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MG TD TF 1500 - How best to sell an MG TD

Gentlemen (and any ladies), your collective knowledge would be welcome. Should I be forced to part with my 1952 TD this Summer due to health concerns, how would you recommend it be taken to market. I'm not interested in EBay types for obvious reasons (one has only to look at the current ads). I would feel more comfortable having it in the hands of a person with MG knowledge and appreciation----plus it would probably enhance the sale of this gem. While I've spent the bulk of my professional life in marketing, I'm still not clear how and to whom to present the vehicle. AAny thoughts would be valued.


Thanks!

Dick Thomas
R S THOMAS

Dick,

I don't quite understand your aversion to using eBay. I sold a TD there and got a very fair price.

Remember, you're reaching everywhere and almost anyone that is looking to buy a car and is computer literate is checking eBay nowadays. Sure, there are scam artists trying to take your money but you can sort out those guys pretty easily...most of them are idiots.

When I sold the one I had, I was honest in it's description, set a realistic reserve and posted links to youtube.com where potential bidders/buyers could see the car running, see the lights/electrics worked, and see/hear the door fit and slack in the hinge pins.

Gene
Gene Gillam

Great looking MG.
You can list it here in the classified section.
list any history-rebuild and asking price..
Wish you were closer.. I'd love to look at it.
MGrogan

Tough question Dick. I've been wrestling with that thought should I happen to kick the bucket as to how best my wife would dispose of my TF and B. You already have taken the first step to helping sell any vehicle which is CLEAN IT. I'm thinking I should make a list of all the work that was performed by myself and in my case I have the parts reciets to back that up. I'd also let them know what I haven't done and what I think might needs to be done in the near future. I believe in total full disclosure. Let them know if it is or is not going to make a concours and if not what it's going to take. Your selling to a limited market so MG clubs, Sports car clubs, car shows would give you the best shot I think. Hope you can hang onto it for sometime to come.

Good luck,

LaVerne
LaVerne

I've sold 4 classic vehicles on eBay and bought my current TD there. I found that absolute honesty and accuracy, and lot's of detailed photos work quite well.

LOcal chapters of MG club newsletters and websites are a good place too. You are "preaching to the choir" so to speak, and will net the kind of buyer you are seeking (hopefully). The YouTube route as a link on your ad is also, as Gene said, a very good selling tool.

BTW, great looking TD. If I were in the market, I'd be interested :-)

Cheers

Larry
Larry Karpman

Dick, have you considered the new england MG register? there are many local MG chapters..if not ALL now..whose newsletters have classifieds with ads appearing in both print and on the internet. best of luck. regards, tom
tom peterson

Dick-
E-bay gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Can't beat the world-wide exposure and not having to field phone calls. My experience has been the deadbeats are more often the sellers, as opposed to the buyers. I will be posting a couple of T projects shortly, as I have had to face my mortality as well.
Safety Fast
Paul
Paul Gaynor

Dick,

Nice looking TD!

Not sure what part of Ohio you are in, but you could try sending an email to the webmaster of the SW-Ohio MG club. They typically forward emails to the members of the club. Include pictures and the details of the car.

Good luck,
Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

Sorry, I forgot the link http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgccswoc/
Evan Ford - TD 27621

I just typed '1952 mg td for sale' in my search engine (www.go2net.com) and came up with 43 hits. Everything from Kijiji to ebay. Give it a try.
I have emails every week to add a car to our club's website for sale page... about 20% have sold! Write down where all you put your ad so when you sell, you can have the ad removed!
gblawson (gordon)- TD#27667

I bought my 51 TD on E Bay. I had been looking for years for a nice TD, but they were located in Virginia, Arizona, Iowa and New Jersey. Nice cars but I wanted some thing a little closer. Just as I was seriously considering a TD in Iowa with a Volvo engine, I found my RHD S# 9747 on E bay less than ten miles from home here. E Bay is a good thing.

Gunner
Sid Orr

Gentlemen,
This is a remarkable site and you represent remarkable people. The responses received are most appreciated and very helpful. I am also now certain that I should re-think my Ebay concerns.
Warm thanks to all of you!

Dcik Thomas
R S THOMAS

However, do be very careful with Ebay- as you would with any totally unkown person. Two people in town here- one selling, and one looking at a TD- dealt with scammers. The seller had the deal with the people from out of town, with a cashier's check (which was bogus), and the guy looking had the thing where the person was selling it for someone else, rediculously low price, etc. Luckily, both smelled the scams. George
George Butz

I'll chime in on this one too... I have used eBay primarily to buy TD parts, since 2001. In almost 250 transactions, there were only 2 that somewhat disappointed me in the condition of the parts that arrived. I find eBay Sellers of T series parts to be most honest, and sincere in their transactions.

I'm now assembling a 1951 TD from said parts. The only major pieces I currently lack are a left hand front fender, and a body tub. Between ebay, and the helpfulness of several of those who frequent this forum, it is almost a rolling chassis (pics this weekend, I hope!).

Jeff
Jeff Brown

I too have bought tons of MG parts on Ebay and find that MG sellers are, for the most part, solid, honest, enthusiasts.

Having said that, I've never bought or sold a car on Ebay. But all of the cars I've bought/sold over the past 8-10 years have been through the MG Enthusiasts Classifieds - the so-called "green pages" associated with this BBS. Just click on the octagon logo at the top of this page and follow the prompts. It's never failed me and it costs nothing. Incidentally, these listings are picked up by numerous clubs so you get a huge bang for NO buck.

' Can't beat that with a stick!

Allen

Allen Bachelder

' Got a better idea: don't sell your TD - until/unless the need becomes imperative. Enjoy it as long as you can. Then, educate your wife about how to deal with this. We all have trusted MG buddies. Talk it over with one of them - so there is somebody willing to help your wife through this. As long as there are no unrealistic expectations regarding values, this can go quite smoothly. Even so, I have to admit my wife is panic-stricken about the thought of being left alone with my barn full of MGs and parts. But since she understands that this is no reason to curtail my hobby, it behooves me to understand my need to leave her in good MG-buddy hands. I may have $5000 worth of parts out there, but I'd probably advise liquidating them for as little as $200 just to get them out of her life and off her mind.

Same thing with the cars: my wife is going to understand that a sale under duress is not going to yield top dollar. If I am gone, there is so much to explain to a prospective buyer - some of which I can write down but much will be lost, and that will detract from the value.

At age 68, my plan is to be out there playing with my MGs for perhaps another 20 years. I may change my mind along the way, in which case the problem will be easier to solve.

Gene - hindsight can be great! ' Wish I'd bought that TD. Instinct told me that was the right car. I got dazzled by another. I'm happy with my purchase, but sometimes it pays to buy the car that is most obviously what it's described to be.

Cheers,
Allen
Allen Bachelder

One thing I did.... in my 'repro' Owner's Manual, I added pages at the back with any and all non stock items that the p/o and/or I did to the car. Added to the wiring diagram the various 'leads' that were changed. Added the new rear end gear ratio, dates I redid the seat bottoms, etc, etc. Will make it easier for the next owner and seller!
gblawson (gordon)- TD#27667

Allen,

Thanks for the kind words about Bob's MG. I wish you'd bought it too but I think it went to a good home in the end.

One of the problems (besides sellers remorse) that Bob had after selling his TC and TD were all his spare parts. He's not computer literate so he couldn't put them on eBay himself and it's really unrealistic to try to sell them any other way. I volunteered to do it and started with some of them last week but it's been a real pain in the butt since we don't live close...I'm stuck with packaging, shipping, etc., and although he wants to pay me for my time, I don't really feel comfortable taking money from him for it...he's a friend and probably needs the money more than I need my time.

I guess what I'm saying is your idea of liquidating the parts for $200 might be a good idea if she can afford not to get a better price...but maybe you can find someone (close) that will work with her to help and get a more realistic value for her.

But the better idea you had is to live another 20 years and enjoy 'em!!!

Gene


Gene Gillam

I bought my 52 TD on eBay a couple of years ago, long before I found this site, or any other of the various MG sites. I may have been a little hasty at the time, but I had always wanted a TD since my college days in the 70's when I had an MGB and an MGA. The one I got was listed complete with phone numbers, address and everything. I did the research...it was being sold by an elderly gentleman moving to an assisted-living facilty. I have been completely happy with it. After being a member here for awhile, I went back and checked the archives around the time it was listed for the inevitable comments that appear when eBay cars appear. It didn't receive many positive ones due to it's non-original paint job and a few other things. It had been restored, but not to totally original specs. None-the-less, I've been happy with it. Bottom line, do the research before buying and if you're happy with non-concourse quality, go for it.
K O Martin


Jeff Brown Pittsburg, PA ! Please send me an email, I think I can help with the parts you need. sara
Sara D.

This thread was discussed between 13/03/2008 and 16/03/2008

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