How to sell a car? A open debate between my wife and I

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 11/09/2014 at 14:59 • Filed to: car selling

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I'm throwing an entire wheelbarrow of money at the new (to me) Tercel, so it's time to sell my old DD that is going to waste just sitting around.

This will be the first car I have ever sold, having lost two previous cars to untimely demises. My wife hasn't sold a car since she was 18 when she left for college. We went out for some beers last night, and I proposed my plan of action and she offered her cautious rebuttal.

This was my plan: park the pickup along the very busy street a block from our place with a For Sale sign. I would prefer to sell locally and to actual human beings who are not Nigerian Princes. I may eventually post a craigslist ad, but frankly, I'm hoping to do this ye olde fashioned way. c.l. is the damned wild west. Flakes, tire-kickers, and people who try to knock down the price without even seeing the damn car yet. I will not do "meet you halfway" nonsense. This is an old high-mileage pickup, not a collector's car, nor a barn find.

My wife has the following concerns: we live in an... interesting area. Bordering on semi-sketchy, but with the usual low income single recreational drug users. Yet we're 10 blocks from a yuppie area. Things like that. So my wife does not want potential buyers to know where we live. She is scared of some dunce taking revenge on our property should something go wrong with the pickup after sale. I pointed out that this is an AS-IS private seller's state, but she is right to say that people can still cause us trouble. I remember a post here on Oppo about a gentleman who basically sold his car to some woman who abused/neglected the hell out of it and SHOWED UP AT HIS WORK and demanded satisfaction!

But that is what helps MY point. My name and address are on the flippin' title... Anyone could figure out where we live with minimal effort, because after all, you can't sell cars anonymously. But she believes that people around here are more likely to cause trouble than say a stranger from out of town. Maybe so, but I don't really think that's fair. There are plenty of normal people... maybe even seven GOOD people... in the area.

Anyway, she wants the car to be shown away from our house. I think that's fine. Where I have parked the car will be the natural meeting place. But I'm not going to propose meeting at the shitty local grocery store where I think people are even less likely to trust me. Also, who knows the kind of company that strangers will bring with them unannounced? These are general risks of dealing with strangers.

Every car I have ever bought (a whole five cars) has been at the owner's house. I have paid the amount and signed over paperwork IN the house, every time. Every time I have met someone at so-and-so rendezvous point has, anecdotally, been a clunker or wholly untrustworthy. I just feel that people should have a positive car buying experience. She's worried about us being scouted for a future robbery, which is actually a thing that pops up around here... On the other hand I'm worried about being stabbed in a Safeway parking lot.

My brother in law, the car guru and master negotiator, has NEVER sold anything from his own property, let alone his vehicle. I know many people like this. So there doesn't seem to a definite answer...

Basically I just want this car sold with the minimum of fuss and smallest amount of drama...

Any input from you guys?

Skif6996 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:07

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I listed my car on cl and the nest day met two different people in the Home Depot parking lot. The first guy wanted it but didn't have cash. The second guy had cash and bought it that night. Luckily, I had no problems and I figured Home Depot was a fairly public place to meet. It was in a large shopping center with lots of cameras and people. i know cl can be sketchy but I think it is better than a for sale sign. Also, I didn't want people coming to my home. That worked well for me. Good luck with your sale.

yamahog > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:07

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I can see where she's coming from, as that's exactly how my dad would prefer me to sell things, but he also doesn't think I should be walking to the bars from my house. I've looked at cars both at the owner's house and neutral sites, and I wouldn't think less of a car if the owner wanted to meet at a neutral site.

If you're seriously worried about getting stabbed then make that neutral site somewhere in that yuppie area 10 minutes away.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Skif6996 11/09/2014 at 15:15

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Yeah, I just don't want to post a CL ad until I determine how I'm going to sell it. So I'm talking to my wife, my dad, my bro in law, and attempting to utilize the experience of opponauts

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:20

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I listed my escape on kijiji earlier this year, first person that called got it the next day for $400. I get a lot of flakers on my wheels for sale, some say they'll go anywhere, and some people only want one wheel for $10.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 11/09/2014 at 15:27

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kijiji = another online classified, yes? Doesn't seem to be many "beater" cars listed... if at all

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:29

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It's basically the Canadian version of Craigslist, my escape was a "beater" of some sort as well. We also have Craigslist here, but it's not used as much.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:35

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I can see her point as well as yours. That truck shouldn't take long to sell. Have you thought about parking it near a Home Depot or Lowes? Seems to me someone wanting a small weekend hauler would snatch that up.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 11/09/2014 at 15:39

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Not a bad idea, the home depot is a bit far from here but there is a lowes 1 mile away. This is a damn reliable pickup but I chose my hover pickup as my new DD

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:42

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I had a 94 single cab 4x manual for about 6 years. Bullet proof. I still see it on the road now and again. I miss that truck.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 11/09/2014 at 15:45

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Nice! This has the 22R. I have changed the oil and a 3 dollar fuel filter. This thing won't die

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:46

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Also you park it at a church.

E92M3 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 15:55

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It's illegal to park a car for sale here now so i never have this struggle. We can thank all the people who acquired dealer licenses and parked cars all over town instead of renting a lot somewhere.

jkm7680 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 16:11

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My area sounds very similar to yours, one end is full of cheap apartments, small single family houses and moderately nice overnight tract houses. Then 5 blocks away, it's filled with super expensive houses with massive lots.

I'd suggest that you don't park the car on a busy street, hit and runs and it being stolen would be the main things that I'd be worried about in that situation.

Tohru > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 19:01

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How much you want for it? Not that I need another Japanese red minitruck with a topper...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Tohru 11/09/2014 at 19:09

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That's a sharp looking Ram 50.

I'm still torn on my asking price... I know what my minimum secret threshold is... I just need a starting price this is favorably inviting but not too low to undercut me...

Tohru > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/09/2014 at 19:21

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I got the Ram 50 at auction for $1500, if that helps you any.

When I sold my Escort I had it listed at $1500 and sold it for $1100. My minimum secret threshold was a grand.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Tohru 11/09/2014 at 19:41

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That is also my minimum secret for it... I paid much more for it four years ago, keeping in mind 1) didn't know how to haggle 2) was out of a car and fairly desperate and 3) knew nothing about cars. Thank God I unknowingly bought a car with one of the most reliable engine series EVAH. I just hope no one tries to flip it. With that paint job, I'm positive no one could

shop-teacher > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/10/2014 at 07:43

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They will be able to find your address if they want it, but meeting at a busy public nuetral site is a good idea. I don't think anybody looking to buy a cheap old truck is going to be offended by not being invited into your home.

Having tried the park it on a busy road thing, you'll be surprised how little interest you'll get. On the other hand, a well priced cheap car will usually sell within a day or two on Craigslist.

Good luck!