Help required please

[briang9]

I'm thinking of selling the S8 but struggling to know what it's worth, very few on sale these days so finding a bench mark is difficult. It's a Sep 2002 model, with just under 138k on the clock, fully stamped service book and a history of gearbox services at Mackies. Cam belt changes done as required, MOT till 25/9/24 and of course it's fairly rare as it's de-chromed. Private plate will not be included.

I would be grateful for advice on how much fellow members think it's worth and also advice on best platform to advertise it on

Any help gratefully received please

thanks

[sarg]

[The_Laird]

Sorry Brian. I’ve just spoken to The Godfather of the Glasgow Mafia (older members will understand) and he’s confirmed that no-one can leave ‘the family’.

I have no idea what your S8 might be worth, but it must be north of £8K surely? I think I’d start high (around £10K) and see how that flies.

[Conan_the_Librarian]

It's a difficult one Brian. Market is a bit depressed at the moment. Having a look through recent dealer sales may give you a better perception. Rarity value really only matters to enthusiasts. Pitch it at what you would be happy to let it go at and see if you get any nibbles.

Good Luck with the sale.

CtL

[tintin]

Originally Posted by The_Laird

Sorry Brian. I’ve just spoken to The Godfather of the Glasgow Mafia (older members will understand) and he’s confirmed that no-one can leave ‘the family’.

Definitely agree with this . Now, where's that horse's head....

[tintin]

Originally Posted by The_Laird

I have no idea what your S8 might be worth, but it must be north of £8K surely? I think I’d start high (around £10K) and see how that flies.

Originally Posted by Conan_the_Librarian

Rarity value really only matters to enthusiasts. Pitch it at what you would be happy to let it go at and see if you get any nibbles.

CtL

Or....look at it the other way, and consider how much would you have to spend to get another car which is likely to come close to giving you the same feeling and memories. And then reconsider your decision.

[tonupkid]

Kind of off the top of my head here, but I'd start somewhere north of the £15k mark.
These are vanishingly rare, especially examples with a decent history and a proper maintenance record, like yours.
Are you considering mitigation of the potentially life-threatening effects of selling by acquiring something eightish but newer?

[IT]

My gut feel is that prices north of 10K are the preserve of those examples under 100K miles.

Regardless of the maintenance history, people are generally scared off by higher mileage, and the D2s have a reputation out there for unreliable gearboxes so that will be in the back of anyone's mind who is considering it. All the service history in the world doesn't guarantee how long it will last after they drive it away unfortunately.

The black chrome is certainly unique, but then its not a final edition, and whilst it annoys me intensely, the fact is that people pay a premium for the FE's and seek them out.

The market has been poor. Thirsty expensive cars have been hit hard, so its not been an ideal time to sell. That said, recent movements by mortgage lenders to drop rates and potentially upcoming BOE drops could bolster up the market.

If it were me, I'd be listing at 9995 and considering myself happy if i ended up with north of 8k.

Autotrader generally has a bigger reach, with far better search facilities. However, Ebay does allow you far more creativity and space in the listing to really try and convey just how well looked after the car is. I've always used Ebay for anything special, and AT for anything plain.

In your case, I think you'll probably make a better pitch for how good the car is with a well crafted Ebay listing.

in any case, its a niche sale. Be prepared to wait potentially several months if you want the right buyer to come along that really wants that car, and is willing to pay a good price. If you want to move it on quicker, consider any offers that come along and take it from there.

Hope that helps.

[tonupkid]

I've been giving this a bit more thought, and although Ian, with his extensive knowledge, is likely in the right ballpark. By pricing the car low (c £10k) you will be missing the opportunity to discover whether there is a buyer out there with pockets deep enough to cover his or her desire to get what they perceive to be the right S8.
Regarding potential gearbox issues, what's the worst that can happen? Someone stretching themselves to buy one of these at £5k might blanch at the cost of rebuilding a gearbox. But a person for whom budget is secondary in their decision-making may well view having box rebuilt as worth the money for peace of mind and future-proofing.
Remember, some people buy to keep and so view expenditure through a different lens.
What can to lose by testing the market?

[Spanker]

According to their Facebook page, 4 Star Classics are due to list a black S8 in the very near future (not listed at the time of writing).

It may give you an idea as to what you should be asking as they've sold a few in the past (albeit sitting at some inflated prices for a while).

https://www.4starclassics.com/for-sale/