Pricing to sell privately

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How does one go about pricing a car to sell privately?

i.e. on Pistonheads, Autotrader etc.

Prices shown on Parkers don't really correspond with real world price on the above two sites. Is this the norm?

Prices on current adverts also vary vastly. Ranging from £3500 to £5000

The car is a VW Polo 1.2 S, 55 Plate, Full VWSH and the car is pretty much spotless. 60,000 which doesn't seem above average. It's my fathers daily and does a total of 100 miles a week if that.

Would a higher price put you off initially or would you see it as scope for bartering? I was thinking of putting it up for around £4750 with plenty of photos, details of service history etc.

Part exchange is pointless as VW dealers will offer a pittance so it makes sense to sell it privately.
 
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That seems a lot for a 7 year old Polo but there is always the VAG scene tax.

It really depends how long you want to wait for a sale, if you believe its worth £4,750 and you are willing to wait for the right buyer to find you, wait for it. I can find better sounding cars on AT for similar (and less) money through a dealer, if I was a buyer I would be looking at them first.
examples
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201210454693046
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212457520155
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201211457139715
Personally I would not be asking £4k unless its is very special and I would have thought closer to £3k is more likely
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212458136164
 
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£4,750 is too dear you'll only waste money on adverts, in my mind you need to be a notch below the traders

There is

55 plate 1.4 with 40k from Car Giant £4,499
06 plate 1.2 with 43k private £4,150

For 4699 there is a 09 1.2 with 16k trade

I reckon you'll take 3999 for it in 2 months when it's still for sale
 
That seems a lot for a 7 year old Polo but there is always the VAG scene tax.

It really depends how long you want to wait for a sale, if you believe its worth £4,750 and you are willing to wait for the right buyer to find you wait for it. I can find better sounding cars on AT for similar (and less) money through a dealer, if I was a buyer I would be looking at them first.
examples
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201210454693046
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212457520155
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201211457139715

They are base model 'E' spec :) - Wind up windows, no alloys, no AC etc :)

I should have been clearer about the spec in the OP. Its a 1.2 'S' - Alloys, Body coloured bumpers and strips, MP3 double din HU, AC.

It's often the case with VW's that the base models sell for less than higher specs for previous models - hence E specs can be found for similar prices to the previous model as they pretty much have a poverty spec. The S and above tend to hold there values a bit better.
 
I would try and find a car that is in a similar age and condition to yours and price it at a similar level or a little less.

5k does seem like a lot for a 2005 hatch however, I was looking at the prices of 2005 Micras recently and they're all pretty much under 3k with a few exceptions
 
The majority of these are E spec.

It's a Polo, its not as if S adds heated leather, Xenons, Satnav and 150bhp engine upgrade is it so in reality on the used market the difference between an E and an S price and demand wise is likely to be the square root of 'not much'.
 
£4,750 is too dear you'll only waste money on adverts, in my mind you need to be a notch below the traders

There is

55 plate 1.4 with 40k from Car Giant £4,499
06 plate 1.2 with 43k private £4,150

For 4699 there is a 09 1.2 with 16k trade

I reckon you'll take 3999 for it in 2 months when it's still for sale

To be fair if we got £4000~ then we would be happy.

I'm not looking to price if daftly - hence asking for advice on here. He's in no rush to sell it so I'm trying to get some advice first :)
 
They are base model 'E' spec :) - Wind up windows, no alloys, no AC etc :)

I should have been clearer about the spec in the OP. Its a 1.2 'S' - Alloys, Body coloured bumpers and strips, MP3 double din HU, AC.

It's often the case with VW's that the base models sell for less than higher specs for previous models - hence E specs can be found for similar prices to the previous model as they pretty much have a poverty spec. The S and above tend to hold there values a bit better.

Even so, there are still plenty of 's' versions for £3-£3.5k. What makes your worth more?
 
No price checks out side the MM. :)
But on a serious note, I would stick it up and see if you have any interest. If not you can lower the price. I think auto trader charge you for a minimum 2 week ad so stick it on for £4750 for the first week and see what happens. But i do think between 3.5 and 4 sounds more realistic.
 
Even so, there are still plenty of 's' versions for £3-£3.5k. What makes your worth more?

It doesn't - Why is everyone so quick to have a go on here?

I'm asking for advice about what to price it at, thats all. The prices I have seen vary vastly - again the reason for asking for advice on here.
 
It doesn't - Why is everyone so quick to have a go on here?

I'm asking for advice about what to price it at, thats all. The prices I have seen vary vastly - again the reason for asking for advice on here.

I'm not having a go, I'm being realistic. Price it at somewhere between £3k and £3.5k if you want to sell it. If you don't, price it at £4,750.
 
Why would anyone buy it for £4,750, when they could have a car with less miles on for more than £1,000 less?

I agree with you but as the op is unsure of its value he has nothing to loose by giving it a go. He has already stated hes in no rush to sell. At least when he does sell it he won't look back and wander.
Some people might pay slightly more if it's close or in the right colour.
 
I'm not having a go, I'm being realistic. Price it at somewhere between £3k and £3.5k if you want to sell it. If you don't, price it at £4,750.

Take a look on Autotrader. The majority that are around the £3k mark are the previous generation with the double headlights.

I'm not having a go - I value advice from you guys on here but it's not like I have plucked up figures out of thing air. If we don't get around £4k for it then there is no rush to sell.
 
So may be between £3.5k and £4k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201207450574514
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201207450678507
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201209454065996
All lower mileage and traders with waranty, but you can ask as much as you like if you are willing to wait.


Thanks that is helpful.

The spec and colour are exactly the same as this one:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201209454065996
 
Take a look on Autotrader. The majority that are around the £3k mark are the previous generation with the double headlights.

I'm not having a go - I value advice from you guys on here but it's not like I have plucked up figures out of thing air. If we don't get around £4k for it then there is no rush to sell.

The £3k ones I'm looking at are 55 plates so assumed the same shape as yours.

In reality, there is never going to be a shortage of Polo's in the used car market and the longer you leave it, the less valuable it will be ...
 
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