SK Motors 4 Posted February 1, 2017 As a part time home trader, I only sell one or two cars at a time. I have had a 2010 Bmw 320d M Sport 4 door saloon for sale since the start of December with virtually no interest at all. This is the first time this has happened to me. I've had two of these models before and sold both within 3 - 5 days of advertising. This one has 85k miles, Bmw dealer history, I've had it serviced by an independent bmw specialist which included a vehicle check, it's a 6 speed manual, silver with unmarked leather interior. I paid Cap clean for it in November plus delivery, plus service costs etc and I believe I have it advertised at just under current retail value on Autotrader. Has been on eBay numerous times but all I've had is ridiculous part ex offers ! I also have it on my Facebook page which has had some interest but nothing serious. What would you guys do in this situation? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jack Regan 116 Posted February 1, 2017 Do you want 2000 and a 51 reg punto with 19 inch wheels fitted for it . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justina3 518 Posted February 1, 2017 I have had cars with me so long i have bought them a birthday card and a small cake with one candle to mark the event. i feel your pain 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreenGiant 287 Posted February 1, 2017 I've had one that got a blue plaque from English Heritage. 6 weeks not sold is nowt - some main dealers have cars 6 weeks before they're prepped and on sale. Keep the faith. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
metcars 397 Posted February 1, 2017 I agree sit tight. Christmas time is so difficult. Some guys never stop selling and some guys 'dry up'. Christmas isn't over until everyones had their January pay slips! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby who 41 Posted February 1, 2017 Have 2 here just 11 months. Have spent hundreds in advertising them. If they don't move in the next 6 weeks there off to a friend in the trade. Thankfully it doesn't happen too often, but it happens. 2 months is nothing especially this time of year. Having more stock would mean the phone is always going and something is always selling. Thus you're less likely to get depressed or wonder if the world is going to end 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
metcars 397 Posted February 2, 2017 I must admit that where 'landmarks' are concerned I tend to give them a break for a week or so rather than advertise them continually 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey 19 Posted February 2, 2017 2 hours ago, metcars said: I must admit that where 'landmarks' are concerned I tend to give them a break for a week or so rather than advertise them continually Great advice! I do this occasionally and it does attract new attention. Make sure you take fresh photo's though, and try to 'pep up' the description too! Try a 'ladder' shot from above!! Have you done any short film clips of the car? Create a YouTube channel to upload them to, and then link the clips to your adverts... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SC Derby 259 Posted February 2, 2017 I had a couple of Vauxhalls in for an average of 6 months at the back end of last year. 2011 Insignia 1.8 Petrol, 27k, FULL VX HISTORY, Lovely car in dark blue. Took 8 months to sell, dropped from £6290 to £5890 to £5500 to £5290. Put it back up to £5800 and it sold within 6 days. Still made a slight profit on the books but guess taking into account storage and advertising its a loss. 2010 Astra 2,0 CDTi SRi 157 BHP 56k. Heated seats. FULL HISTORY 5 stamps at VX, On the face of it a desirable car I thought. Took 5 months or so to shift, had interest at first then died a death. Guy comes says its easy best one he's seen and buys it with no test drive. No rhyme or reason sometimes so my message is don't panic. Both those cars sold within 3 days of each other after being in stock the time listed. Both customers were delighted with their cars (literally). 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's me 615 Posted February 2, 2017 4 hours ago, tradex said: Agree don't panic, if its still car you buy anyway just wait. You will have to replace the car with an unknown one, good to remember that. absolutely correct i said exactly the same today having sold a landmark yesterday that i lost count of the amount of adverts it had,it was a cracker so no way was i shooting it to sell it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david gott 58 Posted February 2, 2017 It's a strange old game, especially when you only have a couple of cars on the go it can stress you out thinking what am I doing wrong etc, but if you can get some more stock it will keep you busy and will take your mind off the ones that have been sat a little longer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
umesh 336 Posted February 3, 2017 Sit on it , do not panic ! Thats just how this job is .... if it was easy everyone would be doing it .. Oh everyone is doing it ! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted February 3, 2017 47 minutes ago, umesh said: Sit on it , do not panic ! Thats just how this job is .... if it was easy everyone would be doing it .. Oh everyone is doing it ! Ha, ain't that the truth. Probably worth a thread of it's own, but has there even been as many Tom, Dick or Harry's out there? Close to me one bloke has just called it a day. Then again if I took up plastering or plumbing I doubt I'd last very long either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justina3 518 Posted February 3, 2017 Slightly off topic, a friend I have known for years always turns over more stock than me from his house or petrol station forecourt, recently he thought the grass was greener on the other side and rented a forecourt I bumped into him on Saturday in the auctions and he has thrown the towel in already, said sales had almost halved and the amount of come backs where insane. I did feel somewhat smug then he went and out bid me on four cars.....sigh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SK Motors 4 Posted February 3, 2017 Thanks for all the comments so far. I was expecting more along the lines of "You're no good at what you're doing" or "If you can't sell that then you shouldn't be doing this" etc. It's given me more confidence hearing the more established dealers experiences and also surprised me. I think what's made me more worried is the other car I have in stock is an Audi A4 1.8t convertible S line which I made the fatal mistake of buying for somebody who then decided they didn't want a convertible! That was in October last year so I've decided to sit on that one and wait for the weather to get better ( Could be waiting a while for that) ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justina3 518 Posted February 3, 2017 28 minutes ago, tradex said: What I can say is that when you do sell it. ...as the brake lights dim in the distance, and you bid farewell the phone will melt and the whole of the UK will want it and say "ohh its sold is it? I've been looking ages too" how on earth can this happen time and time again the odds must be close to winning the lottery but i get it all the bloody time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CJ Underhill 34 Posted February 3, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 2:09 PM, SK Motors said: As a part time home trader, I only sell one or two cars at a time. I have had a 2010 Bmw 320d M Sport 4 door saloon for sale since the start of December with virtually no interest at all. This is the first time this has happened to me. I've had two of these models before and sold both within 3 - 5 days of advertising. This one has 85k miles, Bmw dealer history, I've had it serviced by an independent bmw specialist which included a vehicle check, it's a 6 speed manual, silver with unmarked leather interior. I paid Cap clean for it in November plus delivery, plus service costs etc and I believe I have it advertised at just under current retail value on Autotrader. Has been on eBay numerous times but all I've had is ridiculous part ex offers ! I also have it on my Facebook page which has had some interest but nothing serious. What would you guys do in this situation? As others have said, sit tight on it and keep your eye out for another one, because the moment you finally sell it, the phone wont stop ringing for it 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby who 41 Posted February 6, 2017 On 03/02/2017 at 0:54 PM, tradex said: What I can say is that when you do sell it. ...as the brake lights dim in the distance, and you bid farewell the phone will melt and the whole of the UK will want it and say "ohh its sold is it? I've been looking ages too" Oh how sooo true this is! Just happened my this morning Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mat C 77 Posted February 6, 2017 Personally I would price it to sell it ASAP. I was educated in PLC businesses and we would have a strict 30/60/90 day stocking policy. Premium Price for the first 10 days after its advertised, check weekly against the market ( sometimes increasing the price ) if its still there a few weeks later and approaching 60 days re price, re picture and re describe. After that its gotta be gone by 90 days ( otherwise we got a £1000 fine ) so we priced it cheapest in the UK and got it gone. I still instill this myself in my own business and have an average days in stock of around 25 days. I have around 110% stock turn. If I have a £5000 car sat for 3 months I always think there's something else I can invest that £5k in to make a few ££ get the ££ back in the bank and move on ( and learn....... always learning ) My 10p worth anyway 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david gott 58 Posted February 6, 2017 56 minutes ago, tradex said: Good business sense that, more so with newer stock that's loosing money quicker, a new face and all that. ...but I'd argue that with the older cheapy stock sometimes that rule can be broken and never more so than in the mad months. I couldn't agree more with this, I do really well with old, lowish mileage stock, I tend to sit on them for longer waiting for the right customer, bought a 53 plate Cmax in November £700 full ford history, 70k, sold it today for £1700. However I've had a fiat 500 63 plate, lovely colour, 29k miles bought for 5k a month ago, haven't had much interest and I know I'm going to have to reduce it soon, I'll probably make more on the Cmax. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 164 Posted February 6, 2017 2 hours ago, david gott said: I couldn't agree more with this, I do really well with old, lowish mileage stock, I tend to sit on them for longer waiting for the right customer, bought a 53 plate Cmax in November £700 full ford history, 70k, sold it today for £1700. However I've had a fiat 500 63 plate, lovely colour, 29k miles bought for 5k a month ago, haven't had much interest and I know I'm going to have to reduce it soon, I'll probably make more on the Cmax. Same here older low mileage cars have bigger margins across them and sell better, Ive has newer cars with half the margin sat for months so gave up on them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ocsltd 133 Posted February 6, 2017 1 minute ago, Tom said: Same here older low mileage cars have bigger margins across them and sell better, Ive has newer cars with half the margin sat for months so gave up on them Yeah same here, I find them better built and less to go wrong! Give me a low mileage R Reg Toyota Corolla all day long.....! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SK Motors 4 Posted February 6, 2017 Well I've had a phone call this evening from a woman who saw the 320d on my Facebook page, she wants to come and view it on Saturday morning so fingers crossed it'll be moving on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grant8064 219 Posted February 7, 2017 11 hours ago, Tom said: Same here older low mileage cars have bigger margins across them and sell better, Ive has newer cars with half the margin sat for months so gave up on them And me! Always do better with older stuff than newer plates money wise. The only gripe with older stock is the after sales issues. Find usually when I sell a 62/63 plate whatever it goes and that's it. When I get rid of a 53/54 plate lump I almost always get a call saying there is an issue at some point no matter how well prepped and road tested Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
