BAT anxiety

[Djs36345]

Thinking of putting my car on BAT but i'm leery of the comment section. It's an 87 911 3.2 with 45,000 miles. The car belonged to my father since new. When people see such low mileage car they get skeptical and start to doubt the true mileage. Unfortunately I'm missing about 20 years of service records, 1989-2009. The car is in phenomenal shape and the carfax reflects no odometer fraud. My concern is that a vocal minority of skeptics in the comments section is going to scare away potential bidders from my honest car and I just have to take the abuse. Hopefully i'm just being paranoid, what say you guys?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/927782-87-911-3-2-cabrio-51-000-a.html

[PSportoVeloce]

A carfax should help verify the mileage. The stamps in the service book, if there are any, should also help.

[ASD]

beautiful car. Should sell well

[75 911s]

Just be as forthcoming as possible. Given the condition and if you document and photograph well, the small vocal naysayers wont have much ground to stand on.

[gtc]

It's funny that BaT used to be a site for finding project cars, but nowdays the comment section / peanut gallery does it's best to rip every car to shreds.

[Skwerl]

Originally Posted by gtc

It's funny that BaT used to be a site for finding project cars, but nowdays the comment section / peanut gallery does it's best to rip every car to shreds.

Nearly all of the air-cooled auctions I've watched (admittedly none in the last few weeks) have a pretty vocal contingent of "to the moooon!" cheerleaders hooting about what a screaming deal the buyer's getting and how the buyer could easily flip this in a few months for a $20k profit and so on.

[Menmojo]

Looks like a fantastic car. I wouldn't hesitate listing on BAT as long as you use a reserve you're happy with. Make sure to take good photos of the car and lots of them. Who cares about the commentary as long as you get a good buyer willing to pay a fair price.

[Bauch]

Originally Posted by Menmojo

Looks like a fantastic car. I wouldn't hesitate listing on BAT as long as THEY use a reserve you're happy with. Make sure to take good photos of the car and lots of them. Who cares about the commentary as long as you get a good buyer willing to pay a fair price.

I fixed the comment above, as it more accurately reflects how BaT works (I currently have a car being auctioned there). Maybe it's different for really unique cars or models where there is clear demand. That said, as long as

They will ask for 30-40 good pictures, each 1MB should be fine. The more transparency you can create, the better the result. For a 911, it might be worthwhile to have compression and leakdown tests performed, as well as take photos with a paint meter showing readings at different spots on the body. Anything you can do to reduce the risk of a transaction that you hope will get you in the range of your asking price is worth it to do.

Best of luck with the sale however you choose to transact. Just know that BaT is a better marketplace than eBay any day of the week.

[mreid]

Don't be a chicken stick. Here are three rules for success:

1. Take lots of pictures and point out every shining virtue and blemish directly. Write a narrative that focuses on the things you believe are important and don't accept a reserve lower than you can live with.

2. Be an active participant in sellling your car. Visit BaT often, respond directly and follow up, calling out any bs and proving them wrong with fact, pictures, and data. Demonstrate your knowledge of the car and highlight any comments you agree with and thank those who compliment or point out your cars virtue.

3. Provide any pictures or info people request and thank them for helping you make your ad even better. Stay on line monitoring and commenting during the last 30 minutes of your listing. Congratulate the winner and stay above the foolishness.

Good luck, you will do well.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by mreid

Don't be a chicken stick. Here are three rules for success:

1. Take lots of pictures and point out every shining virtue and blemish directly. Write a narrative that focuses on the things you believe are important and don't accept a reserve lower than you can live with.

2. Be an active participant in sellling your car. Visit BaT often, respond directly and follow up, calling out any bs and proving them wrong with fact, pictures, and data. Demonstrate your knowledge of the car and highlight any comments you agree with and thank those who compliment or point out your cars virtue.

3. Provide any pictures or info people request and thank them for helping you make your ad even better. Stay on line monitoring and commenting during the last 30 minutes of your listing. Congratulate the winner and stay above the foolishness.

Good luck, you will do well.

Great advice right here.

[gshiwota]

+1 mreid

I've sold two cars on BAT and am really pleased with the results. In both of my cases, I had to deal with "idiot experts" who tried to bash my cars. In both cases the "community" stood up for my cars and helped me put them inline.

My advice to you.

1) Be as transparent as possible and be active in the comments. I commented almost every day and shared feedback / Q&A I received from emails and people that came and looked at the car in person.

2) Provide a public viewing of the car. I made sure my auctions coincided with a local Porsche swapmeet / shows so I could encourage people to see the car in person before the end of the auction. I got many positive posts from this as the community backed up the condition and quality of my cars. This also give others a chance to stand up for you when someone starts bashing you for no reason. I'd suggest you take the car to a Cars N Coffee event in your area during the auction so you can show it to the masses.

3) Don't worry about the lack of service records... just explain that you simply don't have them and that while this car is a collector now, it was just an ordinary car. It's awesome that it's a 1-owner car. Any stories / memories you can share about the car from early in its life will make your car more desirable - this is better than service records in my book.

4) Take lots of pictures, especially in common 911 problem areas. When I look at a car I always want to see the following: 1) Is it leaking oil? 2) Does it have all of the AC components? 3) Is there rust in the suspension pan, door jams, around the windows, around the turnsignals? 4) Dash, seats, steering wheel and carpet condition, 5) Recent service - is it ready to go - oil/belt/brakes/ valve adjust, tires decent. 6) Does it have the full tools, books, keys and tire pump?

5) I think BAT is perfect for your car. The mileage, color, and condition will be appreciated by the BAT masses. If you can, you may want to hold off until after winter as I find its easier to sell an open car when the weather is warming up. You have a low mile g50 car so the value is not going down and you have time on your side.


Good luck and great car!

[Djs36345]

Originally Posted by PSportoVeloce

A carfax should help verify the mileage. The stamps in the service book, if there are any, should also help.

Unfortunately the dealer didn't stamp the book. But I do have receipts from the dealer from 1986-1989

[Djs36345]

Originally Posted by gshiwota

+1 mreid

I've sold two cars on BAT and am really pleased with the results. In both of my cases, I had to deal with "idiot experts" who tried to bash my cars. In both cases the "community" stood up for my cars and helped me put them inline.

My advice to you.

1) Be as transparent as possible and be active in the comments. I commented almost every day and shared feedback / Q&A I received from emails and people that came and looked at the car in person.

2) Provide a public viewing of the car. I made sure my auctions coincided with a local Porsche swapmeet / shows so I could encourage people to see the car in person before the end of the auction. I got many positive posts from this as the community backed up the condition and quality of my cars. This also give others a chance to stand up for you when someone starts bashing you for no reason. I'd suggest you take the car to a Cars N Coffee event in your area during the auction so you can show it to the masses.

3) Don't worry about the lack of service records... just explain that you simply don't have them and that while this car is a collector now, it was just an ordinary car. It's awesome that it's a 1-owner car. Any stories / memories you can share about the car from early in its life will make your car more desirable - this is better than service records in my book.

4) Take lots of pictures, especially in common 911 problem areas. When I look at a car I always want to see the following: 1) Is it leaking oil? 2) Does it have all of the AC components? 3) Is there rust in the suspension pan, door jams, around the windows, around the turnsignals? 4) Dash, seats, steering wheel and carpet condition, 5) Recent service - is it ready to go - oil/belt/brakes/ valve adjust, tires decent. 6) Does it have the full tools, books, keys and tire pump?

5) I think BAT is perfect for your car. The mileage, color, and condition will be appreciated by the BAT masses. If you can, you may want to hold off until after winter as I find its easier to sell an open car when the weather is warming up. You have a low mile g50 car so the value is not going down and you have time on your side.


Good luck and great car!

Thanks pal I think I'm back on the BAT train! I'm going to wait til about March for obvious reasons.

[specialtyoneinc]

Another successful BAT auction.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/929112-1998-carrera-s-993-glacier-white.html

[r-mm]

Put yourself in the buyers position... if you believe the seller and like the car, you're not listening to nay-sayers.

I'm considering listing my driver quality G50 as well - really struggling with it though since I'd prefer people come and see the car in person. Might start here and see where it goes.

[COLB]

Originally Posted by r-mm

Put yourself in the buyers position... if you believe the seller and like the car, you're not listening to nay-sayers.

I'm considering listing my driver quality G50 as well - really struggling with it though since I'd prefer people come and see the car in person. Might start here and see where it goes.

People will probably come see it in person if you list it on BaT, depending on where you live.

Link the auction page onto craigslist to bring in the local market that isn't aware of BaT.

[sugarwood]

Selling in CT should yield some local tri-state buyers.
It might even be a advantage, as these cars seem more rare up here.

[Djs36345]

Originally Posted by Bauch

I fixed the comment above, as it more accurately reflects how BaT works (I currently have a car being auctioned there). Maybe it's different for really unique cars or models where there is clear demand. That said, as long as

They will ask for 30-40 good pictures, each 1MB should be fine. The more transparency you can create, the better the result. For a 911, it might be worthwhile to have compression and leakdown tests performed, as well as take photos with a paint meter showing readings at different spots on the body. Anything you can do to reduce the risk of a transaction that you hope will get you in the range of your asking price is worth it to do.

Best of luck with the sale however you choose to transact. Just know that BaT is a better marketplace than eBay any day of the week.

If I or the buyer wants to perform a compression or leak down test don't the spark plugs have to be removed? From what I understand that's an expensive job. Also, the car is 30 years old, what if the plugs break inside the head? Now I have a bigger problem on my hands. Then once the test is done am I expected to put 30 year old spark plugs back in? Granted the car only has under 45k miles but still. At that point you might as well put new plugs in, now you have a 1000 dollar plus job just to test the health of the engine. If you disagree let me know

[christiandk]

Originally Posted by Djs36345

If I or the buyer wants to perform a compression or leak down test don't the spark plugs have to be removed? From what I understand that's an expensive job. Also, the car is 30 years old, what if the plugs break inside the head? Now I have a bigger problem on my hands. Then once the test is done am I expected to put 30 year old spark plugs back in? Granted the car only has under 45k miles but still. At that point you might as well put new plugs in, now you have a 1000 dollar plus job just to test the health of the engine. If you disagree let me know

I have never heard of a spark plug breaking inside the head. How do you figure that would happen? And I bet that they have been replaced before. Spark plugs are cheap and very easy to replace on your car. I bet that a comp test and spark plug replacement will run you less than 500 bucks.

Good luck.

[SkunkWorks]

Originally Posted by Djs36345

If I or the buyer wants to perform a compression or leak down test don't the spark plugs have to be removed? From what I understand that's an expensive job. Also, the car is 30 years old, what if the plugs break inside the head? Now I have a bigger problem on my hands. Then once the test is done am I expected to put 30 year old spark plugs back in? Granted the car only has under 45k miles but still. At that point you might as well put new plugs in, now you have a 1000 dollar plus job just to test the health of the engine. If you disagree let me know

It's a fairly straight forward job on these cars...

It's just the cost of doing business. For the serious sellers out there, paying for a good detail, compression test, leakdown, and PPI helps to sell the car.

Compare this to a dirty, unknown history, non-3rd party inspected car with potato photos taken from a cellphone, I can tell you which car would sell first, any day.