sad day - selling 172 advice

[jimblive]

the sad day has come for me to get rid of my motor as it never gets used due to living really close to work.

however i face a dilemma as it has a small dent on the leading edge of the bonnet (caused by a bolt thrown up from a truck). i can either spend the £200 - £300 to sort it plus a few other little scrathes before i sell it or try to sell it as it is.

would a small dent and a couple of scrathes (no more than 10mm long) put you off buying a car that was in otherwise great conditon?

any adivse?

 

[172gal]

IMO I think it would put me off. I always look for no scratches or dents. If they have them that car would go to the bottom of my list. But i suppose some people arent too fussed about bodywork. Its whats underneath that counts!

 

[viceroy]

Try get the car into showroom condition.

Every little thing a buyer can find wrong with the motor will detract from the value of the car in their eyes, so fix up everything you can...you will make back most if not all of the value.

 

[sjd172]

depends really on the price. A new 172 can be had for arount 12k, if the price for yours is arount 9.5-10k I would be unsure buying with scratches and dents.... get them done to achieve the best price and a quick sale.

If you live in the Guildford area you will understand how Image counts and how fickle people are.

 

[jimblive]

i thought as much, i know when i was looking i was put off cars that looked scrathed etc so as i thought i will sort the body work.

im going to be asking around 8.5k - 9k and like i said other than the little dent/scratch it is showroom condition.

i live in farnham so i know what your saying sjd172.

 

[Paranoia]

If I were buying a car and noticed new paint id be suspicious regardless of owners explanation though wouldnt stop me buying it. Try selling it as it is, at least potential owners can then see the inperfection. Then maybe offer them £150-200 off for repair. But let them ask you for it first, they may give you the full asking price.

 

[VR6man]

noooooooooo

im going to end up the only one out of us with a clio still

on the upside i will whoooop ur arses

toyota starlet?.... citroen saxo?.... pah!

oh yeah.....you could see what the buyer says....if its a problem then see how much they think needs to come off to get it done.... cause they might not mention it and then youll be £300 down....

 

[jimblive]

i thought yours might be going soon ish?

and you wont whooop my arse, as you pull into the outside lane you will probably run into the back of a cone lorry.

umm so do i try as it is and see what people say?

 

[VR6man]

well not till jan / feb but yes.. it might be...

i just dont want to be left on my own... sniff sniff sniff

he he... thats true....although now i have new brakes..............

well its up to you but I would put it up as is.....if everyone that looks at it points and recoils in horror at the dent or tries to knock u down £600 or something then get it done.... but i wouldnt do it otherwise....

i know its different with dealers etc but when I took my vr6 to the garage to trade it in for the clio, the bloke didnt even look at it... (he hadnt seen in before either)... didnt check the mileage... condition... interior... plate ... nowt....

he was inside the whole time and never even looked at it..... obviously a private sale will be different... i assume we are talking private ?

 

[Viv172]

Get it done, on a newish car like that it would put me off and I wouldnt want the hassle of getting it done my self, if I was gonna spend 9k+ on a car, Id want near perfection.

 

[jimblive]

yes it will be a private sale, youve seen the dent on the bonnet, what do you think. if i ask for £8700ish do you think i could sell it like it is?

 

[Chris_H]

get them to come round at night so they cant see them.

 

[VR6man]

well if someone offered you £8400 cash there and then would you take it ?

yes...

and you wouldnt have had to spend £300 or whatever repairing it.....

 

[jimblive]

yeh thats true.

so do you you i would get that for it?

 

[VR6man]

i dont know really.... yes.. you could do......

i mean i paid £10995 for mine at a time when i could have bought a new one for £12,600 or whatever....

if its in good condition and the mileage is low then i dont see why not..

that garage "offered" £8000 for mine....

 

[Simon172]

Hmmm.....im thinking along the same line - just need to free up some money too.

I do love the car, but sick of driving a 1.2 courtesy boat half the time with no A/C!!!

Id just put it up for £9k and see what you get from there. Ours have similar mileage dont they? mines about 34,000 .........

 

[jimblive]

mine has 37k on the clock.

8.5 - 9k seems to be about right so i think ill go in the middle.

 

[Dash]

I would get the dents sorted and tell the new owner exactly what was repaired. It may help knowing you are honest, and you like to have the car at its best all the time.