It’s easy to blame car dealers for trying to rip us off, but it’s not their fault. We don’t have to accept a bad offer. Yet, the continued success of companies that offer to ‘buy any car’ despite much negative press tells a story. In the Used Car Expert office, we regularly get people asking if we really think they can get a fair price for their car. Here are a couple of recent examples:
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Saab 9-3
The Saab 9-3 is a really under-rated sports saloon that should rival BMWs for price and demand. Unfortunately it has been neglected by GM for a long time and so people almost forget it exists. But the prices in independent dealers show that provided you are not in a rush you can get full price for your Saab.
The owner’s view: A Saab 9-3 1.9 D owner didn’t believe his three year old car could be worth over £10,000.
UsedCarExpert.co.uk price advice: A 2008 Saab 9-3 1.9 D should sell on the private market for at least £11,843. Dealers are asking up to £1,000 more even though they’ll offer nearer £10,000 as a part exchange.
Ford Focus
The challenge with Fords is that there are so many on the market, including a huge number at dealers. But if you have looked after yours and price it at just a few hundred pounds under dealer price, you should have no problems. And you will still be a few hundred ponds better off.
The owner’s view: A 1.8 Ford Focus TDCI Sport owner didn’t realise their car was low mileage for a diesel because they though all cars did about 10,000 miles a year.
UsedCarExpert.co.uk price guide: Their 2006 1.8 Ford Focus TDCI Sport had just 36,000 miles on the clock, compared to the average which is 49,000. So there is no reason why they shouldn’t get nearly £7,000 for it when dealers would ask over £7,000. But only offer something around £6,000 in part exchange.
For whatever reason, a majority of car owners assume it will be hard to sell their car and that they will have to drop the price. Which explains why dealers and websites who ‘buy any car’ get away with offering silly prices.
There’s no need for you to lose money if you follow these steps. First of all get a market price from Used Car Expert, Parkers or Glass’s. Then, check that price against cars for sale in the area. Makes sure you are less than dealers, and advertise it with colour pictures. If the car is clean and has service history paperwork it will sell for nearly ‘dealer money.’
But if you want a dealer to take it, clean it and hold on to it until it sells, he’ll want £1,000 for his trouble. Is that too much? Well, if it develops a fault he will have to put it right, so he is taking on quite a responsibility. And in most cases he really doesn’t need the extra stock.