Was offered £1K for my car today

[evoke]

My 2008 Citroen C5 2.2HDi Exclusive was valued at £1K for a part-exchange valuation today. To say I was shocked is an understatement! Having bought it for £4K earlier this year and then paid out well over £4K again in repairs and replacements for worn out parts, I had to walk away from a new car deal. I think it'd be better to run it into the ground.

[Old-Guy]

You don't say how many miles and what condition it's in. If you wanted to p/x it against a new model that's in demand (or being offered at huge discount), a low valuation may simply reflect the salesman's lack of interest in taking something that will simply go to auction as is.

It always pays to offer a vehicle for p/x in freshly-valetted state. A Sunday spent thoroughly cleaning and polishing a car inside and out will always get you a better deal than offering it dirty and uncared for inside and out.

[evoke]

You don't say how many miles and what condition it's in. If you wanted to p/x it against a new model that's in demand (or being offered at huge discount), a low valuation may simply reflect the salesman's lack of interest in taking something that will simply go to auction as is.

It always pays to offer a vehicle for p/x in freshly-valetted state. A Sunday spent thoroughly cleaning and polishing a car inside and out will always get you a better deal than offering it dirty and uncared for inside and out.

Mileage is very high - 139K miles. Full main dealer service history. Interior is immaculate. Exterior has some chips and scrapes. The chips have been touched up. I detail all my cars and have done the best I can for the C5 - the outside has been clayed and waxed using expensive car waxes. The interior has been meticulously detailed by me using high-end products and looks like a new car - not a single mark on the interior. It looks striking but obviously there is some paintwork imperfections around the car.

I spent virtually the whole of last week detailing the car during the evenings - a total of around 12 hours spent on it. Alloys cleaned and sealed too.

[Old-Guy]

I'd say it's the high mileage for its age - and the fact that it's a C5, a 2.2 and an Exclusive: it's a big Citroen with the big 2.2 engine and "strange, complicated" hydro-pneumatic suspension.

This dealer or salesman is trying to send you the clear message "We are not interested in doing a deal on your terms." Other factors might be finance - if you want to pay (a good part of) the balance, the dealership and/or salesman would lose a fat chunk of commission.

[evoke]

^ I agree. I don't think he was interested in taking the car as a part-exchange.

[Stewart(oily)]

A couple of years ago Webuyanycar offered me £50 for my Xantia TD Estate

[Diabolical]

Not that I want but can't, seems like a good offer from someone on FCF could get themselves cracking deal?

[KP]

If that was an estate I'd match that offer and then a bit more as well as long as the service history and drive was good as I want get my mum and dad into something newer in the near future

[Peter.N.]

I reckon it would make more than that on ebay! That's one of the reasons I run 10 year + old cars.

Peter

[Eddie Nuff]

I'll give you £1k for it.

[Monkeyfeet]

Wot Old-Guy said!
Salesman is most definitely saying he's not interested by hugely undervaluing it. His loss!

[Jabo]

tradeInValue != marketValue

[Peter.N.]

I'll give you £1k for it.

I will give you £1001.

[evoke]

^ Ha ha.

So, i've had a change of heart after seeing the trade-in prices and i'm not going to trade it in. I've spent far too much money on it this year so i'll be running it into the ground. A friend of mine did offer £2,800 for it but I said no. If I can get another year or two out of it i'll be happy.

There is an irony in this story. I've test-driven some budget cars and they aren't a patch on my C5 in terms of comfort and ride quality.