**The Art of Selling a Rough Car**

When it comes to selling a rough car, honesty is always the best policy. If you have a vehicle that's not entirely roadworthy but still has some life left in it, listing its flaws upfront can make all the difference. As I learned from my experience with a project truck, being transparent about the car's condition can actually be beneficial to both the seller and the buyer.

I recall calling the truck my "project car" - a term that sounds exciting, but doesn't necessarily convey the reality of driving around in a vehicle that was barely drivable. The bad interior, rust issues, and other problems with the truck were all things I could live with, or so I thought. However, when it came to selling the truck, I realized that being upfront about its issues was crucial. If I hadn't listed the flaws in my ad, I might have attracted buyers who were expecting a more reliable vehicle than I was willing to provide.

Selling a rough car can be challenging, especially if you're not expecting any major problems down the road. However, by listing the car's flaws and providing photos of its issues, you can give prospective buyers a clear understanding of what they're getting themselves into. This approach also helps to build trust with potential buyers, who appreciate your honesty and transparency.

**The Importance of Photography**

When it comes to selling a rough car, taking good photos is essential. I was disappointed to see that the original ad for my project truck had only two photos - one of the front and one of the rear. This is woefully inadequate, especially in today's digital age where everyone has a high-quality camera on their phone.

In contrast, Dave's Craigslist ad for his BMW 540i included 18 photos that showcased the car from every angle. These photos not only helped to build trust with potential buyers but also gave them a clear understanding of the car's condition. By including pictures of dings, dents, and scratches, as well as rust issues, Dave provided a comprehensive picture of his vehicle.

**Don't Make Up Stories**

One final tip I'd like to share is not to make up stories about the car in your head. It's easy to get caught up in fantasies about what the car could be or how it could be fixed, but this can lead to disappointment and frustration down the line. Instead, approach each potential buyer with a clear understanding of the car's condition and be prepared to provide detailed information.

For example, when I was considering buying Dave's BMW 540i, I did a quick Google search on some of the issues he'd listed in his ad. While it turned out that both the A/C fan switch and radio could be fixed for under $500, my research gave me a better understanding of what to expect. This helped me to make an informed decision about whether or not to purchase the car.

**Tips for Selling a Rough Car**

So, how can you effectively sell a rough car? Here are some tips:

* **Be open and honest**: List all of the flaws in your ad, including any issues with the engine, transmission, or other systems.

* **Take lots of photos**: Include pictures of every angle of the vehicle, as well as any dings, dents, or scratches.

* **Mention what needs to be fixed**: Be upfront about any repairs that need to be made and provide estimates for those costs.

* **Don't make up stories**: Approach each potential buyer with a clear understanding of the car's condition and be prepared to provide detailed information.

By following these tips, you can help build trust with potential buyers and give them a clear understanding of what they're getting themselves into. Remember, selling a rough car is not about making a quick sale - it's about finding someone who shares your vision for the vehicle and is willing to put in the work to fix it up.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(car engine revving)- You have a carthat's a little rough aroundthe edges, maybe it's junk,and you just wanna sell it.Today we're gonna lookat the do's and don'tsof selling a rough car.And I'll tell you why I made this videoin the first place, mightget a little rant-y.(upbeat music)Before we get crackinginto this week's episodeof Wheelhouse I gotta give a shoutoutto NOS Energy Drink forpartnering with the show.Fun fact about NOS Energy Drink,it's been around since 2005,the same year Ford releasedtheir 5th gen Mustang.What do they both have in common?I'll tell you, they're both sweet, sweet.Also, that was the sameyear Donkey Konga 2came out on Game Cube, sweet.And Tom Cruise jumped allover Oprah's couch, sweet.2005 was great.I was 12 years old.Thanks NOS Energy Drinkfor sponsoring Wheelhouse.Sweet.(beeping)I've been helping my girlfriendlook for an old truck that can be dailied.So what do the ads say?Well, not a whole lotand that should have beenmy first clue that something was up.The listing said thetruck was an automaticand had a mileage of 4,000 miles,which I knew couldn't be accurate.The ad only included twopictures, bad ones, mind you,and on top of that neitherof them were of the interior.Overall there wasn't a lot to go off ofbut the price was right so I reached out.The owner said that itwas her Grandpa's truck,which got my mouth watering.I figured Gramps took care of his babyand was passing it down to a relativewho didn't quite know what they had.The owner also said they lost the keysso I would have to installa new ignition lockto get the truck to run.Luckily, on 69C10s that's not a big deal.So I was okay with that.The owner also sent a badpicture of the interiorbut it was enough to get me optimistic.So I enlisted the helpof my dude Zack Jobeand we made the two-hour driveto Bakersfield the next day.When we pull up to thetruck I was feeling good.I'm a good boyfriend.(upbeat chiming)Then I got closer, and closer and closer.Until all hope was gone.The listing was prettymuch completely wrong.First off, the truck wasa manual not an automatic.That wouldn't be a big deal for mebut my girl, she wants anautomatic, so that was a problem.Second, the interior was absolutely trash.Which was another problembecause this thingneeds to be comfortable enough to daily.Both of these things weren'tcomplete deal-breakersbut what made me say no was the rust.This thing was approachingjunk status fast.To top it all off thetruck bed was full of junk.I'm not talking one or two bagsof fertilizer and a beer can.I'm talking bed springs, green waste,a tub full of god knows whatand at least 20 beer cans.Even if I was able to lookpast all the flaws I mentioned,do you expect me to cleanthat crap out of there?Like seriously, what was the plan here?At least the truck had the bestbumper sticker of all time.Okay, so, I'm gonna takea little responsibilityfor this wasted day.I really should've knownbetter from the cluesbut my imagination got the better of me.The story I made up about the C10being Gramp's coveted truck wasn't true.The reality was that Grandpabought the truck a year ago,drove it back to thehouse, parked it there,then my naive ass came along.I thought the only reason noone had snapped this C10 up yetwas the ignition lock situation.So what could the owner havedone to avoid this situationand not waste both of our time?In this case, I would've taken picturesof the torn-up interior, the odometer,and all of the rusty spots in the cab.I would have definitelymentioned the non-op status,as registering the car adds an extra stepto getting it on the road.Mentioning how many owners the truck hadwould've been nice too asit would've prevented mefrom making up the story about Grandpahanging on to his trusty old truck.I would have also definitely mentionedthat the truck didn't have a key.That's kind of a big thing to leave out.I would've tried my best to find outwhat engine was under the hood,because that wasn't in the ad either.And it turned out thatthe truck had a Chevy 350,which is a huge plus,those are great motors.I think some sellers are afraidto tell the truth about their cars.Not because they're bad peoplebut because they don't knowhow to upsell a piece of junk.But there's an easy way to be honestabout a car's crappinessand make it appealing at the same time.I'm sure you've all seen this before.You might do it yourself.You call it, a project car.So let's say I want a project truckand not a daily driver for my lady.All of the issues the truck hadwere ones that I could live with.The bad interior, that's okay.Didn't make the truck undriveable.The rust, I've repaired rust before.It's not the end of the world.Heck, I probably would've driven with it.It would've crumpled like a Post-It notewith me inside it if I crashedbut don't crash, I guess.My point is that selling your carwhen you haven't been upfrontabout big issues is hard.If a buyer is not expecting big problemsand they see them in personthey're gonna second guesseverything else even if it's true.Like if the owner did list the 350 motorI'm gonna assume that ithas a lot of problems toobecause the rest of the truck sucked.What being honest about a junk car doesis give a prospective buyer, me,time to talk myself intothinking it's a good idea.And this isn't deceptive.If I see a car I really wantand a list of what needs to be done to itchances are I'm gonna researchhow to do those thingsand how much they costand see if the investmentis worth it to me.In the C10's case most repairswould've been relatively easy.Heck, a totally honestad might make the ideaof a project build sound fun.So here's what to doif you have a rough carthat you're having a hard time selling.(soft music)First, be open and honest about the car.List the flaws in your ad.For example, I would mentionthe baconed-out fenders(slapping)and the bad ignition timing.You don't have to go super into detailbut having a tidy list goes a long wayand makes it easier for abuyer to Google problemsthey're unsure aboutin another browser tab.And remember to mentionthat your rough carwould be a good project, itwill turn some people awaybut those people wouldn'thave bought the carif they saw it in person anyway.It's fine.Second, take a lot of pictures.The C10 ad had two photos.That's pathetic.Everyone has a good cameraon their phone nowadays,there's no excuse forhaving one or two pictureson your listing in 2019.Come on people, we can do this.At a bare minimum snap thefront, both sides and the rear.Bonus points for a three-quartershot, front and rear.(dinging)If a car has dings, dentsand scratches get those tooand if the car has rustdefinitely mention that it doesand get pictures of it.It might be scarybut it can be repairedby the right person.Also, for the love of God,if you're selling a truckdon't keep a bunch ofbull (beep) in the back.Like what the (beep).So let's look at an adthat does a good job.This car isn't junk by anymeans but it's a good listing.This is a BMW 540i thatmy buddy Dave was selling.In his Craigslist ad he lists the numberof owners the car hashad, what's been fixed,what new parts the car has, like tires.He mentions a positive aspectlike the superstringdrivetrain and brakes.Then lists what needs to be fixedlike the A/C fan switchand the crummy radio.I did a quick Google search and both thosecan be done for less than 500 bucks.Along with that, Davelists what will likelyneed to be fixed in the futureand he's up front aboutthe fact that the carlooks better in his pictures,which primes you to haverealistic expectationsof what the car will look like in person.Also your ad doesn't need to be as wordy,Dave used to write forSport Compact Magazineand he's just a really good writer.Also he included 18 pictures.(dinging)Dave rules.If you're looking at buying a crummy carI have one big tip andthat's not to make upstories about the car in your head'cause you'll always be let down.And never think of it as your caruntil it's in your driveway.I hope my rant helped you out in some waywhether you're selling a roughcar or looking to buy one.Now get out there andsell that piece of junk!I'm gonna go back on Craigslist.(buzzing)Hello.Welcome to my desk.There's lots of stuff on it.I don't know why.I think people come herein the middle of the nightand leave things that I don't need on it.This jar of honey.Don't know why I have this.Kidding of course, I'm a slob.Be nice, see you next time.