DukeCanBuildit
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Duke
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2020
- Threads
- 67
- Messages
- 9,819
- Reaction score
- 46,959
- Location
- Kitchener, Ontario
- Vehicle(s)
- 2019 XLT SuperCab - FTW!
- Occupation
- Retired (P/T) Caregiver (F/T)
- Vehicle Showcase
- 1
- Thread starter
- #1
So, my 2014 Passat with 80,000 km (50,000 mi) sits in the garage and doesn’t get driven very often. I considered selling it and went through the motions on Canada Drives and Clutch.ca, Canada’s answers to Carvana.
Their online forms ask enough questions for a simple algorithm to come up with a conservative offer, even if the condition of the car is embellished a little bit. I was forthright and the online offers that came in and seemed okay - $11, 387 and $10,900.
The follow-up emails and text messages that soon followed (mobile number is a mandatory field) are a pain in the butt. As soon as I tried to book a pick-up appointment, the non-refundable pick-up fee was introduced - $100 for Canada Drives, $169 for Clutch. Screw that, I close the browser.
A little later, the phone rings - it’s them. They’re eager to get me to pay the fee and they’ll pick it up the next day or I can drop off my car and can sell it to them right away. It all goes a bit like this…
Yes, I want a pick-up and of course, no pickup fee.
The last person said they’d waive it.
It wasn’t an accident. Ice fell on it and scratched up the roof. The business owner paid to have it fixed. (Drop headliner, press out small dent, sand and paint roof panel $1,154)
That seems excessive - it’s almost as much as the repair.
The weekend passes and the phone rings, it’s them again - different person.
I’m dealing with so-and-so.
No, you can’t only pay me $9,000 for it.
Yes, it could.
I hung up. The Passat is still in the garage and won’t be going anywhere. I started going through a very similar scenario with the other online company and brought it to a very quick end.
It seems like all they want to do is give you an attractive offer online to get you to nibble, then they want to move the process to the phone and away from the portal or email where things will be on record.
I don’t trust them one single bit.
Their online forms ask enough questions for a simple algorithm to come up with a conservative offer, even if the condition of the car is embellished a little bit. I was forthright and the online offers that came in and seemed okay - $11, 387 and $10,900.
The follow-up emails and text messages that soon followed (mobile number is a mandatory field) are a pain in the butt. As soon as I tried to book a pick-up appointment, the non-refundable pick-up fee was introduced - $100 for Canada Drives, $169 for Clutch. Screw that, I close the browser.
A little later, the phone rings - it’s them. They’re eager to get me to pay the fee and they’ll pick it up the next day or I can drop off my car and can sell it to them right away. It all goes a bit like this…
Yes, I want a pick-up and of course, no pickup fee.
Sure, sure we can do that but the “final“ offer isn’t in place yet - I need some specific photos for a further assessment. I’ll send you a link.
So, I took the photos and uploaded them. Then, the phone rings - it’s them again - different person.The offer has been reduced $610 after our adjusters reviewed the photos and assessed the scratch on the lower valance (it’s small and I attested to “minor cosmetic damage” in the online form, thinking the algorithm would deal with that in the first offer - nope - fine).
Will you have a Bank Draft in the new amount for me when you pick it up?No, it’s just a flatbed driver - we still need to run a CarFax report and will adjust the offer further, if needed.
Can you run it now?No, we need to have it dropped off or have the non-refundable fee in-hand first.
The last person said they’d waive it.
The adjustment team reversed that. They are allowed to override certain things.
What? I hung up. A little while later, the phone rings - it’s them again.
I ran the CarFax report - there’s an accident claim.
It wasn’t an accident. Ice fell on it and scratched up the roof. The business owner paid to have it fixed. (Drop headliner, press out small dent, sand and paint roof panel $1,154)
We had to adjust the offer down by $1,050
That seems excessive - it’s almost as much as the repair.
It will make it hard for us to sell it.
I’ll think about it. In the meantime, sharpen your pencil.I’ll call you on Monday.
The weekend passes and the phone rings, it’s them again - different person.
I’m dealing with so-and-so.
They’re on vacation - I’m handling their files.
Okay, what’s your final offer? (I’m 99% out at this point but I’ll play)Well, it’s a 2014 right? So, it’s very close to only being able to be sold “as is”.
Isn’t that how it works with all used cars and shouldn’t your algorithm have accounted for its age?Well, we can only pay you $9,000 for it.
No, you can’t only pay me $9,000 for it.
What do you mean?
If I decide to sell, when and how will I get the money for my car?Once we receive your car, both fobs, and your registration papers, our adjustors will want to get a better look at the ”damage” on the valance (it’s a scratch on the bottom edge from a parking block) and they might make additional adjustments. After that, you should receive our final offer in your account in 2 to 3 days.
So, it could be less than $9,000?Yes, it could.
I hung up. The Passat is still in the garage and won’t be going anywhere. I started going through a very similar scenario with the other online company and brought it to a very quick end.
It seems like all they want to do is give you an attractive offer online to get you to nibble, then they want to move the process to the phone and away from the portal or email where things will be on record.
I don’t trust them one single bit.
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