Private Sale, sell or SOR?

[Colin P]

Would be interested in your thoughts.

Basically, Aside from the kids cars, we need 1 car (the practical one), but nice to have a second. We have 3. The Evora just isn't being used, the wife will kill me if I sell the JCW and I have been thinking of selling one or other of them a while. Finally made the decision that I will be parting ways with the Evora. It should be attractive as a one owner, Hethel Edition Auto with 24K on it, which other than a single bit of kerb rash on one wheel is pretty much spotless.

Here's the rub - which is best.

Private Sale - obviously potential for best price - but how on earth do you take payment for this sort of money >£50K and be certain that the money cannot be recalled and how would you do test drives? I've seen some private sales sit around (appreciating people like to deal with a dealer). Would advertising it privately affect the appetite for a dealer to take it on?

Sale to Dealer - the easiest and safest, but obviously it results in the least return (on the plus side, the band aid approach!)

SOR - Mid option. I am concerned though (given current climate) as to what protections I'd have if between the sale and the money being paid to me the dealership should do bust. Has anyone done this and know what protections would/should reasonably be in place.

Finally, my plate E17ORA. Private sale I'd be inclined to leave it on as a bonus for the buyer, but for trade in/SOR remove it and sell separately.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[Barrykearley]

Once money is in your account - a quick call to them will confirm if it’s cleared funds and non-recallable.

If you advertise on autotrader - then you will possibly get all manner of numpties ringing up wanting a thrash. I know when I bought my Evora the chap was somewhat surprised I rocked up - asked if it started - and then just transferred the funds to him. First time I drove it was home. 
 

The person whom bought my old one - he didn’t drive it at all until it was delivered to him. Folks do understand.
 

I would be inclined to advertise on here - if someone has the cash - then they will be quick on you - but again - they simply wouldn’t be driving it until they have paid for the car.

some folks find that strange - and wouldn’t go for that - but ask yourself if you fancy trying to claim off their insurance and dealing with that pain.

 

Theres a lot to be said for just handing it to a dealer. Have you looked on webuyanycar

[pete]

Dealers need stock at the moment and are paying good money. That would be my preferred way

[Bibs]

At this price point I think most would rather go through a dealer for the included prep (sounds like none required but all the same) and more importantly to most, the warranty and sale of goods act protections. There's also the fact that they can offer decent finance although I appreciate anyone can get a private loan. 

I'm sure a few dealers will offer a good SoR fee, first calls would be Jamie and Aimee to see what they can offer.

I think 'private' dealers would offer low and cash then and there as their incentive so I'd be calling an official dealer if I were you. 

[exeterjeep]

Selling straight to a good dealer means you do not have to faff about with members of the public. Not sold a car privately for some time. 

Looks like your nearest dealer is B&C, might be worth calling Jamie to see what sort of price he might give you for it, if he is looking for good stock then you may do ok?

[Colin P]

11 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Theres a lot to be said for just handing it to a dealer. Have you looked on webuyanycar

£44K 

I got some numbers from a dealer a few months back. If anything they should have gone up a touch and it was a lot more than that to buy outright and £50+ expected SOR.

[pete]

Do you want £50000 or is that what you expect the dealer to sell it at. Difficult to sell a car privately for that sort of money

[Colin P]

4 minutes ago, Bibs said:

"sounds like none required"

Sounds like, sounds like - you know me better than that @Bibs 

[exeterjeep]

Webuyanycar was less than Evans Halshaw when I sold my Jeep. Just done a WBAC on my gt430 - £48k. No way.

[Colin P]

Just now, pete said:

Do you want £50000 or is that what you expect the dealer to sell it at. Difficult to sell a car privately for that sort of money

This is what the dealer expected to be handing over to me. I'd probably put it up at £55K

[jep]

I sold my £50k+ LF1 privately and Evora S. All very easy and two fab buyers. No time wasters at all. 

AutoTrader and Pistonheads are my preferred choice. TLF is good but does not attract massive number of eyeballs but is free. A good place to start and if no joy, pay for PHeads or ATrader. 

Neither buyer drove the cars I sold. One did not see it at all, the other refused a test drive. 

Justin

 

[pete]

Castle have an early 400 up for £53150

[Ba55uma]

SOR is the better option. Hard selling private at the price point. Webuyanycrap is hardly representative about the market value. 

Try a couple of dealers and see what they can offer. As said above, ring  Jamie @ B&C or Aimee @Lotus Silverstone. They both will go the extra mile to help you out with the best deal. 

[pete]

Also depends on how quick you need the money

[C8RKH]

2 hours ago, Colin P said:

This is what the dealer expected to be handing over to me. I'd probably put it up at £55K

Keep it. And join me on the IoM with it this summer. You know it makes sense!  You'll regret selling it in the long run. Trust me. I know....

[Whitey]

Take the risk - sell the JCW!  Or sell both and get an Emira as a more daily usable car

[Colin P]

@C8RKH That is probably the biggest regret that both of us would have. I have after all had an Evora for the best part of 10 years and it's time for a change. That said we'd probably have something half presentable and try and join you (in the evenings) anyway, if you'd have us.

SWMBO has agreed that if I let the Lotus go and we can agree on something "for the weekend" she will agree to let the Mini go too. Problem is she has (in her usual car choosing style) already discounted an SLC43 and Abarth 124 Spyder because the bonnets are too long (to be fair she may have a point with the Merc) and the only thing she didn't discount is the TT (I know, I know). So I'm thinking that the sensible/practical car may need to be a Giulia.

4 minutes ago, Whitey said:

Take the risk - sell the JCW!  Or sell both and get an Emira as a more daily usable car

I need 5 seats and if not an estate, a roof rack for the "sensible" car. I've not ruled out an Emira once they come onto the second hand market. I'll probably have that itch again then. 

[TomE]

Sorry to hear it's going Colin.  As Andy says, you'll regret it.  Mine only does 3000 miles a year and low usage doesn't have to be a reason to reduce the fleet size.

Dealers are very short of stock so either a sale to dealer or SOR should be least hassle and a fair price.  Jamie and Aimee definitely the two to approach.

Might also be worth a quick chat with Will Blackham, Giles Cooper and Guy Munday.  As well as buying for their own stock they are often asked to source particular cars, so may have a buyer in the wings.  Guy helped me look for an Exige and I bought mine from Giles.  He was very keen to buy my Evora last summer and wanted to keep in touch for when I trade it in against the Emira.  Guy is ex Stratton and Giles is ex Castle.

[exeterjeep]

4 minutes ago, Colin P said:

I'll probably have that itch again then. 

As Justin has on his member info...  Lotus - there is no cure

I can see the sense in selling now, having a few months without a Lotus and re join the Lotus fold with a s/h Emira towards the end of this year.

[C8RKH]

40 minutes ago, Colin P said:

if you'd have us.

Always a pleasure to spend time with you and Big C no matter what car you're driving UNLESS it is a TT. FFS, you'd need you're brain to be impaled on a spike to think of that as a proper sports car lol. Better to upgrade to a new JCW!

I needed a new run around and spent £12k on a Seat Arona - 2018, one owner, 18k miles and 2 year SEAT warranty. Does all i need it to do to get me to to the train station, B&Q, etc. No fuss, no hassle and with cruise control even the monthly 600m round trip to Cheshire is not a chore.

@exeterjeep I really can't see any 2nd hand Emira's being around at the end of this year at any form of discount to new.  

@Colin P - the hethel 400's were the pick of the bunch/range. You really are gonna miss it bud. Having said all of that have been recently looking at the Giulia's, the pick of the range for me has to be the 2.0T Veloce Auto's and you can pick up a cracker for £25k. The Quadrupplefarto is breath-taking but at too high a price to buy and run, the Veloce gives you 90% of the thrill for 40%-50% of the costs. Thinking the Arona may be due an upgrade in a couple of months.

[MJON]

@Colin P I sold a Lotus and Porsche (£35 and £55k respectively) Didn’t bother with Autotrader as sold a Golf GTI previously and there are a lot of idiots you have to deal with before you get the right buyer. I chose to use Wizzle, really excellent process it is only traders/dealers that are signed up, absolutely painless, with easy transfer of funds, had the money before cars left my property. The Lotus went to a specialist and the Porsche went to a official Porsche Dealer. You load your car onto their site, you’ll get some automatic responses and then individual dealers will bid, it’s open on their site for I think seven days, you have no obligation to sell and can withdraw at anytime with no cost to yourself. Others say Motorway and Cazoo operate similarly, although I haven’t tried them and of course put into WBAC as a point of reference.

[Colin P]

@C8RKH Agree on the Seat. Of course the daily is the Leon FR ST and as you say does everything you need very nicely. 
 

Agree also on the Giulia Veloce. That is what I was looking at. I think 250-300 bhp is a sweet spot for a road car. 

[MJON]

@exeterjeep2nd hand Emira before the end of this year ⁉️More chance of being artificially inseminated with Unicorn Sperm 😂😂😂 

[Colin P]

You’ll probably get more gif the Arona than you paid. Got a mate that was just looking at one. Bugger all at £12k. More like £18k. 

[Gashead1105]

Aimee sold my Hethel Edition in the summer. Took a few weeks but no complaints really. Much harder to sell an Evora privately at this price point, unless someone is looking on the facebook page and has posted a wanted ad I wouldn't try really.

 

PS no regrets selling mine when I did, but I couldn't cope for long without a Lotus in the garage!