Guide to Buying and Selling Used Cars

I Will Sell My Range Rover the Effortless Way

noreply@blogger.com (iainmutch) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Our family had expanded from four children to six children, thanks to the addition of twin daughters, and I had to sell my Range Rover. This was something I really didn’t want to do as I was very fond of my car, but needs must, and the wife said, so it had to be done. I have sold cars in the past, but I hate doing it as it sooo tedious: placing ads in the local newspaper and corner shop, having buyers ringing me up night and day to look at my car, buyers trying to find the smallest fault with the car so they don’t have to pay the asking price, etc.

There are two reasons why I know I won’t have a problem when I sell my Range Rover: there are many people who want a second-hand vehicle for several reasons – they want/need a car and can’t afford a new one, parents who want a used car for their sons and daughters who have just passed their test, and then there are some people that like to change their cars frequently and it is convenient for them to buy used cars. The second reason is some people will buy a Range Rover purely because of the name of the vehicle, and rightly so because Range Rovers are fantastic cars.

Land Rover first made the Range Rover in 1970 and it has been in production ever since. So far there have been three major model changes. The first generation was 1970 to 1995 and among enthusiasts the original model is known as ‘the Classic’. The second generation was 1995 to 2002 and is known as the P38A. The latest generation from 2002 to present, is known as L322 or just the ‘new Range Rover,’ and was planned and developed under BMW ownership. Initially the interior of the Range Rover was designed to be washed down with a hose and the vehicle had vinyl seats and plastic dashboards. It wasn’t until later that the vehicles were fitted with power assisted steering, carpeted floors, air conditioning, and so forth, when Rover realised that the Range Rover was more marketable as a luxury vehicle.

Even though I knew it wouldn’t be hard to sell my Range Rover, it didn’t make it any easier to pick up the phone to place the ad in the newspaper. I was sitting in a melancholy mood at the kitchen table, when a friend of mine walked in. After I had answered his question about my mood, he told me had the solution to my problem, which was to use an online company that specialised in buying used prestige cars. As he proceeded to tell me all about the company that he had used to sell his Jaguar, I could feel my mood lifting as it seemed the ideal solution for my problem and so effortless.

All I had to do was fill in an online form that provided the company with basic information about my car. They would then call me back and I would give them more information about my car and they would provide me with a price they were willing to pay for my Range Rover. If that was acceptable to me, we would arrange a time and place to meet. It nearly sounded too good to be true and I wished I had known about them when I had had to sell my wife’s Mercedes Benz. But anyway, better late than never as they say.

A week after I had been told how I could sell my Range Rover the effortless way, I sold my car to an online company that specialised in prestige cars, and a people carrier that seats eight now sits in the drive.

I wanted to sell my Lamborghini but I couldn't just call the local second-hand car salesman

noreply@blogger.com (iainmutch) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:28:00 +0000

Murciélago is the Spanish word for bat, and it's an apt name because the Lamborghini Murciélago goes like a bat out of hell (though in reality, the car is named after a famous 19th century bull which fought with such ferocious and indomitable spirit that it was spared death by the matador). When I had to sell my Lamborghini, I knew only too well what I would be giving up: 6.5 litres and 632 bhp of raw power. The V12 can slam it from 0 to 60 in just 3.3 seconds and its top speed is well over 200 miles per hour.

I decided to buy my Lamborghini when I finally got the job I had always wanted. I'd risen to the top of the finance industry and, with few other major outgoings, decided on something to make me look and feel the part. And it did: the Lamborghini is a car that always turns heads.

The work ethic in my new job was almost as ferocious as the car and I knew I wouldn't stay for long. Fortunately I had my retirement plans lined up well in advance, but moving to the south of France, for all its benefits, meant I would need to sell my Lamborghini. In the city its fuel efficiency is around 8 mpg; on the open road it's a shade higher, but I needed something more suited to long distances and day-to-day use. I told myself I could justify keeping it for the occasional outing, but after it had sat in a garage for two months gathering dust, I bit the bullet.

Selling my Lamborghini didn't take long. I contacted a service specialising in high-end car sales, listed my car with them and sat back. Registration was quick and easy - the work of ten minutes - and my Lamborghini buyer took less than a week to bite. He offered to collect it himself but I had a better idea: one final trip, for old times' sakes. The fact that he lived in Germany swung it for me; it would be a journey of several hundred miles, a respectable proportion of which I would need to do on Germany's famous Autobahns. Although the recommended speed for these is around 80 mph, there is no limit. I had always wanted to try it but had never had the time or opportunity before. Now, I couldn't pass it up. It seemed like the perfect way to say goodbye and sell my Lamborghini in style, not to mention giving it the workout it had been designed for. City living hardly brings out the best in a car like that and I was itching to see what it could really do.

I set out early in the morning, and reached my destination - over 400 miles away - before lunch (which the buyer very thoughtfully provided). When I got there I almost backed out of our agreement and refused to sell my Lamborghini in favour of turning round and driving home again, but good sense prevailed. The return journey, this time in a taxi and on an aeroplane, took almost as long. As I left his house I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy, knowing that he would be able to enjoy the car more than I ever would.

When I decided to buy a Lexus SC, I had to sell my Lexus GS

noreply@blogger.com (iainmutch) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:26:00 +0000

A year ago, after a brief health scare (one that fortunately came to nothing) I felt it was time to succumb to a long-overdue mid-life crisis and buy a sports car. I'd always hankered after the SC, and it didn't take very long to sell my Lexus GS to pay for it. My wife has her own car so I didn't have to worry about losing the space in the back. Not that I would have done - I've always had a will of my own when it came to cars and this time, I figured I deserved it!

I had to buy my Lexus GS four years ago, when I wrote off my last car in an unfortunate altercation with a van (his fault, not mine - going too fast on a blind summit in wet weather). At the time, it was the perfect car for me - something sleek and executive, in a deep burgundy. As the children were still at school it also made sense to go for a four door. But it wasn't a fuddy-duddy car like some of the other dads were driving (a difference that was noted and appreciated by my kids - and their friends - more than once).

By the time my scans had come back negative, the children had already left for university and I was ready to sell my Lexus in the interests of letting what was left of my hair down and having some fun on my daily commute. It's a ninety-minute round trip every day, which adds up to another full working day over the course of the week, or a fortnight in the driving seat over the course of a year. The plan was that I would buy my Lexus SC, cut a third off that and have a little more time in the evenings to relax - as well as enjoying my drive in the first place.

I didn't want to spend long selling my Lexus - I'd recently streamlined everything, cutting out any extraneous grind I could in the interests of a stress-free life - and immediately went for the easiest option. I signed up to a specialist website to find a Lexus buyer, posted some photos and key facts, wrote a description of what I loved about it and waited for someone to get in touch. Thanks to my years working in an advertising agency I was convinced it wouldn't take long to sell my Lexus. I was desperate to get the sports car but I promised myself I would find someone to buy my Lexus before I treated myself to the new SC. After we got back from an impromptu weekend holiday and checked my inbox to find two offers there, I knew I was in business.

All in all, I reckon it probably only took about 25 minutes of work to sell my Lexus - probably one of the easiest deals I've ever done (certainly a lot quicker and more painless than waiting for the insurance to pay out after last time). The two offers were pretty close but I went with the lower one as he said he'd collect, saving me a drive and the hassle of the trip home without a car. Instead, I took the afternoon off and went to the Lexus dealership.

It was time to sell my Chrysler - but where to start?

noreply@blogger.com (iainmutch) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:26:00 +0000

I hadn't planned to sell my Chrysler. To me, Chryslers have always epitomised the American dream. Big, bold vehicles with tons of personality and plenty under the bonnet. They aren't to everyone's taste, but having spent my formative years in the States, buying my Chrysler five years ago was like going back to my childhood. I picked the PT Cruiser because of its retro-style look - and the fact that it had plenty of space in the back for those trips into the country to hike. More than once I've ended up on the back seat when my plans to sleep under the stars were met with torrential rain.

I first considered selling my Chrysler when I was made redundant two years ago. I needed the money but, on the other hand, I didn't plan on being jobless for long and I knew I would need it to get to interviews. Public transport isn't reliable enough so, although it was probably more expensive than some other cars, I kept it on for as long as I could. Ironically, the decision to sell my Chrysler only came after I had secured a new job - and one in which I was paid a considerably higher salary than in my previous position. I was offered a new company car; because the company had a spotless environmental record to keep, I felt I could hardly turn down the offer of a hybrid vehicle.

Finding a Chrysler buyer was simplicity itself. Although I was moving cities for my new job, my previous home was within 20 miles of an American airbase. I figured the same qualities that had endeared it to me would also appeal there and I would find someone to buy my Chrysler amongst the homesick Americans who had been stationed in a land of curious accents, expensive fuel, small meals and arcane traffic conventions like driving on the left. To sell my Chrysler to one of them would virtually be an act of patriotism as far as they were concerned.

My strategy to sell my Chrysler initially met with silence, to my dismay. I was so sure it was going to be a winner. Then I joined a couple of online groups and started posting adverts and photos, and I soon had people emailing me with interest. I arranged to meet four of them one afternoon and drove over to the airbase - having spent the morning cleaning the car and shifting all the camping equipment out of the boot. Three of them turned up, and one of them made me an offer to buy my Chrysler on the spot. I used the time-honoured trick of telling her I had another interested person to meet later that afternoon, and that I'd get back to her. In the event, it didn't prompt a higher offer - either she saw right through me or the low dollar was biting and she was reluctant to spend any more. Either way, selling my Chrysler was a smooth and easy process and I got a decent price when I drove back the next day - all the more so for the fact that I wasn't having to pay for my new car!

I had to sell my Audi and it was even easier than I hoped

noreply@blogger.com (iainmutch) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:24:00 +0000

Whilst an Audi TT is a lot of fun to drive, we are a one-car family and when fatherhood loomed I knew I'd need to find something a little more child-friendly.

Unfortunately, I hadn't the faintest clue where to start when I decided to sell my Audi. I knew that if I could find the right person I could convince them to buy my Audi; that would just be a matter of giving them the keys and letting them have half an hour behind the wheel (which was twice as long as it took me). The sports car comes with a 3.2L VR6 engine, four-wheel drive system, spoiler and improved suspension, which means it is more predictable and safer than the earlier models. Driving an Audi TT is a world apart from the kind of car I'll be using in the future, but needs must.

I started by making my car as attractive as possible to prospective Audi buyers. I cleaned it inside and out and took it in to have it polished and repair a scratch on one of the doors I'd been putting off dealing with. Once I'd finished it looked as good as new, making me remember the reasons I'd bought an Audi in the first place. Sleek lines and gleaming bodywork, it looks as good as it handles on the winding country roads on my journey to work.

After that I put the word out among my colleagues that I wanted to sell my Audi. I'd bought my Audi on the recommendation of one of my friends and figured that if I could enthuse my workmates enough I might find a suitable buyer of my own that way. I knew that at least one of them was looking for a new car, and didn't have the same restrictions that I did. At the very least, they might have an Audi buyer in mind amongst their own friends and families, and employing the power of networking seemed like the smartest thing to do. It would also avoid any commissions from third parties.

At the same time, I wasn't prepared to put all my eggs in one basket so I started hunting around on the internet for suitable Audi buyers. I also did some research into what sort of prices other people were after so I could sell my Audi for a similar amount. It varied a lot, depending on the age and condition of the car, but I was pleased to discover that I would have plenty of change after trading down to my new family model. I delayed placing an advert in the local paper because I was sure I could do it quickly myself and avoid any fees.

As it happened, I found a suitable buyer for my Audi within a week. One of my friends put me in touch with one of his colleagues and the deal was done the following weekend. I managed to sell my Audi quickly, easily and painlessly, and as I had expected he was thoroughly impressed with his new TT. Although I should have been pleased, I was actually a little dismayed at the time - I had counted on keeping it for at least another month! Still, I wasn't in a position to pass over the opportunity. We agreed the deal and I took a taxi home to continue searching for my own new ride.

I had to sell my Land Rover thanks to fuel prices and congestion charging

noreply@blogger.com (iainmutch) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:16:00 +0000

I've always loved 4x4s, so I wasn't happy when I had to sell my Land Rover Discovery. There is something about driving such a wide, robust vehicle, sitting high above most of the rest of the traffic, that makes me feel safe and secure - something I value on London's busy and often frenetic roads. There is plenty of space in the back for my kids (and all the paraphernalia that goes with them!) and I knew that I would probably be well cushioned in the unfortunate event of a crash, which was reassuring. Selling my Land Rover wasn't my own choice - it was force of circumstances, and the straw that broke the camel's back was the London Mayor's promise to hike the congestion tax to unreasonably high levels.

When I went to buy my Land Rover a few years back, I knew I'd be paying a little more for fuel than other road users, but reasoned that it was worth it for the benefits of space and safety. Insurance was a lot higher than my previous car, too, but again - worth the difference for the peace of mind it afforded me. I also knew I'd have to fork out for London's new congestion charge on a daily basis, which was steadily rising since it had been introduced in 2003.

When it was announced that the charge could be raised to £25 per day for the most polluting vehicles, I gave up: I would have to sell my Land Rover. It didn't help that fuel prices had recently spiked, too. I could put up with it in the short term, but I knew things wouldn't be getting any better - probably the opposite. I set about finding a Land Rover buyer. I had heard that the Discovery retains around half its original purchase price after three years, so I wouldn't do too badly out of it in the end. I considered putting an ad in the local paper, but the classifieds were already chock full of 4x4s so I didn't bother. I wasn't in a great hurry so I decided to go with word-of-mouth for the time being.

I found someone to sell my Land Rover to within a fortnight - another mum at the same school my kids go to, who was looking to upgrade from her estate. My 4x4 was in pretty good condition - despite buying it for its rugged look and safety record I'd actually avoided having too many bumps and dings - and she made me an offer. With a third child on the way she was pleased to get a second hand car at a good price, so my new Land Rover buyer drove away happy. I walked away happy too (as far as the taxi rank, anyway), determined that, despite having to sell my Land Rover, I would still cheat the Mayor by finding a car that was as safe and spacious but didn't incur his fiendish new charge.