Now here's a story

[FiftyPence]

So as some of you know I am currently trying to sell my R8.

Today I googled for websites of a number of UK-based specialist car dealers, you know the kind who deal in Lamborghini's, Ferrari's and since the advent of our cars they also deal in Audi R8s.

The first call goes well, the specialist car guy actually sounds like he is in a nice office on a clear telephone line, is very courteous and takes the full spec and says he may already have heard about this car. I tell him that can't be possible, and sure enough as I provide the spec he later tells me that the vehicle he was offered was silver and wrapped in white just like mine but a 2007 model at around 22k miles. Given that the spec of mine is an 08 on just 10k miles he says it sounds promising. I tell him I look forward to hearing a cash figure from him and so he says he will call back later.

The next company is also great, he even emails me a screenshot from Glass's online guide showing the current retail and trade prices for my car which is handy and reinforces the valuations I already have from Glass and Parkers. He also mentions that the R-Tronic vehicles are more favourable than the manuals at the moment.

The next call with another 'specialist car company' does not go so well, although the website design is up there with the best of them, the guy answers and the line is not clear at all, clearly that office number is permanently forwarded to his mobile or maybe just on Friday's. I picture that it sounds like he is in a caravan on gypsy land and no mention of the company name at all when he answers.
I tell him my name and that I have an Audi R8 for sale, he asks for some details so I tell him about it being silver but currently wrapped in white and he says he's already been offered this car. I enquire whether this other vehicle was around 22k miles from 2007 and go on to tell him that mine is not the same car at all.

He asks what I want for it and I say book is around 56k at the moment according to Glass's guide and he is immediately on the offensive telling me that silver is a real dog of a colour to get rid of and no wonder I had it wrapped in white to hide the hideous silver. He claims the R-Tronic vehicles are proving extremely difficult to shift and that Glass's guide is 'just a guide' (agreed) but that 56k is far too rich and that he is not interested at all.

It seems he was very upset that I had the audacity to approach specialist car dealers other than him and that I knew exactly about this other silver-but-wrapped-in-white-R8.

This guy was a real douchebag.

[randombloke]

sounds like you upset a muppet - good way to spend a friday

[FiftyPence]

It made me laugh but overall I had hoped today would prove more fruitful than a number of local garages offering me around £47k. The thing is, if they buy the car then they will likely sell it to a UK dealer which means paying VAT again when it goes from here to the UK adding approx £9.5k to the price taking it upto £56k which the UK dealer then retails for £62k. The most sensible option now seems to be for me to reimport it into the UK because I am the original exporter therefore no further VAT has to be paid then I can sell it in the UK for approx £56k.

A new Glass's guide comes out next week so the UK firms I spoke to are waiting on that before making me an offer. It all means removal of the vinyl wrap appears imminent.

[randombloke]

That does sound like a plan - hope it all comes good for you.

[FiftyPence]

Thank you Sir.

[M3R8]

Good luck! Sounds like you should indeed reimport it yourself and wait for the right buyer, don't sell it cheap.

[drifting]

The dealers are useless they all say we need cars and when you call them they offer silly money or they aren't interested

A audi dealer offered me £69,000 for a 2011 R8 in white :S So I feel you pain fithy.

I've managed to sell my car now privately. A really great guy is buying is he was looking for a V8 but I get to keep the car till late oct/ early november and he is working away. Helped him out with the cost too

Not sure wether to get another R8 in the states.

[SebringSilver]

Definitely better off selling the car yourself. I'm certain there's no one better placed to disseminate the many attributes of the Audi R8 than someone who has owned and driven one extensively.

[shazam]

Cool story mate. I'm having an interesting time at the other end of the second hand market in Oz trying to pick one of these up. It seems to be a bit iffy everywhere.