Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Why is it so hard to sell this DAMN CAR!

Well said, I know I am not the only one who wouldn't buy a modded car unless I knew the owner very well.

Sujeet, Pete. I understand what both of you are saying. It is just pretty bad when you can not sell a car like this. I just had friend take his 2001 celica already on his second blown engine and he was able to trade the car in. THey almost paid the damn thing off. My best estimate with the SVT at dealerships were 8k, and that was when the SVT was stock.

A little O.T here. Sujeet, Pete are very good friends to me and I HOPE nobody views me as having a attitude towards either of them. Me and Pete have discussed plenty of times on what I should do with my car. (Why I am explaing myself?? Someone felt they had the liberty to PM me saying I always have an attitude...) I would like to say thank you to everyone that is posted on this thread. Please keep your comments coming.

-Antonio

I know exactly what you're going through Antonio, I was in your shoes about 8 months ago. Best offer I got from dealerships on my 98 SVT with 40K was around $8500-9000. That's when I learned a few lessons. Unless your car is a BMW, if your car has 4 doors, it better have an automatic. Otherwise, used car dealerships want nothing to do with it. Our cars are such niche cars, that they're hard for the average used car lot to sell.

I ended up taking off my mods (not that I had all that much to begin with), sold them seperately (took forever, but I finally got rid of everything), and got pretty close to what I was wanted for the car, thanks to the CEG classifieds. It took 6 months, but I held steady, and finally got what I considered a reasonable offer on the car, and away it went. I tried AutoTrader.com, but didn't get a single lead from it. $35 down the drain.

If we had a Cobra or Lightning, stock or not, the car would have sold in a matter of days. It's the price we pay for a virtually unknown yet exclusive car.

I just let one of my friends with money drive my 'tour for 2 days. When he came back, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Sold most of my mods seprately except for KKM and Aussie bar. Left the CD player in too. Made out ok, dumped 3500 into my Daytona so far (Pimp stereo and mods galore). One thing I have learned.. NEVER buy a new car unless you want to lay a huge downpayment because 9 times out of 10 you will be upside down on your trade come 2-3 years.

Ryan

I agree with those that say some people may not want a heavily modded car. Much of the joy from having a modded car comes from the fact that you did it yourself and it's a reflection of you, espeically something as heavily modded as Antonio's. I know I wouldn't buy a car like that, because it would be like driving someone else's baby. Yeah you'd get stares and admiration, but you'll always know it didn't come from you. I got my SVT bone stock and I'm having fun doing the cheap mods and soon the more expensive ones. If those mods were already done I wouldn't be having any fun with it.

I also agree with whoever said it will take some time to find someone that will buy the car in its current state. You'll eventually find someone that wants to take that car to an even higher level. So you'll either have to sell off some of the mods or be very patient.

Antonio -- my only guess is because most people associate Contour with rental crapbox or old lady car. No CEGers will take it? What a shame.

it's all been said. i tried to get rid of mine about 2 months ago. until i was offered 9K. it has a few mods, wheels, etc, no dings or dents, 30K miles. i decided to just keep it, pay it off, and get the other car i want. then i'll have an extra vehicle.

good luck. i hope you get what you want.

No worries man. Words (net, IM, etc.) are interpreted differently than the intended meaning.

To an enthusiast, your car is valued at more than $15k, but as Sujeet stated, to the common Joe, it is not.

Personally, I think you should part out the car and get what you can for the wheels, HIDs, center console, stereo, strut tower bar, KKM, BAT pipe, PIAAs, etc. and sell the car for less. By parting out and selling the car close to stock for say around $12k, you may be able to hit your goal of $15k total.

Best of luck.

I agree with Cartman.....

Not only are you trying to sell a car which has a piss poor resale in the first place, but you are also selling a heavily modified car...

I know one guy who bought a 95 mustang GT convert new, put over 60K into it including the cost of the car...so spend more for parts than the car itself...blew the motor got frustrated and sold it for 25K..which IMHO is a huge loss, but then I did the same thing with My mustang, bought it for 7, put another 7 into it and then traded it in for next to nothing for the Tour and am now going to take it in the rear again when I go to sell and my car is stock.

I agree with buy a car that you like enough stock that there is no need to mod it, as you will lose no matter what the mod is, unless you restore a classic or something, and even that usually does not pay off that much.

Put your car to stock and then sell the parts, I wish I did with my stang, would have been more profitable.

Good luck

For a while no I have realised that selling the 'tour would be at a loss to me, so I intend to keep it, make it into a stupidly fast car, and then get something like a AWD/4x4, quad-cab/wagon (a la Subaru WRX, Outback, Ford Explorer, GMC ZR-5 Sonoma etc.) and have that for commuting and general driving.

But if you MUST sell it, then turn it back to stock. I am sure you could easily sell off most your mods on the CEG and come close to what you are looking for.