We buy Any Car .... DOT CON....

[isisalar]

The buyers used to boast amongst us about the 'knock's' they had done, being the difference between the online 'valuation' and the real offer made when you physically turn up.
The biggest one I remember IIRC was £7000 on a very late Merc. He'd had a 'valuation' of £19000 and was offered £12000. I think he took it.
Not a very ethical business but a very successful one. You need a portacabin, phone line, and some storage and that's it.
Citroenxm it would be an interesting exersise to take that C2 along and see what sort of real offer you would get.
Kind regards
Paul

[myglaren]

When my daughter's father in law died last year, his wife was distressed at having his Jaguar on the street, tried to give it to her vicar who rejected the offer on ethical grounds so her daughter took it to WBAC.bastards. They said it was a pile of crap and gave her IIRC £1200 for it.
It was in perfect condition both mechanically and cosmetically, he used to baby it all the time. It was worth at least four times that amount.
I would have bought it had I known she was going to do that but she didn't want anyone in the family to have it and be a constant reminder for her. Magnificent car.

[6speedmanual]

At risk of restating the obvious....
A car is only worth what someone will pay for it.
On here we generally have a high regard for Citroëns.
This is not shared amongst the general market which influences the market value. WBAC buys and sells cars in that wide market and will know quite accurately where to pitch their offers.
I don't mind one bit that my HDi estate is worth buttons. It allowed me to buy it cheap with the need for 2 rear spheres. Now driving a very good 'older' car. Done 12,000 miles in 4 months including towing a car trailer to Stuttgart and back.
Activa values are also 'low' for a car with such a unique blend of characteristics. Rarity, clever tech and high regard by enthusiasts does not make them worth more.
Perception of complexity and unreliability in 'just and old Citroën' makes them worth less.
Interestingly in France, where there are many more Activa (currently over 60 advertised on one web site alone) they are selling for significantly more than uk prices. And not just the diesels, petrols are higher priced too. The French market values them higher, even though plentiful, because Citroën is less stigmatised and in general used cars cost a touch more there than uk.

Anyway, I digress from the thread topic. WBAC paying £50 for a car that will be scrapped leaves them almost nothing by the time they have transported it and got maybe £130 from the scrappie.

[citroenxm]

Im not overly bothered that they offered 75 quid, and I know the car is not worth 1000, was just suprised it was so low. Prehaps £200 quid...

Anyway. Im not expecting to pay little for a car, stick stupid miles on it and expect to make mega money. Though I also wouldn't sell something I thought had little life left. This Xantia of mine with 230k does have some good life left yet.

As you rightly say 6speed, we do up value our cars amoungst ourselfs... Lesser model car traders always say " ppooowwaaaa.. wouldn't have one of those if you paid me...."

[jacksun1987]

I went on confussed.com or compera the market. There was a bit, What said value. Of the car my 19td xantia 95 said 75 pound as well. So im guessing all xantias are worth 75 pound

[qprdude]

A car is worth what a buyer is willing to pay. The sellers valuation is meaningless. It's a buyers market for 90% of the time. These guys know what they can sell, and for how much.

[Mdon]

I've just done it for my 08 renault laguna estate DCi, 51,000 FSH offered just over £3k. Yeah right! I somehow think I can keep it another year or two and still get better than that.

[addo]

You could offer them a straight swap for 40 HDi Xantias with 230K on the clock, all MOT'd, insured and taxed?

BYO gridlock!

[SaabC5]

I actually work where they auction off their cars, to be fair to them they do set very low reserves compared to other vendors but they still do very well with the resale value of their vehicles.

[daviemck2006]

I had a knackered c5 that I got for £350 which had new tyres and front brakes. I was needing two tyres and front brakes so I swapped the bits then I did a valuation on the knackered one, had a major leak in the steering rack, it was filled with cheap (free) british rail hydraulic fluid just to get it to work, WBAC offered £750 with no mot so in I went, guy came out and noted every chip and scratch on the car (there was not a lot), started it, wiggled steering wheel moved forward and back about two feet, then took me into the office (porta-cabin) and offered £250. I took it away and put it into local auction and got £500. I would always sell privately if the car was ok, if it's a piece of crap it would be auction just to get rid.

[qprdude]

I had a knackered c5 that I got for £350 which had new tyres and front brakes. I was needing two tyres and front brakes so I swapped the bits then I did a valuation on the knackered one, had a major leak in the steering rack, it was filled with cheap (free) british rail hydraulic fluid just to get it to work, WBAC offered £750 with no mot so in I went, guy came out and noted every chip and scratch on the car (there was not a lot), started it, wiggled steering wheel moved forward and back about two feet, then took me into the office (porta-cabin) and offered £250. I took it away and put it into local auction and got £500. I would always sell privately if the car was ok, if it's a piece of crap it would be auction just to get rid.

So you got £250 more. The guy would have had to transport the car to the auction, probably prepare it and ensure it was road legal, pay the auction fee, pay the wages etc, and take a chance of a bid or two being made.
Perhaps it would be better if they just did everything for charity. They are a busines for God sake.
Of course, they also have to cover their time for valuing a car for people who HAVE NO INTENTION OF SELLING!!. Does anyone really still believe in "free estimates" "free no obligation quotes " etc?
Someone, usually the genuine seller in this case, has to pay for it all.
It's difficult for me to understand why anyone would use WBAC and similar companies to give them a price, then complain, even though they had no intention of selling!!!!
Granted, some genuine sellers would want to get two or three quotes from different sources,(Parkers, Glass's or a P/Ex), but to get a quote for no reason is beyond me.

[daviemck2006]

I had a knackered c5 that I got for £350 which had new tyres and front brakes. I was needing two tyres and front brakes so I swapped the bits then I did a valuation on the knackered one, had a major leak in the steering rack, it was filled with cheap (free) british rail hydraulic fluid just to get it to work, WBAC offered £750 with no mot so in I went, guy came out and noted every chip and scratch on the car (there was not a lot), started it, wiggled steering wheel moved forward and back about two feet, then took me into the office (porta-cabin) and offered £250. I took it away and put it into local auction and got £500. I would always sell privately if the car was ok, if it's a piece of crap it would be auction just to get rid.

So you got £250 more. The guy would have had to transport the car to the auction, probably prepare it and ensure it was road legal, pay the auction fee, pay the wages etc, and take a chance of a bid or two being made.
Perhaps it would be better if they just did everything for charity. They are a busines for God sake.
Of course, they also have to cover their time for valuing a car for people who HAVE NO INTENTION OF SELLING!!. Does anyone really still believe in "free estimates" "free no obligation quotes " etc?
Someone, usually the genuine seller in this case, has to pay for it all.
It's difficult for me to understand why anyone would use WBAC and similar companies to give them a price, then complain, even though they had no intention of selling!!!!
Granted, some genuine sellers would want to get two or three quotes from different sources,(Parkers, Glass's or a P/Ex), but to get a quote for no reason is beyond me.

I saw it as I lost £250, as they valued it at £750. I know they have overheads but they should not be "valuing" a car at £750 to get you there and then only giving £250. The car was accurately described for their "valuation" apart from the knackered steering rack. That bit for me was the con. The thing is if they had "valued" the car at £250 for a start They would have got it as I was only wanting rid. It was a bonus when I got £500 at Thainstone. I've seen it for sale twice since on E-bay at a small polish run garage in Fraserburgh, the 1st time two weeks later with new mot for £1450, so it must have got fixed.

[qprdude]

Thing is Davie, you were quite prepared to knock it out to them with a knackered steering rack, so how can you complain. Maybe the guy who looked at it wasn't such a plonker, and realised the rack was shot. You also auctioned the car for 500 quid , presumeably without any guilt about the rack, and my pity goes to the guy that bought it at Thainstone. I once bought an Escort from there for my son, and it was OK after I did a bit of welding on the inner wings. Wouldn't buy one for myself from there though.

[Citroenmad]

It just seems like an odd company to set up, its obviously working as its still around. No doubt due to the fact money doesnt go far these days and sometimes people need shot of cars quickly to free up money. So if you do, you take the loss to get a quick sale, rather than hold out for more money through a private sale. However, an auction is quick and easy, so I still don't see the need in this company or why it exists. But of course everyone is out to make their living.

And its not the value of the car, its the value to them as they need to make money on it. A private individual will obviously pay more than £75 for a working Xantia with tax and test. If not, they ought to be buying a model car and not a real one. But yes, you do sometimes get a bargain.

You just know they are going to undervalue any car, so why bother. Sell it yourself or risk an auction. If its got a problem then its tough really, you either take the financial hit by selling it for cheaper with the problem known to the buyer, get it repaired or if there is little value in it, scrap it.

Cars are very rarely money makers, they just plumit in value and the newer the car the bigger the loss.

It actually makes sense to knock about in cars like a £500 Xantia. If it breaks then it might well be an easier fix than many modern cars. If its too costly then scrap it and get something else (not that im in favour of scrapping Xantias, but as an example ..). At worst, you lose £500, which is at best a few months depreciation on something considerably newer.

But then, we are supposed to buy a new car every few minutes to keep the economy rolling ...

[daviemck2006]

I've bought 2 cars from thainstone, one an old clio for £500 for the wife to run about in and it was a cracking car, one a fiesta diesel for myself to rag to pieces goi ng to work and back. It was a bucket of crap, rotten underneath and a shot clutch. Just went back into the sale 3 weeks later, got same money back. As far as I see, ypu pays ur money and takes your chance at auction. If you get a dud just put it back in.

Aberdeen SMAG was better though. I've bought a few decent ex-motability cars over the years there. Buy at three yrs old, run for a year, sell private for the same as you paid. Free motoring and always had a decent car. I should start doing that again, but have to go to Kinross or Edinburgh to do that now.