Do private sellers and sometimes traders overprice their cars?

[driver rider]

Hi, I've been looking at Mk V GTI's and I hope I offend nobody on here but the cars seems to be massively overpriced.  Many cars seem to be 1K over book some nearer 2K.  This is especially so with edition 30's have I missed something.  Are sellers looking to be knocked back. 

The car I almost brought has now been reduced by 100 after the dealer was adamant that he had three people waiting for his car.  To me that means he's having difficulty selling he's car.  On a lighter note Ive seen one car keenly priced but its 403 miles away from me and its not an edition 30.

Thoughts of any kind will be much appreciated. 

Also how difficult is it to fit xenon headlights as per original manufacturer spec with headlight washers, self levelling etc....

Thanks in advance.

[andrewparker]

The book is a load of bollocks mate.

[JoeDarKa]

The book is a load of bollocks mate.

  Straight and to the point, i like it! 

[Greeners]

The book is a load of bollocks mate.

Couldn't of put it better myself!! 

After all the 'book' you refer to is only a guide as there is no way you can give a blanket cost for thousands of cars that all differ slightly in mileage, condition and specification. Specialist cars like the MK5 GTI tend to be cars bought more with the heart than the head, so prices will vary wildly anyway. Another reason why I pay no attention to Glass's etc......

A car is worth what someone is prepared to pay, no more, no less!!

[gizmo68]

Forums are the worst place to buy a car, most people one them are enthusiasts and therefore believe their cars are worth more than Joe public will.

[Greeners]

Can't agree with that, surely if you want to buy a car like a GTI you want to know it's been looked after and not an ex rep wagon?!?!? 

I'd gladly pay a little more for a car that has been cosseted by its owner!

[galaxie500]

Hey Driver Rider
From your 'forum name' I get that you are bike rider as well as a car driver.  This could be pushbike or motorbike but I'm guessing its the latter.
I love motorbikes, always have but I've never understood how bikes can cost as much and sometimes more than a car.  Certainly there's a heap of engineering excellence in many motorbikes but for £20K you could buy 2 decent Mk V GTi's OR 2 wheels and a 1920's derived V Twin in the shape of a Harley Davidson Electra Glide. Or £18K might get you a Ducati - the Ferrari of motorbikes where you pay for an engine and get the 'bodywork' for free.  Its made of carbon fibre and plastic.  The door bins on the MkV Golf have more rigidity than the entire Ducati 848 body, and that saying something!
Why do people buy these crazily priced machines?? Marketing.  And supply & demand.  The same reason you want an Edition 30 Golf.  Despite your horror at the pricing, you still want one.  If you want one, you're going to have to pay the going price for one,  and not whinge at what you percieve as 'over book'.  The Book - Glass's Guide, is in fact Marketing.  No motor traders actually use it as their bible.  The values within are a guide and nothing more.  
Good luck with your search.  

[Gene Hunt]

Can't agree with that, surely if you want to buy a car like a GTI you want to know it's been looked after and not an ex rep wagon?!?!? 

I'd gladly pay a little more for a car that has been cosseted by its owner!

............& me.

[gizmo68]

Can't agree with that, surely if you want to buy a car like a GTI you want to know it's been looked after and not an ex rep wagon?!?!? 

I'd gladly pay a little more for a car that has been cosseted by its owner!

So all owner on a forum pamper their cars and all reps (not sure how many will have an Edition 30 anyway) thrash them and do not care for them? 

[stealthwolf]

So all owner on a forum pamper their cars and all reps (not sure how many will have an Edition 30 anyway) thrash them and do not care for them? 

So wanna explain why specialist car insurance is cheaper than ordinary car insurance? Around four times cheaper in my experience!

[Tamiyoman]

I think a LOT of cars are overpriced but GTIS and ED30 are also overpriced, again no offence to anyone but £13k for a 57 plate Ed30 is WAAAAy too much,

I looked at several Ed30's in late October/early november last year before I bought mine and I went to see one at a place in London (trader) who insisted my offer of £11.25K for his Black 08 plate Ed30 DSG with 60K and FSH (Otherwise it was basic spec model, no nav, no park sensors, cruise, or Xenons etc etc) was insulting, I raised my offer to 11.5K and he still would not have it (forecourt price was £12995), I saw that same car for sale a few weeks back still and the price tag was down to £10995  , ahem matey/dealer I dont like to say "I told you so"  .

Also looked at another one up in Manchester area, he wanted £12650 I offered £11.65K (which was my budget) knocked back, 8 weeks later still for sale and then priced at £11495  , finally found my candy Ed30 5Dr DSG, Xenons, park sensors, winter pack, sunroof, Highline, MFSW, Armrest and sat nav, it is an 08 plate 39K FVWSH within my budget   and yes I talked him down from £13K after I went armed with lots of previous listings/prices, CAP values and several "Unsold" listings from ebay and the prices and details of the last 6 ED30's that BCA had sold  , he soon understood he was VERY unlikely to get what he asked  

I would not feel too bad making a "Sensible" offer, I know folks say the book is rubbish (depends which book) but I got my brother (in the lease indusrty) to give me CAP values so I went on those and got mine at Cap middle so yeah the parkers guides may be off but teh CAP figures are what industry uses and those seem fine.

I was looking at another 3 dr 08 plate Ed30 which came up for auction at BCA and CAP was £10750 to £11350, I then bought my car but went anyway out of curiosity to see what t went for, it went for £11150 pretty much bang in the middle of figures my bro quoted me, it appeared 9 days later sat on a VW dealers forecourt at £14995   If they found a buyer for that it must have been the easiest £3.5K they ever made

If you have a mate in the industry get him to give you the CAP figures for it as a guide, and dont forget a sellers price is what "HE/SHE" wants for it and likely not what it is worth either to you or in the real world of slow moving car sales in the current market conditions.

[Greeners]

Can't agree with that, surely if you want to buy a car like a GTI you want to know it's been looked after and not an ex rep wagon?!?!? 

I'd gladly pay a little more for a car that has been cosseted by its owner!

So all owner on a forum pamper their cars and all reps (not sure how many will have an Edition 30 anyway) thrash them and do not care for them? 

Your getting the idea yeh! 

I ran a company fleet of 500+ cars for over ten years, and if 1% looked after their cars the way the forum members that I know and have met, I'd be very surprised.........

[Tamiyoman]

Can't agree with that, surely if you want to buy a car like a GTI you want to know it's been looked after and not an ex rep wagon?!?!? 

I'd gladly pay a little more for a car that has been cosseted by its owner!

So all owner on a forum pamper their cars and all reps (not sure how many will have an Edition 30 anyway) thrash them and do not care for them? 

Your getting the idea yeh! 

I ran a company fleet of 500+ cars for over ten years, and if 1% looked after their cars the way the forum members that I know and have met, I'd be very surprised.........

If its hired its the fastest car on the road, I have ABUSED every company car I won (more out of spite to current employer lol) and always looked after my own personal cars (always had my own car when I had a company car).

[Frodo-anni]

Its only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but you have to take everything into consideration, spec, history, owners etc...

I have just this weekend collected my Mar 07, ed30 dsg 5dr from a main dealer after looking at plenty of dogs over the last 6-8 months. Thankfully the car has been owned by one very careful forum owner who has very kindly told me everything about the car. It also has xenons, armrest, highline, which were on my priority list, so willing to pay that litle bit more for the specification. With it comes a full vw used warranty that i have had confirm covers the dsg box, therefore that was worth alittle bit more to me, it came serviced, MOT'd.

The main points when pricing a car is the over all deal, i may have found one cheaper privately (will probably cry if i find out what price it was trade), but i may well have had to spend the extra to get the few bits retro fitted, serviced etc..

For me the ED30 is worth it, im still giggling to myself like a little school boy each time i hear the DSG 'Fart'   

[Billy]

finally found my candy Ed30 5Dr DSG, Xenons, park sensors, winter pack, sunroof and sat nav it is an 08 plate 39K FVWSH within my budget  

Where did you end up finding your car?