I'm going to be getting a new car at some point over the next year, but I'm starting to think about the best way to sell my fabia on... I've had it from new and have made quite a few modifications to it, but it has been very well looked after, first new car and all that.

Basically, I'm not sure whether it would be better to return the car to standard in order to sell it on or whether there would be people willing to buy it as it is. Also, would I be better off trying to sell it sooner rather than later - I can cope without it for a while as I get the train to work in the week.

What do you think?

Thanks...

std cars sell better.

Standard cars sell easier thats for sure.

However advertising in the right manner in the right place and you could get a buyer that has an eye for modding.

Take my last few cars for example.

My guess is return it to std and chop it in at the dealers.

ive not seen any modded furby sell well

Cars or bikes, they always sell better as standard imho, 1 mans pleasure is another mans poison and all that.

Someone in the market for a secondhand vRS is likely to want to make the modifications for themself, and not forgetting you can claw back some of the revenue outlaid on your mods.

This is just a personal opinion, with no proof to back it up, but I think it may be better to sell early, my reasoning is that as the Fabia becomes more mainstream, and it is becoming more mainstream, the big online retailers will make even better deals, pushing the used values down further, now or certainly in the next few months may be "the" time to get it sold on if you are going to be commited to a fresh purchase. There is also the possibility of (god forbid) it becoming the "new" corsa a little further down the line and this would not do resales any good.

all the above may be complete twaddle, but that's what I would do....

ive not seen any modded furby sell well

Mine did.

Thanks for the opinions guys. Ideally, I would want to keep it right up to when I get the new car, but am in the middle of buying a house so can't afford to splash out yet. It would be a bit of a pain to completely un-modify the car as I don't know how I'd remove the Milltek and get an old exhaust on. Would probably prefer to sell as is really. It has all the important mods and if someone were to want to put a big turbo on a fabia, it is the ideal purchase - I just couldn't justify the outlay...

My tact would be to try it on here first, along with some other well chosen enthusiasts forums - Pistonheads, Edition38 etc and see if anyone bites when sold in modified condition.

If nothing happens and your need for a sale increases, remove the bits you can. Say you're then just left with the Milltek system on, I'm sure a standard buyer wouldn't mind it being there. They would have to declare it on their insurance though I suppose...

Tip your toe in the water, see what happens

Steve

I would agree with all of what's said above. Yes your car will sell more easily without mods generally but it will also sell with mods.

To sell with modifications you need to know the sort of person who's likely to want it, and you have to be lucky enough that they aren't lumbered with a car of their own to sell first.

If you have a Corsa with bits of ill fitting plastic all over it in primer, then an advert in txt spk will probably suffice as that's all the potential buyer will understand.

A tastefully modified VAG car however will appeal to someone a bit more discerning so you will have to word your advert so the buyer will not think you are a boy racer who has ragged a potentially less reliable car which will be storing up expense for the near future. You have to make your advert come accross as per your first post up there saying how much love and expense you've lavished on the car and how good a condition it's still in. The hardest part is getting the person to view the car, and if it's the right sort of person and the car is as advertised there is no reason why they won't hand over the cash.

Basically you've limited your market by modifying the car, and as said above you could do a lot worse than to advertise it on enthusiasts forums, especially as people can read back through your posts and get an idea about both you and the car. If you've got a good reputation it should sell, but you may have to be patient as the buyer could well have a car of his own he will need to shift first.....good luck!

Other car enthusiast sites, eg Scoobynet.co.uk, have a lot of users on the look out for reliable and cheaper to run second cars - I'd have thought that advertising on these sites will attract buyers who understand modifications much better than Joe Public.

It would be a bit of a pain to completely un-modify the car as I don't know how I'd remove the Milltek and get an old exhaust on.

Why not advertise the Milltek on here for a standard Fabia exhaust + cash for someone reasonably local. Take both cars to a fitter and get them switched over. Split the cost and then you're done.

Could be a lot of hassle, but whether it is worth it will depend how much cash you want to get for the exhaust

Chris

Good luck with the sale!

Thanks guys... good to get some other views on the subject.

Texasjohn, not sure on my timescales as yet - will have a think about whether I want to bring the car back to standard as well... I still might prefer to sell as is.

Hwo much have you spent?

Doing some maths, I've worked out I've spent £3k on her... now most things would be easy enough to remove eg. FMIC, brakes, arb etc. However, the Milltek and eibach springs and dampers pose more of a problem... would it be worth while selling the easily removable bits and then selling the car with a few remaining mods? Or do you think that if the car is to be sold in any state other than standard that it would be best to leave all mods in place? Decisions decisions...

If I was in your shoes (By this I assume the following about you: Having a modded car, not really wanting to mess about parting out the upgrades, but still trying to recoup some of that 3k)...

First off, I'd probably try and sell the car through Briskoda or some other car enthusiast site (Pistonheads, VW forums etc) in it's modded state, and see what the response is like, 'test the water' so to speak. Trouble with car-specific forums is that they represent only a small part of the potential market for your car, and a lot of the people posting have the vehicle in question already! However, they are more likely to find mods 'acceptable', so to speak. You might get a good price for the car fitted with the mods selling using this strategy. You won't get the 3k back on top of 'private sale' value, but you might get 1k or 1.5k extra.

OTOH, selling the car through Autotrader, fish4 or Exchange and Mart, most buyers will be looking for a stock vehicle with full service history. You might convince a buyer that the suspension (or any of the other mods you leave fitted) is a bonus and an enhancement over the stock part, but it depends on that persons' view of modding. Some people will have a prejudice that mods = boy racer and not want to touch your car.

You could try keeping your Autotrader advert 'short and sweet' and just casually mention the suspension upgrade and whatever else you leave on the car when they come and view the car, or if they ask on the phone. However, don't lie to them if they ask on the phone if it's been modded - nothing worse than an angry stranger at your house! You'll have to price the car pretty close to other 'stock' vRS's of the same age/mileage or no-one will phone, thinking it's a stock car which is overpriced. Some of the adverts will be dealers, who'll advertise at more than the 'private sale' value anyway, a lot of it is down to what else is for sale that week.