Insignia DTi - Stupid Newbie Question

[CCC 31]

Hi,

We've been trading for 14 months now, I'm new to the business (have run other businesses before) and my business partner worked in main dealers for many years.

Due to the value of cars/area most purchases have been without part exchange which makes life simpler but does mean we've missed out on some opportunities.

Just had someone to look at a 2005 Cooper S Checkmate which we've got up at £2895. He's got a 2011 Insignia 2.0DTI with 61K miles which is too big and he wants something smaller and saw the MINI walking past which is pretty immaculate. AT puts his Insignia at circa £2850 (Retail circa £4400), so pre-inspection I quoted £2700 to allow for wear and tear, etc. so only £195 to change.

He's viewed the MINI and wants it (the kind of test drive/inspection where the keeness shows through from the start). The Insignia looks clean on inspection, minor dent to sill where not properly jacked at some point.  Wheels painted black (car is white with rear tints), no doubt by previous selling dealer as looks a pro job, evidence of repair to bumper quarter as paint mismatch to body but no evidence of overspray or accident damage.  So all roughly OK, might chip a bit more due to bumper.

We discuss servicing, FSH up to 52K miles but he's just had oil service due to low oil pressure light coming on. Alarm bells start ringing as remember comments re Vauxhalls from here. Quick google and it seems a well known fault that can be fixed but if not done soon enough then destroy bottom end bearings.

As I've lost confidence in the car due to this, I wouldn't want to sell it myself without repair and that's a can of worms in terms of cost. So gut feel is to decline the Part Ex. Business partner has some contacts to see if they would be interested in it, but curious to know the opinions of those on here as to what they'd do in these circumstances. This sale is dependent on part exchange but we've got others lined up to buy otherwise. So it's about whether I'm being over cautious and missing a profit opportunity in the Insignia rather than anything else.

 

[David Ayers 171]

3 minutes ago, CCC said:

but we've got others lined up to buy otherwise

I would look for another deal.

I like Insignias. This one sounds like it has an issue.

[MrV 66]

4 minutes ago, CCC said:

Hi,

We've been trading for 14 months now, I'm new to the business (have run other businesses before) and my business partner worked in main dealers for many years.

Due to the value of cars/area most purchases have been without part exchange which makes life simpler but does mean we've missed out on some opportunities.

Just had someone to look at a 2005 Cooper S Checkmate which we've got up at £2895. He's got a 2011 Insignia 2.0DTI with 61K miles which is too big and he wants something smaller and saw the MINI walking past which is pretty immaculate. AT puts his Insignia at circa £2850 (Retail circa £4400), so pre-inspection I quoted £2700 to allow for wear and tear, etc. so only £195 to change.

He's viewed the MINI and wants it (the kind of test drive/inspection where the keeness shows through from the start). The Insignia looks clean on inspection, minor dent to sill where not properly jacked at some point.  Wheels painted black (car is white with rear tints), no doubt by previous selling dealer as looks a pro job, evidence of repair to bumper quarter as paint mismatch to body but no evidence of overspray or accident damage.  So all roughly OK, might chip a bit more due to bumper.

We discuss servicing, FSH up to 52K miles but he's just had oil service due to low oil pressure light coming on. Alarm bells start ringing as remember comments re Vauxhalls from here. Quick google and it seems a well known fault that can be fixed but if not done soon enough then destroy bottom end bearings.

As I've lost confidence in the car due to this, I wouldn't want to sell it myself without repair and that's a can of worms in terms of cost. So gut feel is to decline the Part Ex. Business partner has some contacts to see if they would be interested in it, but curious to know the opinions of those on here as to what they'd do in these circumstances. This sale is dependent on part exchange but we've got others lined up to buy otherwise. So it's about whether I'm being over cautious and missing a profit opportunity in the Insignia rather than anything else.

 

Go with your gut, you'll lose nothing by not taking part ex but could lose if you do take part ex

[MattR 177]

You dont need to do this guy a favour. Every time ive done a deal where the deal involves very little cash, theres a problem (normally significant) with the swapper that I hadnt spotted, intermittent running fault etc. I'm happier taking swappers for a few hundred quid, can always get rid of them. So go with your gut, and sell to someone else. If he really wants your car, he can use WBAC and turn up with the cash

[CCC 31]

Thanks folks. My gut feel was exactly this but good to know I wasn't being over cautious. MattR's comment especially as the minute he told me his swapper over the phone i was wary for that reason. He's a nice guy, but I suspect the garage who did the oil change might have told him to get rid.

[David Horgan 564]

Would be a NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO from me on that deal my friend , low oil get rid , px it to a dealer , tell him to sell it private and come back for the Mini . 

Or tell him grow a pair and have it fixed like he should do 

Edited January 18, 2019 by David Horgan

[Tony911 79]

Offer him silly money knowing theres a fault and will be a big bill to repair. £1300 for insignia if he wants it fair deal you could move it on via auction if not you not missing out on much really

[Max Branning 149]

The fact its white with black wheels and tinted windows would put me off straight away !

Boy racer car sounds like ? Typical estate buyer might be put off ?

If its got problems adjust your offer accordingly, any initial valuation is based on car being 100% yes ? Work out what you expect to spend on it and what you expect to retail it at. Then offer from there...

If its not good enough for him then let him walk.

[Rory RSC 596]

46 minutes ago, MattR said:

You dont need to do this guy a favour. Every time ive done a deal where the deal involves very little cash, theres a problem (normally significant) with the swapper that I hadnt spotted, intermittent running fault etc. I'm happier taking swappers for a few hundred quid, can always get rid of them. So go with your gut, and sell to someone else. If he really wants your car, he can use WBAC and turn up with the cash

This. 

These Insignias are awful when problems occur I remember buying one from Central Car Auctions Glasgow that let go on me about 8 miles down the road. I learned that day why to buy main dealer stock rather than small dealer direct stock. Learned the hard way.

[EPV 631]

When someone says to me they want a smaller car, that usually sets my spidey senses tingling. Smaller engine yes. Smaller car? I dunno. Who drives an insignia and thinks "you know what I could do with? Less room"

That's not really THAT relevant here but I do find it odd when people want to downsize.

[Stalker 180]

The low oil pressure warning on start up is due to a seal between the sump and the oil pump, bit fiddly to do... budget around £150 to do.

The perished seal causes the oil to fall back out of the pump and into the sump.

[CCC 31]

Have spoken to him and he’s going to get it fixed but I’ve said the Mini deal is off (well we won’t take it as p/ex). Next viewer due tomorrow. If we had space I’d have been more tempted but got Freelander and Ibiza due in so would like straight deal with no prep.

[It's me 615]

there is no law.......yet.....that says you have to take customers car at x value coz book says so

why not offer to take it off his hands at a bag of sand and block the thing

[CCC 31]

He really needed £2k plus to make the deal work for him, and with no idea what level of damage done already I decided best left. I guess the tints and painted wheels etc didn’t help my attitude towards it either. He’s a local guy and I didn’t want to bid him too stupidly. Two other people interested with cash so just simpler that way I felt.

[ExCouncilJobsworth 27]

£2k plus 

White car black wheels and tins....council estate chav

He's the type to come round everyday with faults on the Mini...

He wont get it fixed. He'll flog it. 

 

[trade vet 703]

Hi CCC

The guys are right.I see that your business partner has worked in main dealers for many years,so he will have some bad habits.I doubt he will be in at 8 each morning washing off the stock !

[sparky 274]

13 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Hi CCC

The guys are right.I see that your business partner has worked in main dealers for many years,so he will have some bad habits.I doubt he will be in at 8 each morning washing off the stock !

Possibly not, I bet he has great taste in shoes though

[CCC 31]

Thanks for all the advice. Insignia sold by owner to Evans Halshaw today and MINI purchased with cash. Win-win, other than for Evans Halshaw perhaps. 

[sparky 274]

8 hours ago, CCC said:

Thanks for all the advice. Insignia sold by owner to Evans Halshaw today and MINI purchased with cash. Win-win, other than for Evans Halshaw perhaps. 

I'm sure EH will retail that without a care in world.

[BHM 994]

Don’t be afraid to either sack off a punter with their faulty p/xs or apologise, explain why, and then slip them a crippler of a valuation.

Assuming they have the money to spend, usually this type of punter with this sort of sickly car just ‘wants out’ and will take any bid over scrap money. THIS USUALLY ONLY WORKS FACE TO FACE, don’t hold out hope on emailers on a fishing expedition.

Yesterday I bid £300 on a low mileage 07 diesel Grand Picasso with a few lights on the dash & asked the customer if they’d prefer to sell it themselves. They screamed in unison “No!” & snatched my hand to shake it - they’d had enough of this gem & only last week they’d spent over £200 on a set of tyres. Now I’m not going to get involved with repairing the heap of shit but surely I’ll draw a few hundred profit from some budding internet scouring entrepreneur. 

PS mind you, who wants Insignias anyway? Urghhhh!!

[Mojo121 229]

On 18/01/2019 at 2:36 PM, CCC said:

which is too big and he wants something smaller

BULLSHIT. I didn’t need to read any further

The insignia is knackered pure and simple.