Selling - fix issue?

cson

I've a 2008 140BHP Passat (SE); the flywheel is starting to knock & will need to be done soon. I'm leaving the country in the next month or so & sadly it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense for me to hang onto the car even though I'd love - absolutely adore the car.

Should I spend the €900 or so to get the job done pre sale or just sell it for cheaper price with that caveat?

Should add that it has test until 2/18 & is taxed until end August, all the other big jobs (water pump etc) done within the last 20k miles.

(I've pulled down all similar spec/year/mileage models off of Carzone (av. €7750) and Done Deal (€7500) and I'm trying to price it off that but with the above as a caveat I'm think circa €6500 is more realistic)

biko

If it was me I'd probably sell as is. However it will deter a lot of buyers cause they won't know for sure what the issue is.

You could add the caveat that if you need to have it fixed for buyer it will add a grand to the price.

Do you have receipts for all the other jobs? A FSH goes a long way.

The_Honeybadger

If you want a quick sale I'd do the work and price the car accordingly. You may not get the full investment back vs selling as is but it'll be much more attractive to a potential buyer.

If you have receipts for the timing belt and whatever else was done it should be a relatively easy sell.

colm_mcm

Sell as is, price normally. If buyer gives out about flywheel, knock the price back.

cson

Thanks lads, it has a FSH in the book but I don't think the receipts are stapled into it.

As I said just trying to figure out a price point given it'll likely need a €900 job in the relatively near future. Other than that it's tip top.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Unfortunately your pricing methodology doesn't work with buyers. Your car in perfect mechanical order is valued at roughly €7500. The work required is roughly €1000. That means a buyer will want that car at €5500/5750.

Why would someone buy a car and want the inconvenience of having to get it fixed when they can get one not needing work, for the same money? I understand that once it's done that buyer will no longer have to worry about it but in reality that's not what a buyer sees when they look at a car needing work.

Priced correctly the car should sell.

billy few mates

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly is the issue with Passats and flywheels...?
I was looking at one recently with my son and the salesman went to great lengths to tell me the flywheel had been done but couldn't tell my why...

cson

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Unfortunately your pricing methodology doesn't work with buyers. Your car in perfect mechanical order is valued at roughly €7500. The work required is roughly €1000. That means a buyer will want that car at €5500/5750.

Why would someone buy a car and want the inconvenience of having to get it fixed when they can get one not needing work, for the same money? I understand that once it's done that buyer will no longer have to worry about it but in reality that's not what a buyer sees when they look at a car needing work.

Priced correctly the car should sell.

So in other words; take the initial hit & get it done but hope for the going price?

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

colm_mcm wrote: »

Sell as is, price normally. If buyer gives out about flywheel, knock the price back.

And hope that they haven't traveled too far to come & view the car, because if so they may be mightily pissed off with you.

Cee-Jay-Cee

cson wrote: »

So in other words; take the initial hit & get it done but hope for the going price?

Yes, exactly. Once it's done and you have the receipt to prove it, it's a good selling point and possibly adds a little value over a car that hasn't had it done.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

And hope that they haven't traveled too far to come & view the car, because if so they may be mightily pissed off with you.

Passat's are ridiculously common. If someone comes to view the car anddiscovers it has a flywheel problem that you never bothered mentioning then they're going to walk away immediately and look elsewhere. Telling them a new flywheel is €900 however you'll knock €1000 off the price isn't going to work.