We recently published an article on 10 Rules For Buying a 944/924S. On the other side of the deal is the seller – and how to successfully sell your 944 or 924S. So here are ten rules – obviously not a complete list, but enough to get you started.
- Wash your car. Countless times I have seen a photo ad or gone to look at a car for sale that was filthy. Just a mess. Dirty wheels, junk in the interior, nasty paint with gook on it…just does not help to sell a car. A clean car – even one that isn’t anywhere near perfect – will show that you, the owner, cares about your car. When it comes to Porsche, this matters.
- Choose where to advertise your car. Shipping is an expensive proposition, so when you are selling a car for, say, $4,000, a $1,200 shipping cost is not attractive to a buyer. So it makes sense that your buyers will be from the local area. Advertising in expensive national online locations may not be smart, while a local ad that stays within a couple hundred miles of your home could be an inexpensive alternative. Consider Facebook Marketplace for local advertisements.
If you have the parts to fix the little things, fix them. I hate the ads that say the parts are included but “haven’t had the time to install.” If you have a new exhaust or steering wheel or driver’s seat, take the time to install. Again, Porsche buyers appreciate those who take care of their cars – not ignore them.- Buyers know what they are looking for. Records, background info, upgrades – all important to those who are looking at your car. They are looking for a 944 et. al., and when looking at your advertisement, it isn’t because they are looking for some random kind of older car – they are looking for a 944. They know the car, and want information on condition, history, records, background – not a lot of hype.
- Take a lot of great photos showing the things that they want to see. Buyers want to see the car including all four sides, the engine compartment, interior, seats, odometer, and hatch area. Photograph any problem areas like splits or damage to seats, dents, scrapes and rust.
Take photos of the things that they suspect may be a problem. Remove the battery and photograph the battery box. If the seats are in great shape, photograph them to show that they are actually in great shape. Photograph the carpets to show their condition. Lots of pictures mean people will know the good, the bad and the ugly.- Describe the car completely as possible in the first two sentences. If you don’t get them in the first two sentences, you may not get them to the third. Craft the opening to include the year, submodes (turbo, NA, S, S2, etc.), colors and price.
- Be realistic in your pricing and know that you will negotiate. Asking price and selling price are not the same thing. Everyone will try to negotiate, so getting your “asking price” is probably not a realistic goal. A sale at 5% to 10% less than your asking price is common – asking $6,000 and taking $5,500 is common.
- Don’t insult prospective buyers. Including such things in your advertisement as “no low-ballers” or other such verbiage can put off buyers. Saying that your price is “firm” is okay, but “firm” does not mean that you will not negotiate a little. And we all know that there are scammers out there, so putting something in your advertisement about “no scammers” will not keep them from trying.
- Meet prospective buyers in a neutral location, not at your house. There are bad people out there who will try to use your car for sale as a way to discover things about you, including houses to burglarize, identities to steal, and otherwise put others in danger. A public place to meet also allows you to show off your car in its natural habitat – on the road, running and driving.
Of course, be wary of out-of-state buyers – although I have bought Porsches and had them shipped to me. Understand that sellers may not trust you, and may be unwilling to help with setting up shipping, etc. Be flexible.
Good luck with your sale.
