My smart for sale in the great US of A

[SmartieParts 12]

Well... I did it. I just put an ebay listing to sell my car. I am most certainly targeting the US marketplace and, shamelessly, attempting to get a premium for it because of supply (none) and demand (high). I make no apologies for that.

There is one member here who offered to buy my car and I have no heard anything back in a day or so... rather than waiting I placed the eBay ad. However, I'm good on my word so if you want to still buy the car at the agreed upon amount don't let this posting alarm you, just let me know in the next couple days and I'll pull the ebay listing (you know who you are).

My car is loaded with extra goodies and I'm willing to deliver the car, so I think it should fetch a fair amount of coin if recent eBay sales are any indication - we shall see. One went a little while ago for US$31,000 with 30,000+ miles (not km) on it and none of the extras.

I didn't post it on the eBay listing, but if perhaps a cSc member wins the auction, they can have 5% off the final price!

Here is the ebay link.

- Steven

ps. Selling cars on eBay ain't cheap! Cost me $100 and I'm out that no matter what the outcome.

[Duck 16]

Wow... I had to sign an agreement when I bought mine saying that I specifically could not sell it outside of Canada. I wonder if that's just an Ontario thing?

How come you're sellin' yours, Steve?

-Iain

[MikeT 744]

Clever info, but.....power seats?!?

[SmartieParts 12]

Oops.. did I click on too many options?

I'll edit out the power seats ASAP.

Iain... actually, the document you signed said you wouldn't sell it outside of Canada for a period of one year. December 29th was my anniversary.

I'm selling it so I can get the new Grandstyle spring edition.

- Steven

[IMSMRT 0]

Duck....the agreement is only for 1 year...this car is over 1 year old now..

Steve! Good luck! I hope you can get a good deal on it!

S

[SmartieParts 12]

Power seats deleted... thanks for the heads up Mike.

[Duck 16]

Cool!!! When do you get yours Steve??

I thought I remembered you posting about wanting one a while back, so you ordered one?

-Iain

[SmartieParts 12]

No, not yet - not until I sell mine. By most accounts the grandstyles aren't blowing out the showrooms like I had originally thought they would.

- Steven

[Duck 16]

Ohh! I thought you had to order/wait for them. So they have them in stock out your way? I'd love to see photos!

Excited to see that tan interior.

-Iain

[SmartieParts 12]

No... sorry... bad analogy.

They ARE special order. You DO have to wait for them. What I meant was, I thought they would have all been spoken for 10 minutes after they were available for order, but only about 15% have been sold. Means I should have time to secure the sale before I commit to the purchase.

- Steven

[Diesel Dave 11]

I say good for you Steven for trying to sell your car this way so you can get the one you want. If it were not for the trade in value I got, I would have done the same thing. Who cares about the non export agreement anyway, it's your car. Besides, your not exporting it because it will already be out of the country when someone buys it.

[SmartieParts 12]

WOOHOO! There has been a bid! ONE PENNY!

If I were a rich man...

[42Kruiser 0]

Sorry that's all I have right now

[Speedie 4]

I suggest a star spangled banner paint job - play the patriotism card - actually come to think of it that would look kind of cute on a smart - candy apple red and blue with pearl tone stars.......

Cheers,

Cameron

[darren 192]

Has smart been doing anything to promote the Grand Style model? It's not listed on the smart Canada site, so i'd guess that many consumers don't know that it's available.

[Eddie Eddie Eddie 1]

That is an incredible looking ad Steve!

Best of luck to you...

BTW: What is the estimated value of your house? And would it include the items inside as well, or just the building and land?

Eddie

[SmartieParts 12]

Lol... I sure hope nobody bids for the house. I don't want to move again! Still, I'd come out ahead... its worth about $200k Canadian.

Thanks for the feedback on the ad! i worked on it for several days before putting it up because I wanted to make it look better than your typical few lines of text.

I've gotten some interesting offers already! One person said if it doesn't sell, he'd like me to do the advertising run through the US at the mentioned $100 per day + hotel costs. However when I said those prices, that was assuming I'd get $40k+ for the car... without that, I don't think I can afford to travel around for $100 a day. I mean, that's not bad money if I was doing the trip anyway, but considering that would be more sole income for a month and I'd be eating out every night and paying for gas (probably negotiable) its not worth it.

I also was offered a straight up trade for this. But as you can see from the Buy Now price, the value isn't there. Still - its a sweet car!.

- Steven

[ARTZ 0]

I would say you will be getting some good offers. Your car has a lot of extra options that other smarts do not have.

I think it would be funny if someone offered you $250,000 for the car and the house. Would you go through with that?

[SmartieParts 12]

I guess I'd have to

But since there are NO details about the house, they'd have to be pretty rich to take that chance. Yes, I have a lakeview, but that could be from my cardboard box under the highway overpass. It was asked above if it would include everything in the house... I think I'd insist on it hehe. I hate moving... I'd rather buy new stuff.

- Steven

[darren 192]

Yeah, you should clarify that $100/day is the delivery fee if the car sells... not an advertising media rate.

[SmartieParts 12]

Well, I think its covered anyway because I'd be perfectly happy taking the $100 a day advertising rate if I got $40k for the car, which is when the advertising offer kicks in. This guy made his offer outside of the full terms of my offer - basically saying, "i'll take the $100 day part without the $40k part" so I don't really need to clarify... just decline.

But it will never get that high... like I said, I was just making stuff up in hopes of steering the cars value upward. Smoke and mirrors really. I mean, I think it *would* be a good advertising opportunity for the right business, but I'd give it about a 1% shot at best that someone will take me up on it. If you search ebay you can find women selling adspace on their butts... I can't compete with that!

With the "delivery" charge, I think I'm being fair. $0.75 per mile OR hotel and airfare.. whichever is lower. So if it is a relatively short trip (WA, OR) they're better off paying me the kms and I'll take a train back. If it is longer, then they cover my hotels and flight back because $0.75/mile could be a couple thousand dollars. In either case, it should be cheaper than if I actually did ship the car.

Lol... I *think* I thought this through anyway.

- Steven

[MikeT 744]

What the heck are you doing, bidding on this car?!?

[SmartieParts 12]

What are you talking about?

[SmartieParts 12]

Well... the stats all look good so far:

it has been pretty close to exactly 24 hours since I posted the ad, and 16 hours since it was searchable (eBay has a delay during which you can only find it by direct link, not by search... in this case it took 8 hours) and here are the stats so far:

Now... how skewed is this!?! Mike's comment makes it sound like Keith placed a bid, which obviously wouldn't be a serious bid. I'm sure a couple hundred of the 951 views are from people on this site... how many of the 50 watchers? lol... so in hindsight I probably shouldn't have announced it

- Steven

[IMSMRT 0]

Its on my watched list for curiosity sake. I wouldnt look to deep into those numbers as half the board here probably did the same thing in anticipation of doing the same thing Announcing it here is good because how many US lurkers are here? who knows!

Glad its seeing some action!

S