I used webuyanycar as a bottom line and did think about using them for a quick sale, having the option to buy the brother in laws at trade when his new car arrives. What's been interesting is seeing how much their offer has varied over the last few weeks. They have increased the offer each time after a couple of days. I can understand seasonal variations, or demand for a type in a short term but not the 'daily' variations. So I can see that there might have been a shortage of 4x4s for a week or two but not the volitility, £1,500 on £20kish over 4 weeks.
Standard practice in my experience, offer you bottom drawer incase your after a quick sale, then bump up the price gradually as time goes on, all of which is inevitable as when the time comes to drop it off/do the deal they knock the price down again for any and all little marks, and I mean little!
Obviously things vary from car to car, and county to county, but they are a business after all, in it to make money...
They haven't increased the price gradually but put it up and down.Originally Posted by Osian85
I don't expect to use them, although my son did use them. They tried their best to lower the price offered on line but did eventually pay the full amount when he stuck to his guns with the car being exactly as described - they are in the business to buy and sell cars so if there's enough profit I assume they will deal - I would still expect the worst though!
We Buy Any car is part of UK Car Group, better known as 'British Car Auctions' who also own an interest in CAP.
That is:
They own the company that buys the cars
They own the company that sells the cars
They own an interest in the company that values the cars
The 'instant' price online is the CAP clean figure (the estimated value dealers and insurers use) less (or more) a percentage by auction performance. If 20 similar cars go through auction and don't make their guide price the figure they quote you will go down. If every single one at auction sells for over its guide figure that price will go up.
They adjust these prices continually as the motor trade is a very, very volatile market. It is not just a company for the desperate seller but if you have a nice car you will generally sell to a dealer directly for a little bit more than WBAC will offer you. Harder to gauge accurately with prestige, specialist cars etc. but the same generally applies.
What was the car?
Certain cars are very desirable especially to there business model.Mainly the most popular cars such as BMW 1/3/5 etc
The online system is automated though, no manual intervention apart from managing rates etc.
It'll be based on demand and prices (probably Glasses) which they pull from automatically via API. Theres a lot of reasons it'll be fluctuating. Supply/Demand being the main one.
If you have an Evans Halshaw anywhere nearby then sell it to them, they guarantee to beat We Buy Any Car.
I did and even with some knocked off for damage (it really was damaged) they were about the same as the initial offer from We Buy Any Car.
I have used them. All the above is about right but don't be fooled by the 'we don't haggle' stance they state. I went in with a 3 series touring in so so condition, scuffed wheels, paint chips here and there, 2 bald tyres and they predictably knocked about £700 off the clean car price of £10,200 (I hadn't declared any damages so some reduction was to be expected). I just simply said that I had a trade in offer which was at around £100 less than their original clean price and if they wanted the car they would have to match it. They guy sucked his teeth, tried his best to persuade, made calls to his 'supervisor' and when I wouldn't budge an inch agreed. That is to say he raised the initial quote by £600, around 6%.
Re: Evans Halshaw, my dad tried them and found them a bunch of jokers, they claim to match the WBAC screen price but what they mean is that they will knock that price down by even more than WBAC. He tried them and when they took the p*ss he went back to WBAC who gave him about £1K more for his Merc. If you read their small print there are a lot of weasel words in there regarding their claim.
Interesting to know it's based on auction prices, it would explain the fluctuations o bit.
Wasn't impressed with my local branch when looking to sell my car. The reduction they sought for anything less than perfect bodywork was ridiculous. Wasted time.
Sold privately for £15% more, cash needed counting though!
well they told me they would buy my fiat brava (its not my car anymore but didnt trust them with my current car details) for £530. its a 99 W reg and on autotrader the cars selling at £1450. so i dont think so but i guess if you are desparate to get rid it may be a option.
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webuyanycar is linked directly to Carcraft and you will have recieved an enhanced valuation in the event you buy from them.
We Buy any car is owned by Haversham Holdings PLC. As is BCA and more recently Eddie Stobarts Automotive Logistics.
CAP is owned by Solera Holdings Inc.
We want your car is owned and operated by Manheim Auction group.
WBAC pricing is calculated by their own matrix. It is fed by auction data and some other sources. It tracks against CAP rather than drawing the data directly.
CAP is traditionally an independently run operation. It is not in CAPs interest to affiliate with any one auction group/manufacturer/banking or fleet group. 100s of millions of pounds a year are "bet" against residual values of cars by bank backed fleet companies (ALD, Lex/Lloyds etc.) and manufacturers. These residual values are largely run and tracked by CAP.
I'm not suggesting any impropriety occurs at any point.
I'm the buyer and disposals manager for a large franchised dealer group. As part of my role, I deal directly with BCA,WBAC, Fleet companies and manufacturers on an almost daily basis.
Car Craft started WBAC and sold to BCA/Haversham Holdings.
Car Craft (as it was) went into administration last year.
Low balled me by £1100 after their initial bid, sold to another car trader in the end as I didn't want to deal with the tyre kickers!
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