Figured I'd give it one more shot although most of the truly interested potential buyers seem to be the ones who see it on cars.com. The last time on Ebay the bidding didn't even get up to the price offered to me by CarMax. [:0]
If all else fails, guess we'll have to live with 3 two-seaters. [8D]
IMHO, ebay is basically just an advertising venue where you can show a car. The idea that people will seriously bid tens of thousands of dollars for an emotionally purchased dream car "sight unseen" and be legally forced to stick to that bid no matter what they find the car to be later in reality is unrealistic, at best. I tried for a while to find one that way, only to find misrepresented clunkers, bids being entered against me by the business selling the car to jack the price up, and having several bids I was "winning" get withdrawn shortly before the "auction" was to close at a fair private seller price below full Edmunds dealer retail. It was pretty obvious what they were doing as the cars reappeared a few days later under a different listing name.
Almost all the SLK ads are put there by retail dealers, not by individuals selling their own cars, and any bargains without Reserve prices at full retail tend to magically disappear before the end of the auctions, leaving the high bidder with empty hands.
You will probably do better if you also use ebay the same way, as a way to get a lot of pictures before your local customers, and eventually finding a local buyer for your car, who will come and look it over carefully before negotiating a private sale with you prior to end of "auction".
Your car looks nice; it will find its new owner in due time.
Ed Gardner
P.S. How did the price offered to you by Carmax compare with the Edmunds "trade-in" price? I am trying to verify whether the Edmunds trade-in is an accurate representation of what dealers will offer for real cars.
Thanks, Ed. I had good experiences several years ago on Ebay. I sold my SLK230 to a buyer in San Francisco, and a 2001 TT roadster to someone in TN who drove up to pick it up. That said, I think that Ebay has changed so it reflects more what you describe as typical these days.
The Carmax price was about $1400 over the KBB trade-in value, but about $2000 over what they said the trade-in value was. (They left off the integrated phone when they ran the KBB numbers.)
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RE: Well, my SLK32 is back on Ebay ...
Ebay is mostly dealers these days. In the past the private party ads ruled, but now it really is quite commercial. So it makes sense that you only got bid up to around what car max offered. Plus you have to take into account that the dealers also have to pay for shipping. Hence the lower price.
My SLK32 was my favorite car of the 30+ cars I have had. It was also the worst resale car I have ever had. A shame really. Good luck with your car! Someone is going to get a really nice one.
PS I have successfully bought several old cars on Ebay. My friends have too. But you can get stung. IF the price is too good you better believe there is a reason.
__________________ "Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye."
I, too, have never taken a depreciation hit quite this steep on a car. It's pretty unreal. Too bad I'm not keeping it forever like I had initially planned to. Three years with a car seems to be the limit for me lately.
I'm finally getting some local interest off the Ebay ad, so hopefully things will pick up. I may end up having to end the auction, though, as I've got to fly to FL since my Dad is in the hospital and it doesn't look like I'll be around at the end of the auction anyway. Tough to sell a car if you're 1000 miles away ...
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