Car for sale with a problem - fix first or sell as broken for reduced price - advice?

AH247

Hi, I have a car that I was preparing to sell, got it valeted, washed, took all the photos, wrote the advert for DoneDeal.
It is 2008 with a lot of mileage but otherwise in good nick, so I was for DoneDeal with an average to low price for similar cars of the same spec...
Then it broke, the evening I was ready to put it up, which was a real sickener, and I reckon it will cost at least 5 or 6 hundred euro to fix.

The question I have is
(a) should I get it fixed myself, pay the money, then sell it for the reasonable price OR should I put it up for sale for the reasonable price and inform potential buyers that it is needing work and agree to take 5 or 6 hundred off the price and let them get it fixed themselves.

Also if I do sell it 'broken', should I word this in the advert on DoneDeal??

I guess lastly, if anyone knows of any other options then let me know.
I can provide any amount of additional detail if needed, but keen for any advice for now on what, in peoples' experience, is the best way to proceed.

GRMA.

bazz26

What make and model is it? What has broke on it?

AH247

Its a Renault Grand Scenic, 2008, 200K Km on the clock.
The handbrake has seized (? - guessing, it is not working anyhow, so it is the handbrake, as far as I can see)...

nhunter100

AH247 wrote:

Its a Renault Grand Scenic, 2008, 200K Km on the clock. The handbrake has seized (? - guessing, it is not working anyhow, so it is the handbrake, as far as I can see)...

To be honest if you want to sell the car, fix the handbrake. Buyers market. Very few would be interested in a car with this issue unless you discount it by nearly a grand compared to comparable cars. Just my 2 cents.

Del2005

If you do sell it broken make sure that you document the issues and have 2 copies to sign and keep one each, just so that the buyer can't come back with issues. Not that they have any comeback unless the car is dangerous but that doesn't stop the chancers.

I wouldn't bother fixing, just state the problem and let the buyer figure out how much to repair.

AH247

Thanks all.
I have made an arrangement for a mechanic to look at it Tuesday.
I guess I could, immediately, put it for sale for the 'grand less than I want' price and make it very clear that it needs work, get this signed, if there is a sale.
If there is no sale between now and Tuesday or whenever I get it fixed, then fix it up and sell it back at the 'full' price.

Any opinion welcome, but I reckon I have a plan now, as written above.

Sam Kade

Who would buy a high mileage Renault?

Captain Slow IRL

Is 200,000 km high? I don't know about others, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.

Sam Kade

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Is 200,000 km high? I don't know about others, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.

It is with a Renault, I have a Citroen xsara 1.9D off the road @ 116k miles. I look after my cars service on time and usual wear and tear. She's parked up 10 years only helped a few learner drivers in the field since. I have Mazda 6 petrol since 08 with 260k km on it still trouble free and still going strong. French cars are not worth the money.

Irish Steve

200K is not necessarily a deal breaker, but it can be. Daughter has a 2001 1.4 scenic that had a clutch fail recently, release bearing broke up, then clutch cable broke, and to cap it all the bearing tore the sleeve out of the gearbox front cover, as well as chewing it up, so that made for a major job to sort it, but apart from that, it's still running well with 235K miles on it.

The electric handbrake is a known issue with the Scenic, so there should be people out there who know how to fix it.

A lot depends on which engine is in the Scenic, (diesel or Petrol), what's been done with things like timing belts, and if there are any other issues with it, along with the condition of the interior, as well as things like tyres and the like, and when the next NCT is due.

colm_mcm

It's worth fixing IMO. It's still worth a few grand when it's working, but only vultures will buy it as-is.

_Brian

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's worth fixing IMO. It's still worth a few grand when it's working, but only vultures will buy it as-is.

Colm is dead right.
You'd need to discount by a grand to move it and be worth the buyer taking the chance.
Spend the few hindered euro, get it fixed. Then there is a chance of selling it on for a reasonable price.

Toyotafanboi

You'd need to discout by more than €1k as a replacement handbrake module in these is €6-800 I believe.

colm_mcm

Plus who's gonna take the risk on a car they can't drive. It falls into the "pig in a poke" category.
I know if I was bidding on it I wouldn't rule out clutch/flywheel/gearbox/engine issues that can't be picked up on a test drive - and adjust the price accordingly!

bazz26

I'd agree with the others in that you will have to spend the €600 on fixing it to get any sort of decent money on it. In it's current state you will only attract the sort looking to do you a favour by taking it off your driveway for nothing.