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Why is it so hard to buy a car?

I'm trying to sell a car and failing miserably, it's a '96 850R that has been maintained using my usual "throw money at it" method and is, literally, the second best example of this car in the UK today.

I've got it up for 8k, which is a fraction of what it cost me to get to it's current state, and I've had one offer for 5.5k which I declined.

Would anyone be so kind as to critique my advert?[/url]
 
Your advert is great. Looks like a very clean, well maintained and loved car from a great home with a knowledgeable enthusiast owner. Exactly what a prospective buyer needs.
Now i don't know if that is cheap or dear, I suspect the latter, however it does look proper. I will say though, that is a very niche model and probably at the top of the market for such.. I would only ever expect to wait to find a buyer for such a niche car. I know if you get it dirty it'll look like £250 to those who miss the R badge...perhaps the high mileage is part of the problem too.

Aside that.. anyone in the trade I speak with is complaining business is slow just now. I think brexit is affecting the car market.
 
Dammit said:
I've got it up for 8k, which is a fraction of what it cost me to get to it's current state, and I've had one offer for 5.5k which I declined.

The 850R featured in this weeks Autocar magazine 'Top 100 Used Cars - How to buy an all-time great'.

Quotes:

Price range £3000- £6000. We'd pay £5000

One we found: A 1996, fully loaded, black estate, described as 'excellent original condition' for £4,750.

Yours looks a bit special but imo that mileage will put 80% of people off and the price will lose you the other 20%.
 
Dammit said:
I'm trying to sell a car and failing miserably, it's a '96 850R that has been maintained using my usual "throw money at it" method and is, literally, the second best example of this car in the UK today.

I've got it up for 8k, which is a fraction of what it cost me to get to it's current state, and I've had one offer for 5.5k which I declined.

Would anyone be so kind as to critique my advert?

I'd think the Volvo 850 enthusiasts wouldn't be bothered by the mileage, but they are a bit like the former 996 owners on here, paid less for theirs and wouldn't spend the amount that current values demand.

I've heard of Gul's going for strong money but it hasn't seemed to have made it onto the other colours yet.

You need a real enthusiast for yours, I'm guessing you have advertised it on VT and the other Volvo owners groups?
 
@T8: I may well be in the minority, but I actually want a 996 rather than 'I want a 996 because that's the only 911 I can afford'. I wouldn't say no to a 997 outright mind you. And that one does look a good example. I may well inquire about it.

I've found with some of the people I know who own interesting cars that the mileage thing (this probably applies to the 850R as well) is a bragging right. Especially with the older ones.

'I've got a XXXX and it's a one-owner, 35k miler' beats 'It's done 115k miles and had a lot of work done' every time.

I don't personally fall into that category, having driven almost every car I've had to the end of its life. But in a sense, I can't help being influenced by that kind of thinking a bit.

And I'm sure the 'average' car buyer is worse in that respect.
 
A lot of good points, thanks all.

It's done the miles, no way of getting away from that.

The engine is ~30k from a full rebuild and the rest of the car has been refreshed over that period, would it make any difference to talk up the restoration element?

I suspect the answer is no and that people will go on the mileage, and T8's post is I'm rather afraid spot on.

I have put it on VT etc, the chap who offered 5.5 for mine then went on to buy a car with no MOT(!) for £4,200 was from VT.
 
Chap turned up tonight, very nice fellow, we looked round the car, went for a drive - he had a huge grin on his face after we found a straight, empty bit of road and gave the traffic behind us something of a surprise.

After a little horse trading we settled on 7k, which is a little low but he seems a genuine enthusiast.

He's now going to assemble the cash and transfer it and we'll then sort out the paperwork.
 
Dammit said:
Chap turned up tonight, very nice fellow, we looked round the car, went for a drive - he had a huge grin on his face after we found a straight, empty bit of road and gave the traffic behind us something of a surprise.

After a little horse trading we settled on 7k, which is a little low but he seems a genuine enthusiast.

He's now going to assemble the cash and transfer it and we'll then sort out the paperwork.

Nice work - I hope it gets concluded for you, what's VT by the way??
 
Thanks! Volvo Tuning - group on Facebook.

Chap has now requested some time to think about it, which I'm ok with - got the other chap coming on Thursday, so if this one falls through there's a backup. It that one falls through as well I'll sell it next year for 20 large (this may not happen).
 
Good news Dammit on the potential buyers, hopefully one of them buys it. Were they from the VT group or outside of that bit of the enthusiast network?
 
Quick update: the search still goes on and the budget keeps increasing.

I've taken to the C4S now as the targas I've seen didn't really float my boat (or at the very least a coupé - C2 or C4).

Perfect timing as now that I'm keen on a C4S, the prices start climbing higher. :nooo:

I drove a tiptronic yesterday (this is the second one I've tried now) and must admit to not having disliked it as much as the first time around. I spent more time with it and I reckon it could be a laugh with the AMG paddles fitted. Or maybe it was the sound from the PSE that swayed me.

I know there have been quite a few 'looking for a C4S' threads recently (which I've looked at), but if anyone knows of one for sale that's not to be found in the usual places online, drop me a line :)
 
I've always found that word of mouth is the best way, do you have a Porsche Indy you use, have you asked him if he knows anyone that's thinking of selling
 

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