What spec would you order for resale?

[66tim99]

When I was about to order in October 2020, Colindale VW offered me a basic T6 Ocean with 5000 miles on the clock for £2000 more than a new T6.1 with £8000 of options (about £63,000 via Drive the Deal). Since then I have seen fully loaded new Oceans (4motion mind you so not a straight comparison) going for close to £90,000. There’s clearly money to be made for people willing to invest, and little to lose if it’s true that dealers will just hand your deposit back if you cancel, knowing their potential profit.
I wonder if there’s a forum member who has ordered a new California to sell it straight on new, with one owner.
But I’m more interested in what spec you would order if you were going to invest. What is the most desirable model, in what colour, what options are essential, and what options add resale value?

 

[Mr T]

I guess there are safe colours, such as indium grey, that clearly are popular due to the numbers out there. A standard new Ocean comes pretty loaded anyway, so not sure how much more value it would be worth adding in options for a resale benefit.
The 4Motion debate is one of price I guess. As is a 150 v 204.
California Chris has done videos of their demo vans he specs and I would probably lean towards the options he tends to pick, as clearly they have a good idea of what people spec and buy.
In a normal world you wouldn’t expect to buy a brand new vehicle and sell it on with 1 owner for a profit, but if you feel now is that time then go for it!

edit: There is also the financing side to think about. I wonder how many purchases go through with out the need for finance of some sort and do people tend to use VW for that?

 

[Wongo]

Small extras very rarely add value, people are usually concerned with auto/manual-power output- Colour(beware ordering ‘off the wall’ options), I do think 4M desirable as most users will go onto grass etc

 

[The Merle]

Haven’t seen a £90k cali just yet, think the most £84k and that’s the advertised price and no way of knowing what it sold for. Yes prices are crazy!
I would just enjoy your van and whatever gains made trading up to the new toy.

 

[66tim99]

Haven’t seen a £90k cali just yet, think the most £84k and that’s the advertised price and no way of knowing what it sold for. Yes prices are crazy!
I would just enjoy your van and whatever gains made trading up to the new toy.

I’ll definitely do that, and tbh the buying experience has left me a bit cold. I suppose that’s the value you’re adding by selling a new California for a premium - you’ve dealt with the dealer and done the waiting. Puts me off doing that again ... but for £15k....hmmm.
The finance is helpful as I understand there’s no repayment fee - so you could line up the buyer once the Cali is en route from the factory, put the minimum down with the dealer on delivery and pay it off when you sell the California for a small interest charge.
I agree with Indium grey as a fail-safe but wonder if buyers care enough to pay £800 rather than maximising your profit with Ascot Grey, or Candy White (so you can make buyers feel good about the wrap option).
I suspect the added cost of 4M isn’t worth it. Some want it but just as many don’t want the permanently reduced fuel economy for little need, as DSG is capable of getting you off wet grass so well.
In the end I agree with Wongo and wonder if spec’ing many options would be worth it, as Oceans are so well spec’d ...

 

[andyinluton]

If you are doing it for resale, a 150 with as few extras as possible is the best bet. In the first year or two a secondhand 204 4motion would be competing price wise with a a brand new 150 & for most people the performance of a 150 is enough.

 

[WelshGas]

Funny how a private owner selling a pre-reg vehicle for more than new is deemed OK, but a Dealer doing the same, and the Heavens open.

 

[66tim99]

Funny how a private owner selling a pre-reg vehicle for more than new is deemed OK, but a Dealer doing the same, and the Heavens open.

Do the heavens open? I don’t blame dealers for getting what they can for a vehicle on their forecourt. I do care when they make the pricing and delivery dates of an ordered van opaque though

 

[B J G]

I’ll definitely do that, and tbh the buying experience has left me a bit cold. I suppose that’s the value you’re adding by selling a new California for a premium - you’ve dealt with the dealer and done the waiting. Puts me off doing that again ... but for £15k....hmmm.
The finance is helpful as I understand there’s no repayment fee - so you could line up the buyer once the Cali is en route from the factory, put the minimum down with the dealer on delivery and pay it off when you sell the California for a small interest charge.
I agree with Indium grey as a fail-safe but wonder if buyers care enough to pay £800 rather than maximising your profit with Ascot Grey, or Candy White (so you can make buyers feel good about the wrap option).
I suspect the added cost of 4M isn’t worth it. Some want it but just as many don’t want the permanently reduced fuel economy for little need, as DSG is capable of getting you off wet grass so well.
In the end I agree with Wongo and wonder if spec’ing many options would be worth it, as Oceans are so well spec’d ...

You can't sell a vehicle with any form of Finance owing on it. It's actually owned by the Finance Company which would show up on any HPI check. Buyer wouldn't be able to get any Finance on it. Would have to be a Cash Buyer and pretty trusting, gullible, to part with the kind of money involved.

 

[Lightning]

I really don’t like the thought of people speculating on California’s anymore than I like them speculating on houses. It all has the whiff of unscrupulous ticket tout about it.

 

[andyinluton]

You can't sell a vehicle with any form of Finance owing on it. It's actually owned by the Finance Company which would show up on any HPI check. Buyer wouldn't be able to get any Finance on it. Would have to be a Cash Buyer and pretty trusting, gullible, to part with the kind of money involved.

Yes you can, happens all the time, the finance needs to be settled at the point of sale. Buyer just pays the finance balance to the finance company and the remainder to the seller.
Buyer can easily get finance, & finance companies are used to dealing with each other direct.
Its the seller thats at most risk. not the buyer. Buyer doesn't settle the finance & its the seller still liable for it.

 

[Camperfamily]

Form over function. It does look good, but I prefer carpet on the floor anyway, so would end up covering it.

Just a further thought - carpet may slide more easily on it, versus the standard floor

 

[66tim99]

I really don’t like the thought of people speculating on California’s anymore than I like them speculating on houses. It all has the whiff of unscrupulous ticket tout about it.

I smell that. There is a whiff, partly rising from the discounting VW allow, and the wait for new. There are buyers though who just want a new one now, with cost a secondary consideration, and not many Californias about. In that way the speculator is serving them, the van wouldn’t be available if he hadn’t speculated. A fan serving a fan? Whereas the ticket tout stinks for buying the tickets that would have been available on the door at face value.Ripping off the fans?

 

[Lightning]

The speculator is only serving themselves, and is kidding themselves if they think there is a moral justification for what they are doing. If speculators fill the order books for California’s, we are all in trouble.

 

[bigmac77]

The speculator is only serving themselves, and is kidding themselves if they think there is a moral justification for what they are doing. If speculators fill the order books for California’s, we are all in trouble.

Have you tried buying a PS5 lately?

 

[Lightning]

Have you tried buying a PS5 lately?

Exactly! No wonder millennials can’t afford houses or children.

 

[andyinluton]

According to Autotrader - it looks like a silver 150 ocean is the way to go! £83k+ for secondhand & 5500 miles

If someone wants to give me that much for mine I'll throw in the bigger engine for nothing & a full tank of fuel!

 

[The Merle]

According to Autotrader - it looks like a silver 150 ocean is the way to go! £83k+ for secondhand & 5500 miles

If someone wants to give me that much for mine I'll throw in the bigger engine for nothing & a full tank of fuel!

I think that’s a pricing mistake as it’s £69k and shouldn’t have vat (well that’s my guess) breeze don’t sell vans of that spec for £83k!!

 

[Jay20cali]

I smell that. There is a whiff, partly rising from the discounting VW allow, and the wait for new. There are buyers though who just want a new one now, with cost a secondary consideration, and not many Californias about. In that way the speculator is serving them, the van wouldn’t be available if he hadn’t speculated. A fan serving a fan? Whereas the ticket tout stinks for buying the tickets that would have been available on the door at face value.Ripping off the fans?

The dealerships are doing this constantly with pre Reg vans ,
just at the moment vans have been in short supply,for obvious reasons...and this has proved to push prices through the roof,,
If you sold the van you had already ordered then you would be without a van for another 16wks...
I rarely keep my Cali’s for more than 18 months this way they retain good value and the hit is minimal....but this sounds like more hassle than it is worth too me...
Pulling good money back for them isn’t hard if you pick the correct opinions and look after them but making a profit on a new 6.1 given the cost of them today wouldn’t be the easiest way to make a few bucks!!!!

 

[soulstyledevon]

Don’t make the mistake of advertised sticker price and sold price...