[chris_s1]

I'm looking at buying a Grand Scenic for the wife and have been browsing auto trader for a few weeks.

If you search for Grand Scenic, Up to 3 years old and diesel, you get 620 results. Of these, 619 are trade ads and 1 is a private seller......what's going on? Is no-one selling cars themselves anymore?

I've looked on pistonheads and ebay and it doesn't seem any different, searches on other makes/models don't seem much different either

[mowflow]

I guess I t's the PCP effect my friend. People get a new car on the bubble and I bet 90% of them go back to the same dealership and swap it for another new one 3 or 4 years later.

Means the dealers have the new and nearly new markets cornered. I bet if you search for 4 to 6 year old cars the percentage shifts significantly (a guess, I've not tried it, probably should have before hitting reply).

[chris_s1]

Yeah that sounds plausible, I'm just surprised there aren't a few more exceptions, or at least people that try and sell privately before returning the PCP car (thats what I did last year)
If you change the search to up to 5 years old you get 727 trade ads and 4 private, so not all that much different!

[xs2man]

I ALWAYS try to sell privately, but the problem with 3 year old cars is that they are still worth a bit of money. And people need to finance a bit of money, and, often falsely, assume that buying from a dealer gets you some amount of come-back.

So generally people prefer to buy higher valued motors off a trader rather than privately. Personally, I'd rather sell my cars privately, but it's just not possible, because people can't get the finance unless through a dealer. Or don't know they can.

I'm willing to bet that John Clark BMW in Dundee have my 335d up for sale in the next couple weeks, for substantially more than I offered it here for.

[bmwak]

I've never bought a car on PCP or Finance, but when I buy a car, I always trade it back to the dealership when the time comes to get rid of it. Yes you lose a bit, but it cuts out the agro. Maybe i'm biased but everytime i've sold a car privately I get some right idiots turn up, or people call to say they'll come and view it at a agreed time and then they don't turn up, wasting time. The other annoying one is agents that call to say they've got a buyer for your car and don't leave you alone. Don't get me wrong, there are genuine buyers out there, but it just the agro in the process of selling privately.

In terms of buying, I tend to buy from a dealership as it gives you something to fall back on, should something go wrong or a problem arises (whether its in the form of a warranty or going legal). Obviously this comes at a price but when buying an expensive asset, this is key IMO.

[mowflow]

Originally Posted by xs2man

I ALWAYS try to sell privately, but the problem with 3 year old cars is that they are still worth a bit of money. And people need to finance a bit of money, and, often falsely, assume that buying from a dealer gets you some amount of come-back.

So generally people prefer to buy higher valued motors off a trader rather than privately. Personally, I'd rather sell my cars privately, but it's just not possible, because people can't get the finance unless through a dealer. Or don't know they can.

I'm willing to bet that John Clark BMW in Dundee have my 335d up for sale in the next couple weeks, for substantially more than I offered it here for.

Also a factor. Not many cash buyers.

[chris_s1]

All good points, I was definitely expecting that most ads would be traders for all the reasons above, I'm just surprised that there is literally NOTHING on the market from private sellers, I would have thought there would have at least been a few options.

I've always sold privately and never had any problems. As long as you price the car properly it will sell.

[J Dub]

I think most private seem to go on fleabay, personally I try to trade in as its just easier than tyre kickers and if you drive the deal you can do ok with it.
when selling cars in the past, I have even have people look, then come back and say if they can get the money they will buy, others trying to trade when i am selling and so on, thats why I try to avoid it. In short can't be arsed and know a lot of my friends circle are the same.

[dobbo99]

Ive sold 2 cars in the last couple of months, and sold them for cash via autotrader and ebay. I had no option as I wanted the cash, rather than the trade up.
However the pain of doing it has put me off for the future, I mean who on earth offers money for a car without even looking at it (well I know who, but really....).

Being a family car, I would imagine the grand scenics are just bought new for family wagons, then traded in after 2/3 years for another new family wagon.

[doughboy]

Have a look on PH classifieds, there you'll see 5762 private adds today, 300 of which are for cars over £40K.!!

OP - also consider the type of car you are looking at.

A scenic is a practical, disposable family transport product, that's all, 99% of owners of this car will have no more regard for it than their washing machine.

Chances are the owners will not be car savvy at all (or have no time more like if they have kids) and to them the dealer is the place where you drive your old car to and drive away in a new one after signing some bits of paper, end of story.

At 3 years old, most as said will be coming off 3 year plans and TBH the owners of these will regard them as just a consumable item to be got rid the easiet way.

I've only ever sold cars privately, including my 3yo E90 330i and my 4yo 335i tourer, both went to first viewers for cash.

I'm not saying they were special cars, but perhaps more "niche" than a scenic, thus attracting a more focused / serious buyers, making private sale a better prospect. (not saying you are not serious, but there's not enough of you to make it worthwhile)

TBH if I had a 3yo scenic (good car, not knocking it), I'd never sell private, just trade in or dump it at we-buy-any-car, treat it like an out of date telly.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by dobbo99

I mean who on earth offers money for a car without even looking at it (well I know who, but really....).

Why not? You bid/offer based assumed description. You just don't pay if the car isn't as described, no risk really?

We bought the missus a 20 grand Mini Countryman without seeing it, no issues, he bought the card machine with him and we only paid after all was well and test driven, checked over etc.

In fact this is the best way to buy from a trader as if you haven't seen the car in person then the "distance selling" regulations apply with their associated 7 day cooling off period.

This means you can return the car for a full refund, no questions asked, for any reason, within 7 days at no cost to yourself.

[gIzzE]

Maybe most private sellers haven't got the heart to sell a Renault Scenic to someone else, but don't mind sticking it to a dealer??

I know I couldn't do it to someone.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by dobbo99

I mean who on earth offers money for a car without even looking at it (well I know who, but really....).

I always do.

You have put the advert up, if you have described it perfectly then why do I need to see it?
Most cars for me are 2-5 hours away.
If I get there and you have described it incorrectly I will walk away.

Someone who doesn't want to hammer out a deal over the phone to me shouts of someone who probably knows they have talked their cars condition up a little bit.

[DTB]

I think Autotrader has fallen out of favour a bit recently, presumably because it costs money whether you sell or not. As some others have said above, more people sell through ebay or gumtree or through owners forums on the internet.

[gIzzE]

It is getting difficult to get loans for many, however, getting finance secured on a car through a dealer is still easy.

[dobbo99]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

I always do.

You have put the advert up, if you have described it perfectly then why do I need to see it?
Most cars for me are 2-5 hours away.
If I get there and you have described it incorrectly I will walk away.

Someone who doesn't want to hammer out a deal over the phone to me shouts of someone who probably knows they have talked their cars condition up a little bit.

Originally Posted by doughboy

Why not? You bid/offer based assumed description. You just don't pay if the car isn't as described, no risk really?

We bought the missus a 20 grand Mini Countryman without seeing it, no issues, he bought the card machine with him and we only paid after all was well and test driven, checked over etc.

In fact this is the best way to buy from a trader as if you haven't seen the car in person then the "distance selling" regulations apply with their associated 7 day cooling off period.

This means you can return the car for a full refund, no questions asked, for any reason, within 7 days at no cost to yourself.

Sorry, I meant with regards to a private sales, didn't make that very clear.
I had people ringing me offering me all sorts of figures if they take the car away that day etc (clearly traders) but if you a private buyer going though private sales, there is so much rubbish out there you wouldn't commit to anything without seeing it first.

From a dealer/trader then yes, I don't have a problem with that.

[chris_s1]

Thanks guys, you all must be right, especially about the type of car and the target market for it.

Wasn't expecting a lot of love for the Renault here, but having had a look at all the options it was definitely the best fit for our requirements. Reliability/quality may be a bit questionable but looking at a 2 year old one with a full year's warranty left on it, then will probably extend warranty for the 4th year and get rid after that.....

[lolololol]

I always buy and sell cars privately.

never want to buy or sell to stealers - get robbed either way !

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by dobbo99

Sorry, I meant with regards to a private sales, didn't make that very clear.
I had people ringing me offering me all sorts of figures if they take the car away that day etc (clearly traders) but if you a private buyer going though private sales, there is so much rubbish out there you wouldn't commit to anything without seeing it first.

From a dealer/trader then yes, I don't have a problem with that.

I meant private sales.

I have only walked away from 2 out of around 30 cars buying over the phone. And both times I had my suspicions before leaving and should have gone with my gut feeling.

[TeinBMW]

I bought mine privately.

[dar2008]

I'm finding the same now looking for a second hand Fiesta for my son. > 90% are dealers.

Anyway, I've just found one that looks quite good, and it's a private sale. I've run an Autocheck on it, and it has outstanding finance... what's the protocol with that? If we like the car, do we pay the finance and the remainder to the seller, or do we pay the seller and watch them pay the finance company (Ford Finance)?

[xs2man]

I would personally pay the finance company directly, and the rest to the seller. That way you know the finance company is paid for sure, and not on a card that will bounce the payment.