Selling your car

Before you begin

First, use whatcar.com’s free valuation tool to work out what your car’s worth. Then, before you decide where to sell your car, decide where you want to buy your new car – this could determine how good a deal you get. Although private sales usually net the best prices, if you’re buying new from a franchised dealer, you may be able to persuade them to pay more for your car as a trade-in.

Preparing your car

  • Use professional cleaning products to give your car a good shine, and consider sprays that bring back lustre to plastic body parts and tyres.
  • Spruce up the interior. Remove all of your clutter, and give it a good vacuum and wipe-down.
  • Get rid of any smell of cigarette smoke or evidence of dog hairs.
  • Steam-cleaning the engine is a step too far. A sparkling engine bay is more likely to raise buyers’ suspicions than put them at ease. Change the oil so it’s clean when the buyer checks, though.
  • Cover stone chips with some touch-up paint, but don’t have the car resprayed unless you are certain you will recover the cost because of the car’s improved looks.
  • If the MoT has only a few months to run, have the car retested to reassure the buyer.
  • Collect together the V5C registration document, servicing schedule and MoT certificate. If you have receipts for work done, show them off - it demonstrates that you’ve cared for your car.

Wording your advert

  • Include all the relevant information, but be precise, accurate and honest. Avoid clichés such as ‘first to see will buy’, or ‘one careful lady owner’.
  • List the exact model, its year of registration (eg 1999/V), mileage (78,400 kilometers, not 78k), whether it has a full service history, colour (in plain English), and number of owners (if it’s low for the age of your car). Also list the car’s equipment, features and price. Include a colour photograph and contact details.
  • Avoid abbreviations – many buyers won’t understand them. If you really must cut the cost of an advert, stick to the most common, such as FSH (full service history), PAS (power-assisted steering), A/C (air-conditioning), EW (electric windows), RCL (remote central locking), or VGC (very good condition).

Meeting buyers

  • You must look after your own security and your car. It’s always sensible to have a friend or relative around with you.
  • Try to meet potential buyers at your home in daylight hours to give them plenty of time to examine the car thoroughly.
  • Ensure the buyer has at least third-party insurance cover. If they have comprehensive cover on their own car, then they’ll have third-party cover on your car. Alternatively, you could change your policy to cover any driver during the selling process.
  • Ask to see a driving licence, and make a note of the licence number.
  • Make it clear to the person driving that any speeding fines incurred during the drive will be their responsibility. Keep a log of who’s driving the car and at what times – and be sure you have their name and contact details in case they commit any driving offences.
  • Never allow a potential buyer to drive your car without you. When it’s time for the test drive, get into the passenger seat and then hand over the keys.
  • Allow the buyer to drive on a variety of roads and for a decent amount of time. If you try to cut the test drive short, they might think you have something to hide.

Payment

    Never hand over the car until you have been paid the full price.
  • Wait for a cheque or banker’s draft to clear before handing over the keys – inform the buyer that this will be the case.
  • Prepare two copies of a written sales agreement, and make sure you both sign and date each copy. You can use the What Car? receipt template that can be found elsewhere in the checklist section, or write your own.

If you write your own, include the following:Payment

  • Make and model
  • Registration number and VIN
  • Year of registration
  • Mileage (if genuine; if you’re not sure and have no way of finding out, say ‘mileage not verified’)
  • Agreed sale price and deposit paid
  • Buyer’s name and address
  • Your name and address
  • Note that the vehicle is ‘sold as seen’.

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By Padeti Technologies