP AFSC, SEIs in Sniper Training and Crime Prevention, served in ATC, USAFE, SAC, PACAF, and SOS.
SPs had acros like SRT, FT, ART, CAS, WSA, Victor Area, JSIIDS....
Line from "Good Morning Vietnam", relating to Vice Pres Nixon's visit: "The VP is a VIP, so we'd better stand up on the QT ASAP - if the VP becomes MIA, we're all on KP!"
To bring this back to the published topic (I only vaguely remember that alphabet soup - USAR too many years ago), do any of you former detailers know how to get gum off of a car seat? As far as acronyms go, is A/C all right for an ad (seems pretty universal)? And since I'm selling a manual, how does one specify that without saying 5 speed?
"5-speed manual transmission" since there are bunches of 5-speed automatics out there, and someone may not get the point.
For gum, and many other interiro and exterior things, I've always used Dupont's DX330 - it's a paint prep that works wonders but doesn't discolor the interior or exterior. I buy it by the gallon, and have since 1988 when I painted my first car - a gallon lasts me about three years...so maybe look for a pint or a quart. It removes EVERYTHING like tree sap, tar, bird poop, etc - it costs $30 a gallon, but when compared to that little bottle of "Goo Be Gone" for $12.95, it's a bargain.
Don't undercut yourself too much on a high mileage Tacoma. They bring big dollars here even with big miles. I was at a heavy equipment auction recently and they ran three stripped down '97 Tacomas (reg. cab 4x4) in bad shape with between 230k-350k miles. Cheapest went for around $5k. Might have been a little auction fever going on, but these were all equip. dealers with pre-bid deposits so they weren't amateurs. I had a Tacoma in the past and was shopping for one as a beater recently. The market seems strong even on well worn high mileage ones.
I agree with this.. A local used import dealer known for pretty fair prices has a '94 4X4 with around 100K miles in really nice shape.. still asking $7400. These bring stupid money and in another month when it starts cooling off ,they might be worth even more.
is that you should leave something out - sounds weird, I know, while we're saying the description should be great, describing the service history, how it runs, how it looks, transmission type, no acronyms, etc.
You HAVE to give people a reason to call you, though, so you can put your salesman shoes on. Leave out exterior color, interior color, mileage, something - something that can be answered quickly and may not ne very important (interior color) - this gives the potential buyer a reason to call, and for you to add more to the description and try to get a commitment for the person to come see it.
Great advice!! If the ad has ALL the info in it, why call? That is the excuse I always give my wife: "I know.. I'm not going to buy it.. I just have to find out if it has the yada, yada, yada.. " This worked just last week.. She let me go look at an '86 911 Targa... It was sweet, but I just had to find out it had a tail, full leather, etc, etc, etc......
although you may not have ANY experience in retail sales, once you take at a newspaper ad, an on-line ad, an ad through cars.com or autotrader, or just put a "for sale" sign in the window, you just became a car salesman, like it or not.
You'll do well by understanding that you have to motivate people to buy your product, as if you were selling things on the side of the road.
Always give them a reason to call! If they have ALL the info, they can make their decision, and it might not be in your favor.
Thanks for all this good advice - I'm printing out all these suggestions. That Dupont product sounds like something I need to get. As I was driving home today I noticed that the cottonwood sap on the windshield isn't coming off easily or else my windshield is pitted.
I'll probably start with a simple ad so I won't have much for space - was thinking of including A/C, radio info (it has both CD and cassette), manual, cab configuration, shell and mileage (reason for it being inexpensive). Figured that was the basics and they can call for the rest (it's 2WD so I'll leave that out). It's nice to know that there's a chance I might get above $6,000 for it.
Another question - annual registration is up at the end of the month. I'll get the smog certificate before I place the ad, but does it make a difference whether I register it for next year or not? I'll definitely do it if I still own it when it is due, but would it help or hinder the resale value? I know by not registering it, it would draw attention to the fact that it is barely 4 years old.
I would not leave out the 2wd part. Most buyers are specifically looking for one or the other and you'll likely just get a lot of bothersome calls with quick hang-ups when they find out it's 2wd.
Everything I said about the values on these trucks go out the window with 2wd Tacomas. At least around here, they have very little demand and you'll see them forsale a long time even with very cheap prices.
Every bargain hunter looking for a cheap 4x4 Tacoma will be calling you just to see! Been there, done that!
don't leave out the 2WD part. In fact, I think it is less then helpful to leave out any of the deal breaker info. Stuff like Auto/Manual, 2WD/4WD, Extended Cab/Regular Cab since, as has been pointed out, you'll end up getting a bunch of calls from people who will summarily hang up once they learn your truck isn't even in the running or you may miss potential buyers who make the wrong assumption.
Color is always good to leave out since it's less critical but always of interest. Many times the trim level can be omitted since it typically only identifies that a vehicle has some basic level of options. Again, interesting but not necessarily deal breaking.
Mileage is a bit trickier. I know when I see an ad without mileage, I always assume the worst. Unfortunately, it is usually an accurate assumption. So much so, that I now rarely call on a car without mileage listed since I already know the outcome. Usually, I never give a figure. Rather I'll list something vague like low, average or high mileage, to hopefully pique a buyers interest without risking turning them off altogether.
And never leave out the asking price. I'm amazed how many private ads I see with "best offer" and no number. I almost feel like calling and offering $1. But, more realistically, without a price your ad is more likely to be overlooked by anyone who is blasting through multiple listings using the price as their primary search key. Price is the bottom line for most folks buying a used vehicle. I've know more then a few who based their buying decision on nothing more then price and the fact that the vehicle runs.
Sorry for the acronyms, but as usual... this is all just IMHO YMMV... Good Luck!!!
I agree.. leave out the color mileage? If it is really high, put "highway miles".. That will give them something else to ask, but will prepare them for a high number.
And the price? I agree... I never call on ads where they don't list a price. And never say OBO or FIRM. OBO is pretty much a given.. FIRM? I figure you want more than your car is worth.
I like "negotiable" instead of obo or firm. No commitment either way really, but says you're willing to chat. Firm usually turns me off. You better mean it if you're going to use it. I like watching the ads in the paper. Day 1-5 "$20,000 firm". Day 6-10 "$19,000 firm".....LOL!
needs work, is miled up, faded seats, faded paint, etc, they'll take the retail book, add stuff separately that's already part of the car's basic package, like adding for air on an Impala LS (!), then list the highest number they can find and add the label "FIRM"!
I went up to the local university and pasted a few ads up. Lowered price to 1K obo, figuring someone could use it as a quick pizza car, especially since the fading paint could equal better tips.
It was amazing and depressing to walk around the campus, watch the coeds, and think, "Gee, I was here literally half a lifetime ago."
Comments
Absolutely true, but I can't think of a way to protect yourself from *all* types of fraud. That's one of the hazards of selling it yourself. But I don't think it's unreasonable to protect yourself as much as possible using all of the precautions mentioned. Just make sure you tell the prospective buyer before he/she arrives.
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Car_man
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Drift will appreciate this. I told my wife how much I was asking and she went "Gaaahhhhhh...." I told her about the "if you don't ask for it, you won't get it" point and she said, "Well, yeah. That's true."
Turboshadow
I was selling a new Ford truck, and the folks were trading in a decent, paid for, clean trade. My boss started at $500 below wholesale book (holding $500 on the trade) and MSRP for the truck...
I had just come back from a Chrysler sales conference where an old car guy and I got into a discussion about closing techniques - I was a greenpea, of course. He told me "you only get what you ask for"...
That made sense - if you don't ask, you'll never know, and the worst they can do is say "no" and you'll have to negotiate another deal.
I showed the worksheet to the truck deal to the postential truck buyers and said "I'm asking for your business, and here's how I'd like the numbers to work".
They said "OK" and I got 30% of a $4,200 deal - $1,260. That one deal was almost as much as my monthly base pay as a staff sergeant in the Air Force around the time I got out (1992)...
Gotta go phone the paper in a few minutes to place an ad.
Turboshadow
Perfect example - I was looking for a CHEAP 4x4 for service as a backup vehicle for me, plus on snow days, my youngest son could drive it to school, since his 240SX is set up for drifting, not inclement weather.
A good friend told me about a Chevrolet Tracker (2-dr) down the road from his house. I stopped by to see a grey Tracker, out in front of the house, with a FOR SALE sign in the windshield.
I noted that the tires and wheels were dirty, it needed washing badly, but what REALLY got me was looking into the truck, I noted that the floor and seats were covered in trash, dirt, cigarette butts, etc - it was 3" deep on both sides!
Again, I started thinking like a car biz manager, and thought...a vacuum at a car wash usually costs a dollar in quarters - even if you've got a big mess, maybe two bucks. The car wash itself wouldn't cost more than $5. Clean the glass, using 1.876 ounces of Windex and 6 paper towels for an additional cost of 22 cents.
So, for less than $10, while far from being "detailed", it would be fairly clean, and more importantly, presentable. Factor in the concept that you have a shop vac and a water hose at home, and all it costs you is a half hour and the aforementioned Windex and paper towels.
If it had been fairly clean, I would have knocked on the door and asked to look at it closer - as it was, I drove off.
Now, the big question as to WHY I have a problem with it being dirty...if you are so freakin' cheap that you won't spend $10 to clean it up before you try to sell it, I'm sure you're also saving money by not doing oil changes, tuneups, buying the cheapest junk tires you can get, etc.
I also assume (safely) that the major items for service like transmission, differentials, transfer case, fuel injection cleaning, etc would NEVER be considered, with your cheap budget...
I'll pass on a dirty car every time.
The seats still had the protective plastic on them, but the carpet was filthy. I mean really, really filthy. The dirt was so thick I could have scooped it up with one of my gandson's toy shovels.
I didn't want to buy from a dealer who would treat a nice car like that, so I left. I never even considered making an offer.
How someone keeps their car, appearance-wise, save for tough times like the dead of winter up North, or the middle of rainy season down South, says truckloads about how the car is maintained overall.
All I recommend is reading my post a few posts back about the Chevrolet Tracker - the way it was, I ran from it - if the guy had spent $10 (or less) and 30 minutes of his time, I would've knocked on his door.
Just make it presentable, unless you're really taking your time selling it and waiting for that perfect buyer and absolutely the last nickel, then a professional detail is necessary.
I say this on older vehicles, but on newer ones (2-3 years old), if there have been any freedom fry attacks or funky smells from puppies or soccer shoes, get it detailed.
Detailing is much more critical on a newer model.
A car with 175k miles? I don't know that a $200 detail will earn you your $200 back - if you're handy with some carpet shampoo, engine cleaner, and wax, you can save yourself $190...
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With a high mileage car it's not that you will cover the cost of the detail so much as it makes the sale go sooooooo much easier. When I sold my wife's 89 Sable wagon w/145K miles a few years ago. The guy and his wife who bought it said they had been searching for weeks and mine looked better then newer cars that had half the mileage. They nearly fell over themselves to give me my full asking price. Like I said, it will sell itself if you present it in the right light.
"maybe a little rubbing compound if needed"
There isn't an automotive paint produced in the last 15-18 years that you can use rubbing compound on. Even polishing compounds will cut right through the clear and base coats, and you'll find yourself with primer and/or bare metal.
I can't believe places like Pep Boys and Autozone still sell the red containers of Dupont rubbing compound and the green and white containers of polishing compound...you might as well be using gravel for what they do to this wimpy, EPA-friendly paint.
The harshest thing you should ever use is like Meguiar's Cleaner Wax - while very slightly abrasive, it's tough enough to clean fogging from paint, but not strong enough to scratch.
After that, a nice glaze, like Wax Shop Super Glaze is very easy to get on and off and looks great. It's also easy to use since it doesn't chalk up on your rubber trim and things like most waxes.
I believe a car should have an honest look about it; a 2-year-old car can certainly look new, but a 10-year-old car should look well-used and well-cared-for rather than glossy. YMMV.
-Mathias
They wipe at the door jambs, but you can see years of crud built up in the hinges - while the hinges don't need to be cleaned with a Q-tip, you can tell if someone has been cleaning the car or not from these things.
You can also look into the dash vents - if you see a thick layer of grunge 1/4" in, you know the story. Same with the center console, seat frames, hood liner, etc...
The detailing I mentioned above is targeted at the average curbside shopper who is looking for a used, inexpensive, and still reliable piece of transportation. They tend to see a lot of junk in their travels and when confronted with anything that has a hint of newness to it, they seem to be immediately impressed. The ones I've dealt with are typically happy just to see they don't have to remove 10 lbs of trash from the seat of your car before they get in. They will almost never notice if I have a clean door hinge. But, they do seem to be swayed if all the plastic interior parts have a nice new looking sheen and scent to it and the rugs are spotless. It also helps when all the expected and some unexpected but easily visible painted surfaces are clean and shiny. A thoroughly cleaned engine is great. But, IMHO, most are happy with little more than the appearance of newness when they pop the hood. And it doesn't take too much effort or any cost to wipe away a few layers of grime from the most visible parts of the engine with a rag. No one likes to smudge their fingers while wiping the grease off the battery check window or oil dipstick.
Detailing, to me, is all a matter or degrees. Certainly, if you're looking to trade or sell a late model, low mileage, expensive vehicle, spend the money and have a pro do it. But, if it's a 10 year old high mileage piece of transport parked in your driveway with a big red FOR SALE sign, that's a different story and brings a different (i.e lower) level of expectations. As stated, YMMV.
People always seem to want the lazy way out on things, and selling a car privately is no exception. I don't care if you spray Windex into a fan and blow it towards your car, if giving a proper wash, wax and vacuum are too much for your busy schedule or couch time...
You'll get less for your car, and I'm trying to show easy ways to get more - your mileage may vary.
One guy finally calls on the Shadow. Told the wife somebody may be coming to look at it, but truly doubted he would. I was right. Wow! I could be a greenpea!
Turboshadow
The other mentioned something about them all showing up at the same time on the "be back" bus -and they'll all be on time!
FWIW: For what it's worth
IMHO: In my honest/humble opinion
what do these mean?
YMMV
IIRC
Mark156
I try to use words instead of acronyms, however - too many military acronyms still running around in my head, these things like "LOL" and "IIRC" just get in the way...
Ex-USAF NCO, with SP AFSC, SEIs in Sniper Training and Crime Prevention, served in ATC, USAFE, SAC, PACAF, and SOS.
SPs had acros like SRT, FT, ART, CAS, WSA, Victor Area, JSIIDS....
Line from "Good Morning Vietnam", relating to Vice Pres Nixon's visit: "The VP is a VIP, so we'd better stand up on the QT ASAP - if the VP becomes MIA, we're all on KP!"
Mark
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For gum, and many other interiro and exterior things, I've always used Dupont's DX330 - it's a paint prep that works wonders but doesn't discolor the interior or exterior. I buy it by the gallon, and have since 1988 when I painted my first car - a gallon lasts me about three years...so maybe look for a pint or a quart. It removes EVERYTHING like tree sap, tar, bird poop, etc - it costs $30 a gallon, but when compared to that little bottle of "Goo Be Gone" for $12.95, it's a bargain.
Don't undercut yourself too much on a high mileage Tacoma. They bring big dollars here even with big miles. I was at a heavy equipment auction recently and they ran three stripped down '97 Tacomas (reg. cab 4x4) in bad shape with between 230k-350k miles. Cheapest went for around $5k. Might have been a little auction fever going on, but these were all equip. dealers with pre-bid deposits so they weren't amateurs. I had a Tacoma in the past and was shopping for one as a beater recently. The market seems strong even on well worn high mileage ones.
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You HAVE to give people a reason to call you, though, so you can put your salesman shoes on. Leave out exterior color, interior color, mileage, something - something that can be answered quickly and may not ne very important (interior color) - this gives the potential buyer a reason to call, and for you to add more to the description and try to get a commitment for the person to come see it.
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You'll do well by understanding that you have to motivate people to buy your product, as if you were selling things on the side of the road.
Always give them a reason to call! If they have ALL the info, they can make their decision, and it might not be in your favor.
I'll probably start with a simple ad so I won't have much for space - was thinking of including A/C, radio info (it has both CD and cassette), manual, cab configuration, shell and mileage (reason for it being inexpensive). Figured that was the basics and they can call for the rest (it's 2WD so I'll leave that out). It's nice to know that there's a chance I might get above $6,000 for it.
Another question - annual registration is up at the end of the month. I'll get the smog certificate before I place the ad, but does it make a difference whether I register it for next year or not? I'll definitely do it if I still own it when it is due, but would it help or hinder the resale value? I know by not registering it, it would draw attention to the fact that it is barely 4 years old.
Everything I said about the values on these trucks go out the window with 2wd Tacomas. At least around here, they have very little demand and you'll see them forsale a long time even with very cheap prices.
Every bargain hunter looking for a cheap 4x4 Tacoma will be calling you just to see! Been there, done that!
Color is always good to leave out since it's less critical but always of interest. Many times the trim level can be omitted since it typically only identifies that a vehicle has some basic level of options. Again, interesting but not necessarily deal breaking.
Mileage is a bit trickier. I know when I see an ad without mileage, I always assume the worst. Unfortunately, it is usually an accurate assumption. So much so, that I now rarely call on a car without mileage listed since I already know the outcome. Usually, I never give a figure. Rather I'll list something vague like low, average or high mileage, to hopefully pique a buyers interest without risking turning them off altogether.
And never leave out the asking price. I'm amazed how many private ads I see with "best offer" and no number. I almost feel like calling and offering $1. But, more realistically, without a price your ad is more likely to be overlooked by anyone who is blasting through multiple listings using the price as their primary search key. Price is the bottom line for most folks buying a used vehicle. I've know more then a few who based their buying decision on nothing more then price and the fact that the vehicle runs.
Sorry for the acronyms, but as usual... this is all just IMHO YMMV...
And the price? I agree... I never call on ads where they don't list a price. And never say OBO or FIRM. OBO is pretty much a given.. FIRM? I figure you want more than your car is worth.
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Easiest, quickest way to turn your vehicle into a planter ....
Terry.
How about a better label - LAWN ORNAMENT !!
It was amazing and depressing to walk around the campus, watch the coeds, and think, "Gee, I was here literally half a lifetime ago."
Turboshadow