Want to sell your car easily? You *NEED* to read this!
 

Well, this forum is for selling cars - clearly! So how can you get people to buy your car? Keeping in mind this is a Mercedes forum, you should be selling a Mercedes. But...

1) Where is the car?
Too many people forget to say this! If you can't tell me where it's located, I can't be bothered to ask because you must not really want to sell it ;) Even if your location is listed on your user name, it doesn't matter. Say where the car is - hell, give an address if possible, so local members can drive there and view it! Trust me, this WILL get you more replies
2) Asking price
If you're selling, you need to let us know if you're dreaming or if you're realistic. A price - even if it's what you are willing to bargain down from - will definitely help a potential buyer decide if they want to make you an offer, or if they should look elsewhere.
3) Pictures
This cannot be stressed enough. Keep in mind that you're selling a car over the internet. A buyer has to assume (and rightfully so) that you are pointing out the best parts of the car, and not the worst. So you need to include pictures - even if there's rust, or a bad paintjob. It'll tell us a LOT more accurately how bad the cancer is, what the car's realistic value is, etc. If you post ANY thread about selling a car here, and don't include pictures, then you might as well not post at all. Go to Imgur. Sign up. Create a public album. Link it. http://imgur.com/
4) A thorough description
Let's say you're selling a 6.3. Everyone on here knows what that is. You don't need to tell us how rare it is, how much horsepower it has, etc. Let's say you're selling a 300D. Don't try to tell us it gets 40MPG - we all know it doesn't. So what should you tell us? Well, start with the basics: Mileage, how often you changed the oil, how long you owned it, etc. Most importantly: Why are you selling? A buyer assumes 2 things: You're either getting a newer car, or there is something wrong with the old one you aren't disclosing. So if it IS because something is wrong, be honest - don't waste your time and ours, we will find out, then we'll tell other buyers right in your thread.

I would like to see others comment in, but I do believe this is a "Public Service Announcement" that will only benefit both buyers and sellers on the ShopForum :)

I have to take issue with this:

Not with the statement; I feel it's entirely true. But the forum's size limit of 65k for a jpg file is outrageous. It's extremely hard to get a meaningful picture in that size, and impossible to get a high-rez picture anywhere close to that size.

For instance, my camera takes pictures at 7MP (3072x2034), which Windows Paint can generally save in under a megabyte of space for JPG. For this argument, the picture I chose saved in 919K. I can reduce it to 26% of the original size, which is the 800x600 maximum width and height, and it saves in 120K. In order to get it to < 65K, I have to reduce it another 36%.

I now have a 512x384 image which has lost ~85% of the original information. 512x384 is just fine if you're taking a picture of, e.g. a part number, a rust bubble, etc. It's not very good for displaying an overall view of a car, especially if you're concerned about the details in the condition.

Fix your own A/C !
 

If anyone says they're not sure about the A/C, & it "may need a boost",


they should be banned from the forum for life, and forced to spend 1,500. to have their own A/C repaired !!!




...

I see it still says 65k for file limit but I have been able to attach larger pics than that in the past. It used to restrict it but I think the limit has since been raised.

I still prefer to host the pics myself on photobucket than just link them to display here.

That's my favorite:D AC works just needs some freon

Then put some frieakin freon in it if that's all thats wrong!

Agreed. However, there are tons of places on the 'net that you can use to upload photos to and then link to your (high-res) gallery. Maybe I'll make a script to assist members who are looking to sell their cars on this forum, which they can use to upload to my space... I do have a 15gb hosting package that I'm not really using :D

My favorite is the odometer just stopped working this past month. I only put on about 400 miles though. Yeah, right!! That odometer has probably been busted since the mid-90's and you put on 150K!!

I purchased an 83 300D last Nov from a guy from PA for $1,500 plus $430 shipping. I'll probably junk it. The "dings" were dents, the "little rust" was rusted out jack points ,and the panel covering the drivers side door post seat belt is missing - how do you lose that ?The car has many electrical and mechinal problems that wouldn't show on a photo, but as as a general rule if someone is going to lie about to cosmetic condition of the car ,they will lie about everything else . Suggestion get hold of a cell phone with a camera to show the car. If the seller can't show you the car or close-up pictures, forget it ! I still have my 82 300D. I've owned another 82 and an 83 . I also had a 88 300SE . I purchased all of these locally. I will gladly provide you with the name of the S.O.B. who sold me this car in a PM .

My Favorite is a For Sale Maybe AD. Don't bother posting a maybe ad to see if there is interest. post it up for sale if you are gonna sell it. if you are thinking about selling it then either sell it or don;t , but don;t say maybe.

Don't try to fool everybody into thinking you live the multi-million dollar house with the 4 car heated garage in front of which you took the pictures of your car. If your car was garage kept it will show; if not, you don't want the first time we find out about it to be when we show up to make the purchase - so don't mislead.

....and the other comment " Simple fix !":rolleyes:


.

I think this has got to be my most favorite thread EVER on this Forum...

I'm bumping this thing, simply for the entertainment value of the comments aboard this one and the potential for so many more.....I could car less if it's old. It could use some new action, and new comments by now..

I love it..

Trucky

?? You Mean ??
 

I'm supposed to sell one of my Benz' ? :eek:

NO WAY ! :D

I agree that pic , location & PRICE wil get the most responses but many are just trying to flip some old beater they found cheaply and don't even know anything about old Mercedes except " they're worth a LOT !! " (B.S.)

You're selling to the choir here anyways so I doubt any really good , fully sorted out cars will be on offer here :rolleyes: .

Hank,
where do you live? We don't know and can't figure it out from your name.

Ummm
 

FYI: That post was made 04-13-2007..

ALL SELLERS LIE
 

OK, OK, 99.9% of sellers lie.

I know dealers aren't supposed to post here, but I figured I'm offering advice so no harm, no foul.

I've bought literally hundreds of cars, and over 70% of them long distance. There are some hard/fast rules to keep in mind:

1. EVERY seller lies. EVERY seller lies. Some lie because they are dishonest and want to sell their car for the most money possible, so they hide any flaws and lie about the rest. Some lie because they disclose an issue but either minimize it or think they know what's wrong (and it's always a cheap/easy fix) and give you the wrong diagnosis. Some lie (and granted this isn't a 'lie' in the true sense of the word) because there are problems they just don't know are there. A leak that has not hit the ground and puddled yet, A/C that has not been used in a while but no longer works, etc.

There is one seller in a million that not only accurately discloses flaws, but gets an inspection done on their own car and either fixes what's found or discloses what's found. I am one of the few idiots that does that, and I many times lose a sale as a result of disclosing what's found. I am in that exact sitaution now....sold a gorgeous 2003 S600 with 84K miles, told buyer it was at Benz dealer for inspection, dislosed what was found and offered to fix it, and buyer got cold feet because car 'was supposed to be like new and need nothing' and backed out. Oh well.

2. So that brings me to the inspection. GET A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION ON EVERY CAR YOU CONSIDER BUYING. I don't care how nice the pics are, or how good you are at looking over cars (OK, unless you're Hef or someone professional), or if the seller shows you records of routine maintenance. In the world of buying cars, this is the cheapest insurance you can ever get. I mean, who would not spend $150 or so to find out if that creampuff they're considering is actually a *****box or not? You can't even argue it's not worth it on cheap cars......if the car is $1500, it's not worth $150 to prevent you from throwing away $1500?

The PPI must be from an authorized dealer or independent mechanic that specializes in the marque or knows it well. YOU HAVE TO FIND AND HIRE THE SHOP. You can not let the seller go to his mechanic, or take it to the shop the seller recommends. Too risky. The shop has to work for you and you only, and not have a cozy relationship with the seller, especially if buying long-distance. I don't even offer to have my mechanic do the inspection, it just is so ripe for a conflict of interest even if I told him to make sure to be extra careful...I pay him every week, the buyer does not, you know?

The PPI must be done with the seller in a nice way. Speaking as a seller, it is kind of a pain in the neck to do this, and if everyone wants one, and most people are not serious when they say they want to buy a car, all I'd be doing is going back and forth to dealers. So make sure you've worked out the price and terms, and that you're going to buy the car as long as it gets a decent inspection report. You have to be realistic as a buyer too; no 10+ year old car is going to get a perfect report. There will always be things to do, you just want to rule out major stuff. Let the seller know he can drop it at his convenience at the shop you've chosen (pick the closest/best place to the seller) and you will pay for it of course. I even offer to pay the shops $25 or whatever rental car fee while the inspection is getting done. I can't expect someone to sit around for 4 hours for an inspection.

Of course, if you're nice about it and the seller refuses to get a PPI done, or only wants his mechanic to do it, you should start asking yourself why that is.

3. Get a cosmetic opinion during the PPI (assuming it's not a project car or rolling chassis or something). Most shops do not want to do this; cosmetics are subjective and too open to dispute. But ask nicely, ask (if it's a car dealership and not just a repair shop) if the used car manager could come by while the car is in the shop and take a look, with a paint meter preferably to check for original paint. Tell them you won't quote them or hold them to anything, you just want to know, since they are your eyes on a long distance purchase, if the car is reasonably nice and as represented by the seller, or if it looks like it fell off a cliff. Offer to pay a little extra for this, it's worth it, especially on a car you're considering for its excellent condition or that is high priced. You also want the shop to check frame and unibody for any signs of previous repairs.

4. Protect yourself when buying...get a copy of title front and back, verify seller's address/DL#/home phone, pay by a trackable method, etc. The car being dropped off for PPI (verify the VIN# and run carfax while it's there, if not before) is a good sign too, at least the seller has physical possession of the car. Just be careful, this is usually thousands of dollars, long distance, to someone you do not know. Be smart!

Good luck!

Bruce

All 13 Mercedes I've purchased have fit your definition of deceptive sellers. I do not think it takes a pro to do a proper PPI on an older benz, definitely for newer ones though.

suggestion regarding photo hosting site-- for convenience and consistency
 

Sounds good.

It would be a help if everyone could send their photos, high-res or not, to the same place for review by prospective buyers. It just makes things simpler.

And if someone has special pics that don't fit the format, they can be sent to people by e-mail request to individuals.

Bump, because we need it.

So I just edited the first post, since people still point out the forum issues with posting pictures, to suggest using Imgur. imgur: the simple image sharer is awesome for albums, and easy enough for even my mom to learn.

Photobucket is another option, works for me.

Liars
 

It's amazing ~ I usually buy my vehicles as junk because I'm a Journeyman Mechanic as well as a cheapskate....

They STILL lie through their teeth .

Does this mean there's a dip - you can go so low the car is actually better than described?

That's not what I meant but yes , when I answer a specific typ of advert , I am often well pleased by what I find Vs. what I was told to expect .

This is an excellent thread. On the flip side, I've heard some weird "stories" / excuses from people who "needed me to deliver the car and or parts" to vanish when I arrive at the agreed upon location. My favorite moment of this was someone on another thread who "couldn't find the restaurant" I provided the exact address to. He was from WV and I met him in NJ. Who drives from WV to NJ to turn around without even looking at the car load of parts I had packed for him? LUNATIC.

Paid $350 for a car I figured would be a "Parts car" that had a mysterious overheating issue per the seller. Looked trashed in pics. Got there and it looked better than expected, ran great. Drove home 45+ minutes away (expected to need to use my AAA). Problem, the elec fans were both shot, so in traffic it overheats. It was fine on the highway at 70+ the whole way home. It isn't a perfect car by any means but it's worth way more than what I paid, that's for sure.

So yes, if you know what you're doing, what you want, and go in with reasonable expectations, you can actually wind up ahead of what you were expecting.

I hate how they list AMG,when all it has is wheels.

! AMG !
 

Or some stickers :mad: .