Private sale vs Selling to a specialist - advice pls

[PA_RS4]

Hi guys, I’m sure this question comes up a lot - Private sale vs Selling to a specialist. Needing some advice and while I’m at it putting the feelers out for anyone looking for a low mileage RS4 (DM me!)

Got a highly spec’d Panther Black 15 plate RS4, 20s, full leather, B&O, pano sunroof, black pack, etc with 39k on the clock (I’m the 2nd owner - since 2018).

Have a 3rd child on the way in summer, and this is the second family car that gets driven 1-2 times a week. So afraid it’s got to get more sensible with the service & petrol costs! I believe it’s capable of achieving in the region of £35k in an ideal world and I know in order to get that, it needs some minor items sorted, but not sure of the private market for an RS…especially with all the bad press these cars get as expensive toys! Going to a specialist means skipping sorting the items needing doing as it hits 40k miles + a wheel refurb etc, ultimately giving me a quicker sale but no where near the £34-35k I’m hoping for.

Anyone have any experience selling/buying a B8 RS4 privately? Is it worth it or might I end up selling back to a specialist anyone after sorted things like 40k s-tronic gearbox & final drive oils, refurbed rims…which are just going to cost me more than the specialist doing them as part of the prep process? I’ve got a couple of months to sort if I can recoup a couple of grand and sell in perfect condition.

For reference on auto trader, there seem to be 2 of 8 cars for private sale that are 15 plate, within 100 miles, under 45k miles done.

Thoughts? Would others on here take the punt on selling privately (or buying for that matter)?

[G30001]

Interested in this topic as looking at getting a Dog so just isn't really big enough.

Mine is just clicking past 18k miles with a Red stitch Bucket interior, Capristo and all Gearbox/Diff Oils / plugs etc done despite not hitting milage so hoping for decent money.

[hindsight]

I sold to Fontain who are Audi RS specialists and local to me. They were great to deal with and offered me a fair price, but you would generally get more selling privately. I worried about fools or worse turning up if advertising privately. Think it depends on how risk averse you are and how much spare time you have.
All best with soon to expand family





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[Rs04ayr]

The big bonus with selling to a specialist,is they will just turn up and pay an agreed price if the car is as described.
I have sold a couple of cars this way and it’s painless.Maybe get slightly less than a private sale,but you also don’t get all the idiots phoning you with the £25k offers and pick it up tomorrow bruv innit!
I bought mine privately from this forum and it was painless(be selling it soon too!)
Either way good luck with the sale.

[PA_RS4]

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice - it’s where my head was at anyway, could be annoying going down the private sale path for a bit more money.

Fontain I know (it’s where I got the car) and they’re pretty good - as well as on this forum lol. Price being offered just really isn’t where I want it to be…that’s my only sticking point.

Got some thinking to do! Cheers!

[hindsight]

Thinking some more, whilst I've not used them, there was an online outfit that specialized in acting like a broker for high performance cars called webuysupercars. They were quite fussy about RS4 spec but if your car meets their criteria they put your details out to garages to bid for your car. Sounds similar to the "Motorway" concept that I've seen on the TV but for high performance cars. No idea how good they are or if there are any catches though.

[114uyc]

You could try https://collectingcars.com/ if you are not in a hurry

[Stevie1982]

Been in your situation a few times and have recently done it with MCR Specialist Cars in Bristol. I sold my E92 M3 to them a few years back as well. Offered a fair price on both, not a huge amount under a predicted private sale price. Keep in mind advertising costs and people turning up and wanting £250-£500 off the asking price etc. On both occasions they've arrived taken the car on a quick test drive, paid the money, loaded it on a trailer and driven away. Granted its up on a website a week later for a few thousand pounds more but they're a business so you have to accept it.

[Nige_RS4]

Have you tried the likes of motorway as they are offering good prices atm?