Why won't my car sell?

dirtychinchilla

dirtychinchilla

dirtychinchilla

Soldato
Joined
2 May 2011
Posts
12,321
Location
Woking
Morning guys,

I out my A3 on Autotrader last weekend and since then it's had nearly 300 views but I've not received a single call. I'm completely perplexed...I think the ad looks great, the car looks great, and I dropped the price a fair bit to reflect other similar models that are on there despite the fact that I'm sure it's worth more. It's a cracking motor, I'm just ready for something different.

I'm not trying to advertise here AT ALL. Please could you excellent chaps have a look at my ad and just let me know what you think is wrong with it? I could really do with some feedback as I'm feeling very frustrated by this.

Thanks so much I advance!

REMOVED AD!
 
Last edited:
Getting some standard wheels for it might help.

Remove the bit about the upgraded stereo and just say part service history.
 
Maybe I'm missing something but it is a 12 year old a3 for 2k. You can get that shape a3, according to autotrader, for less than a grand and considering it isn't exactly a special car (its the sort of thing that someone buys as a cheap sun around to get from a to b) why would a buyer pay more? What makes your car worth more, that matters at this price range?

A couple of the newer shape a3's sneak in at that budget too (and a few hundred quid more that you could probably negotiate away really seems yo open up the market to the new shape one!)

That would be my logic if I was looking to get a 12 year a3.
 
Last edited:
Don't open the ad with paragraphs about why you're selling. List the specs and history concisely and comprehensively.

At 2 grand I don't think wheels and stereo are going to put people off, but don't make a big deal of them. List "16" alloys in good condition with new tyres" for example and "MP3 CD player" at appropriate points in the spec.

The ad is definitely too wordy "new tyres maybe 4 months ago" just sounds like you aren't sure. "All tyres have 7mm tread remaining" is much more concise. All of the explanations of why you're selling etc etc can be done when you're talking to a buyer. The advert should just be an accurate description of what you're selling.

Diesel VAG cars are also a bit out of fashion, I know there's no reason that this car would be affected but the general public don't do common sense too well

The price does seem too high though, it's an ancient model
 
Serious put offs for me;

Parked on the street creates an impression of not being 100% cared for, unable to see your house/where it is usually parked etc.

Mention of aftermarket wheels, no thanks, massive issue. Just don't mention it at all as this is a really bad one, it affects people's insurance amongst other prejudices associated with mods.

Mention of aftermarket stereo, echo last comment. Don't mention it.

Too wordy, state condition and facts, not guff about when the tyres were replaced etc

I don't know the market for this model but £2k for a car as dated as this seems very expensive to me. I'd have seriously assumed they were half this price. The vastly vastly improved newer shape model are nearly as cheap as the price of this ancient one!
 
Last edited:
It's 1k too much.
That air filter is shockingly bad.

Reminds of the folk that still think they can get 5k for a 13 year old st220 when just as good ones sell for less that half that.

List it on eBay gumtree Facebook at a more realistic price.
Autotrader is pants nowadays
 
Last edited:
Three things i notice bit dusty on the interior pics dash photo its a small thing but may help .
Also remove the amp people just want a radio.
The BIG thing i notice is that after market air filter says unprofessionally raced and rallyed.
To me this car has had a boy racer/hard life and also i would think wot else has been done to it etc . I would walk away from it not even go look at it . Change it out for a normal air box it will help
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the feedback guys. Loads to do to get it in shape. I'll switch the filter back for the old one and get a new snap of the dash.

I'm going to drop the price but for 1k you get something crap...I need a little more than that really and it has leather seats which I think add value. I'm thinking put it on at £1,300 and see what happens.

Please don't stop with the advice!
 
Put the original stereo back in, sell the aftermarket stuff on gumtree for a few hundred quid instead
 
Aftermarket stereo, with amplifier, speakers and subwoofer - not appealing. Screams boy racer.

Non standard alloys - not appealing, again screams boy racer.

Oh just noticed the filter too, compounds the above.

Leather looks well used, to be expected but cloth seat examples won't look so tired in comparison.

Too much waffle

Don't double up on things the AT system forces into the advert like Part Service History, especially so when it's something negative.

1 of 8 what? A3 TDIs with modifications? This is irrelevant nonsense regardless, only worth mentioning if you're talking actual rare cars, not just common cars where only 8 people decided to spec the Banjo package that added Audi brand bungee cord or something.

Don't think being parked on the street makes much difference, it's an old A3 not a Range Rover, 99% of them will never have seen a driveway.
 
I just looked at autotrader and the reason has suddenly become very clear, in addition to the comments above the price is way too high. If you search that model it takes until page TEN to even break £1000 let alone £2000. Under £1000 there are various sport models and all sorts. This isnt meant horribly but thats the ballpark i'd see this car in :)
 
Yeah the first thing that jumped out at me when I clicked the ad was that it seems too expensive.

I would lower the price, cut down on the waffle in the advert, remove the dodgy air intake, remove the amp and sub (leave the aftermarket head unit though as many / most people would welcome the additional functionality over a unit from the late 90's, I'm sure..!) and not mention that they're non-standard wheels... Assuming they're actually Audi wheels and not random aftermarket ones with Audi centre caps.
 
Last edited:
Yep way overpriced, I wouldn't even paid a grand for that, dealer would give you £500 tops, sorry but your gonna have to set your sights a lot lower
 
Thanks again for all the advice, guys. Very much appreciated.

I'm going to drop the price right now to £1,500 just to see if anything happens this morning, and I'm going to change the ad this afternoon.

About being wordy...I should have known! Looking at other ads, they're written mostly by cavemen. And the rarity, for understandable reasons there are only 8 of the auto 1.9 TDIs on the country.

I'm obviously not going to switch out the stereo, but if I take out the amp then I'll have to take out the sub as it will be redundant and then rewire the speakers. I think I'll just take the photo with the amp out. They'll understand why it's needed if they come and see it, and people would definitely rather have the new stereo over the old one which had a tape deck!
 
Didn't even notice it was an Automatic, perhaps emphasise that a bit more... 'one of only 8 automatic gearbox A3 TDIs in the UK' rather than just one of 8.
 
It's the 1.9 TDi auto that's 1 of 8 hah. It's out of the ad now.

I've just made some small changes to the ad to see if anything happens, but will be changing it more later. I've got to get the air filter out too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom