How do you sell a car you don't like?

I fix and sell the occasional used car. Mostly Neons, or older Volvos. They are always in the best mechanical shape I can make them, and are sold with the understanding that you are buying the best cheap car I can sell. I have no guilt whatsoever in these cases, and if something goes south, I will look after it.

I bought a Volvo XC90 twin turbo wholesale from a guy I know at a GM store here. There is about $4k profit to be made on the thing, it appears to be in fine shape, runs and drives fine. Problem is I hate them. They are a bitch to work on, expensive to repair, and unpleasant to drive with the GM automatic and ridiculous traction control. I will feel sorry for whomever gets stuck with this thing...even though there are lots of them out there, and other people like them.

How do I not send out the bad signals when talking to potential buyers?

For sale, Volvo xc90, Auto, cold air, $????.

Maybe even put a picture of it up. Be honest, tell them you've checked it out and it's in good shape but you bought it to flip.

Picture the buyer nekid? Works for me when speaking in public.

There is no accounting for taste.

There are people who will love that car, and won't care one whit about the issues you have with it, nor probably even notice them (well, except for the expensive repairs).

Whoever wants it, you know a Miata is better. Or an old Volvo. Or a Neon. But you also know whoever wants that XC90 isn't going to be talked into any of those cars in a million years.

Smile and trade that person their money for this car. You'll both be happier.

Or make $3k on the deal and realize that you've just saved them a big deposit on that first repair bill, 'cause they were probably going to buy an XC90 no matter what you did...

I haven't sold the numbers of cars many here have, but here's what I've learned:
On Craigslist, long and descriptive ads don't really attract buyers. I put up a very basic ad, for example here was my ad for a Ford Focus I just sold:

Me, on Craigslist. said: It's a good little car 116,000 on the odometer, not perfect, crank windows, manual locks, but the A/C works well, and there's no rust (it only saw one winter here). I recently did the front brakes. Offers entertained, of course.

When showing the car, I act friendly and answer questions honestly and quickly. I do not, however, and this is important, "over answer" the question. The question about gas mileage, for example, was answered with "it gets about 23-25 mixed" and was not followed with, "which I think is bullE36 M3 for a gutless 2.0L engine like that."

This of course is not my approach when selling on say, GRM, or if I realize I'm talking to a fellow enthusiast. It's also not a rule set in stone, I steered a guy away from my XR600R when what he really needed was a KLR650, for example.

eBay.

Somebody loves them.

To the best of your knowledge, is the car in good enough repair to be able to operate safe and relatively reliably? Are you aware of any issues that you are withholding from the buyer? Are you asking a fair market price for it?

If you can feel good about how you are answering all those questions, then sell the stupid thing.

Sell it to me for 2k.......then you wont have to worry about it.....

In all honesty, as stated above.....I've learned over educating people on stuff is pointless.....

Swap the engine into a 245, no way you couldn't like a car that awesome.

I'm with Evan.

Just the facts, ma'am...

Don't offer your opinions, present the vehicle honestly regarding condition, maintenance performed, etc. Don't pontificate, but answer any and all questions directly without offering any extra information.

Well, just post it. Doesn't matter what kind of ad you put on craigslist as long as you place one. Don't get any response? Post another one.

Wait, they made those pigs in TT fashion? HMMMM.....

mndsm wrote: Wait, they made those pigs in TT fashion? HMMMM.....

Yeah, I will agree with post details with a price here as well.

MrJoshua wrote:

mndsm wrote: Wait, they made those pigs in TT fashion? HMMMM.....

Yeah, I will agree with post details with a price here as well.

And therein lies the problem. They are the most dissapointing thing ever, between the tiny turbos, the weak trans that requires about 3 seconds of closed throttle to complete a shift, and the over agressive traction control that kills the power as soon as it senses any wheelspin at all.

$11k Canadian, 104,000 miles. American car from Florida originally. Eibach springs, winter and summer tires, K&N, IPD stuff...Its actually pretty nice.

It was good enough for you to buy it. Should be good enough to sell. Not everyone is an enthusiast so most of the issues that irritate you may never be apparent to someone who wants an appliance. Sounds like a straight up decent ride - just leave your opinions to yourself - and be straight up with a buyer.

And as far as answering the bare minimum (or less). Frankly that's a big red flag to me that you're hiding something or not telling the whole story. Osterkraut has some good advice about it.

The one car is didn't need/want at the time, I sold for cheap. Find what the market value is and sell it cheaper then that. There will be a suck, errr, buyer at every price.

Sounds like a first world problem to have, if you don't like working on it just make sure there is not warranty implied, late model nice-ish car I doubt anyone would balk. Or trade it in at a subie dealer and get yourself a brz...

Seems to me you write AS IS on the bill of sale and wave goodbye once it is sold. Nothing odd or unreasonable there.Someone will be happy with it.

When I sell a car, I will answer all questions honestly. I will not volunteer information.

Accentuate the good, ignore the bad.. and poor taste

dealers work it like that every day

When the couple came to buy my wife's old 96 Audi cab the girl ask if it was reliable, I said "no", they bought it anyway. I hated that car, but like Woody said above "Somebody loves them"

There's a saying in the car bidness: 'there's an ass for every seat'.