Suspicious sales after a year

[alexdejonghe]

...now it may just have been a recent coincidence...

but the amount of E30's I see for private sale in ads both here and on the 'bay from sellers who have owned their cars for only a year (or far less, in many cases) is staggering....

....to get a broad consensus, can we deduce anything (as a general rule) from somebody selling their 'pride and joy' after such a short period?

...should each case be judged on its merits, or would this send alarm bells ringing in all you experts' heads....(i say that with the upmost repect!)

...yes a lot of people fly through old cars (which all of ours are)...but the E30's are different, you buy one because you want one....which leaves it all smelling a bit fishy evertime I see such a case.

Alex

[polsta]

all depends, people might want one for ages without never driving one (any car this could be) ...get one, then not quite like it so much after a bit of time , or you get people who like to change a car every year and try different things , sometimes older cars when things abeit little niggles need sorting out every 10 mins, can make people think f**k this ... , or finances change,and what was a toy in the spring..can become a bore in the winter etc, many reasons

id say a few weeks is a time scale when you really would wonder why someones selling it so fast, not a year

[maf260]

My E30 cabby is just a toy car. I liked them from when they were new and decided to buy mine a couple of years ago. There are so many cars I like and would like to own that I change the toy every so often, more so than my main cars.
Mine will be going next year. Really enjoyed it, got it to a standard and spec I'm happy with and now it's time to try something different.

[magpie]

many people fancy a change after a year and when the new insurance is due.

i used to change my car every year until i got into e30's and found this place


others sell boarderline mot turds that may not live till the next mot.

the used car market is shark infested for sure.if you can't swim stay out of the water.

[MattTheHat325]

i got bored of mine after about a year after i'd resprayed it, replaced every single suspension component, bushes, shocks, springs, mounts, arms etc. i didn't sell it though, i just stopped spending on it for a while, didn't use it as much and now after a few months in an e36 i'm absolutely GAGGING for this horrid salt ridden weather to go away so i can get my baby out again!
I guess when the boredom kicks in most people just get rid, i'm just too sentimental so i end up hoarding vehicles but i'm glad i haven't sold the e30. the less i use it the more i miss it!
A year does seem to be my boredom threshold with a car though! sounds quite normal

[sarkie83]

I wouldn't see a year as dodgy for selling a car - boredom has usually kicked in after 6 months - year for me!!

[alexdejonghe]

the used car market is shark infested for sure.if you can't swim stay out of the water.

....I may get this printed on my coffee mug as a constant reminder. Excellent line.

[brown29]

intresting topic... does anyone think alot of people like chasing that buzz then? It's a great feeling when you get a new car.

Am looking at the moment and I keep seeing adverts for people who have had the car a year, spent loads of money on it and then sell it...

It puts me off because I think why would you do that?

[Gert_8]

Cabbies seem to come up for sale after short periods of ownership, but this is usually due to people buying them for the summer and getting rid of them over the winter. A cabbie isn't everyone's cup of tea either, so this could also account for their short ownership.

Personally speaking, I love these cars from when they first came out (when I owned one, which had to be sold) so mine is staying with me for as long as I can keep it.

[beemerbird]

It puts me off because I think why would you do that?

I think a lot of people buy an older car to 'do up'. Once that is done, they lose interest, and want a new challange.

[James325]

I think a lot of people buy an older car to 'do up'. Once that is done, they lose interest, and want a new challange.

Yep, Thats me.

[polsta]

intresting topic... does anyone think alot of people like chasing that buzz then? It's a great feeling when you get a new car.

Am looking at the moment and I keep seeing adverts for people who have had the car a year, spent loads of money on it and then sell it...

It puts me off because I think why would you do that?

i nearly put my 318is up for sale after a year, and having spent loads on it-and many tinkering hours, and it would of been a nice purchase for someone for what i would of got back for it,and its a very nice e30 with no problems and drives like a dream

reason- wanted a sport, a year of having an e30/any car, you spend a lot, love the model of car-then want to upgrade to a better/faster one

i decided not to do it,and keep the is, if i didnt need to spend any more on it apart from routine mainenence and it served me well for another 2 years say then i sold it, the money spent would be justified in havign 3 good years , then getting a sport, so..there must be plenty of other people who did the same, but stupidly sold it, took the loss, to just get that sport etc, or...people loose jobs, have babies,want holidays or move house etc..and put cars up for sale at any time

[e21Jason]

I tend to get through 1-2 second cars a year, and e30 is no different I just think the market will be better in the spring than now

Jason

[MattTheHat325]

[/quote]reason- wanted a sport, a year of having an e30/any car, you spend a lot, love the model of car-then want to upgrade to a better/faster one[/quote]

very true, i think the only reason i would sell my e30 after all the effort i've put into it would be to replace it with a genuine original and mint c2 or b6, which is a very strong possibility at some point in the future!

there are hundreds of cars i would absolutely love to own, Mk2 escort harrier, Mk1/2 cortina, mk1/2 granada, Mk1 sirrocco, E12 M35i, E28 35i, 2002tii, SD1, Rover P6, mercedes w108 250s, early 70's audi 80/100, audi quattro coupe, various 70's jap fodder i.e mazda rx2, original skyline, datsun 620 pick up, manta A, chevette hs, early volvo 240 and so on and so forth, that just scratches the surface!
most of them i will probably never own but if i do it would probably only be for a few months, a year at max!
sorry for the O/T insight into my twisted automotive obsessed mind!

[MARKYMARKY]

SD1??????????Vovo 240!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!One mans meat is another mans poison i supose.

[MattTheHat325]

the 240 would be a wagon to throw abuse at! in the woods etc, each one of those cars would have its own purpose, i would just love to hare around in one of those big ugly unstable boxes for a few weeks

[Bakedbean100]

I think a year is fairly normal, there are so many cars that i wanna try that i probably wont keep my e30 past a year as much as i love it.

[Duke137]

I'm never selling mine if I can help it, I would regret it too much

[alexdejonghe]

Me too, why let some lacky b*****d enjoy the fruits of my (expensive) labour!

[ConvertChris]

I bought my first E30 this year a 318 cab, like it so much but it's in the garage now as I didn't want to spoil it with all the salt on the road, so I bought a 89 318 touring to use over the winter, not as nice as the cab but it is rust free, leather seats and a years MOT! still looks good when I park it in the supermarket car park with all the euro boxes

[Cypriotgeeza]

Mine will be going next year. Really enjoyed it, got it to a standard and spec I'm happy with and now it's time to try something different.

thats one thing thats always got me..two of my mates have done the same..bought a car..got it looking and feeling exactly how they want it...then sold it i see that as a waste of money..

when i get my car exactly how I want it..why would i think about selling it?

[robbo86]

Selling my e34 which I had for 11 months as I had my eye on my old mans dirty6 since he bought it. Hes now offered it to me at a bargain price so mines gotta go. Hows that suspicious?

[wullie325i]

alot of people buy something like a 325i and dont realise the amount of petrol they use compared to say a 1.8 jap car and they cant afford to run it then punt it on most e30's i have seen have had many owners over the years.

sounds like a good idea till you get sick of the pumps lol.

[320iAN]

i went through about 8 car's in the last 2yrs (E39, E30 cabby, Impreza R type, SUPER VR4, MKIV Supra, Vectra SRi, Golf VR6) leading up to getting my latest E30 in May ... and i'll not be parting with it any time soon

[M-technik3]

Both of my M's are tucked away for the winter, and E36's are doing the winter chore this year on snows.

I've flipped a few project cars over the last few years but i always have 3-4 e30's at the homestead for use.

[Peet]

I have only had my sport for a year and have just put it up for sale, I don’t really want to sell it but have been offered a Z3M Coupe at a good price, half of me is tempted just to wrap the e30 up and leave it in the corner of the garage but on the other hand after spending a lot of time on it I don’t want to see it just sat around in the garage when someone could be having some enjoyment out of it.