For many people, selling a car is no walk in the park. It's an intricate process that can often leave us feeling bewildered, under pressure, and quite frankly, underserved. These feelings can be amplified when we are dealing with relatively niche segments of the market, such as electric vehicles (EVs). I recently experienced a situation that has left me questioning the transparency and credibility of some automobile resale platforms.

My tale begins with my beloved 2019 Chevrolet Bolt, a cutting-edge electric vehicle I took great pride in owning and maintaining. As with most cars, there comes a time when it's wise to part ways, and for me, that time had come.

Searching for a quick and convenient way to sell, I turned to Clutch.ca, an online used car marketplace that claims to simplify the process of selling your vehicle. They assessed my Bolt and extended a very satisfactory offer of $29,500. Thrilled, I went ahead and accepted their proposition, filled out the necessary paperwork, and prepared myself for a smooth transition.

The decision to sell my Bolt was not taken lightly, and was influenced heavily by the offer extended by Clutch.ca. In fact, I even went ahead and procured a new vehicle, confident in the sale of the old one.  

Unfortunately, my anticipation was met with a rude shock. Despite their initial offer and my subsequent acceptance, Clutch.ca informed me after I completed all the paperwork and accepted the offer that they would not be able to purchase my car after all, because they do not buy electric vehicles. This was a major blow, especially as there was no prior indication that EVs were excluded from their purchase policy.  

Suddenly left in a lurch, I reached out to other potential buyers only to find that the next best offers were in the range of $20,000-$22,000 - a steep decline from what Clutch.ca had initially offered. This discrepancy has left me out of pocket by a significant amount, and grappling with the financial strain of owning two cars, one of which I had no intention of retaining.

As a customer, my expectations were straightforward: honesty, transparency, and respect for my time and effort. Instead, I found myself entangled in a frustrating ordeal that has raised concerns over the way some Clutch conduct their operations.

My advice to fellow car sellers, especially those dealing in the EV market, is to ensure absolute clarity before making any decisions. Ask the hard questions, get clear responses, and don't assume that just because a platform is known for buying used cars, they will buy every type of used car.

Let my experience be a reminder that the auto resale market, particularly for electric vehicles, can be unpredictable and sometimes unforgiving. In the end, it is the responsibility of each platform to provide clear and accurate information to its customers, and the onus is on us as consumers to hold them accountable.

As for Clutch.ca, I am left with a bitter taste in my mouth and a hole in my pocket. A company that promises to "simplify" the car selling process left me in a predicament that was anything but simple. In the end, this experience serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of selling an electric vehicle in an industry still struggling to understand and adapt to this rapidly evolving technology.