Major Dilemma.

[gerags]

I have a major dilemma at the moment.

 

I have an 02 Peugeot 206, which I bought for work (from new) and have been planning to sell it and get my dream car - an S1 Elise.

 

It's been on Autotrader website for a couple of weeks and have only had two legit enquiries. Neither of which showed up when arranged.

 

I've had loads of call from finance companies offering to sell it for a fee, but I don't know what they're like.

 

This is all going on while some great car sales have been passing me by.

 

 

Now here's the problem.

 

How long do I hold out before I think "Sod it - off to a dealer" and try to part-ex it, costing me more than it should ?

 

I'll get better value selling & buying privately, but without the interest it's just not going to happen.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[malbon]

dont use the finance companies - cowboys.

 

see how much a dealer will give you and also find out about px deals - u should get some half decent ones at specialist garages like Adrian Blythe etc. If thats still not enough then meet the price in the middle of the dealers and your autotrader price and re-advertise it as this.

 

2nd hand car market is pants and sometimes you just have to take a hit on a sell - but you can always make it back on the buy if your shrewd - its a a buyers market

[ally]

I always question a company that want money before they do the work. I was called by these people when selling my previous car and they couldnt give me a decent reason why they wouldnt charge after they sold it. I suspect they are Rubbish.

 

I put my car in the trader for 3 weeks. All of a sudden got three enquiries and then sold. If you have mates in the sounth try putting it in the Thames valley trader and see if you get more interest. Spose it depends on how far you have to drive to show it though.

 

As for good elise deals.. there will always be plenty. Dont worry too much about that. Now is a good time to but an elise and i dont reckon that will change in the near future.

Ally

[Bramble111s]

Well Good news is Elise prices have been falling slowly since 111R, although I think we are about steady now.

Bad news is we've had a few warm days and the salesmen will be knowing you want to take the roof off for summer, so prices may creep up at dealers.

There is always another S1 for sale in great nick, so don't worry you should be able to find your dream car no probs, just remember to budget for all the extras!

[chorton_1]

Usually I find that a lack of interest is due to too optimistic a price. Find out what the dealership will pay part-ex for your Peugeot and what the lower end of prices are on Autotrader. Anything above the dealer part-ex price is a bonus, and you should be able to haggle for a cash purchase on the Elise, thus saving more money.

[gerags]

Taking all this in, here goes...

 

The Pug is up for £5500, dealers selling the same for anything between £5700 and £6900.

So it's a very good buy.

 

Paul Matty offered around £4500-4700 part ex and Westover were offering £5k and were looking to reduce the cost of the Millennium edition they had to meet in the middle, but missed out as it sold the day before I was meant to drive down to view it.

 

I'll steer clear of the finance companies and will try to be patient.

 

You never know - Bank Holiday weekend approaching, anything can happen.

[Scott_Mac]

What model 206 is it, mileage etc... you can check its more likely value that way. I have to say that unless its well specced, XS or GTi, then £5500 probably isn't that great a deal

 

My sister bought a 2001 1.6XS for £3750 with 50k on the clock for reference... so the offers you've had probably aren't too shocking.

 

I will suggest steering clear of Paul Matty for Elises though, a few owners have had bad experiences with them. Pop and see Nick Whale - just up the road, you may be surprised, especially if you push them hard, ok the car prices are slightly dearer, but with a car of S1 age, a 12 month warranty from a dealer could be a very nice thing to have and you could make your money back on the difference.

 

To highlight, within 12 months of owning my car 98R, std at the time S1), i had a new radiator, new shocks all round, ball joints, track rod ends, inlet manifold gasket leak etc etc... add them all up and you are talking £2k ish...