Selling advice

S

Sludgepump

Member
Not been a regular poster but have dropped in to have a look on a daily basis for the last 18 months. I'm looking for a bit of advice.
I'm going to be selling my Z4 and want to know what I should advertise it for.

If it was any old Z it wouldn't be a problem but this is a Japanese import, automatic 3 litre in Olivin Green metallic (not everyone's favourite but I love it)
IMG_0391.JPGIMG_0390.JPGIMG_0387.JPGIMG_0386.JPG

It's got 71,000 miles on the clock (112,000km)
Very good spec which includes heated seats, folding mirrors, parking sensors and a hood which works off the key fob.
It's got part service history but the evidence is that it's been well looked after. The VANOS seals have been done, all the wheels
have been re-furbished and the DISA valve has been checked and cleaned.

This was a keeper but my circumstances have changed and I want to get back into TVR ownership. I'd keep it but my other half wont let me have both cars! It's not a fire sale but it will be taking up garage space that will soon be needed for something else!

I appreciate any advice you can give me
 
Difficult one. I’d pitch it lower than an equivalent Uk car.

Maybe start at £3000 and see what interest you get .
 
MKZ4000 said:
Difficult one. I’d pitch it lower than an equivalent Uk car.

Maybe start at £3000 and see what interest you get .
Click to expand...
That’s a tragically low price for a lowish mileage 3 litre. If in really god nick, start at twice that and see how you get on. Somebody on here was looking for an olivine green 3 litre last week.
 
MKZ4000 said:
Difficult one. I’d pitch it lower than an equivalent Uk car.

Maybe start at £3000 and see what interest you get .
Click to expand...

Why? This car is undoubtedly in far superior condition to any UK car of the same era. In my mind should sell easily for more than your usual rusty old under-carriaged car. Same, or superior spec to your UK supplied car too. The Japanese history may be on the key fob as well.
 
06 plate pre facelift on sensible miles.. surely got to be worth 4k minimum I'd have thought, the way these cars are being sought out at the moment, not sure how people feel about imports, may put one or two less savvy people off but Id have thought it wouldn't bother the majority, I have purchased in the past and I certainly didn't care where it had come from as long as the car was straight and the price was right. Lack of sports seats, 17s and the colour would limit the market a bit but if priced right it should still shift.

Might be worth an auction style sale on ebay 99p starting price to generate lots of interest with a sensible reserve of 3.5k or so
 
A well known dealership close to me import many of their classic and prestige cars from Japan and often mark them up to standard market rates accordingly. I’d say there’s no reason to make allowances for it being an import. It looks in fine fettle and I love the colour. It would be a great way for someone to get into Zed ownership and to enjoy a clean, tidy example. I’d have thought this would fetch £4000, maybe more, all day long. Good luck with the sale. :thumbsup:
 
I think the OP's problem may be that a big retail importer of these cars from Japan was asking very strong money for their cars, on the basis that they were in immaculate condition, had exceptionally low mileage and a very high spec. A dealer can get away with it by offering warranty and back-up. Unfortunately on a private sale people home in on the negatives around it being an Import, service history, urban myths about Jap' cars not having rust proofing, radio/SatNav issues, being tricky to insure and having a 112mph speed limiter.

£3k sounds way too low, twice that sounds daft, somewhere in the middle would probably do it. I've always sold cars quickly by pitching at, or just above my bottom-line and making it a firm fair price. Silly asking prices just put people off.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1066606
 
The guy who I bought the car from paid over 8 grand to a Japanese importer in 2017 -so yes very strong money! I didn't pay anywhere near that!

I'm not sure I buy the urban myth about salted roads in Japan either, but the underside of this car is in exceptional condition. No rust -at all!

The radio has been coded to pick up UK stations and I haven't discovered the limiter lol!

The suggestion of service history on the fob is well worth me checking out - much appreciated!

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was thinking between 3,500 and 3,750 would be a fair price. Everything works as it should and the only thing I do find a nuisance is the kilometre speedo.
 
If it helps, when I was in the market recently for a car of similar spec I'd have paid you a visit if the car was 4500-5000 bracket.

Evidence of services etc would have been key tho
 
Sludgepump said:
The guy who I bought the car from paid over 8 grand to a Japanese importer in 2017 -so yes very strong money! I didn't pay anywhere near that!

I'm not sure I buy the urban myth about salted roads in Japan either, but the underside of this car is in exceptional condition. No rust -at all!

The radio has been coded to pick up UK stations and I haven't discovered the limiter lol!

The suggestion of service history on the fob is well worth me checking out - much appreciated!

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was thinking between 3,500 and 3,750 would be a fair price. Everything works as it should and the only thing I do find a nuisance is the kilometre speedo.
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I know some people have really taken a hit on Jap imports from these dealers despite their hype about their cars being blue chip investments! So I'm glad you didn't overpay, you should have no trouble at that sort of price-point :thumbsup:
 
Seems one sold recently in the same colour too.
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=127364
 
Ewazix said:
I think the OP's problem may be that a big retail importer of these cars from Japan was asking very strong money for their cars, on the basis that they were in immaculate condition, had exceptionally low mileage and a very high spec. A dealer can get away with it by offering warranty and back-up. Unfortunately on a private sale people home in on the negatives around it being an Import, service history, urban myths about Jap' cars not having rust proofing, radio/SatNav issues, being tricky to insure and having a 112mph speed limiter.

£3k sounds way too low, twice that sounds daft, somewhere in the middle would probably do it. I've always sold cars quickly by pitching at, or just above my bottom-line and making it a firm fair price. Silly asking prices just put people off.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1066606
Click to expand...


Rust proofing? 112 MPH speed limiter? WTF, urban myth. Other than a good spray of cosmoline, never seen any rust proofing underneath any Z3 or Z4. Some rust can be found on cars from Northern Japan, there are very strict rules around the export of vehicles from there. Pot, black- glasshouse, stones 'cos we have seen plenty of cars cheerfully falling to bits as they roll out of boxes exported from the UK. Indeed some of the postings on this forum show underbody pictures of cars that to my mind are best left unpublished. :wink:
 
BTZ461 said:
Ewazix said:
I think the OP's problem may be that a big retail importer of these cars from Japan was asking very strong money for their cars, on the basis that they were in immaculate condition, had exceptionally low mileage and a very high spec. A dealer can get away with it by offering warranty and back-up. Unfortunately on a private sale people home in on the negatives around it being an Import, service history, urban myths about Jap' cars not having rust proofing, radio/SatNav issues, being tricky to insure and having a 112mph speed limiter.

£3k sounds way too low, twice that sounds daft, somewhere in the middle would probably do it. I've always sold cars quickly by pitching at, or just above my bottom-line and making it a firm fair price. Silly asking prices just put people off.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1066606
Click to expand...


Rust proofing? 112 MPH speed limiter? WTF, urban myth. Other than a good spray of cosmoline, never seen any rust proofing underneath any Z3 or Z4. Some rust can be found on cars from Northern Japan, there are very strict rules around the export of vehicles from there. Pot, black- glasshouse, stones 'cos we have seen plenty of cars cheerfully falling to bits as they roll out of boxes exported from the UK. Indeed some of the postings on this forum show underbody pictures of cars that to my mind are best left unpublished. :wink:
Click to expand...

If you read my comment I said some people take account of urban myths about JDM cars, including the 180 kmh (112 mph) limiter and lack of additional rust proofing on some JDM cars. Not saying they are rusty in fact quite the opposite, as I understand it JDM rarely have rust as they don't salt roads.... so extra proofing isn't applied to some models (I've no idea about BMW's). so pots, kettles and stoned glasshouses don't really apply :wink:

Both issues are well documented, you can get limiters lifted on models like the Skyline and some JDM importers will retro-treat cars when sold (I know that's correct as an acquaintance of mine worked for an importer/retailer locally). These and other things like insurance do put some people off, others realise they are not insurmountable and shouldn't be a deal breaker on a sound car.

We are are in harmony my friend :friends:
 
Sludgepump said:
The suggestion of service history on the fob is well worth me checking out - much appreciated!
Click to expand...

....accept I think that is another myth, on the E85 / E86 at least. It’s a little strange to have an M54 on an 06 plate so you need to make that very clear on the ad. I assume speedo has been converted to mph properly? Otherwise there doesn’t seem much to not like. Good spec, super rare colour. I would have thought £4k - £4.5k is where it will end up.
 
Sludgepump said:
Didn't realise you could get the speedo converted - will look into that one!
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I'm assuming it never went through an IVA test (previously SVA) when it was imported then due to being over 10 yrs old? It wouldn't have passed the IVA without the speedo recalibrated to mph. Even if this amounts to some stickers applied over the display!

Come to think about it, isn't there some hidden menu you can access in the dash to show current speed digitally? Might have a mph option.

EDIT... here it is. Unfortunately looks like the digital speed is in km/h only.....
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15176
 
ok thanks ph
I have enquired about getting the speedo and odometer converted professionally. I'm waiting for a reply.
I'm afraid the 'service history on the fob' may be an urban myth. I phoned BMW and they were unable to help on my 2006 car. Could well work on the later models.
 
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