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Car selling tips?


DJ Premier

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(edited)

I will soon be putting my car on sale. I'm not exactly sure what the best process is. I'm thinking that once I want to sell it, I'm going to want to sell it fast, even it means negotiating the price.

 

Does anyone have experience with this? How much do you discount for small body damage? My car has a bumper with paint chips, a few dents on both sides of the rear fender. I'm assuming around $1500 to get it to "standard" form which I'll either fix prior or discount the cost from the selling price. What's the rule of thumb for negotiating? etc.

 

My car

2000 BMW 323Ci

5-Speed Steptronic Transmission

In Dash CD Player

Black exterior

Black leatherette interior

Premium Package

- 8 way electronically adjustable seats

- 3 memory settings for seats

- Myrtle wood trim

- Electronic Sunroof/Moonroof

Heated seats with 3 settings

Fold down rear seats

16" V Spoke rims

Has 2 new tires and a new set of brakes

 

Here's what it kinda looks like but in Black. My model has a different headlight structure and a simpler front airdam.

 

ga_0434_f_front2.jpg

 

ga_0434_f_front342.jpg

Edited by DJ Premier
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Price it $1200 lower than you would without the damage. Then you can bargain from there. Know your lowest selling price...how hardnosed you want to be about getting more than that is up to you. The lower pricing will attract more buyers and help you sell it faster. Don't sell it short over the phone, let the buyer determine the condition when they inspect it (unless they are travfelling a long way to check it out).

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(edited)

I would find price in Kelly Blue Book... They will give you an estimated price with such things as mileage, condition, the works figured in.... Take off your $1200 for the damages. That would be my lowest selling price. Raise it a couple hundred or so, or take the blue book and have that as a mean (average) asking price. When you list the car, don't give a price, say give offer. If they start naming above your mean price, great. If they go under, say "well I was thinking more like <Insert price tag here>" See what they say. If they say, "Ah, that's pretty reasonable!" You got it made. Now, if they say, "Well that's a bit too much for me." and you want to sell it right away, whip out the all time clever "I would be willing to come down on the price a bit." I wouldn't give my price until you know how much the car is going to be worth to someone else. A $9 piece of junk maybe worth $90 to another person, if you catch my drift.

 

Just my suggestion.

 

 

(P.s. Or you could just say, "No, the car is not for sale. I need to ship it to Missouri for J" Playaa who? ) :P:D

Edited by General J
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What's the milage on it??

Any defects??

Accidents?

One owner??

Garage kept?

41K

no defects

got nudged on my left rear, thus a minor dent.

one owner, bought from dealer

not garage kept <--how much does this matter? Few ppl in NYC have a garage.

 

Btw, that's some good advice. I'll post pics of my new car when I get it. Can't wait!

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Take it to a shop well known for quality work in your area and get a quote. Take it to two even. Use them as bargaining tools for your discounted price. No average Joe really knows how much bodywork costs, and this is the only way you will be able to talk apples to apples.

 

Otherwise they will be thinking, "Oh no, that's $3000." While you are thinking, "$1500 max."

 

Edit: ask the shop to do a quote for A) the dent; B.) repainting the bumper; and, C) both.

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