Time wasters when trying to sell a car.

She bangs She bangs

How do.

Small bit of a rant.....

So, every so often there comes a time when you want to sell your car. You throw it up on the usual adds web sites etc.. and from experience, you know to put in a blurb at the bottom of the add saying **TEXTS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED** and *NOT LOOKING TO SWAP* because you know for a fact that you are going to get 50 texts along the lines of "what will you take for the car?" or "will you swap your Corsa for my 3ltr Ford Scorpio". Or the best one "ill offer you 3 grand for your car" .........in a text message............without ever seeing the car

You know these texts will rarely amount to anything, hence the plain to see statement that texts will not be answered.

Yet........im STILL getting texts.

When I am interested in buying a car, i pick 3 or 4 cars I like the look of from the add, I "ring" the owners. If I like what I hear, I usually go an view. If I like whe I see, I make an offer, and if accepted, I buy the car at the next opportunity.

I ring because I have no idea who I am texting and want to gauge the person selling. I ring because it gives the seller a sense I may be a serious buyer.

Apologies for the rant........does anyone here actually reply to the texts or ever made a sale from a text message when selling a car?

ba_barabus

She bangs She bangs wrote: »

Apologies for the rant........does anyone here actually reply to the texts or ever made a sale from a text message when selling a car?

Yes to both of those. It's easy enough to spot a genuine text as it will have a few questions which your ad may not have answered.

Although I always ignore the ones offering swaps or cash offers as they tend to be full of shyte.

djimi

People are stupid. When you advertise on sites like DoneDeal you are opening yourself up to dealing with the stupidity of the general public unfortunately. Best thing to do is learn to ignore it; its not that hard to delete a text message!

She bangs She bangs

djimi wrote: »

People are stupid. When you advertise on sites like DoneDeal you are opening yourself up to dealing with the stupidity of the general public unfortunately. Best thing to do is learn to ignore it; its not that hard to delete a text message!

Very true I suppose. I always wonder who these people are?

SCOOP 64

Thinking of changing my car, but then again all the crap you get might not bother, looking at adverts .ie, you still get "how much you will you take for car" or "pm me"
thought the idea on adverts is you put offer in and you should get "offer accepted or not" as a reply,
funny how the time wasters are always very bad spellers.(not that I'm that great).

Caliden

"What's your best cash price today?"

SCOOP 64

Caliden wrote: »

"What's your best cash price today?"

Hate that!

Cleveland Hot Pocket

All cars I sold on donedeal were through text.
The only timewaster I got was a call :P

yop

Sold from a text and "Best price today"

SachaJ

I hate the "first to see will buy"......

As for texts. I like to text owners questions that their ad hasn't answered for me. For instance I've seen a car I like but no mention of mileage. I've texted the owner to ask the mileage before I call for a chat or bother with a Motorcheck report.

Only before I know the car meets my criteria will I ring.

yop

SachaJ wrote: »

I hate the "first to see will buy"......

As for texts. I like to text owners questions that their ad hasn't answered for me. For instance I've seen a car I like but no mention of mileage. I've texted the owner to ask the mileage before I call for a chat or bother with a Motorcheck report.

Only before I know the car meets my criteria will I ring.

I had that on the ad for the last 2 cars I sold.... and the first to see them bought them

djimi

Caliden wrote: »

"What's your best cash price today?"

I dont think Id be able to resist a sarcastic "For you, because Im feeling in a good mood, Ill let you have it for *insert advertised price + 25%*"

Then again I doubt Id want to waste the price of a text!

biko

If I got a "wats ur best price" text I'd just ignore it, but I mainly use the mail option until time comes to see the car whereas I ring them for an appointment. Maybe I lose out of a few viewers but it weeds out the unreliable that would only frustrate me.
This is for both selling and buying.

OREGATO

When selling a car, I don't mind texting, I understand that people would prefer to ask a few questions first via text and if they don't want to view the car, they don't have to do it awkwardly over the phone.

The last car I sold, I got a variety of texts, all the above spring to mind but you can always see genuine texters who ask the right question and don't state 'whats your best price'

The first time I spoke to the gentleman who bought my car was when we met and it wasn't a problem at all.

George Dalton

I have to say I prefer a time wasting text to a time wasting phone call. It is very easy to ignore a text message. It's the lads who ring up just for a chat that really get to me.

H3llR4iser

djimi wrote: »

People are stupid.

This really describes it perfectly.

SCOOP 64

I have been looking for 1.0L car (because tax only €199 ), i have seen 3 in last week on donedeal advertised as 1.0 and are not, i check the reg on the motor tax site (if i can see it), if i have my doubts, 3 so far show up as 1.1 or 1.2 this week.
, difference in tax 1.0 €199, 1.1L €299.
Slightly off topic i know ,but his annoys me!

djimi

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

I have been looking for 1.0L car (because tax only €199 ), i have seen 3 in last week on donedeal advertised as 1.0 and are not, i check the reg on the motor tax site (if i can see it), if i have my doubts, 3 so far show up as 1.1 or 1.2 this week.
, difference in tax 1.0 €199, 1.1L €299.
Slightly off topic i know ,but his annoys me!

Just bear in mind that a 1.0 car could fall between two different tax brackets and still be classified as a 1.0 litre (ie a 980cc car would be €199 to tax whereas a 1020cc car would be €299, but both would be technically a 1.0 litre). Id hazard a guess that more 1.0 litre cars would be just over rather than just under.

She bangs She bangs

Surprised so many have had genuine buyers who contacted them through texts.

the vast vast majority of texts I have received in relation to car buyers are the typical crap, time wasting ones.

Id rather ring, and know straight away what I am dealing with. If you're not happy, say you have other calls to make and you may or maynot get back to them.

Supergurrier

They are still 1.1, my car is a 2.5 for example @ 2522cc still on 2.6 tax band, blame the silly tax system

djimi

Supergurrier wrote: »

They are still 1.1, my car is a 2.5 for example @ 2522cc still on 2.6 tax band, blame the silly tax system

In terms of tax your car is a 2.6 but as a general classification it would still be a 2.5. My old Accord was something like 1825cc but was classified as a 1.8 for everything apart from tax. Ditto my Integra, which is 1797cc but is also considered to be a 1.8 (but is taxed as a 1.7).

SCOOP 64

djimi wrote: »

Just bear in mind that a 1.0 car could fall between two different tax brackets and still be classified as a 1.0 litre (ie a 980cc car would be €199 to tax whereas a 1020cc car would be €299, but both would be technically a 1.0 litre). Id hazard a guess that more 1.0 litre cars would be just over rather than just under.

I check all 3 on motor tax site all came up as, 1.1L €299 or 1.2L not 1.0L at all, presume this is the price you pay when reg is put in motortax.ie
but this will say on log book, but in the mean time you could have had a wasted jouney.
dont know if i can give example of one on gumtree.

djimi

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

I check all 3 on motor tax site all came up as, 1.1L €299 or 1.2L not 1.0L at all, presume this is the price you pay when reg is put in motortax.ie
but this will say on log book, but in the mean time you could have had a wasted jouney.
dont know if i can give example of one on gumtree.

What you really need people to do then is start advertising the annual tax cost (there is a section on Donedeal for this). If somone is selling a 1005cc car then they cannot advertise it as a 1.1 because it simply isnt, irrespective of what tax bracket it falls into.

SCOOP 64

djimi wrote: »

What you really need people to do then is start advertising the annual tax cost (there is a section on Donedeal for this). If somone is selling a 1005cc car then they cannot advertise it as a 1.1 because it simply isnt, irrespective of what tax bracket it falls into.

Advertised as 1.0L , motor tax.ie as 1.2L
would the tax book have this down as 1.2L or 1.0L?

Guy:Incognito

djimi wrote: »

What you really need people to do then is start advertising the annual tax cost (there is a section on Donedeal for this). If somone is selling a 1005cc car then they cannot advertise it as a 1.1 because it simply isnt, irrespective of what tax bracket it falls into.

Or people could not discount potentially much better cars for the sake of €100 a year.

djimi

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Advertised as 1.0L , motor tax.ie as 1.2L
would the tax book have this down as 1.2L or 1.0L?

If its advertised as a 1.0 when its actually a 1.2 then you are just dealing with a gob****e seller. Im talking about where a car could be legitimately advertised as a 1.0 (because that is what it is) but because of the way our tax system works it would be just over the 1000cc and would fall into a 1.1 tax bracket. The seller isnt technically doing anything wrong here.

SCOOP 64

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Or people could not discount potentially much better cars for the sake of €100 a year.

A €100 is a €100 euros, go towards my insurance which will also go down from what im driving now ,maybe even better mpg. so over a year might be a bigger saving then a €100.

djimi

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Or people could not discount potentially much better cars for the sake of €100 a year.

True. Its not my place to comment on whether someone can afford an extra €100 a year but its a fair point.

djimi

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

A €100 is a €100 euros, go towards my insurance which will also go down from what im driving now ,maybe even better mpg. so over a year might be a bigger saving then a €100.

The difference between a 1.0 and a 1.1 would be very small in almost every department bar tax. In some cases a smaller engine can mean a worse mpg, depending on the car.

SCOOP 64

This car i was interested in
http://www.gumtree.ie/cp-cars-in-dublin/fiat-punto-1-0-litre-2004-523993843

For Forks Sake

Caliden wrote: »

"What's your best cash price today?"

Same price as yesterday and same as tomorrows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWJKUnKfVNo

djimi

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

This car i was interested in
http://www.gumtree.ie/cp-cars-in-dublin/fiat-punto-1-0-litre-2004-523993843

If you want to view this car then you need to contact the seller anyway. Why not ask the question regarding tax over the phone?

Henry Ford III

I'm selling a car currently €22k (it's keenly priced at that).

Text arrives this morning "Will you sell the car for €18000 cash?". They hadn't even seen the car.

For Forks Sake

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I'm selling a car currently €22k (it's keenly priced at that).

Text arrives this morning "Will you sell the car for €18000 cash?". They hadn't even seen the car.

Put it up on Adverts.ie and you'll get far more ludicrous offers than that.

'Swap for broken xBox360 and my ad?'

Henry Ford III

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Put it up on Adverts.ie and you'll get far more ludicrous offers than that.

'Swap for broken xBox360 and my ad?'

Been there and done that. Never again.

SCOOP 64

djimi wrote: »

If you want to view this car then you need to contact the seller anyway. Why not ask the question regarding tax over the phone?

Already have ,use the option of email which was given,waitng for reply has to why its advertised as 1.0L. classed as 1.2 to 1.3L on motortax.ie using reg number, €358 per year, so not for me.

She bangs She bangs

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I'm selling a car currently €22k (it's keenly priced at that).

Text arrives this morning "Will you sell the car for €18000 cash?". They hadn't even seen the car.

See this is it, how can you offer money for something second hand that you havent seen in person? It could be a complete shed.

Its like putting "CASH" after the offer will suddenly give you the urge to knock 4 grand off it.
What are they going to pay you with, credit card????
Granted, they could give you a cheque (which would have to clear before I would leve my keys go) or a bankers draft, but for me, the price I want to sell stays the same.

djimi

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Already have ,use the option of email which was given,waitng for reply has to why its advertised as 1.0L. classed as 1.2 to 1.3L on motortax.ie using reg number, €358 per year, so not for me.

Unfortunately this person is just an idiot if they cant enter the details into the ad properly.

Col200sx

I dread the times I go to sell a car, as you always know you'll get so many idiots texting all sorts of sh1te.

A good bit of advice I once got was this:

Never argue with an idiot, as they'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Just ignore them. I do.

SCOOP 64

I know you lose alot of money, but their is something to be said for trading it in.
Alot less hassle.

alias no.9

She bangs She bangs wrote: »

How do.

Small bit of a rant.....

So, every so often there comes a time when you want to sell your car. You throw it up on the usual adds web sites etc.. and from experience, you know to put in a blurb at the bottom of the add saying **TEXTS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED** and *NOT LOOKING TO SWAP* because you know for a fact that you are going to get 50 texts along the lines of "what will you take for the car?" or "will you swap your Corsa for my 3ltr Ford Scorpio". Or the best one "ill offer you 3 grand for your car" .........in a text message............without ever seeing the car

You know these texts will rarely amount to anything, hence the plain to see statement that texts will not be answered.

Yet........im STILL getting texts.

When I am interested in buying a car, i pick 3 or 4 cars I like the look of from the add, I "ring" the owners. If I like what I hear, I usually go an view. If I like whe I see, I make an offer, and if accepted, I buy the car at the next opportunity.

I ring because I have no idea who I am texting and want to gauge the person selling. I ring because it gives the seller a sense I may be a serious buyer.

Apologies for the rant........does anyone here actually reply to the texts or ever made a sale from a text message when selling a car?

I've sold a few cars over the years and never once put either of those statements in my add. I've never been burdened by stupid texts or offers to swap. Maybe it's a bit like Fr.Dougal and the big red button on the Airplane.

She bangs She bangs

alias no.9 wrote: »

I've sold a few cars over the years and never once put either of those statements in my add. I've never been burdened by stupid texts or offers to swap. Maybe it's a bit like Fr.Dougal and the big red button on the Airplane.

You're one of the lucky ones so.

I used to restore old minis in my spare time while I was in college. I used to be plauged with dreamers and chancers. I thought it might be the type of car that attracts these people as I had the same issue when I was selling the wifes convertible, but im trying to sell a small, 4 door hatch, 2006 atm and still getting it.

dnme

In reply to OP
It's all part and parcel of selling a car. The web has made it so easy to get our ad's out there to the right audience. There are gonna be a few time wasters and chancers, it's part of life. My advice is expect it, ignore it or deal with it and move on. If I sell my car within 3-4 weeks, I'm happy regardless of any annoying texts I may have received in the process.

H3llR4iser

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

This car i was interested in
http://www.gumtree.ie/cp-cars-in-dublin/fiat-punto-1-0-litre-2004-523993843

There is no such thing as a 2004 1.0 litre Punto; Smallest engine on the car is 1.242cc, taxed as a 1.3 - 358 Euro/Year.

SCOOP 64

Just found another one tax on this is €330, if it was a 1.0L would be €199

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/peugeot-106/5762917.

do they expect people not to check?

corazon

I am looking to buy a car at the moment and I notice that a lot of sellers cover up the number plate. Why would they do this? Makes me very suspicious.

bazz26

There are two sides to that debate, those who say that displaying your reg leaves it open to being cloned for the likes of drive offs in petrol stations, dodging tolls, etc. Others argue that if the seller has nothing to hide then why hide the reg? I can see valid points to both sides of the argument.

If your genuinely interested in a particular car then pick of the phone and ask the seller a few questions about the car and then ask them for the reg if you are still keen. If they refuse or sound apprehensive then look elsewhere.

CiniO

She bangs She bangs wrote: »

How do.

Small bit of a rant.....

So, every so often there comes a time when you want to sell your car. You throw it up on the usual adds web sites etc.. and from experience, you know to put in a blurb at the bottom of the add saying **TEXTS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED** and *NOT LOOKING TO SWAP* because you know for a fact that you are going to get 50 texts along the lines of "what will you take for the car?" or "will you swap your Corsa for my 3ltr Ford Scorpio". Or the best one "ill offer you 3 grand for your car" .........in a text message............without ever seeing the car

You know these texts will rarely amount to anything, hence the plain to see statement that texts will not be answered.

Yet........im STILL getting texts.

When I am interested in buying a car, i pick 3 or 4 cars I like the look of from the add, I "ring" the owners. If I like what I hear, I usually go an view. If I like whe I see, I make an offer, and if accepted, I buy the car at the next opportunity.

I ring because I have no idea who I am texting and want to gauge the person selling. I ring because it gives the seller a sense I may be a serious buyer.

Apologies for the rant........does anyone here actually reply to the texts or ever made a sale from a text message when selling a car?

I had my car advertised on most Irish advertising websites for nearly 5 months.
I didn't write any in add any of "no texts, no timewasters" as I wanted anyone who has any interest in my car to contact me, whatever form of contact it is.

In the mean time (those 5 months) I got few phone calls. I got few texts, which i replied to all of them.
Eventually someone contacted me by commenting on my add on one of websites. We exchanged a small chat on those comments, and eventually person decided to come over from other side of the country (over 400km) to view the car. When he was just about to arrive, he sent me a text that he will be in 15 minutes.
We never spoke to each other over the phone, until we actually met by my car.
Then he viewed it and bought it.

ednwireland

what annoys me is bad photos in adverts and descriptions that bear no resemblance to the car - oh and aftermarket alloys dont even bother looking at those (sorry just looking at cars at the moment )

if i see another add with NI or uk plate in donegal grrrrrrr

oh and if your sellling a car put the spec level on the advert (although most irish cars are sh**ty poverty spec anyway)

ahhhh feel better now

dnme

ednwireland wrote: »

what annoys me is bad photos in adverts and descriptions that bear no resemblance to the car - oh and aftermarket alloys dont even bother looking at those (sorry just looking at cars at the moment )

if i see another add with NI or uk plate in donegal grrrrrrr

oh and if your sellling a car put the spec level on the advert (although most irish cars are sh**ty poverty spec anyway)

ahhhh feel better now

I thought you were a cyclist Ed

CiniO

ednwireland wrote: »

what annoys me is bad photos in adverts and descriptions that bear no resemblance to the car -

When talking about photos in ads, there is probably no ad service in Ireland offering to present proper pictures.
When I advertised my car, I've taken proper pictures with all detais at 2048x1536 resolution, and all ad services shrinked the pictures to something ridiculously small like 300x200 where completely no details can be seen.