10 GRAND MK1 GOLF ON EBAY

Apologies if someone else has posted a thread already, but i've just been on ebay and seen a mk1 golf on ebay- the owner wants 10 grand!!! beautiful car but what do you think?

in all seriousness though, it's a very nice car

Good or bad, I don't think it helps a seller if an internet forum discusses the car for sale. If you post saying "this car's great but I don't have the money!" how does that help at all? It just shows that you can't afford that kind of car. And if you slag it off, as has historically been done on here before for cars costing significant sums of money, its potentially ruinious and either forces the seller to take a hit on the price; or register on here to defend their car.

So I'd suggest everyone thinks really carefully about interfering with car sales, etc.

So not talking about the car market in current times relating to the mk1's and the money they fetch is frowned upon… people wishing they had money to afford it and not having their say is limiting their voice in a forum… I thought forums should promote conversation…. Are we saying that we can not talk about other peoples cars for sale?

I'm saying that it doesn't benefit the seller; or serious (ie those with money) buyers. So on that basis, it can only be a negative thing. Whether you have a right to discuss this on a non-free (it costs money and other resources to run) internet forum which can by implication, get associated with those comments; is a decision for the stakeholders of the club.

In terms of a cars worth, these things are talked about frequently on the forums both here and elsewhere and the price guide has been published to help users.  Mod cars are a different beast and users are generally interested in what mods fetch what kind of price.  Without talking about it I think some users would be left wondering.

I understand the website would want to disassociate itself from comments which negatively affect a cars sale so i understand your "be carefull what you say" comment…. but surely the site didn't start up without wavers including the old "views expressed in the forums do not reflect those harboured by www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk".  I'll wait for clarification on what is defined as "appropriate" by those that run the site as it seems to be a grey area… unless there's something I've missed on the registration screen regarding what not to talk about (not being funny here as I may have).

I benefitted from knowing the market from other users before stepping into it and it was from reading views on other cars prices on flea-bay links.  I was then comfortable enough to buy my first mk1 gti.  I just don't want that part to stop as it benefits many newbies on this site.

In an ideal world, everyone WOULD understand that views expressed on a forum don't reflect on the club. But unfortunately this is not always how things are perceived externally. Hence its possible for the club to 'gain a reputation' for allowing negative, potentially libellous, slating sessions on cars for sale. Have you ever wondered why "Cars for Sale" is now restricted to members on here? This was one of the reasons why, because there were far too many opinions being thrown around by everyone and their dog, it did get negatively perceived, and it has had an effect enough for the committee to take action on it.

As far as the rules go, its not a rule its a guideline - as you can well understand, guidelines are formed and developed from time-to-time. The fact that the rules page of the website is out-of-date and doesn't contain all the guidelines, is an anomoly to do with us not wanting to have a 10 page long rules page; but still having a bunch of guidelines. Historically, this has been dealt with by moderators quickly removing an initial post and PM'ing the person who started the thread; or by moving discussions and links to other cars, into the appropriate section eg cars for sale.

My experience has been brilliant so far including the help I recieved in what type of car fetches what price in todays mk1 market.  Other users should have the same experience as I have…. this would mean keeping the debates open and active as it's ever changing…. so if that's the moderators job to monitor them and remove "bad press" then so be it.. user opinions were invaluable for me and my mk1 silver campaign  

You have been around here far longer than me paul_c so you may have had negative experiences with it all… I'll take that part on board and chose my words carefully :y:

Why is a non-member allowed to advertise a Mk1 Golf for sale?

So what if we discuss a car for sale on ebay!? the fact that this is the 3rd or 4th time this same car has come up for discussion clearly shows people want to talk about it!

I can say i think its an over priced heap of junk if i want i can also say i think its amazing value as its the best example of a mk1 i've ever seen! Regardless of my intention to buy or not! Everyone has their own opinion and that's what forums are for, to discuss common interests and share those opinions. Anyone who says members of any forum cannot express their own personal opinion on those common interests is very very wrong!

bigdave said

So what if we discuss a car for sale on ebay!? the fact that this is the 3rd or 4th time this same car has come up for discussion clearly shows people want to talk about it!

Put simply, if you slagged a car off, its not

"Bigdave slagged my car off!"

its

"The Mk1 Golf Owner's Club slagged my car off!"

Im having trouble finding any negative comments in the thread about this mk1 paul and I dont recall any in the other topics about the same mk1, apart from maybe comments about the price seeming steep! So telling people not to talk about something as simple as a car being for sale on ebay, just in case someone makes a negative comment is plain stupid!!

There have been many times when you have given a negative view about something, be it a car, another member or another forum. what makes this one special? have you had a reprimand for something and think that being overly serious will get you back in the good books or are you missing the respect and power that a mods position gave you and are trying to win favor to get voted back in? What ever reason you have is your own and i dont really care much but your argument has more hole in it than the marie celeste.



One final point, watch the letter box because the clubs about to get some angry letters:

lamborghinis are over priced, oh and theres a polo on ebay thas a shed

You won't find negative comments because previously "Cars for Sale" or links were either moved to the cars for sale section (if a member originally posted it) or removed, if it were a non member. Some threads simply discussing a car, rather than being an advert as such, have been left in the past.

So, its not an issue in the past BECAUSE its been closely moderated.

I'm not missing the respect or power, far from it, I chose to leave for personal reasons but I'm hanging around as a member. The point I'm making is that people perceive things, if its said on this forum by a member or even a non-member, the perception isn't necessarily levelled at that person - its reflected on the club. This obviously has some weight if the club has guidelines which allow or encourage this kind of thing, or if the moderators have read and discussed it and allowed it to stay, or taken no action against it.

Whether it helps or hinders a sale, or not - you'd need to speak to potential vendors. There's been a couple of cases in the past where cars which were good examples, have been discussed extensively and have remained on sale for long periods of time. You could say a prominent car being discussed on internet forums is all part & parcel of selling a car these days. The difference between offering opinions on this kind of issue, alongside others, is that you're affecting someone's transaction and there's money involved.

As a previous committee member this was the group opinion of the committee which I upheld during the course of my duties. Even though I'm no longer on the committe I still believe its a good idea. If you can persuade me that its in fact an incorrect standpoint and that I've been listening to the wrong people all this time, I'm happy to listen and consider your viewpoint on it.

PS I'm not trying to get voted back in, I've moved on.

I can see your point of view regarding the cars for sale section of this forum and im quite sure that if ebay had a forum it wouldnt look kindly on people commenting on the condition and prices of item there ether but discussing the condition and or value of a car for sale elsewhere is not Necessarily a bad thing. sure, a minority of people may take the opportunity to 'slag off' the car or the seller but the majority of posts regardless of the posters intent to purchase or otherwise should surely be deemed a constructive and open debate.

If as a group we do influence a genuine buyer into asking questions they would not perhaps think of, or a discussion regarding potential over pricing prompts someone to look a lot closer than they have been at the market and where the vehicle they're buying or selling actually sits within that structure then as the vw mk1 owners club we should be proud that our society can offer an unbiased and (as this topic shows) a very varied opinion that actually holds some weight out there.

I feel i should apologise to you paul if you felt any of my comments were a personal attack on yourself or your integrity. That was not the intended effect.

paul_c said

Good or bad, I don't think it helps a seller if an internet forum discusses the car for sale. If you post saying "this car's great but I don't have the money!" how does that help at all? It just shows that you can't afford that kind of car. And if you slag it off, as has historically been done on here before for cars costing significant sums of money, its potentially ruinious and either forces the seller to take a hit on the price; or register on here to defend their car.

So I'd suggest everyone thinks really carefully about interfering with car sales, etc.

'cause youve never commented on the condition of a car for sale have you paul! hehe

alexHxC said

paul_c said

Good or bad, I don't think it helps a seller if an internet forum discusses the car for sale. If you post saying "this car's great but I don't have the money!" how does that help at all? It just shows that you can't afford that kind of car. And if you slag it off, as has historically been done on here before for cars costing significant sums of money, its potentially ruinious and either forces the seller to take a hit on the price; or register on here to defend their car.

So I'd suggest everyone thinks really carefully about interfering with car sales, etc.

'cause youve never commented on the condition of a car for sale have you paul! hehe

Rarely…. comments are fair enough if you've seen the car in the flesh and can offer something useful to say. Its when people comment on an expensive car unsighted….

paul_c said

Rarely…. comments are fair enough if you've seen the car in the flesh and can offer something useful to say. Its when people comment on an expensive car unsighted….

Exactly that.  Very unfair to give derogatory comments about someones car for sale, especially when they are not around to respond to any comments that may be posted.  Think this is one of those times when if you haven't got anything nice to say, then don't.  
Of course, can be a completely different story if somone has actually been to see a car and the seller if blatantly lying about something or another, then in the true club spirit, warning others of FACT.  On the other hand, viewing a great car you've seen and decided not to by, singing it's praises.

Hardly a selling point for the club all this negativity.

The point I was trying to make in my last post is that restricting what people can and cant say just in case someones personal opinion doesn't conform is foolish. Its in our nature to be inquisitive and by questioning what we see and hear, open debate between those who know and those who want to learn can begin.





I must have my intellectual head on today!  

Yep, valid point.  Discussion is not really the problem.  Most of the discussion on cars for sale raise good questions and responses and make for good viewing and points of learning that the more inexperienced mk1 enthusiast can pick up on.

The problem is only when the discussion goes beyond that and uneccessary negative and unsubstanciated comments are posted up resulting in bad press for the car and this place.  There was a thread quite some time ago on here where someones Mk1 was ripped to bits on here by a few people and the seller saw the post.  That really done wonders for us.  As Lawsy said on another topic, If someone has a bad experience they will tell 10 people, a good one then maybe two or three.

We all love to talk about Mk1's, afterall that's why we are here.  Let's just keep it friendly and fact based.  If someone sells a mk1 for ?10k, great, I hope he gets it.  Perhaps it might make mine worth a bit more!!