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We have an old car (about to turn 16 years old, had it since new) and it's due its annual service and MOT, however we have just been generously gifted a newer car by my in-laws. The MOT is due on 17 March on our old car and we are due to get the newer car in 13 March.
The car definitely needs work doing to pass the MOT (two new tyres and a new handbrake cable as one side has snapped) along with anything else that could crop up with an older car.
I have been offered £1,000 by WBAC but I am sure they would drop this on inspection given it will only have days of MOT remaining when I am in a position to sell. Or do I risk putting it through its MOT which could end up costing £500 (based on previous years' experiences). Even if it sails through and I only need to pay for the tyres, MOT and basic service, it'll be £250-ish.
Or do I bung it on Marketplace with a very honest description and hope someone will take a punt on a car with barely ant MOT left on it?
It's way to good to sell for scrap (<70,000 miles, reliable and in generally pretty decent condition given its age).
What other options should/could I consider?
Or do I bung it on Marketplace with a very honest description and hope someone will take a punt on a car with barely ant MOT left on it?
This, someone will buy it
What other options should/could I consider?
Give it away to someone who needs a car but can't afford one, again with full disclosure of the condition?
For a grands worth of car I wouldn't bother faffing around, Ebay - spares or repairs. Honest description plus reg plate visible (so prospective punters like me can check the MOT history)
if you go the WBAC route shit in the glovebox before you hand the keys over. ****s.
Or STW stealth ad........
Give it away to someone who needs a car but can’t afford one, again with full disclosure of the condition?
That's what we did in the same situation as the OP. OH was gifted a car, we gifted hers on to someone who needed one.
Give it away to someone who needs a car but can’t afford one, again with full disclosure of the condition?
I did think that (given that we are about to be given an £8k car), but I don't know anyone that would need a car.
You have a replacement therefore you are not in a 'panic' situation.
There is no way near enough info to make a judgement though - whats the car? Spec? Condition? History?
Whats the tyre size?
70k is nothing, 16 years old is not 'old' really.
Send it for MOT, see what happens. Appreciate this is something that seems obvious to me, but completely not doable to others but - cant you replace a handbrake cable at home?
Autotrader used to do free listings for under 1k, not sure if they still do but that's how I sold one a few years back.
Forget the service.
Put it through an MOT test. If it's not much then part worn tyres and sell with full years MOT.
If it's too much on the MOT then at least you can least with full honest disclosure for spares/repair on FB/Ebay.
what are similar cars up for on autotrader or ebay completed listing prices?
Are the tyres a definite fail? Some good part worns might be an answer to them. I'd be tempted to put it in for the MOT & see the cost to get a ticket vs possible sales value. Prices still seem to be inflated and for a car with <70,000 miles (as long as the rest of it is in fair nick) it shouldn't be hard to move on.
My Golf turns 15 next month, 78,000 miles and in good condition. I'm tempted to change for something newer but it works and I am only commuting 2 days a week at the moment so seems a waste of money to do so.
Gumtree or similar.
Give an honest description and put it on with photos. Someone handy will snap it up.
Rock up to WBAC, they'll knock you down and offer you something stupid, as they have you in front of them..
I need a new car. I'll play, what is it?
whats the car? Spec? Condition? History?
Mazda 3, 2.0 Sport petrol, full service history (main dealer then trusted local) - never broken down, only usual things like springs, disks etc needed at MOTs but had a bit of welding done at last MOT. Condition is pretty decent - a tiny little bit of rust starting on the front arches and the alloys have started to pretty badly delaminate, but apart from that it's fine - it still looks quite smart when washed.
what are similar cars up for on autotrader or ebay completed listing prices?
I haven't seen any (privately) for a while (I hadn't been looking as we weren't expecting to be given this car - it came out of the blue) so hard to gauge. There is one on there now for £5k though, but they are clearly delusional as 5 year younger new shape models ware going for that.
alloys have started to pretty badly delaminate
they're made of cheese- I had a 57 plate 3 & had the wheels replaced under warranty- common issue with them.
There are a few of a similar age on AT around the £2k mark (may sell for less) with much more miles so you should do well.
Sounds decent. Where are you?
Anyone want to drive to Morocco or something for a laugh?
Take a forumite up in the offer to buy it or eBay it.
I'm going to ask a bit of a dickish question here though. If there are known faults with the car that impact on its safety (worn tyres that will fail an MOT and dodgy handbrake) why are you still driving around in it without fixing them already?
why are you still driving around in it without fixing them already?
Handbrake snapped just after Christmas so I was just going to sort it with the MOT (which is booked in for next week). Tyres - yeah, no excuses there.
Sounds decent. Where are you?
North Yorkshire
I had alloys refurbed and powder coated on a passat a few years ago, £45 each I think.
Stick it the classifieds on here and see if anyone can make use of it. I've done that twice with old cars that I didn't want give to WBAC (****s!, don't know why but I hate them). One sold for £500, Passat estate diesel with 200k miles, SMax didn't sell on here but sold easily on ebay for a grand 2008 with 170k miles.
Got any relatives that need a reliable car ? We gifted my wife's car to her mum when we bought a new car - just made sense as the car was newer than the one she had and they were strapped for cash at the time.
I'd say get it on the classifieds here as soon as possible with a link back to this thread... you've been honest on here and you've been on the forum over a decade; that counts a lot for me if i was in the market
:edit: see all car ads are £25 by the way...didnt know that
I'd bang it in for a test just to see what's what.
Easier to sell that way too.
Where are you?
Ps tyres equal points
Crusty wheels on a Mazda is standard. 2.0 Duratec/L series engine in that, so it'll go on on and on. Rust is the only thing that will kill that car - I reckon its worth saving. Will be (should be, check!) ULEZ compliant too, a good budget option for someone still plodding around in a 1.9 tdi golf or something whos in a zone.
I'd put the effort in and sell it, worth the effort for me for 2 grand or so. YMMV....
Got any relatives that need a reliable car ? We gifted my wife’s car to her mum when we bought a new car – just made sense as the car was newer than the one she had and they were strapped for cash at the time
No we don't - we have two nieces, but one already has a much newer car, the other has only just passed her test so a 150bhp car will probably be a bit too hefty for her on insurance.
Ps tyres equal points
I know, I know - I accept I have no excuses and I know the risk.
Stealth ad on STW?
Stealth ad on STW?
It wasn't meant as that - I just wanted ideas and thoughts on what to do. So I think I have decided to press on, get it through the MOT (if they think it needs lots of work and fail it, I'll just take it home and sell for spares). Hopefully it won't cost too much and we can sell it on. If we get anything half-decent for it we'll try (and fail) to give the ££££s to the in-laws or, failing that, put it in our girls' Uni savings funds.
RE. Selling to WBAC, I've just sold via Motorway and received £700 more than WBAC were offering online. The dealer picking up the car still 'negotiated' down the previously agreed price but I'm still up at least £700.
I wouldn’t be giving away a car that needs work, especially to someone who is struggling to afford a car. If they can’t afford a car, they can’t afford to fix one either.
I also wouldn’t be bothering with EBay or Marketplace. Because there you’ll get the chancers who want to spend a grand and get a new car. You’ll be plagued with innitbruvs and people coming back after purchase moaning that something’s wrong.
I’d be going the WBAC, or similar, route simply for an easy life, even if they did chip me a bit on it.
Or do I bung it on Marketplace
Careful with that. I sold a cheap car on there but my god it wasn't worth it. It was like I'd opened a portal to hell, and I think was the cause for the subsequent theft of my next a car a week or so later. Due to the sheer amount of chancers, scroats and generally 'orrible people that i'd invited round to my house to view the old car. Wish i'd scrapped it.
I wouldn’t be giving away a car that needs work, especially to someone who is struggling to afford a car. If they can’t afford a car, they can’t afford to fix one either.
I dunno, I think it can be a nice gesture. An old girlfriend's mum gave me a similar car when I was hard up. I couldn't afford to get it fixed either so i did it myself and learned a hell of a lot in the process.