Hi everyone,
I seem to be seeking a lot more advice than I'm offering at the moment, hope you'll indulge me a little more...
I've finally decided to get the new car and so the Xantia must go. Thing is, I've never sold a car before and to tell the truth I'm not sure I can be bothered will all the palava (real word?). I've read HJ's guide, but I want to absolutely minimise the hassle of selling.
The nice chap in the garage suggested I tried an auction, but I'm concerned that it'll go for £50 and I'll have to pay £60 + commission to the auctioneer. Can I set a minimum acceptable price? If it doesn't make it, will I still have to pay the fee?
What about a smaller garages offering cash? I realise I'll not exactly get top book that way, but how bad could it be?
I was interested in the advice Becky got about insuring her car so it could be test driven by potential buyers, but it's all £££ and given the bandits who insure me, it'll probably cost more than I get for the car.
Oh, and finally how much could I realistically hope to get? It's a 93/94L Xantia 1.6i LX with FCitroenSH, 120k, full MOT and everything working on it; I'm the cars second owner. Parkers give £1455 for good, £790 trade and £330 fair, I'd guess since it's all working fine I should try something nearer the trade price. Parkers say that condition is more important than mileage on older cars.
[Mark/Martyn, I'm not actually trying to sell it here, I've just put down the detail for advice, hope that's OK, otherwise please remove - Thanks]
Any advice, as ever, much appreciated. Oh and I need to get rid of it this month.
Lee.
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"And I'm going to have to stop talking as I've got a lump in my throat"
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In our local paper there are 2 or 3 adverts for cars bought for cash. These are traders buying cars for the what the americans call the 'transportation' end of the market. Thats what we did with my mother's rusty but in running order old Renault. No costs involved minimum hassle, and you don't have to accept their offer if it's too low. The other thing you coukd do is find a dealer who is having a special offer minimum trade in £1500. You have to be careful with these though. Check that the car you are buying is not overpriced and that their are no hidden extras. It is alleged that a local trader was taken to court by TSO for having a huge advertisement offering £1000 minimum px, but what it didn't say was you had to use their finance. Good luck!
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I traded in my 1993 1.8 SX in May for a new C5. I got £1350 for the Xantia, £1000 'bonus' discount then £2,200 cashback on the C5. BTW, the C5 is a 2.2 HDI Exclusive and I'm well pleased with it.
Don't know if that helps any, though!
Graeme
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Lee,
Are these cars known for cambelt/pulley/tensioner issues?
What's the status of yours?
Regards.
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I don't think the Xantia is any more prone than other cars using a timing belt, but I had mine changed at 98k as a precaution. And following the advice from this forum, I get the oil changed every 5k. I do it more for my own peace of mind, as I don't think anyone reading an ad for my car would care about that sort of thing.
It's hearteneing to hear that >£1350 is acheiveable for a 1.8SX, I'd be happy with a lot less than that just to add to the deposit for the MINI.
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Lee,
I hesitate to be negative on the site, you may have potential buyers looking in....but here goes.
Your Xantia will make someone a brilliant sub-£1000 car but you need to keep the price realistic. C5 owners trade-in deal was purely because Citroen are looking for excuses to shift the C5 at any cost, by seeming to up the trade-in that minimises the extra visible discounting on the new car.
You mention a retail of about £1450 which is what I'd expect a dealer to ask. The trade price of £790 is what you should get for a p/ex against a more expensive car, not the trade cash buying in price. The figure of £330 is actually the rock bottom auction value and the trade cash price would be not too far above that.
I bet your car is rust free with a tidy interior and rides well, I wish I had a buyer for it!
To get real you need to try it privately at a maximum of the "trade" £790 and be prepared to talk lower for a cash sale.
Please mail me for more specific advice. Good luck.
David W
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I agree - Citroen seem to be bending over backwards just now to shift cars! In point of fact, another Citroen Dealer offered me £1500 for the Xantia - as well as all the other discounts. Problem was he couldn't source the car I wanted (so he said) before the end of the month, at which point that 'cashback' offer ended (and another one started!)
Maybe this is getting a bit off the point but the whole business certainly made me a bit (more!)cynical about car-buying.For the record, I wanted a black C5. The first few dealers I phoned round said they had nothing on their 'system'. Then two dealers said they could source one no bother. They all claimed to be looking at the same computer! Perhaps the guy who offered me £1500 on the Xantia was trying hard to shift another colour. On the other hand, when I eventually bought the car in May, I found it had been built in July 2001. Was there a 'stockpiled' list in addition to a 'factory fresh' list? Did I get a good deal because the car was months old before delivery? I'll never know! Not really complaining of course, because as it happens, I bought it from a really good Cit dealer (contradiction in terms?)
This dealer is listed on honestjohn's list of one of the top dealers in Scotland - I can see why!
Anyway - good luck with sale of your Xantia. They are brilliant cars - sadly underrated in my opinion.C5 will probably follow suit!
Graeme
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I have driven the C5 1.8 LX and 2.2 HDI SX Auto. Both are lovely cars, the 2.2 is like s**t off a shovel, don't wish to self incriminate, but found myself doing the speed limit and a half very easily and effortlessly (between 2 roundabouts a short distance apart). For any coppers reading, the car park had a 10mph limit.......
Both are extremely comfortable, but I am sad to see the lever type of backrest adjustment, I prefer to see the rotary knob as it offers more control over position.
Do you reckon I can get £5000 p/x for my 3 year old Xsara 1.4 24,000 miles? Have seen a wicked red 2.0 HDI 110 LX manual with 31,000 miles for under £9k. Nice.
Dreaming over... let's worry more about tomorrows MOT and clutch cable.
Ben
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As someone trying to sell a 1998 MR2 with full Toyota service history, invoices and the previous MOT cert (including the current one as well!) Im finding it very difficult to shift it.
The Toyota garage I bought it off brand new for £22k, have offered me £6k for it but said they wouldn't sell it on their forecourt because it has 71000 miles.
When I pointed out when I was buying it, I was told its better to run cars on long journeys and a higher mileage wont affect the trade in price unduly(!) whereas a low mileage car subject to constant stop and start driving would ruin the engine, I was told that particular salesman doesn't work there anymore. How convenient.
Independent garages offered even less! Adverts have produced little interest except from the 'can I drive your sports car, mister' brigade!
Looks like I'll have to let the dealer have it and I know he'll have it on his forecourt later for around £8750.
Yet another reason to buy an import!
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Seems like a good offer when compared to the values on What cars website. Is it a T-Bar?
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