I'm losing my patience with the process of selling cars

It’s not really time wasted.... it’s just part of the process.   You might get lucky sometimes and the first looker decided to buy or you might have to entertain a few people.  I wonder how realtors do it.... some clients Buy the first house they look at and others will take months looking at different houses. 

I, for one, made a decision not to change my schedule for any potential buyers, after getting stood up a few times.  THAT, imho, is a waste of time :)

you're selling a pretty unique, specialized car.  Be patient, even with the people who look but don’t buy, and you’ll get a buyer, provided your price is reasonable. 

I bought a Race seat from a guy who had it listed for a year.  It was a really good deal for me and what I needed so I didn’t haggle on the price. But I’m sure he got a lot of low-ball offers over the time it was listed. 

Additionally, I would suggest that you make it painfully clear before people show up what your expectations are on price - meaning, if you know you won’t drop it more than a few hundred $$, then let them know you have a little flexibility but not much.  Or just set a firm price. 

I think your car is a solid deal as it is, myself. 

In reply to jrh2009 :

Appreciate it.  These are all middle aged folks tho, so no younger people.  Since they're BMW enthusiasts they know what it would cost to recreate the car, so my asking price is very fair.  Especially since I have so many parts that I can LEGO the car, swapping parts out and adjust the price accordingly.  I think I've got enough parts that I could literally swing the price $10k depending on how the buyer wants it equipped.

I suppose I just had unrealistic expectations...

No one had mentioned consignment yet. I’ve had very good luck using Streetside classics,  which will consign just about anything, and has sold two of my cars(and I’m about to take them two more).   The experience was very positive and painless.  Drop car off with a copy of the title,  pick up cashiers check when it sells.  I hate selling cars,  so these days I either consign then with an outfit like Streetside,  or let my neighbor kid list them on CL and give him a cut.  

$99

Bring a Trailer

Done

In reply to Slippery :

I tried to sell my LSx swapped 951 with BaT.  They wanted me to accept a very low reserve price, when I refused, they wouldn't take the car.  Don't know what reserve they'd try to force on me with the M3.

I suspect my best strategy to sell my car on BaT would be to make it as OEM as possible, so pull off the brakes, MCS shocks/struts, put the entire OEM interior back into it, pull off the splitter, take out the ltw wing risers, raise the suspension with softer springs, etc, etc, etc.  Don't think I'd find much of an audience willing to pay a premium for the car the way its currently built.  I'd make more selling all the parts off.

Not sure I'm ready for that yet.  Lots of work to do all that...

Sounds like this sucks.  My sympathies.  I'm sure "your" buyer is out there somewhere though.

I would just ebay or BAT a car nowadays. Set a reasonable reserve, give a long description, and just accept what it sells for. 

In reply to kanaric :

I'd only do that after pulling off all the high dollar parts and putting the car back to OEM specs as much as possible.  That'd be the best way for me to recoup as much as possible.

It is frustrating.  I had a car for sale several years ago (‘77 Monza Spyder V8...whoo hoo) and I was contacted by a fellow who seemed genuinely interested.  He showed up to my house, kicked tires, drove the car, asked good questions, and when it came right down to it he says he has no money.  But he has guns.  In his trunk.  He asks if I would consider a trade.  I’m thinking he’s just completely wasted my time.  So I say sure.  Whatcha got?  He has a bunch of long guns so being that I lived out in a rural area, I set up a target and proceed to test fire every single one.  After I shoot the last one, I hand it back and say “meh, no thanks”.

I'm losing my patience with whiny threads about selling cars. I think that with a lot of them the problem is not the potential buyers or the selling process, but the seller. They'll tell stories of how somebody did something to piss them off (often a low offer) so he retaliates by not selling him the car. That's a game and you're the problem, not the guy with the low offer.

You have a car, haven't actually put it up for sale, can't decide how to sell it, and you're complaining about not being able to sell it. Really?

Make a decision, don't get emotionally involved (Insulted by a low offer? It's part of the process, get over yourself) and show the car to as many people as you can. Price it right, don't be a jerk,  and it will sell. 

I rarely have problems selling. I often have problems buying.

In reply to Suprf1y :

Well, I disagree with you.  Word of mouth brought targeted buyers that should've known what they wanted.  They knew what the car was, what it had on it and what it was worth.  They just wasted my time instead.

I now have it listed on specific websites/Facebooks groups to people who should know the same.

Ironically I'd just decided to convert the car to more street and keep it when someone pinged me that he wants to see the car Friday and wants it pretty much as is. He seems to understand the value in it.  Guess I'll find out on Friday...

Good luck!

docwyte said:

Well, I disagree with you. 

You wouldn't have started this thread if you didn't.

my general tips for online selling:

-list your stuff at 15-20% high to give yourself some negotiating room.  Most buyers want to feel that they've haggled their way to a great deal

-don't be offended by lowball offers, just say "no, that's not enough".  Cutting off a potential buyer because they offended you is counterproductive.

-expect to wait a while for the right buyer if you're selling specialized equipment

I'm not offended, not at all.  Everyone who's looked at the car has agreed that I'm asking a realistic and fair amount for it.  Most haven't even made an offer!  They just thought the car wouldn't be what I said it was, so they could get it for less. 

First guy agreed to buy it and we came up with a price that both of us agreed on, was good to go.  Then had to sleep on it.  Then wanted to check out another car.  Then couldn't decide.  Then decided to wait and not buy anything.  Today he emails me to say he bought another M3, in much worse condition than mine, needing work, that's basically stock, but for less.  Well, alrighty then, good luck with that.

So I'll see how it goes this Friday, potential buyer knows the value of the car, knows what I have on it and wants it basically as it sits.  We'll see if he's a serious buyer with cash ready or not.

If he's not, then I'll just keep it and make it more of a street car.

Used to be if you wanted something in particular you had limited places to look and really had to do research to find it. With the internet and social media people now people with even a casual interest can see all that’s out there. They can contact you with the ease of an email and make arrangements to come take a look even if  they are only slightly interested while you as a seller has to take each inquiry seriously. There are a lot of dreamers as well as weirdo’s out there who live on the dream a or tell their friends they went and looked at fill n the blank. 

I had a well priced large boat for sale for over a year and answered emails almost daily as well as had people come look I knew from the get go could not afford nor were all that interested.  They were living the dream of going to far off places if only for the time I wasted showing them. Not to mention the weirdo’s who contacted time and time again just to talk about the boat. Same way with cars! 

Selling a modified car can be rough, as you have to find a buyer with nearly the exact same taste as you.  If you find one who would have made the exact same mods you made--- they'll see the value.  If they  had other ideas or plans for the car---- taking the stuff off that you installed isn't seen as value by them....but more of a PITA.  

You are wise to list it in specialty forums.  I'd also consider placing a classified in Roundel--- as you'll be hitting dedicated BMW fans.  I'd also reach out to the "country club" tracks, as they may have a website, or newsletter for members.  You are selling a track car---- sell to track enthusiasts.  (VIR, Autobahn, Thermal, etc) 

By the way....I'll reach out today, as just this weekend a friend of mine was discussing buying an E36 track-able, but streetable M3.  

And of course--- post it up on the GRM "Open Classified" forums.  But I'm sure you've already thought about that.   

Selling cars can be annoying, so I think I'll avoid the process and just keep my M3 forever!  

In reply to Joe Gearin :

True.  I'm willing to do the labor to take the stuff off the car tho and set it up the way the buyer would want it.  Some stuff I can't really change, but its pretty minor.  Suspension, brakes, exhaust and interior are all things I can change for the buyer. 

I dunno, guess I'll see what happens with the potential buyer on Friday.

Well, the guy that looked at this morning bought it.  He loved the car, was exactly what he's looking for.  Ironically he has a 1M that he's currently tracking and wants a more track safe and durable car.  He also wants to stop beating on a future classic.

So, I may be checking his car out to replace my M3!  It's a little more on the high mile side (50kish) so it's never going to be a high dollar collectible example, but that also means that I may be able to afford it and won't feel badly about putting some mileage on it myself.

So he basically took my M3 as is was.  All I took off was the track pipe.  I do have a few odds and ends to sell as he didn't want the track pipe, my spare wheels, spare rear diff, etc.  I got perhaps a little less than the ultimate dollar I wanted but at the same time I didn't have to spend a bunch of time pulling stuff off the car.  He also paid me right away and the car is gone.

So time to sell my trailer now, then start shopping for a 911 turbo or a 1M!  Or some other more modern classic, maybe a Mk4 Supra Turbo 6mt...

C6z....c6z......

there was an amazing example on the Eastern side of the states a month or so ago for $29k with all the right mods and looking really nice. 

In reply to jfryjfry :

Need something with back seats so I can carry my kids, otherwise I'd be looking at an NSX.