Used car prices

[fordomatic]

Everyone knows that the AU is the best Falcon ever made. Definitely the ugliest, definitely the best.

I’ve recently sold two and can confirm they are fetching good $. Nothing like Holdens and HSVs are though. The market is still strong for the right combo and condition cars.

[Franco Cozzo]

I was actually chasing an AU Fairlane Ghia 5L before I bought my Caprice.

Then a couple days later, a customer rocks into my workshop with an AU LTD with low km that needed an alternator he wanted to sell the car

The only reason I was set on the AU Fairlane was I drove one through a bumpy paddock once and it was so smooth and comfortable

The only things I've ever replaced on customers AU Falcons are window switches, alternators, power steering lines and the little LCD panel on the high series cars flogged out - thats it.

As much as I like paying out on them they actually are good cars, there's also a big difference between the EL SOHC 4L and the AU 4L SOHC in refinement and power delivery, even if the numbers on paper don't tell the story, its certainly there.

[oldel]

Yeah if I had the space and money during covid I would have been buying AUs.
But you think I'm a glutton for punishment with old BMWs. Imagine the pain getting window switches and LCD panels for 20 year old Fords! Talk about a rip off and no overseas competition. Unlike exxy euros no wreckers bother keeping 'common' falcon parts, much ended up in the bin or crushed.
ELs were pretty good though, advance the dizzy and stick in 98 petrol...E: AUs were the best on fuel economy for falcons though.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by oldel

Yeah if I had the space and money during covid I would have been buying AUs.
But you think I'm a glutton for punishment with old BMWs. Imagine the pain getting window switches and LCD panels for 20 year old Fords! Talk about a rip off and no overseas competition. Unlike exxy euros no wreckers bother keeping 'common' falcon parts, much ended up in the bin or crushed.
ELs were pretty good though, advance the dizzy and stick in 98 petrol...E: AUs were the best on fuel economy for falcons though.

It was a pain in the *** nearly 10 years ago getting some AU parts, especially that little LCD panel.

Also I'm pretty sure I still have a BA/BF drivers side seatbelt assembly on back order with my local Ford dealership, it's only been on back order for 7 years.

I suspect it's not comung

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

It was a pain in the *** nearly 10 years ago getting some AU parts, especially that little LCD panel.

Also I'm pretty sure I still have a BA/BF drivers side seatbelt assembly on back order with my local Ford dealership, it's only been on back order for 7 years.

I suspect it's not comung

Well looks like our Russian made Bosch ignition parts might be getting harder to source.

[Crazy Dazz]

What I find especially weird is the way these prices have translated to the "Project" market.

So people seem to think that because there's currently a shortage of cars, a project that is going to take me 3 years to get on the road, and is going to cost me more to fix due to the labour shortage, should also be worth more???

And some of the **** people are trying to sell

[AUWA1]

I had a series one AU XR8 back in the day and sold it and progressed through other Ford's. Then recently one of my sons bought an AU series 111 Fairmont. It had 200km on the clock, body was great and only the roof lining needed redoing. This sparked my interest in AU's again and i now have an addiction, i purchased a T3 TS50 (manual in storage), and XR8 series 3 black and a Forte series 3 B7 paint code i call it Maroon, V8 with a factory Havoc body kit needs a bit of TLC on the paint work but interior and drive line are very good.

Then my other son thought he wasn't going to miss out and bought the AU Fairmont V8 with the Havoc body kit. AU's everywhere next on the list is a Rebel or a T3 TE50.......one day.....no more space.

[janddbone]

The little LCD can usually be repaired by forcing the panel and circuit board back together!

[arm79]

Expect used car prices to take off once again.

According to the Courier Mail today:

A rental car shortage has hit Brisbane as flood-affected motorists desperately search for a temporary solution to written-off vehicles.

As of March 10, Queenslanders had made 10,050 insurance claims for damaged cars due to the floods, according to the Insurance Council of Australia.

And with RACQ stating that 90 per cent of all flooded cars are write-offs, the need for an immediate replacement is strong across Brisbane.

Two leading suppliers were entirely sold out for the week from Wednesday morning, while others had limited options including exclusively SUVs or more expensive options available.

Leading rental car company, Hertz, is one of the many seeing a spike in rentals, according to vice president Eoin Macneill.

To ease the demand, new fleet deliveries have been sent straight to flood affected areas, but Mr Macneill said the company had seen some delays in repositioning cars due to road closures.

So not only are rental car companies making an absolute mint on rentals in general these days, but now they can't keep up with demand.

But importantly, following on from this, these 10,050 cars need to be replaced. Only way to secure something these days is paying through the nose for it.

Also need to consider that 10,050 is only in Qld, doesn't include NSW, and does not include uninsured and/or possibly third party insured vehicles.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...6d9eb409996895

Not sure if its a paid story though, sorry.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Fiji

My advice would be if you can hold out, hold out.. used car prices are just too high.. combination of low supply of used cars due to covid and people not using public transport and also lack of supply for new cars due to electronic chip issue..

Try wait until we are vaccinated, supply gets back to normal, new cars available again and watch the prices of used cars fall out the ****.

So they are low supply?
How is everyone getting vaccinated going to change supply.
I'm solely referring to falcons and commodores.
Supply isn't going to get better.
Hence the prices.

New car supply won't have any effect on above mentioned cars as they are no longer around.
Excluding rego/maintenance costs.
I could sell my current car for more than I paid for it.
Will I.
No, cause then I'll be in the boat chasing another like everyone else for a replacement.
Spose it's only worth 10k in your eyes

[Mulva]

Originally Posted by Fiji

Also have you noticed used car dealers offering a contactless buying experience? Ha... So you expect someone to buy without an inspection? Do they think people were born yesterday? To sell their lemons

Used cars have so many variables, the seller sees the damage on the back door as a unavoidable nothing ding, the buyer sees it as a $2000 fix. The seller sees the tyres as good for another two years, the buyer sees them as 90% worn requiring urgent replacement. it's always been buyer beware.. sellers try and oversell, hide all the blemishes and oil leaks, buyers have to flush out the seedy gearbox, clunking diff and burning oil.

Years back dealers would never talk to you on the phone if you made an offer, it was always come to the yard and then we talk.. now they wanna talk by phone?? Ha..

You can't buy a used car contactless, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.. you must Inspect the car

lol, contactless does not mean you don't get to see, inspect or drive the vehicle before making an offer. As part of "contactless" many will deliver the car to your home and then disinfect all door handles and switch-gear etc for you to then test drive and inspect (which agreed does seem silly and no different to you going to the dealer to test-drive a sterilised car)

Aussie V8s, XR6T's / G6ET's, and utes are still going gang-busters, but prices of the "regular" stuff seems to be softening a bit over the last month based on watching auctions and also seeing stuff not selling on Carsales and Gumtree etc

[Mulva]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I don’t think dealers will spend the time driving the vehicle to tyre kickers houses to go for a drive then say Na.. they would basically want a deposit paid before they made the car available to inspect. Hence you have already missed the opportunity to inspect and negotiate based on faults found. Or buyers making the dealer bring out the vehicle, sanitise it, then receive a lowball offer. It just doesn’t work

You might not think they would, but they are. If that is what they have to do to sell cars they will do it.

Rather than just theorise, do a quick google search...you will find you are wrong. No deposit, no obligation. Plenty are doing it.

But you do you - make-up a fake scenario then get angry at it.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I don’t think dealers will spend the time driving the vehicle to tyre kickers houses to go for a drive then say Na.. they would basically want a deposit paid before they made the car available to inspect. Hence you have already missed the opportunity to inspect and negotiate based on faults found. Or buyers making the dealer bring out the vehicle, sanitise it, then receive a lowball offer. It just doesn’t work

Rubbish, old neighbour is a car salesman, he stops in home regularly with vehicles he's either taken to show or is about to take to show prospective buyers.
Quite often I'll ask if he landed the sale and quite often the answer is no.
They don't ask for a deposit first, wouldn't be worth the hassle taking and returning deposits all the time.
If the car is priced appropriately it should sell, if it isn't and gets sent back thats the dealers problem.

Dealing over the phone is no different to face to face, they ask the right questions to qualify you and go from there.

[prydey]

I've never had a major problem selling cars. Of course, like most, I price them with a small amount of wiggle room as that's just human psychology 101. People feel better if they can knock a few bucks off.

Always been amused at those who turn up and start pointing out all the faults of the used car they are looking at, as though it has been priced as fault free. I tell them those faults are the reason it's priced how it is and generally why it's cheaper than most others advertised.

I guess some folk just like to feel they're the boss.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Fiji

The pricing is not for the wiggle room but to see if you can find a sucker first, hit them for a home run? If they agree to buy at the asking price do you disclose that there is wiggle room?

I have not seen too many dealers pointing out the faults in their ads. All the photos to show the damage. Or being too upfront to disclose faults. Of course they claim they are fault free or they would never sell them. Beware of the high mileage car with the shiny new wheels at the dealer, hiding a mountain of issues behind those shiny wheels.. they also park them strategically so as to show the cars best side rather than the patchy paintwork on the other side. Then they have the nerve to offer contactless / inspectless pirchasing options

The buyer needs to shows who’s boss, not be trodden all over

I'm not a dealer, and I do actually point out all the issues with the cars I sell. I look after them and it's rarely a long list and the buyers appreciate it and leave happy.

I bought an ebv8 off a guy in Sydney once. He probably thought I was a sucker as I didn't haggle much and bought it after seeing it for the first time at the airport. I didn't care. I liked the car. Was the seller honest?? I doubt it, but I was after a specific car and they were a bit thin on the ground.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by Fiji

The pricing is not for the wiggle room but to see if you can find a sucker first, hit them for a home run? If they agree to buy at the asking price do you disclose that there is wiggle room?

Even if you have a prospective buyer that lacks bargaining confidence they always try the "what's the lowest you'll go" Or "what's you best price".
I've yet to meet anyone that will pay asking price unless you've stuffed up and advertised too cheap and they know their stuff so know they're getting a bargain. Even then they'll rush over and put the pressure on straight away because they don't want to lose out on a bargain and still try bargain down once they're in front of you (while your phone is ringing crazy to get to you LOL).

In general people that don't know what they're doing don't buy private sale s/h items. You're dealing with people in the know, will always bargain and even if you get a newbie they'll ask for best/lowest price anyway.

[rare ss]

Originally Posted by oldel

Even if you have a prospective buyer that lacks bargaining confidence they always try the "what's the lowest you'll go" Or "what's you best price".
I've yet to meet anyone that will pay asking price unless you've stuffed up and advertised too cheap and they know their stuff so know they're getting a bargain. Even then they'll rush over and put the pressure on straight away because they don't want to lose out on a bargain and still try bargain down once they're in front of you (while your phone is ringing crazy to get to you LOL).

In general people that don't know what they're doing don't buy private sale s/h items. You're dealing with people in the know, will always bargain and even if you get a newbie they'll ask for best/lowest price anyway.

I paid $500 more than the asking price when I bought my F6 privately, was advertised, I spotted it, viewed it the next day.. agreed to the price then the owner had second thoughts, $500 extra sealed the deal.. the car was prolly 5k under market value at the time so I wasn't fussed

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by Fiji

Also have you noticed used car dealers offering a contactless buying experience? Ha... So you expect someone to buy without an inspection? Do they think people were born yesterday? To sell their lemons

Used cars have so many variables, the seller sees the damage on the back door as a unavoidable nothing ding, the buyer sees it as a $2000 fix. The seller sees the tyres as good for another two years, the buyer sees them as 90% worn requiring urgent replacement. it's always been buyer beware.. sellers try and oversell, hide all the blemishes and oil leaks, buyers have to flush out the seedy gearbox, clunking diff and burning oil.

Years back dealers would never talk to you on the phone if you made an offer, it was always come to the yard and then we talk.. now they wanna talk by phone?? Ha..

You can't buy a used car contactless, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.. you must Inspect the car

Well you can sell them sight unseen. The last 3 cars I’ve sold went interstate with no inspections, and they weren’t cheap crap boxes either.