hpilot

I have an exceptional 2000 E320 to sell, but I am having a hard time getting the word out. Has anybody sold one recently? How did you do it? It's been ten years since I sold a car, and this time around I don't seem to be having any luck. Any advice would be appreciated.

CL:
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/4885602464.html

AutoTrader:
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...ngId=393093527

RichardM98

While many people might be interested in a nice clean low mileage W210 there's a limit on how much extra they are willing to pay. Plug in $10K-$12K into the CL search engine for autos by owner and see what your competition is. Chances are you'll be competing with luxury cars 8-10 years newer. That's your problem.

If it were me I would keep driving it

01BlackE320

That would be an easy car to sell at the right price, which is probably about half of what you're asking.

hpilot

I agree with all the above, but you would think people would know the difference between an asking price and a selling price. Also dealers in my area advertise much lesser 2000 E320s for the same price or more. Hey, don't people negotiate anymore? I sold my 1995 C-Class in 2000 for over $20,000.

RichM

With an asking price of full retail for an excellent E55, folks must think you are nuts and won't bother calling. Looks like a very nice, moderately equipped low mileage car. You should expect to get in the 6K range.

hpilot

I bought a 1985 Chevy S10 Blazer new for $11,500. I sold it in 2004 (19 years old) and with 135,000 miles for $3,000. That was no where near the "book" value. The first person to come and look at it bought it. The same with my 1995 C-Class. The reason I get such high prices is that even after 19 years, my cars look brand new inside and out (no exaggeration), and run the same with a complete maintenance history. I know everyone just wants to pay book value, but I do not have book value cars. That is why the first person to come and look at them, always buys them at close to my asking price. The problem is getting people to look at them. I know with used cars, 99% of people just want a beater at the lowest price, and then just drive it into the ground until it stops running. I am not looking for that kind of buyer. So when I sold a 19 year old truck 11 years ago for $3,000, a $6,000 price for a car that cost five times as much, and with less that half the miles on it, seems kind of ridiculous to me. I don't think everyone thinks I am nuts.

Here are some listings in my area:

RichM

Since you feel your car is competitively priced to what is available in your market, you don't need advice. You just need to wait for that one first person to come see it and fall in love.

You need more pictures. Show off the interior. Seats front and back, IC showing you have no missing pixels, buttons on the steering wheel showing they don't have the typical sticky goo on them, door cards etc.

hpilot

I guess the advice I need is how do I find that person...

RichM

That my friend is the 10K question. The only advice I have is not the advice you want to hear. GLWS

Beverly Sharp

RichM: I want to hear what your advice is. Pretty please.
James

hpilot

Maybe there is hope!

From Autoblog:

"Used car prices reach record level in 2014"
"It also found 1-year-old and 4-year-old cars showed gains at or near the average, but some vintages showed superheated gains: the average price increase for a 2006 car was up 8.8 percent; at 11 years old it gained 14.9 percent; and at 16 years old prices increased 18.4 percent."
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/02/20/u...s-record-2014/

John-Meara

I own a 2001 e320. It is pristine, Just put in a new windshield (looked sandblasted after 14 years), had the interior restored( fixed dash cracks, recolored seats, door panels, and steering wheel, new floor mats), new MAF sensor, O2 sensors, new rims (03-06 style), and tires, added after-market projector headlights, and had the bumpers repainted to get rid of the city parking scratches.

I had no CEL or check codes I just wanted the car to run perfectly. I put about $4,000 into the car and am now thinking of rebuilding the front suspension. Why would I do all this, because to replace this car with anything much better I would have been looking at $15,000+\-.

If I sold my car tomorrow I would be hard pressed to get more than $5,000 that is all the market will pay. Keep your car and run it until it dies. You will never get what it is worth. I plan to keep mine and enjoy the ride knowing I have no payments and the car is perfect.


Edit: Mine even comes with a Shiny new style key (that bumps my restoration budget up to $4,300)

hpilot

I definitely understand that sentiment. That is why I keep my cars an average of 15 years. However, it is time to move on - that is why I ordered a new C300. I am paying cash, so there will be no car payments. BTW, almost all the things you did to improve your car, I didn't have to do because it is almost literally like new - inside and out. I am in no great hurry to sell - however long it takes. It just takes the right person. I have done it many times before. I just refuse to sell it for less than the value of all the parts you could salvage from it...

McBrew

Cars that are in the right condition can go for a lot more money. You just need to get the car out there and et people see it. They won't buy it on CL or out of a newspaper.

My father used to buy and restore W123 and W126 cars back in the early 90s. At the time, most of them were about 10 years old. He brought them as close to new condition as possible, and they sold for $8,000-$12,000. Most of the ones in the papers were selling for $3-5,000.

His cars were worth it, but he had to get them in front of people. He found a shopping center parking lot where he could drop the cars off during the day with for sale signs and a detailed list of what had been done. He sold them quickly and got a it of money for them.

Now he is "retired" and just does service on them.

VMAX7

^^Good advice.

hpilot

Thank you McBrew - I have been thinking along the same lines. I still have some personal leads to follow up on, and then I will have to work out something. There used to be a weekend impromptu car show at one of our strip malls that had a section to sell cars. I think they charged $5 to hang up a for sale sign. As you say, the first person to actually see my cars has always bought them...

hpilot

Well maybe I am nuts, but I just sold it for $9,000. It took a while, but I found the right buyer. After he saw it, he couldn't believe I was selling it so cheap. The timing is just right, because the new C300 I ordered will finally be delivered this week. I'm really glad I didn't "give" it away...

RichM

Glad you sold your car, and got what you wanted for it.