Buying on donedeal.....

baalad

Hey guys. Any tips for me regarding buying a used car on donedeal? For example tonight i saw a car that grabbed my interest. It was an 8 yr old golf but it has had 6 owners already. Is that a warning sign? My concern would be why has the car been sold on so much. Also, when you see cars that are on donedeal for lets say 40 / 50 days , should i avoid them ? I mean if they are on it that long and still not sold then summit is fishy right???

coylemj

If you're buying a car on donedeal, it's not the car that you need to be worried about, it's your personal security. Don't meet the seller at a remote location and do not under any circumstances bring a large amount of cash if you are by yourself because there have been several instances of the seller making off with the car after taking the cash and another recent development has the seller taking your cash, driving off in his own car leaving you with your purchase whereupon someone with a second key literally jumps out from behind the bushes and takes off in the car leaving you with no money and no car.

When you're negotiating, stall on the details when the seller asks how you are going to pay,make out that you will bring him to your bank or credit union. As far as possible avoid any notion that you will simply arrive to do the deal and hand over cash at a location dictated by him.

Kristopherus

baalad wrote: »

Hey guys. Any tips for me regarding buying a used car on donedeal? For example tonight i saw a car that grabbed my interest. It was an 8 yr old golf but it has had 6 owners already. Is that a warning sign? My concern would be why has the car been sold on so much. Also, when you see cars that are on donedeal for lets say 40 / 50 days , should i avoid them ? I mean if they are on it that long and still not sold then summit is fishy right???

Run a mile. And DO NOT buy a car on DD unless (1) you know the seller and (2) you know the car. You've a better chance of getting a good car by getting a car thats perched on the side of the road with a "For Sale" sign on it.

There's just simply too much of a chance that you will get done by so-called private sellers on that site.

Some cars take longer to shift than others. Some people just get unlucky with selling them on and are overlooked because they're looking for a few Euro more than the next one, etc. I wouldn't personally rule out a car based on the age of the advertisement alone.


6 owners in 8 years could be a sign that the car has an underlying issue and is a problem car. However, the odds that the first owner couldn't get it fixed under warranty, and that not one of the next 5 owners decided to fix it seems unlikely. Perhaps it's just had owners that change cars a lot. You can never really tell for sure.

I, on average, change cars every six months. All of my cars had been overly well taken care of. Full services more than needed, fully detailed with machine polishing and any real issues were treated. But they all still had an extra 'previous' owner in the space of 6 months.


Like anything else, you need to just do your homework and if you're not too knowledgeable on cars, get them checked over by an indy mechanic before buying, and a history check before handing over the money.


In relation to the above comments that make every seller on donedeal out to be a thief who trades on the side; do what I do: tell the seller up front that you're very interested in the car and would love to take a good look over it. Tell them that you always get your cars looked at by an indy mechanic and so, as a result, you'd like to see it first in person to make sure it's not falling apart, and if you're happy with the test drive, you'll arrange to meet the seller again and have the car looked over. If the mechanic gives the thumbs up, you'll work out a deal to buy it.

This means that they won't be expecting you to arrive out with pockets full of cash and you've put off buying for another meeting. I've done this a few times and I've never had someone tell me they wouldn't show me the car. Any genuine seller will fully understand you wanting to give it a once over before parting with cash.

If the seller loses interest, then it could be that 1) they know you're not bringing money, so don't want to entertain you, or the more likely option 2) the car has a problem/s and they're terrified of a decent mechanic having a proper look at it. Either way, you can cross the car off your list.


Another handy thing; if you are about to buy a car and you suddenly feel something strange is going on, then ring the Gardai with the reg plate and ask if it's stolen. I've done this before and the Gardai don't seem to mind. It takes 2 minutes and you'll either have peace of mind that the car has not been stolen, or, if it is, you'll be able to give the location of a stolen car to the Gardai. Win/win.

9935452

baalad wrote: »

Hey guys. Any tips for me regarding buying a used car on donedeal? For example tonight i saw a car that grabbed my interest. It was an 8 yr old golf but it has had 6 owners already. Is that a warning sign? My concern would be why has the car been sold on so much. Also, when you see cars that are on donedeal for lets say 40 / 50 days , should i avoid them ? I mean if they are on it that long and still not sold then summit is fishy right???

A few of the 6 owners might be the garages that are selling the car, pre registered from new.

regarding ads up for 40 days on done deal - lads tend to restrict their searching of stuff on donedeal to 7 days or less. A lot of the time the stuff might be sold and the ad left up.
I find it myself when my ads get more than a week old the number of people viewing them basically drops to zero.
There can be many reason stuff doesnt sell quickly like being over priced

Another option for mutltiple owners would be if back tax was due, sell it to one of your family members and they sell it back to you

goochy

Garages don't go down on system as owners so that rules that one out

9935452

goochy wrote: »

Garages don't go down on system as owners so that rules that one out

They do if it is preregistered when it was new

another36

Always do a car tell check and get someone who knows about cars to look it over.

I will never buy again from done deal without doing the above.

I was badly burnt with a car that was clocked and in a crash. 4 grand mistake.

Bruthal

Car owner numbers might sometimes be due to change of ownership if a car was off the road but not declared off road, for tax reasons. Changed to another family member, and back again etc.

millington

With the horror stories on this site about main dealers & other traders, DoneDeal is definitely no riskier.

As said above, once you get someone who knows what their looking at to check it over you should be safe enough.

With regards ad duration, I often find old ads are simply sold and the seller never removed them! Either that, or has had timewasters on etc. Sometimes your just doesn't get seen. Last year with 2 different cars I sold, I had very little interest for the first 2 weeks. Bumped the ads and phone never stopped. Strange how it works out

ShadowHearth

Kristopherus wrote: »

Run a mile. And DO NOT buy a car on DD unless (1) you know the seller and (2) you know the car. You've a better chance of getting a good car by getting a car thats perched on the side of the road with a "For Sale" sign on it.

There's just simply too much of a chance that you will get done by so-called private sellers on that site.

That's a joke right?
O have bough from donedeal cars lots of times. Like Any place you cam get shafted anywhere. You need to be smart and do your homework before buying. Bring mechanic too.
A lot of dealers are advertising on donedeal too as it's most popular advertising website in Ireland.

Op:

Is it a private sale, trader or dealer who is selling 8 year old car? Is it expensive?
I have a small rule where i would not buy a private car for more then 5 grand. If I go more then that I just want a bit more security.
Usually I try to avoid cars that were not updated for more then 30 days, but I keep an eye on them in case seller updates it and drops the price. It being so long in there might ring alarm bells, unless it's a specific car or seller just delusional with price tag. If it's something like focus, that shifts fast enough for right price and still not sold, I would not go near it.

millington

ShadowHearth wrote: »

If it's something like focus, that shifts fast enough for right price and still not sold, I would not go near it.

I wouldn't agree there. The market is inundated with Focus, Golf etc. It's a tough market to sell in when theres 100 more identical cars around the country for sale.

Cee-Jay-Cee

goochy wrote: »

Garages don't go down on system as owners so that rules that one out

Yes they do.

Kristopherus

ShadowHearth wrote: »

That's a joke right?
O have bough from donedeal cars lots of times. Like Any place you cam get shafted anywhere. You need to be smart and do your homework before buying. Bring mechanic too.
A lot of dealers are advertising on donedeal too as it's most popular advertising website in Ireland.

I referred specifically to private sales on DD. IMO that is a minefieled.

Atlantic Dawn

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Yes they do.

Only as pre reg or demo, not at each time car is traded in or sold from one dealer to another.

grogi

Kristopherus wrote: »

I referred specifically to private sales on DD. IMO that is a minefieled.

Reduce the chance of walking onto a mine and never:
- rush into a decision. Some skilled sellers will try to trick you into thinking that there are other buyers queueing and you need to make the decision fast. I've even witnesed one seller making pretend phone-calls... It was just pathetic... In that case RUN.
- drive to the other end of the country to buy a car. Unless you're looking for something rare, you'll find one in surrounding counties.
- bring cash with you. You can always leave €100 deposit and came back next day or take a spin to the bank if you take a positive decision. If the seller does not agree - walk away.
- meet in the middle of nowhere. Meet the seller at their house. If they don't want to - RUN. You'll be able to judge what kind of culture a person has and if they are a complete mess, they probably don't take care of the car as well.
- buy from a trader that's advertising as a private seller. If they are lying about a fact that simple, what else are they hiding?

Always ask for receipts (not stamps in service book) of previous works, services etc. A person aware of cars will keep the receipts. That's not a definitive, but spending €500 on a timing belt should be well documented, not only with a marker on the engine head (I run from those as well).

I also have a rule that I don't buy from small trader. I know - trade-ins nobody wants, auctions etc.
But there is plenty cars on the market and by buying from them you are getting the same car as you'd get buying privately, but with a premium for a bit of car-make-up. They have tricks and means to hide problems you would immediately spot buying privately. But that's simply my thing.

NIMAN

I think its unfair to tar every car seller on DD as a scammer who is going to rob you when you turn up to buy a car.

Of course there will be scammers on it, same as every classifieds website, but as mentioned above, play it smart, use common sense and walk away from anything you suggest isn't above boards, and you should be grand.

Straight Edge Punk

Kristopherus wrote: »

Run a mile. And DO NOT buy a car on DD unless (1) you know the seller and (2) you know the car. You've a better chance of getting a good car by getting a car thats perched on the side of the road with a "For Sale" sign on it.

There's just simply too much of a chance that you will get done by so-called private sellers on that site.

Between myself and my wife we have bought 4 cars on Donedeal and have never got a bad deal. If you're smart then you wont get burned.

jelutong

I've bought and sold a few cars on Donedeal and never really had a problem.
No riskier than buying from Garage.

ironclaw

Kristopherus wrote: »

I referred specifically to private sales on DD. IMO that is a minefieled.

It is a minefield but it is unfortunately an unavoidable one. My personal suggestion is narrow down the type of car you are looking for, set up some alerts and immediately get in touch with any that spark your interest. A good car will sell quick. Any ads over 3 days that are not sold are either overpriced, lemons or don't have a huge market (In my experience). Anything reasonably exotic that isn't sold after a week is highly likely to have something wrong with it. Part time dealers watch the market like a hawk and anything decent will be snapped up quick. Unless you know the market, its going to be difficult to make those calls.

I also suggest, as mentioned before, a two step buying process. Check the car over with a friend who knows cars, put a deposit if the seller isn't keen to sit on it, get your online reports done and book a mechanic, then on their recommendation buy it. Bonus is you don't waste money and a mechanics time the first time you see a car, you give yourself a chance to think about it and not impulse buy, and lastly it susses out the seller. A dodgy seller is unlikely to allow a car near a ramp if they know its not going to pass scrutiny.

Don't take any nonsense that you have to buy immediately or place a massive deposit. Ireland is a buyers market through and through, you'll find another relatively quickly. The only cars you need to act on quick are rare or exotic models, and this is already a tight market.

Finally, avoid anything with the words 'mint' or 'first to see will buy'

slimjimmc

Moved to Buying subforum.

Nekarsulm

Kristopherus wrote: »

Run a mile. And DO NOT buy a car on DD unless (1) you know the seller and (2) you know the car. You've a better chance of getting a good car by getting a car thats perched on the side of the road with a "For Sale" sign on it.

There's just simply too much of a chance that you will get done by so-called private sellers on that site.

I wouldn't agree there, I have bought several cars from private sellers on DD and found most people to be honest and trustworthy. Now if the deal smells "off" in some way, trust your instincts and make some excuses and leave. Bring someone with you and keep your eyes open.

Edit. Never paid more than 3000, so it wasn't like I was turning up with 15k in cash in my pocket.....

mgbgt1978

Kristopherus wrote: »

Run a mile. And DO NOT buy a car on DD unless (1) you know the seller and (2) you know the car.

What are the chances of stumbling across an ad on DD where it turns out you know the seller and his/her car ????? :rolleyes:

Maybe you could contact DD and see if they can add this feature to the Search Filters.

grogi

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

What are the chances of stumbling across an ad on DD where it turns out you know the seller and his/her car ????? :rolleyes:

Maybe you could contact DD and see if they can add this feature to the Search Filters.

Man, people are having tea... I'll send you the bill for cleaning my monitor...

robbiew

Kristopherus wrote: »

Run a mile. And DO NOT buy a car on DD unless (1) you know the seller and (2) you know the car. You've a better chance of getting a good car by getting a car thats perched on the side of the road with a "For Sale" sign on it.

There's just simply too much of a chance that you will get done by so-called private sellers on that site.

Nonsense, i've bought many a car on dd,i also know so many others that have done the same,

monkeysnapper

I've bought a few cars on dd and sold a few and had nothing but good experiences .

Granted I've had a few tyre kickers and stupid texts.

Also I sold 2 cars where ad was on over 30 days .

I think if you tread carefully and use a little common sense you'll be ok .

The one car I spent a lot of money , 8.5k I took my mechanic with me. Cost me 50 quid for 30 mins work for him and I checked car out online . actually I found out that car had been stollen in past but returned to owner , I used that info to get price down a small bit .

In general I've bought a few bargains

ShadowHearth

millington wrote: »

I wouldn't agree there. The market is inundated with Focus, Golf etc. It's a tough market to sell in when theres 100 more identical cars around the country for sale.

If the focus priced right and not a heap of **** it will sell fast. Its a car in High demand and will fly at realistic price.
Something rare and specific will sell on donedeal, but it will take a while.
It took me almost 2 months sell my subaru wrx, but I sold it very close to asking price. It took ages, because needed a right buyer. I had tons of stupid offers and swaps, before right buyer who knew what he is looking at and pretty much threw money at me.

Henry Ford III

Donedeal is fine for lower value cars imho - anything with a value of say €15000 will sell way quicker and easier on carzone.

corks finest

baalad wrote: »

Hey guys. Any tips for me regarding buying a used car on donedeal? For example tonight i saw a car that grabbed my interest. It was an 8 yr old golf but it has had 6 owners already. Is that a warning sign? My concern would be why has the car been sold on so much. Also, when you see cars that are on donedeal for lets say 40 / 50 days , should i avoid them ? I mean if they are on it that long and still not sold then summit is fishy right???

I know I'll get slated,but my advice is don't,,,, dealership, simi affiliated, reputable business, warranty, know you will pay extra ,but for me peace of mind with a full years warranty, is worth it.

grogi

corks finest wrote: »

I know I'll get slated,but my advice is don't,,,, dealership, simi affiliated, reputable business, warranty, know you will pay extra ,but for me peace of mind with a full years warranty, is worth it.

Sure - if one is paying extra, let that money be spend wisely - buy from a local, SIMI dealer with established reputation.

Nevertheless just recently I've seen a very nice looking car (it's already gone anyway) sold by a very reputable dealer for very serious money... Brand new "tyre-like" products on weren't the worst thing... Left side (badly) painted, but nothing but more paint - probably bushes/stones damage. The roof and two pillars not only painted, but plastered. Some windows were replaced as well, did not bother counting.

If it was just the roof - ok, I'll give the dealer the benefit of the doubt and assume it might have been hail. If it was just the windows - ok, stupid burglar took a bad window first that did not give them access. But all of the above suggest some more damage, probably a fallen tree. Would you like to pay extra and still get a lemon like that?

Sure - if you knew, they would probably refund you... But someone who bought it, probably doesn't know...

No matter who you buy from, you need to have your eyes open.

mgbgt1978

corks finest wrote: »

I know I'll get slated,but my advice is don't,,,, dealership, simi affiliated, reputable business, warranty, know you will pay extra ,but for me peace of mind with a full years warranty, is worth it.

SIMI are simply a Motor Trade Association whose main purpose is to lobby the Government on behalf of Garages. Any other claims they make (concerning intervening in Customer/Garage disputes for example) should be taken as simply a marketing excercise.
In other words,whether a Car Sales Establishment is SIMI registered or not will make no difference if a dispute arises.

corks finest

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

SIMI are simply a Motor Trade Association whose main purpose is to lobby the Government on behalf of Garages. Any other claims they make (concerning intervening in Customer/Garage disputes for example) should be taken as simply a marketing excercise.
In other words,whether a Car Sales Establishment is SIMI registered or not will make no difference if a dispute arises.

Don't agree ref simi,at least 4 me,had an issue years ago,and after correspondence from simi,issue solved

NIMAN

DD had their safety liaison officer,an Ex-guard on a local radio station up here in donegal today.

Must be trying to improve their image a bit.

He was basically giving advice how not to get stung

grogi

NIMAN wrote: »

DD had their safety liaison officer,an Ex-guard on a local radio station up here in donegal today.

Must be trying to improve their image a bit.

He was basically giving advice how not to get stung

And yet there are still questions like "should I buy a car with dodgy paperwork"...

baalad

Any tips on negotiating deals guys? I have falling in love with what appears to be a cracker of a car but the the sellers best price is 500 more then i can afford and i cannot stretch any further! Any tips on how i could persuade them to drop another 500 lol :P

ironclaw

Depends on what its €500 of. €500 off €50k is practically nothing. That said, most sellers in Ireland have absolutely no idea what the car is worth. They do a quick search on DoneDeal and assume its somewhere around the average, or more dangerously they ask a friend what they think its worth generally resulting in a 'Bob sold his for XYZ 2 years ago' and hence the price is set. You also have to contend with those that have put effort into the car that doesn't increase the value but in their eyes does (Lights, tyres, new Radio etc)

If its not taxed ,you can immediately take the tax bill for 3 to 6 months off it. No service, you'd be looking to take a basic service off the asking price and better yet when the mechanic inspects pre-purchase, ask him for a potential bill. Scuffs and scrapes, whenever you will repair them or not, impacts the value. Conversely , if they have put premium value into the car i.e. Decent tyres, substantial work with receipts and history, then you must accept the car is a premium. Lastly, set a price in your head and stick to it. Bring that much cash with you (Maybe a fraction more) and offer it. Very few people have the will power to turn down a wad of cash if its next or near the asking price. At the end of the day, Ireland is a buyers market for everything except rare or exotica, so if he won't sell at a discount someone else will.

millington

baalad wrote: »

Any tips on negotiating deals guys? I have falling in love with what appears to be a cracker of a car but the the sellers best price is 500 more then i can afford and i cannot stretch any further! Any tips on how i could persuade them to drop another 500 lol :P

If the sellers best price is 500 more then get 500 more or stop annoying him