How do you sell a car on eBay?

[AB Positive]

We need to sell my s/o's car, but we're a bit at a loss on how to do so. I'm an avid eBay seller but only with video games and small items. Anyone have help, hints or tips?

-AB+

[y-bot]

From the little bit of research I've done unless you need to sell the car right away or it's a car that is very in demand you can get alot more by selling it through Auto Trader or somewhere like that. When I've checked prices ebay is usually 50-75% of what people ask elsewhere.

y-bot

[anagrama]

My limited experience (trying to sell a Volvo for my Mun & Dad last year) agrees with y-bot - I got no bids, even at a dirt-cheap starting price. They ended up getting several times more for it by selling locally.

[Rogmeister]

Sounds then like eBay might be a good place to go if you're looking to buy a car over the internet...though why people would want to do that, I'm not sure. Maybe if you want a model you just can't find in my area. Maybe I'll go check eBay out and see if I can find that 1967 Ford Galaxie 500...

[Griking]

the shipping fees would be a bitch

[Darth Sensei]

I've been looking on there for a very late model used car and most of them never meet the reserve.

But hey, you have to remember that the economy still sux and people don't have money.

[ClubNinja]

Put it on the Boston Craigslist. You'll have much better luck than with eBay.

[Rogmeister]

I wonder if anyone's selling an Edsel there right now?

[gamegirl79]

I think ebay is only good for selling cars that would interest collectors. Like something really, really old or a good project vehicle. A few months ago my dad sold a 1936 Chevy pickup truck on ebay (it was in pieces and didn't run, etc.) for $2000. He paid $500 for it at a salvage yard.

Anything else, locally is the way to go...

[GamblinMonkey]

Hmm... my dad seems to have had good luck selling vehicles on eBay. Then again, he does sell cars for a living. He just uses eBay when he can't seem to find a buyer for a vehicle locally. A few months ago he even sold two of his semi-truck car haulers on eBay. I'll ask him about it when I see him this weekend if you want.

[Rogmeister]

I answered my own question...there is at least one Edsel up at auction...it's a 1959 Edsel Corsair. It's currently up to $2,999 but the reserve price has not yet been met. So it can still be yours! The item number is 4630158367

[Flack]

I bought my motorcycle on eBay and have sold one car. My dad has bought and sold several cars and motorcycles. Basically what everyone else is saying is correct -- it's a good place to buy and sell "toys" (and by that I mean recreational vehicles) but usually "normal" drivers don't do so well there for many reasons. Here's my theories.

1, many people are hesitant to bid a lot of money on a car sight unseen.
2, people go to eBay looking for a deal, so it's hard to get blue book prices.
3, most people aren't willing to ship a car (related to rule #1, plus the money involved) which means you're really only looking for relatively local bidders anyway.

Don't forget, listing a car costs $40 and another $40 if it gets bids (past the reserve). Craigslist is free; I'd start there.

[godsey1]

I'll agree with most here. It is a great place to buy, but not to great for most selling of vehicles.

An xample is a 1978 Dodge Aspen with the slant six motor. It was list as a 35,000 mile car with a very little bt of rust.

I got in touch with the seller after the auction ended(reserve wasn't met), and asked what was the least they would take for it. The price was $1200.00, and the trucking fee was another $575.00.

I took a chance on this car because I really wanted it, and was willing to loose out on it(if it wasn't in the condition that they stated).

If some of the people that was interested in buying it could have seen it in person, it would have gone for MUCH more money. The car is in near perfect condition(this year of Aspen had a bad problem of rusting, even setting on the show room floor ).

My advice is to take a bunch of pictures, and use something like villagephoto to host them, so you can put a bunch in the auction, and a few extra of different place of the car. People will ask to see pictures of everything on the car.

Good luck in your sell,

Tony

[s1lence]

I have sold 3 cars and 2 motorcyles on ebay. I provide about 10 pictures of the vehicle in each auction that I have listed. I provide a free carfax to potential buyers of the vehicle if they request it. I also disclose anything about the car, I'm brutally honest about it. If the engine leaks like a faucet thats what I will say.

Listing it I dont put a reserve, I just start the auction at a fair price that I want for the vehicle. Remember, it is a rare instance that you make money on a car, its the nature of the product to loose value so don't expect to make a bunch of money on it. Yes I understand dealers do, but they tend to have more captial and control over the take in price of a vehicle.

Good Luck