Author Topic: Help me Sell My Car  (Read 5259 times)

Sailor Sam

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Help me Sell My Car
« on: November 17, 2017, 12:22:43 AM »
Greetings MMM'ers. I found out today that I need to sell my car. Can you help me perfect my Craigslist add?

Selling before a cross country deployment to Maine - Could this loved car become yours?

The Basics:
2010 Mini Cooper S Hardtop, with 64,000 miles
4 cylinder, 1.6L turbo engine with 172hp
6 speed manual transmission
Colour = Dark silver body, black top and side mirror caps, badass dual black racing stripes
Traction = Traction Control, ABS, Dynamic Stability Control
Safety = side curtain airbags, dual front airbags, head curtain airbags
Convenience = Power windows, cruise control, Air Conditioning (recharged 2016), Power door locks
Tires = 2 FULL sets w/ rims - 4 all season tires w/ ~10,000 miles, AND 4 winter tires that are spankin' new.

The Above Average:
Sports seats
Harmon/Kardon sound system
Gas Mileage = 27 city / 37 Highway (manufacture stats. I've found highway is closer to 40mpg)

The Amazing
I love this car, the way you love your favourite dog, or your middle child. All routine maintenance preformed at dealer, with perfect records for your inspection. Paint routinely maintained with a clay bar, buffer, and wax. Interior looks great. No accidents. No lien on the title. All original manuals included.

The Other Shoe
Suspected carbon build up on piston valves.



What say you MMM fourm? Too long? Too short? Too funny? Not funny enough?


deborah

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2017, 02:49:37 AM »
Only one owner. A firm believer in spit and polish.

Sailor Sam

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2017, 08:32:16 AM »
Looks good. I’d include lots of photos (interior, exterior), and a description of any known cosmetic issues. Also maybe more negatives in general. I’m more trusting of ads that appear to be honest about any downsides.

THERE ARE NO MORE NEGATIVES ROSIE IS PERFECT HOW DARE YOU.

Jenga! You've just scared a perfectly nice poster who simply doesn't know Rosie's past. Bad chief sub-wife.

Thanks kasperie. The carbon thing is a pretty big negative, since it's causing the car to misfire and I'm therefore selling it in a 'needs repair' condition. But there are a few interior scratches I note and take pictures of.

GeneralJinjur

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2017, 08:43:05 AM »
I don't know that I would include the deployment info.  It lets buyers know you are motivated and they have more negotiating power.  The rest looks really good.

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CheapskateWife

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2017, 08:55:47 AM »
How much are you planning to ask for it SS?

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2017, 09:37:34 AM »
PTF. Seems like a good write up.

I don't know that I would include the deployment info.  It lets buyers know you are motivated and they have more negotiating power.  The rest looks really good.

I actually disagree- I think including it makes the carbon issue sound less like "this is so bad I'm offloading it" and instead, "I *would* have fixed this, but I'm leaving". Funny how people can read the same thing and take away very different impressions.

Sailor Sam

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2017, 09:48:19 AM »
How much are you planning to ask for it SS?

I'm taking the car to CarMax this afternoon, to get a baseline cash trade in price. I'll probably start the Craigslist add 3-4k above that. Priced to move.

PTF. Seems like a good write up.

I don't know that I would include the deployment info.  It lets buyers know you are motivated and they have more negotiating power.  The rest looks really good.

I actually disagree- I think including it makes the carbon issue sound less like "this is so bad I'm offloading it" and instead, "I *would* have fixed this, but I'm leaving". Funny how people can read the same thing and take away very different impressions.

BJ's tactic was what I was aiming for, but perspective is great. I definitely need to thread the needle between this being a great, great, great car you want to buy, and disclosing known issues.

TrMama

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2017, 12:01:37 PM »
Add some stuff about how you've done all the scheduled maintenance and have the records to prove it. I've seen ads that include a pic of the pile of paperwork and promise to turn it over to the new owner.

In this case, you could also include the quote from the mechanic for the carbon repair.

You may want to consider selling the new winter tires (or whichever set isn't currently mounted) separately. I traded in a car with spanking new tires on it last year and it even made the dealership go, "Hmmm?". I know they were thinking, "What the hell is wrong with this thing that she isn't telling us?"

Kerowyn

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2017, 01:52:06 PM »
Gas Mileage = 27 city / 37 Highway (manufacture stats. I've found highway is closer to 40mpg)

"manufacture" there should be "manufacturer's." Correctly spelled ads sell better. (Source: me.)

You also spelled "favorite" the Canadian way, but that probably won't affect the selling price.

Dicey

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2017, 02:15:08 PM »
Wait! What? You're selling Rosie??

I'm gobsmacked. I am also very proud of you. I was always too afraid of reprisal to question your adorable, yet oh, so spendypants affection for her.

How serious is the suspected carbon buildup? If it's not terribly expensive to alleviate, I'd remove that mascara smudge from dear Rosie' pretty face before sending her out for her close-up.

+1 to no typos in ads.

+1 to not mentioning the deployment. The Amazing part is good, but I might push it a bit more at the top of the ad. What about saying something like "You know you've always wanted a girl like her" or something equally silly and eye catching? I'd definitely mention that you'll be sorry to see her go. You don't have to say why. Or you could say something like "I'm moving to a cold, cold climate and I fear she won't be happy there. She deserves the best."

Best of luck to you and to Rosie, sir.

thedigitalone

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2017, 02:36:12 PM »
The ad looks good, agree that you should not mention deployment, that just gives the buyer free leverage.

Not affiliated in any way, but I found the site carguru.com earlier this year and like the way they present the potential value of the car.  I entered the info from your ad and this is the scatter graph that was gererated:

hoping2retire35

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2017, 02:42:02 PM »
use everyone of your allotted 24 pictures.

buy a $8 can of seafoam and pour into a full tank of gas, drive a bunch this weekend. remove anything referencing carbon buildup; that is several Gs right there.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2017, 03:29:38 PM »
use everyone of your allotted 24 pictures.

buy a $8 can of seafoam and pour into a full tank of gas, drive a bunch this weekend. remove anything referencing carbon buildup; that is several Gs right there.

That sounds a little slimy to me. If it's a known issue, I would be honest about it. Karma is a bitch.

Sailor Sam

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2017, 03:35:01 PM »
Not affiliated in any way, but I found the site carguru.com earlier this year and like the way they present the potential value of the car.  I entered the info from your ad and this is the scatter graph that was gererated:

Nice! Thanks very much.

use everyone of your allotted 24 pictures.

buy a $8 can of seafoam and pour into a full tank of gas, drive a bunch this weekend. remove anything referencing carbon buildup; that is several Gs right there.

That sounds a little slimy to me. If it's a known issue, I would be honest about it. Karma is a bitch.

I will definitely be disclosing, but yah the price is definitely going to drop. Sucks, but I've gotta be able to sleep at night, and keep the priest happy.

Reynolds531

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2017, 05:54:18 PM »
Second vote to seafoam the snot out of it. Carbon will be gone if you do that.

Dicey

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2017, 07:51:06 PM »
Second vote to seafoam the snot out of it. Carbon will be gone if you do that.
Hmmm, I'd call that taking care of the problem. No Karma difficulties there.

hoping2retire35

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #16 on: November 20, 2017, 08:09:58 AM »
Second vote to seafoam the snot out of it. Carbon will be gone if you do that.
Hmmm, I'd call that taking care of the problem. No Karma difficulties there.
Yes, that was my point. Nothing dishonest.

CheapskateWife

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2017, 08:33:31 AM »
Hi SS...Not to get your hopes up, but if you have settled on an asking price, I was going to send Rosie's deets to a friend of mine.  He might be interested.

Clean Shaven

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2017, 08:36:59 AM »
If it's a direct injection motor (no port injection), pouring Seafoam or anything else into the gas tank will not affect carbon buildup on the back side of the valves.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2017, 08:40:23 AM »
If it's a direct injection motor (no port injection), pouring Seafoam or anything else into the gas tank will not affect carbon buildup on the back side of the valves.

It is, and Minis are renowned for the problem. If it was an easy fix, she wouldn't have sold the car, she would have stored it while deployed. (She luuuuurved that car, but the car wasn't going to be reliable getting to her new posting and all that jazz).

She hasn't updated, so I will: she sold the car over the weekend.

Thanks all. I'm assuming she hasn't updated because she is actually really sad to see the car go. Revisiting this thread to update would probably be a little rough right now.

Sailor Sam

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #20 on: November 20, 2017, 09:24:10 AM »
She hasn't updated, so I will: she sold the car over the weekend. 

I'M SORRY. I loath it when people don't update their 'help me' threads.

Yah, I sold the car. Someone suggested I take it to CarMax, just to get a baseline for trade in. I explained the possible, but not verified, carbon issue and the CarMax guy was still willing to check that the car had no known mechanical issues. And he told me the self reported fender bender was on the carfax report. The quote was 5k. I took the money, and ran.

Poor little baby. If only she hadn't been such a horrific money suck.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #21 on: November 20, 2017, 10:06:58 AM »
Congrats!

Dicey

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Re: Help me Sell My Car
« Reply #22 on: November 20, 2017, 10:42:07 AM »
I didn't want to say this in your journal, but at the end of the day, she was just a car. You met her, dated her, had fun with her, took excellent care of her, but she proved to be fickle, and a complete spendypants partner. You did the right thing by letting her go. She was lovely, but in the end she tried to play you for a sucker, but you saw the truth and stood fast.
I am not sorry for you. I am proud that you stood firm and ended this ultimately abusive relationship with a clean brake.
Good work, Sam!