To sell or to scrap

[jaxnlee]

My husband has a 2004 v40 that hasn't been driven for a couple of years since he got a company car. I hate seeing it just sitting there as its such a lovely car.

Needs a new battery and 4 tyres but other than that its in pretty good nick. Only has 67000 miles on. Scrappy has offered £200, is it worth more than this or should we just take his cash?

[T5R92011]

2004 V40 with low miles like that, I reckon you could get at least a grand perhaps more.

[Dippydog]

Obviously it would sell better/for more money if tested,however as a spares/repairs car I'd think it'd sell for more than the scrappies offer.I'd put an ad on here[in the relevant section for your car]and possibly such as Gumtree I also believe that such as farcebook has a selling area[?]so try there too if you use that.

[Packard999]

Looks a nice car !

[Austin160]

I guess it really depends on the whether the least hassle route is more important than the extra funds, or finding a good home for the car. It sounds as if it has the potential of being a nice car, but basic economics would point to an immediate £300 + to cover tyres, battery and MOT costs. Obviously any other MOT fail issues (if any) would add to this cost.

Transportation would also be another consideration for a potential buyer, unless you would be prepared to allow someone to remove all the road wheels to get new tyres fitted and replace the battety and attempt to start it. If it gets started and is booked in for an MOT then technically it can be driven away to the chosen MOT station, but....

If it were mine then I would most certainly get the buyer to sign to accept the car is purchased in an unroadworthy condition, and a time of transfer ( in addition to the date) would be stated on the signed copy which I would retain.

[S60D5-185]

PM sent

[jaxnlee]

Thanks Austin 160, good info there 😊

[biggbn]

A lifetime buying other people's problems/cars tells me cars with no mot these days are virtually worthless. I would word an honest advert listing all faults and highlight it is spares or repair. Sadly, 200/300 quid will be going rate regardless of mileage. If you care about the car, try to get it mot and the cars value is significantly more.

[ThomasG]

Originally Posted by biggbn

A lifetime buying other people's problems/cars tells me cars with no mot these days are virtually worthless. I would word an honest advert listing all faults and highlight it is spares or repair. Sadly, 200/300 quid will be going rate regardless of mileage. If you care about the car, try to get it mot and the cars value is significantly more.

He knows what he's talking about!

If you could see his ad for beetle...


Hmmm.. I wonder can I stlll find it..

[ThomasG]

Ahhhh... Here it is..

It actually went live and car sold in what.. 30 minutes?

Behold the master:

Originally Posted by biggbn

Potential advert for my old beetle....what do you think...

Are you looking for a once in a lifetime pristine little old lady owned beetle convertible? Are you hoping to score one of these once in a lifetime internet bargains you always hear someone else brag about but you missed out on it cos YOU AINT THAT LUCKY? If you are, keep looking, cos this isn't it. My beetle, and I use that term loosely as it has been passed around our family for the last several years like a comfy old sweater, is a bit of an eyesore. It's only had three or four owners, but it's had more drivers than a London cab. But I know them all, and for the most part can vouch for their sanity and mechanical sympathy. In a vain attempt to pass its numerous problems onto a third party who I hope to never see again, I am going to list all of its bad points in detail so said third party cannot come and view the car, visibly recoil, and offer me a half eaten mars bar and yesterday's newspaper for the privilege of rolling home in this Wolfsburg iconoclast.

The car is a 2005 beetle cabrio with the 1.9tdi lump and power hood. It has covered @180k miles and has been serviced once a year wether it needed it or not. Bodywise it has a horrific repair on its passenger sill. Why? Cos it was cheaper. It will pass an mot, it was done by the garage who mots it and that was my instruction. The car is not in any way rotten, these stupid running boards get bumped and bashed and fill with mud and other road crap and rot from the inside out. Shocking piece of design. I'm not bitter. I'm sure you could grind it down and with a voodoo incantation, some fairy dust and a recognised bona fide miracle make it look less, well, horrible. If you wanted to. But I wouldn't. Why? Cos then you have started. And there is a long list til you finish. This was my daughters second car and I think most corners have a parking scuff on them, I may have added a few myself. The drivers mirror which still upholds its contractual obligation to function in a mirror like fashion is aided in its battle against wind, weather and gravity itself by judicious, and artful, application of God's chosen adhesive, gaffa tape. This was initially silver but in pursuit of
a less visually offensive aesthetic, I have cunningly replaced it with a darker tape so you can only know see this bodge from less than a hundred yards away. It only has one key, and whilst this will start the car first time, every time, it has not functioned as a locking implement for many moons now. It will remotely lock and unlock the car if you change its batteries every six minutes but I just don't bother. Unless you are a car thief reading this, in which case it is locked up like a Swiss bank vault I tells ya!

Ok, so, it is cosmetically challenged, but here are the good bits. It was my daughters car and as such, mechanically it has been looked after. It is a big, safe, tdi Volkswagen. I don't think it's being disingenuous to use the word legendary for the VAG 1.9 tdi/pdi. The car starts every time, and until recently has been covering 500-800 miles a week at well over 50mpg with no issues. I would genuinely jump in this and drive it anywhere. It has covered about 180k but engine uses minimal oil, clutch and gearbox are spot on, brakes pull car up straight and true, and it drives really well. The roof works perfectly, and it's a lovely looking wee thing with the roof and windows down. It's that ugly duckling/swan thing. Well, ugly duckling/slightly less ugly from certain angles in the dark duckling in reality. The roof is free of rips and car is dry, it has a glass back window with heated element so no worries about misted up plastic.

What you are looking at here is a car that has been loved. No, make that LOVED. And needs a lot more love. I am gutted I can't keep it, my daughter will cry. I may get something in my eye and have to turn away at an opportune moment myself. So, why the sale. We bought our daughter a new Kia last Christmas, and I have used the beetle ever since. But I have bought a new car. One that isn't quite so, erm, bohemian/embarrassing (delete as appropriate). I had thought to get a rusty patina wrap done on it, or a Janis Joplin flower power one, drop it on its ass and keep it for sh!ts and giggles, but it is not feasible, another load of road tax and insurance and I would not now use it often enough to justify the expense. So, you can do all this. This is as bad as this car can get. You are seeing a blank canvas. It's mot has just run out on 17th October and this is something I could discuss with its new owner, but I would rather sell it as is as I work away a lot and am unlikely to find time to get it done, and I don't want the wee bug becoming a lawn ornament.

First £500 buys this car, no offers, no haggling, or I will keep it. You will not find cheaper and it's worth that in bits alone. Ideal Christmas present for a child who,has neither been particularly good nor particular life, a tangible life lesson that says could do better ?