I thought about posting this in the general chat, but since this was an experience from selling my Nissan, figured I'd probably get flamed. Goal: Sell my Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V Condition: Nearly show room. I couldn't find another one in the US with the same mileage (61,300) and condition in the US. Even the people who looked at it were amazed at the condition (their words). Price point: $6-7k
I posted it on Autotrader, Cars.com and Craigslist. Going into this, I figured Autotrader would probably generate my best leads, followed by Cars.com. I also figured that most of the inquiries that came in from Craigslist wouldn't be serious buyers.
Reality: Autotrader generated 2 real calls and one email. First call was from a couple looking for a manual transmission car to use as a family car. A compact car isn't ideal for 2 adults an infant and a one year old. 2nd call was out of state by a guy that was flat out delusional. He set of lots of red flags. The email came in after I'd accepted an offer on the car.
Cars.com generated a few emails and some calls. Nothing that led to a test drive.
Craigslist generated several calls/emails. This is where most of my test drives came from, include the ones with cash offers. This is also where the new owner found the car.
The wording for each site was as close to identical as I could make it due to text limitations. The pictures for each site were also identical. Figured I'd put it out there for others who are in the market to sell.
------------------ -Chris '85 V6 SE 4sp (SOLD) '88 GT - Series 3 SC3800 w/ 3.5" pulley, 1.8" rockers, 3" exhaust, 3.5" intake, 3.29 gearing. Installed and tuned by Sinister Performance '99 Kawasaki Vulcan 500, owned since new '03 Sentra SE-R Spec V (Prepping to sell) '09 G37x Sedan w/ Premium & Nav (wife's car) '13 G37xS Sedan (new daily driver)
I thought about posting this in the general chat, but since this was an experience from selling my Nissan, figured I'd probably get flamed. Goal: Sell my Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V Condition: Nearly show room. I couldn't find another one in the US with the same mileage (61,300) and condition in the US. Even the people who looked at it were amazed at the condition (their words). Price point: $6-7k
I posted it on Autotrader, Cars.com and Craigslist. Going into this, I figured Autotrader would probably generate my best leads, followed by Cars.com. I also figured that most of the inquiries that came in from Craigslist wouldn't be serious buyers.
Reality: Autotrader generated 2 real calls and one email. First call was from a couple looking for a manual transmission car to use as a family car. A compact car isn't ideal for 2 adults an infant and a one year old. 2nd call was out of state by a guy that was flat out delusional. He set of lots of red flags. The email came in after I'd accepted an offer on the car.
Cars.com generated a few emails and some calls. Nothing that led to a test drive.
Craigslist generated several calls/emails. This is where most of my test drives came from, include the ones with cash offers. This is also where the new owner found the car.
The wording for each site was as close to identical as I could make it due to text limitations. The pictures for each site were also identical. Figured I'd put it out there for others who are in the market to sell.
I've sold a few cars on eBay in the past, and also bought a few cars on eBay... but I think they changed their rules and I'm not sure how it works anymore.
Interesting to know... thanks for posting.
Because of the "weirdness" of Craigslist and all the crime associated with it, our county police force has authorized people to use any one of their several dozen or so police stations as selling stations for craigslist. You just call to let them know you'll be there, and the two people can meet in the lobby or parking lot, with oversight. Simple as that...
Yeah, there's been some issues with Craigslist weirdness here too. Meetings with people were held in public locations with cameras. Kansas is also a CCW state and a "stand your ground" state, so that helps to at least give an illusion like you might have a fighting chance if things go south.
I looked at possibly listing it on EBay, but cars like it (SE-R Spec V) simply weren't selling on it, so figured I'd do it local. I did purchase my 88GT on EBay a few years ago though. What sealed that deal is that I found out the seller was on Pennock's and was an active member in the Chicago NIFE club.
------------------ -Chris '85 V6 SE 4sp (SOLD) '88 GT - Series 3 SC3800 w/ 3.5" pulley, 1.8" rockers, 3" exhaust, 3.5" intake, 3.29 gearing. Installed and tuned by Sinister Performance '99 Kawasaki Vulcan 500, owned since new '03 Sentra SE-R Spec V (Prepping to sell) '09 G37x Sedan w/ Premium & Nav (wife's car) '13 G37xS Sedan (new daily driver)
Kijiji is more common than CL here, but same thing, its an online classified.
Locally, we have had a couple murders and more than a few good serious beatings/ robberies where the "buyer" kills or beats the hell out of the seller then just takes whatever it was up for sale, here is an ongoing one right now, the seller was about 10 clicks from me.
I always use Craigslist, again since it's free. I found my current Fiero on there, sold my Grand Am on there for only a couple hundred less than asking price, and sold my GMC there for the full asking price.
I always surf Craigslist when I get bored, just to see what's out there that might spark my interest.
You want something that will make O/T look like a daycare?? Check out your local Craigslist "Rants and Raves".
Thanks for the info. It's good to see somebody actually tested the various sites against each other. When I sold my Fiero, I used CL. I opened a new E-Mail account just for that ad, to help weed out weirdos and spammers. Didn't get any real weirdos, but plenty of low-ballers. I was asking $500. I got about 75% of E-Mails offering $400! You had to get through an E-Mail exchange with me before anybody got phone numbers. That weeded out people who weren't serious, and eventually I got my $500.
I let them come to my house to look at the car and trailer it away (wasn't running). After meeting the buyer, I figured he wasn't going to kill me over $500. People have been wrong about that, though.
[This message has been edited by Zeb (edited 08-06-2014).]
From my experience using Craigslist I would say there is a LOT of activity buying and selling. The bad news is there is a lot of people on it who are totally unprofessional, dishonest, flaky and even a few dark, shady characters. Yes , there is some good buys on Craigslist but you have to spend a lot of time filtering out the bad apples first. I must have went and looked at 13-14 cars before I found one where the car was mechanically sound and in good shape and where the seller had everything in order. Kit
I've never had a problem buying or selling on CL. Never had anyone even flake on a test drive! Cars usually only last a week or two once I post them on there.
quote
Originally posted by Zeb:
Thanks for the info. It's good to see somebody actually tested the various sites against each other. When I sold my Fiero, I used CL. I opened a new E-Mail account just for that ad, to help weed out weirdos and spammers. Didn't get any real weirdos, but plenty of low-ballers. I was asking $500. I got about 75% of E-Mails offering $400! You had to get through an E-Mail exchange with me before anybody got phone numbers. That weeded out people who weren't serious, and eventually I got my $500.
I let them come to my house to look at the car and trailer it away (wasn't running). After meeting the buyer, I figured he wasn't going to kill me over $500. People have been wrong about that, though.
In all fairness, I don't consider that a lowball offer at all. 80% lower than advertised on CL is par-of-the-course.
When I'm looking to buy, I look at spending roughly 85% of the price that they put on the ad. And I put my first offer at around 70% for that to happen.
I am no expert or anything but I've sold and bought cars from CL a combined 8 times and it's been standard every time.
In all fairness, I don't consider that a lowball offer at all. 80% lower than advertised on CL is par-of-the-course.
When I'm looking to buy, I look at spending roughly 85% of the price that they put on the ad. And I put my first offer at around 70% for that to happen.
I have great luck selling and buying on Craigslist. I dont even bother with any others. I sold the Firebird TA and the Sebring within one day of posting them. I got full price for both. Of course Im realistic, and give completely accurate descriptions. When the buyer sees theyre as advertised, they break out their wallet.
I once had a weirdo from CL, he said the rediater blew (I just washed the car)! He claimed the car was wrecked! I said he would have noticed bent metal or welding under the hood. He took it for a test drive, and I got a call. He claimed it over heated. I drove to his location with water, radiater was barely warm (cold!). I would include these words in any car ad... NO FLAKES, WEIRDOS, OR TIRE KICKERS PRICE IS FIRM.CASH ONLY
Usually the most hassle I get on CL is people saying they will buy it and not showing up, or just low balling sight unseen. Two other things happened one was just a guy who looked at a truck I had for sale and tried to talk me down, when I would not go down he said you'll never get that much for it, and left. The next day I sold it for asking price to another party. The other was a truck I sold for $900, the next day i got a call from the cops saying it was reported as having filled up with gas and drove off without paying. When I said I had sold it, they said they woudl look into it. I never heard back.
Another free site I sold 2 cars on years ago was called Lemonfree.com.
When I was selling my GMC I had a guy call on it and asked a lot of good questions. I answered them all honestly and told him exactly what he would expect if he came and looked at it. He was an older gentleman who said he used to have one just like it and would like to buy mine for the memories I guess. He was really interested and was concerned with the 40 minute drive to look at it so I said what the heck, I'll meet ya halfway. I trusted him to take it for a spin (he left his wife in his truck) and when he got back all he could do was talk it down. He accused me of lying to him about rust, he said I took the pictures just right so you couldn't see the rust on the bed. I explained to him that it's a stepside with fiberglass fenders so pictures wouldn't have shown rust no matter what angle. I also reminded him of the conversation we had approximately 2 hours ago where I explained that the bed was starting to rust and that it would need fixing in the coming years but was still solid. He then told me that the motor had a miss and was going to need a rebuild. I tried to tell him that it did NOT in fact have a miss and ran just fine but he interrupted me to tell me he was a "motor guy" and he knew what he was talking about and I didn't. He offered me $500 and I actually laughed at him. He rudely told me I was an idiot and would never get my asking price.
Sold that truck a week later for $3200 and still see it running around town.
I use CL quite a bit and it works, just have to deal with some strange requests or issues.
I picked up a couple of engines 2 hrs away. So before the trip, I ask if he has a method to load them in the back of my truck. I get there and we did get them in the truck, but it took 3 hrs to load them. When I sell and engine and have someone coming by to buy it, its on the floor of the garage with the cherry picker hooked to it so it will be a 5 minute deal.
Several times when I am selling something, I have people ask me if I will drive to them (60 miles away) so they can look at it... I always respond that I have a few people coming by to look at it in the next few days, so it needs to stay here.
I have security cameras around the perimeter of the house and one pointing right down the driveway, so all transactions take place in the driveway and on camera. If I get a suspicious vibe, I try to work into the conversation the fact that he is on camera and that it uploads the video remotely. Something like:
"Do you buy a lot from Craigslist?" (don't really care what his/her response is) I purchased that camera system (pointing to it) from a local guy and it works quite well. You wouldn't believe the resolution! I was even able to hook it up so it stores the videos remotely. Its probably the best deal I have purchased from CL.
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 08-07-2014).]
Not your everyday Sentra. Did you try posting it on a sentra or nissan forum? Shopping for my Fiero is how I found this site. I think for certain cars car-specific forums can be the best.
Yes , there is some good buys on Craigslist but you have to spend a lot of time filtering out the bad apples first. I must have went and looked at 13-14 cars before I found one where the car was mechanically sound and in good shape and where the seller had everything in order.
