For Sale ad?

[Red Flash]

Hi Folks,

Would very much appreciate your valued opinions, regarding our Westy that we currently have for sale.  Its is advertised on the club for sale section as well as Pistonheads.  There are a selection of photos with what I believe to be an accurate and honest description of the car and its history.

 

I've priced it based on what I've seen, what is currently marketed and my own reasonable view.

 

While I don't want to give the car away, I would like to sell it for what it is reasonably worth based on the current market.

 

I've currently had no interest.  How do you suggest I make our Westy/advert a more attractive sales proposition?

 

I appreciate its the time of year, but there is always someone in the market to buy.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Look forward to your thoughts, views and suggestions

 

Cheers

Paul 

 

 

[IanG1]

Think it's just the time of year and the weather Paul? Limited market at the best of times but soon as we get a glimmer of sun the market will pick up. Nothing wrong with your ad just a matter of sitting it out. Don't drop your price till it warms up.

[TAFKARM]

I was expecting a **** ad, but its actually quite good. 

 

Personally - and no offence intended - what puts me off is the daft sticker on the bonnet and I think the white cycle wings would look a lot better if body coloured. 

 

That said, its well priced and an awful time of year to be selling. Hold the price if you can keep hold for a while, otherwise it'll fly off the drive if the price starts with a 5. 

 

[jeff oakley]

I will be honest at this moment in time it is a bit overpriced. The Pinto engine is a great engine, however, there are Zetec engine cars for similar money which many would say is a better buy as they are more economical.

You are trying to sell when there is snow on the ground, so people struggle to see them getting use out of it now. Wait until the spring is here and a few rays of sunshine and then it will sell.

If it was myself, unless I needed to sell now, I would pull the adverts and wait. If people see an advert running too long they will assume it has something wrong with it, price condition whatever. So pull it and when the weather turns then hit Autotrader, Locost website, Pistonheads, retro rides and any other free sites as getting it seen will a key part.

Others will disagree but having sold a few, I have always made it easy for people to see them, meeting half way if it was someone from far away, offer any inspection, offer to deliver once the car has been sold and money is in your hands.

Everything finds a buyer, if the price, time and conditions are right, just be patient.

[Red Flash]

Thanks for the replies

Think it's just the time of year and the weather Paul? Limited market at the best of times but soon as we get a glimmer of sun the market will pick up. Nothing wrong with your ad just a matter of sitting it out. Don't drop your price till it warms up.

Cheers Ian

 

I was expecting a **** ad, but its actually quite good. 

 

Personally - and no offence intended - what puts me off is the daft sticker on the bonnet and I think the white cycle wings would look a lot better if body coloured. 

 

That said, its well priced and an awful time of year to be selling. Hold the price if you can keep hold for a while, otherwise it'll fly off the drive if the price starts with a 5. 

 

Value your comments Russ. All the vinyls are removable and I suppose the colour is personal choice.  There are always compromises.  But I take your comments on board.  I'll perhaps modify the Taz vinyl on the nose cone and just leave the ford sticker  

 

I will be honest at this moment in time it is a bit overpriced. The Pinto engine is a great engine, however, there are Zetec engine cars for similar money which many would say is a better buy as they are more economical.

You are trying to sell when there is snow on the ground, so people struggle to see them getting use out of it now. Wait until the spring is here and a few rays of sunshine and then it will sell.

If it was myself, unless I needed to sell now, I would pull the adverts and wait. If people see an advert running too long they will assume it has something wrong with it, price condition whatever. So pull it and when the weather turns then hit Autotrader, Locost website, Pistonheads, retro rides and any other free sites as getting it seen will a key part.

Others will disagree but having sold a few, I have always made it easy for people to see them, meeting half way if it was someone from far away, offer any inspection, offer to deliver once the car has been sold and money is in your hands.
Everything finds a buyer, if the price, time and conditions are right, just be patient.

Jeff you make some valid points.  I have scouted the internet and thought ours was competitively priced.

 

That was my thought too about an ad sitting around to long.  I'm in no rush to sell, but wondered whether I should change, add, improve something.

 

Thanks I'll take all your comments on board.

Cheers

Paul 

[D7PNY]

Factor in a lot of people being skint in January to the weather and that'll be why its sitting around.

Put it this way...im trying to sell a 4x4 and even its not selling. (which is actually quite fortunate currently seeing as I managed to crash its replacement!)

[peet]

Just adding and agreeing with a few replies.

2.0 pinto on carbs cars are generally £5-6K.

It is also a narrow and 20 years old now despite it's excellent condition, sadly these are not classics increasing in value.

As above stickers and arches I'd change, even black arches would be more complimentary

And I'd fit carpets as it looks a bit confused to me as it is neither tourer or stripped out racer. I'd go for tourer.

I say this as I bought my 2006 pinto car for £6500 as a tourer, which I've since stripped out!

[Red Flash]

Thanks for the additional valued comments.

Arches and colour scheme appear to be an issue to some whom have replied.  However having kept everything I taken off, which are all include in the sale it can quite easily be converted back.  Sure as eggs are eggs if I do it, someone will want it as it is now.  The lucky purchaser will have the best of both.

The original seats were cr*p, the ones in now are both functional and comfortable. Complete with harness make for a secure safe fit. 

Carpets are fitted although in the pic the drivers one requires re-gluing.

You are right about the pinto, its best suited as a tourer, however its advantage is that its simple to work on, basic mechanics and ideal for the enthusiast on a budget.  Having said that 6k to start ain't cheap!

I may reduce the price to spark some interest, although I am open to respectable offers.

[peet]

I like my pinto for that reason too but sadly they have been superseded by lighter more powerful engines.

As a seasoned ex-trade weird and custom car seller I do know that prettyness, completeness & feeling of a finished car sells hence my comment re:carpet.

I'd definately fit them back in. I used carpet clips so I can remove them for track days. It's the tunnel and behind the seats carpets that help aesthetically.

If the floor ones are tired glue rubber matting in. I tried a Westy with bunched up carpet, horrid seats and a tired worn feel, put me straight off.

The belts and seats in yours would attract me to buy it though.

I also think better pictures, sunny day, close ups well lit interior shots help.

Personally I'd remove the ads do the little bits of work and readvertise in March.

[SootySport]

You can easily sort out the front cycle wings, just vinyl wrap them in black.

[msisleman]

You can easily sort out the front cycle wings, just vinyl wrap them in black.

 

Or Plastidip spray them - even easier and looks like matt vinyl wrap.

[Red Flash]

Thanks again for the constructive comments.  I will take all on board.

 

Peet in regard to your comment "remove the ads do the little bits of work" can you please clarify.  Thanks  

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

There's an old saying, "there's a bum for every seat"; if you can wait, then you'll probably find someone eventually, but it could be tomorrow or a year tomorrow, when that one person comes along. If you need a more realistic time scale, then the best bet is to either stick close-ish to stock, or to a well trodden and popular set of upgrades and loose the rest.

 

You have to look out for the subtle cues that rightly or wrongly buyers spot and read too much into. AND consider that the viewer may know nothing about Westfields!

 

The carpets is a prime example, even though some buyers may want to come along and strip it, currently it looks too much like a half done job (sorry!) With some carpets gone, but other trim in place. Which then subconsciously suggest it was removed cause there was something wrong with it. Have you edged the tunnel corners? If not, someone new to the cars can find all the sharp edges and unfinished bits quite off putting.

 

Stickers. Sorry, I know you may love it, but if I was a prospective buyer, even though it's the work of seconds to remove it, that bonnet sticker screams chav mobile at me. Which then makes me ignore the fact that the car underneath seems to be immaculately presented, and makes me think the car will have been thrashed and possibly miss treated. The removed bootbox contributes to this too; "the car's half stripped out, why?" is what my subconscious is screaming! The fact it's photographed on a trailer doesn't help either! Again, it screams "track nail" at me!

 

Likewise the side stripes, especially in an odd position, they instantly look like they're hiding something. (As a WF owner, I'm guessing the swept wing mounts, but someone new to the brand won't.)

 

Again, the front wings, the white with the maroon looks OK, not my favourite, but OK, goes nicely with the stripes though!

 

But now, hypothetically, my wildly overactive imagination is thinking they're perhaps just picked up second hand and that was the only colour you could get. That, plus race seats and harnesses, stickers "hiding things", it's all starting to make me wonder if it's had accident damage on track?

 

The daft thing is, when I look past all the above, I see what looks to be a genuine car, with really solid build quality, but I and other club members see that 'cause we know what it looks like in a Westfield.

 

Now I realise you do explain the various things later in the ad, but in reality, the photos are the first thing that grabs peoples attention, and many will read more, or move on, based purely on the pics.

 

Personally, if trying to appeal to the widest number of people, I'd loose the graphics, re-fit the bootbox and carpet, give the front wings a quick spray with the Plasticote, or consider a carbon wrap, get it off the trailer and get some nice photos shot.

 

If selling with the flared wings, consider including one of the old photos with them in place - ironically, despite the wings not being to everyone's taste, the older photos of the car actually present it well - it looks a lovely, honest early Westfield!

 

Or do nothing and play the waiting game!

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Peet in regard to your comment "remove the ads do the little bits of work" can you please clarify.  Thanks  

 

I think he means pull the adverts, (you can delete them, or ask a moderator to hide them from view) do the jobs, like re-fitting carpet and then do a new advert, with fresh photos.

[peet]

Just the little bits as folk have said, stickers, wings and carpets.

Nothing nasty, nice Sunday afternoon jobs to make it look a million dollars.

And yes remove the adverts if you haven't paid for them. Then when you readvertuse it will be different people looking and look different even if they were.

Sorry if you thought I was being harsh or anything?!