A lot of people have the opinion that their Suzuki is a ready-cash and can be easily sold whenever needed. Point taken, but when asked if there has really been an instance when they have to sell their Suzuki in a desperate situation? Does the Suzuki easily give them the right price when sold? The answer of the majority was “no”.
People generally go for a market car, particularly Suzuki for cheaper maintenance, and obviously resale thus minimizing the risk of losing money. And because of this they justify the horrendous price paid against the cars which in return give them almost no value for money. Reason of not going for an out-of-market car means there will be fewer buyers for the vehicle whenever it is up for sale and thus less chances of retrieving cash when needed.
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In a real world scenario if you are a buyer, in a used car market obviously, it’s extremely easy to find a Suzuki but can be equally tough to sell one, particularly when you are in desperate need of cash. Majority of the people in my social circle who have went through the process of selling their Suzuki in dire need of money have had problems selling them at a reasonable price and eventually had to be sold at a huge loss, no matter how well the vehicles were maintained.
The thing is, if a buyer goes out to buy, say a 2009 Alto he will have tons of options in the market. And since there is almost no difference in the Alto models, there is a high probability he will be getting a 2007 vehicle in a better condition while still saving some money. While if the seller has kept his 2009 Alto really well, chances are, his asking price might get the buyer a relatively newer Alto, say 2010/11 models.
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A colleague of mine was looking for a Mehran in 400k range, the choices were literally unlimited. In this price range, models ranging from 2007 up to 2010 were available in very good condition, while it was easy for the buyer to get a recent model in that price, “yaar ooper ka model mil raha hai”, the sellers of 2007/08 models while still demanding a realistic price for their extremely well maintained rides were not given preference. Another case among relatives who wanted to sell their faithful 2003 Cultus before moving abroad had to sell the car at nearly 85,000 less than the market price before leaving the country. Since every visiting party claimed that they can get a clean 2005 model in that price.
As a buyer, I can walk away from a well maintained 2014 Cultus because I might find a less driven 2012 model in the next street. Or I can go for a newer 2016 Cultus in the price of a well maintained 2012 one. The problem is intense with models like Cultus (old), Mehran, Bolan which are still in production since long or has been discontinued recently such as the Alto. However if you have a car like Baleno which was discounted some 12 years ago and you have one in a really good condition you might be able to sell it in your desired price due to the fact that not many Balenos around will be in equally good condition.
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Also the increasing number of walking dealers who intend to make profit on each sale/ purchase amplifies the misery. There are few potential buyers in the market while a vast majority of those who do car sale/ purchasing as a side business, are usually the first ones to ring you as soon as you put up your vehicle for sale.
The whole point of going for a market car is to avoid the risk of losing money, and it obviously hurts when a market car goes out on a loss. If you have had a tough time selling your Suzuki, do mention your experiences in the comments below.
This article written by Usman Ansari was originally published on Pakwheels Blog..
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
