Glad your safe. Hope it sells quick for you. I'm curious to know what you get for it when it sells.
I tried selling a running and driving Miata recently and got nothing but low balls. Mine is on the fair side, but mechanically running (paint peel, a little quarter rust, one dented fender) Tried listing at $3000 and got $950-2000 offers. That was with brand new wheels and tires and a Hard Dog roll bar. Made me pull it off the market.
dan0 (Forum Supporter) said:Glad your safe. Hope it sells quick for you. I'm curious to know what you get for it when it sells.
$1,500 to the first person to come Saturday.
I got the car listed early Friday morning because I didn't want to miss the wondering eyes of bored desk workers on a Friday. The inquiries were brisk. My day got busier than I had originally expected so I gave short replies to some. Saturday morning I moved the car to "pending" status mostly just to slow the flow of questions. I picked 4 shoppers who were generally local (less than 2 hours away) and wrote them all back telling them that 4 people would see the car today and they were one of them, if they wanted. An hour later, the first one arrived. They were the ones to buy it.
High School kid and dad. Jr is in auto body at tech school. School has a frame machine, etc. I kind of tried to talk them out of it knowing that I had the car sold 4 times over already. They wanted it.
They arrived in a car with a story that they could pay today and come back maybe next week with a 12ft trailer, yadda, yadda. So, as I expected to originally do, I called AAA on my account (that I never use all the annual services anyway) and had it towed the 50 miles back to rural Ashland County, Ohio. My AAA Gold program allows 4 tows per year of 100 miles each, included.
That kid is the right person to get it. You've helped set up a lifetime of car love with the kid.
In reply to Datsun310Guy :
With a little choke in my throat, I told the kid I was happy it was going back on the road and that he was welcome to just show up in my driveway, any time, with it when he gets it back on the road.
Sorry for your loss. Glad you're okay.
I had another local guy (20-ish) I would have liked it to go to. It would have been a parts car and I was okay with that. His buddy actually saw it Thursday and I gave him permission to come to my driveway and see it anytime Friday. The follow-up comments from him asked for a lower price and/or deposit with more later, etc.
He was missing the mark that I wanted the reminder out of my driveway.
I like the way you (apparently) navigated the "first person to show up and put cash in my palm takes it" and avoided the butt hurt "I was coming to see it!" selling process.
I wish there was a universally understood set of rules for that.
In reply to OHSCrifle :
The words I wrote...
I have just marked the car as pending because I can not manage the brisk flow of requests coming in. I am replying to 4 people to see it today and you are one of them. When would you like to come? Address then given
I then wrote...
John and phone number. Today is the first day of showing. Please be realistic and do not expect a price drop. Sorry if that sounds "dick-ish" but interest has been brisk.
Glad it went to the kid. My first car, a 1971 Super Beetle was a bit of a project car. It's fun to put some work into your first car.
For the guy looking to use it for parts I thought it would be the case that at least a few people would be offering the less than $1500 price.
Those words above all went to people I had already had some conversation with. At least more conversation that "is it available" or just the reply of... $500 and no other words. Am I really supposed to take that seriously? I do not and only replied to decent inquiries.
In reply to John Welsh :
Terrific! Sounds like you quickly found an ideal home for the Miata. I hope he does bring it back one day for a visit. And I hope you are 100% healed from any soreness from the crash.
When i saw it pending this morning i put down my phone and thanked the universe because I was ready to say yes and have hoopes go snag the $900 roller in tampa.
love it when something saves me from myself
In reply to dan0 (Forum Supporter) :
I wasn't going to move on the price for the first weekend. Think of it as the cost of getting to the front row. At IAA, in Ohio as a non-dealer a $1000 winning bid becomes $1483 after their BS fees. A $1,500 bid becomes $2058
My own research and some welcomed community/pro insight brought me to the $1,500 price.
You are an A1 good guy having that flat bedded on your membership. Tip of the hat to you John!
In reply to rustybugkiller :
I seem like the nice guy but I also then avoid buyer remorse that might set in when he does come back for it. Or, next weekend turns into 2 weekends. A cheap way (prepaid) for me to make the whole transaction "finish."
That is now the 3rd time I have used that tactic as a sale closer. Actually, 5th time if you include the 2 cars I sent to Patrick.
On the phone, AAA tried to determine if they could get the car back to running (and avoid the tow.) I reported that the car needs a radiator...it does. Upon arrival I slipped the driver a $10 and commented that lunch was on me! AAA requires the car to have a valid license plate (which it did.) As soon as I saw the driver complete his paperwork, writing the plate number in the appropriate box, I then promptly removed the plate.
In reply to Patrick :
Glad to save you from yourself...ha. There was a lot of work to be done. No oil in pan and no coolant in radiator. I'm sure I turned it off soon enough, but...
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