Main -- Main Archive Page -- April 2007 -- Selling the drama | « Getting out of town for the weekend - Sold on the first day »
April 01, 2007
Selling the drama
The old blue Toyota, my mostly faithful vehicle companion for a number of years, I probably need to sell. I don't really need two vehicles, especially two truck vehicles.
So I've started to clean up the Toyota and putting some thought into how to write an ad to sell her.
Here is the picture I've taken for the ad. The Toyota doesn't exactly clean up nice, I'm afraid. The faded paint show up even in this small picture, even if the rust spots don't. And the bumpers sag a bit.
On the good side, the picture shows the bedliner off pretty well. To get the looking down point of view for the picture I drove the truck onto the curb and then stood on the door sill of the Bronco. I'd like to have taken more of a "Hero Shot" — maybe a three-quarters view from slightly above, but that would have shown more of the hood and frankly the hood doesn't look so great.
So, now what to say in the ad? I've been thinking of some possibilities:
Toyota Pickup, One Ton, 1987 — 2WD, 196,000 miles, 4 cylinder, EFI engine with bedliner and towing hitch. Recent inspection, but needs some work, paint starting to fade. Asking $600, please call XXX-XXXX after 5 p.m. or email XXXXX@XXX.com.
Toyota Pickup, One Ton, 1987 — 2WD, 196,000 miles. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly! The Good - famous Toyota build quality, fuel efficient 4 cylinder EFI engine, bedliner, towing hitch (with lights hookup), recent inspection. The Bad - leaks fluids, AC and stereo don't work. The Ugly - Paint job fading, some dents and rust spots. Asking $600, please call XXX-XXXX after 5 p.m. or email XXXXX@XXX.com.
Or for more of a Craigslist feel:
Looking for Good Karma? — 1987 Toyota One Ton Pickup is looking for a new home. This little 2WD truck has the famous Toyota build quality in a small, friendly package with 4 cylinder EFI engine, near-sedan ride height, bedliner and towing hitch. Look for "Toyota Hilux" on Wikipedia for more information on the brand. At 196,000 miles, the dings and fading paint are the signs of a survivor, not a victim. The somewhat spartan interior is dog friendly. Prospective owner will need to be attentive to fluid leaks in this aging vehicle, but good care will keep this truck running for many more miles. It has recently passed the state inspection — and pre-1996 means a less-expensive inspection! Asking $700, please call XXX-XXXX after 5 p.m. or email XXXXX@XXX.com.
I'm going to try the local paper first, although Compton thinks I might get more money if I take it to Triangle Craigslist. Looking around I do see a 1985 Toyota listed for $2,300 — but it does seem in better shape than mine. So if I don't get any good responses locally, I might try Craigslist as well.