Selling a car on eBay

[ALindsay]

We are going to sell one of our cars soon and are considering trying eBay. Any suggestions on the best day/time to end an auction? A quick check of the site implies there is no preferences, its very random. We know week-ends are favoured for many categories; but cars are not an every day sale for most people. Thanks.

[Velorum]

Ive sold quite a few on there - mainly lower value bangers for about £500

I have found a higher percentage of time wasters and no shows with auctions ending on Friday or Saturday which is not that surprising as alcohol consumption is usually higher on these nights. The last couple I have scheduled for Sundays at around 6pm and this worked OK.

Its hard to predict things on eBay though as there are some crazy people on there these days. When it first started it was great, lots or bargains and most people were sensible. Well that how I found it anyway.

You might be better off with Gumtree. Just a thought.

[Dave+63]

As it’s a car, I’d probably want to end the auction on a Thursday evening to allow collection over the weekend. Although it really doesn’t matter as long as you end the auction at a time when more people are likely to be able to watch the auction end ie 7-930pm.

[Seiko7A38]

Any suggestions on the best day/time to end an auction?

12 hours before the scheduled end time. You'd be amazed how much extra interest it generates.

[vadiro]

As it’s a car, I’d probably want to end the auction on a Thursday evening to allow collection over the weekend. Although it really doesn’t matter as long as you end the auction at a time when more people are likely to be able to watch the auction end ie 7-930pm.

I agree.
I bought one car because it finished on Wednesday or Thursday and I was able to collect over the weekend.

On the other hand, lots of people prefer to buy from Autotrader, even if is not an auction site.

[sestrel]

I would not ever, ever sell a vehicle on fleabay. Once the sale was completed, this slimy git with little english expected me to pick him up from the station: then he attempted to rubbish the car and didnt want to pay the sale price. Didnt want to see or keep any of the bills, and wanted money for off for fuel!
I told him he could go away if he didnt want it, and I would cancel the sale. He changed his mind and took it then.
Total s.o.b A hole.
Never Again!

[Culminator]

I recently tried to sell my Father in law's Jeep on Ebay and had to relist it 4 times due to time wasters! People, mainly foreign (Polish mainly) bet each other who can win the auction, with no intention of buying. In the end I stated in the advert that anyone with a foreign name or low feedback score would have their bid cancelled immediately unless they called me. Eventually sold it to a Brit.

I'd avoid the auction format at all costs and only consider a "Classified" advert.

[Arbington]

I've sold cars on Ebay using the classified ad. Seems pretty trouble free.

[Harry Smith]

I would not ever, ever sell a vehicle on fleabay. Once the sale was completed, this slimy git with little english expected me to pick him up from the station: then he attempted to rubbish the car and didnt want to pay the sale price. Didnt want to see or keep any of the bills, and wanted money for off for fuel!
I told him he could go away if he didnt want it, and I would cancel the sale. He changed his mind and took it then.
Total s.o.b A hole.
Never Again!

These days you have to accept that people from 'other cultures' have different ways of negotiating. At least you got the sale by fronting the clown. Good job.

[D4RK1]

I'm about to put the wife's Mk5 GTI up for sale. Was looking at using eBay classifieds. Seems the way to go.

[sestrel]

Thats the thing though, if you win a bid on fleabay, you entered into a contract to pay for what you "won". Not negotiate, as one would if you sold in autotrader etc..

[mangoosian]

I have sold three cars using eBay classifieds. I found it a better option than AutoTrader.

I could put up a better and honest description and photos. I saved wasting time as the listing covered any issues too. All first time viewers bought.

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[kickstart]

Sometimes timing helps as bought a v good value 1960 Norton bike on eBay just after Christmas which had almost zero interest I suspect in the spring or summer it would have done much better and I presume that the same applies to convertibles etc

[Cooper85]

I have sold three cars using eBay classifieds. I found it a better option than AutoTrader.

I could put up a better and honest description and photos. I saved wasting time as the listing covered any issues too. All first time viewers bought.

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I have found eBay classifieds to be the best way to go in the past and have sold two cars with no problems around the 5K mark.

I put up an accurate description so there could be no negotiation on the day and found interested parties would call to get further information and arrange a time to view, so I got a feel if people were time wasters.

[ALindsay]

Thanks for comments - we've put it on tonight for a 10 day auction so it catches this week-end and ends a week on Saturday. Almost immediately we got a request in broken English asking how much to 'buy it now' We've not responded for obvious reasons.

[mtagrant]

Thanks for comments - we've put it on tonight for a 10 day auction so it catches this week-end and ends a week on Saturday. Almost immediately we got a request in broken English asking how much to 'buy it now' We've not responded for obvious reasons.

Why not respond with the price you want to achieve plus 10% ?

[ALindsay]

Why not respond with the price you want to achieve plus 10% ?

Yes, we thought of that. But, with only 4 feedback comments since 2010 we think it is just a waste of time even entertaining these jokers. If they really want the car they will bid as we started it at a really low price.

[jameswrx]

Yes, we thought of that. But, with only 4 feedback comments since 2010 we think it is just a waste of time even entertaining these jokers. If they really want the car they will bid as we started it at a really low price.

It’ll no doubt be some clown thinking they can get it for the price it’s on now.

Good luck and I’m sure you’ll be pulling your hair out at one point or another with the constant “how much to buy it now for CASH???”

I used to buy in the motor trade & sell to the trade but we tried retailing a few on eBay...

If I auctioned something I’d be barraged with “how much CASH now?” Or if the car (say £3k trade value) was currently bid to £250 I’d get emails saying “would you end it now and will pay CASH today”

If I tried buy it now with best offer it’d be ridiculous low offers. I asked one div why he even bothered offering £1k for a £12k car and if he seriously thought I’d sell it (assuming it was just some pleb messing about) and he actually replied to say I might have been desperate!

Then you’d get the vanishing winning bidder who (despite bidding in the last few minutes) would never be heard from again. Or maybe the buy it now plonker who’s “son/daughter/dog pressed buy it now”