Guides to selling my used car

Finding a method that suits circumstances

 

It’s simple enough to sell a car these days and the path you choose is determined by your circumstance or preferences.

Same day selling means a trade price but if you need instant cash it is good to know you have a trade sale available to you. If you’re prepared and financially able to hang out for week or two a private sale is going to fetch nearer full market value.

Read on to learn about all options to sell your car from privately to a dealer or auction to a car buying service. Also, find in-depth guides to car valuation.

 

The Used Car Guy roundup

Listed in my order of preference, without consideration to your personal circumstances.

Sell my car on Autotrader (privately)

The mothership of all car selling websites, Autotrader presents the opportunity to sell your car for the full market value.

The free guide is a deep share of everything you need to sell, including:

 

a) For a high price
b) Within 7 days
c) Remaining safe and legal

 

Alongside my discussion on composing an advert that makes your phone ring, I discuss why certain makes and models of car sell so well as well and disclose some closely kept trade secrets.  Also, find out about managing car documentation correctly including which bits to keep between buyer and seller and which to send to DVLA – there is lots of misunderstanding with this rather important step.

The cost of achieving top prices is spending a little time building an exceptional car advert, taking phone calls and demonstrating your car to prospects.

Are you ready to sell on Autotrader? If so, go check the guide now.

 

Autotrader values

I’m quietly hoping you want to sell your car privately with Autotrader. If you can possibly manage to use this method my guide will give you the best shot at getting a quick sale.
Part of your job is setting the correct asking price. A few hundred pounds over and your phone will seldom ring. Advertise too cheap and run the risk of a flood of opportunists who smell blood because they think you need a quick sale.

Head over to my Autotrader valuation guide for my step by step process on pricing.

 

Selling privately – payment and receipt

Too often overlooked – what is the best method of payment when I sell my car? Do I need to present a receipt?

This is the final step to a private sale, but it is the most important.

There is just one way to accept payment that keeps you safe and legal.

Go to my selling a car privately receipt and payment guide for all of the details.

 

Car buying services

I’m cringing at the thought of you selling to a car buying website.

Motorists take such a huge hit on the price that broadly speaking, is a daylight robbery.

We Buy Any Car are a part of the biggest car auction group in the country, British Car Auctions (BCA). You sell your car for a rock bottom price before it’s entered for auction and dealers to buy and sell from a forecourt.

The service is good should you be in a state of emergency and need to sell the same day. This aspect of the service is a contributing factor to its success.

There are some pitfalls along the way that you need to know even before getting an online offer. Read through this car buying website fact guide, now. And, watch out for the additional selling fees that range from £45 to £150 (as if the rock-bottom offer wasn’t sufficiently painful)!

 

Sell a car at auction

“An auction sale?”, “I never thought of that”, I hear you say…

Yes, under some very strict criteria, car auctions are good for selling your car. Find a list of pros and cons to this method of selling. You’ll be surprised to learn that in some cases, you can fetch more for your car at auction that you might on Autotrader! Don’t believe it?

Read my guide to selling a car at auction and see if this method is a good fit.

 

Sell the car to a dealer

How come a dealer would buy your car? Because they can make money from it?
Yep, dealers won’t buy your car unless they can make at last £1,000 retailing it.

I’m not as confident about this method as I once was and have heard some upsetting stories about a dealer sale.

Dealer selling is paralleled to a car buyers service like We Buy Any Car.

I’ve a factual sell car to dealer guide that’s worth checking out. If your car is lowish mileage and less than five years old your first stop needs to be a supplying manufacturer to see what they offer i.e. If you own a Volkswagen head over to your local VW dealership and see what they can offer.

 

Part Exchange

PX values vary depending on a variety of factors so it’s a little tricky to know how much you’ll fetch for your old car. But, you can find some great tips and tactics to PX values in the comfort of your own home.

Above all, consider if you could buy a new car without using your old one as an exchange.

Perhaps you can be a cash buyer and get a discount whilst selling your car privately for a higher price?

See my part exchange guide for more detail.

 

Online car valuation tools

Getting an online price can help for an overview price. Autotrader offers a trade, px and retail values as do other services offered by hpi check and the rest.

I’m not a fan of online tools as they are too impersonal and don’t take the real condition and maintenance of your car into account. And, there is an anomaly with such tools that are unable to discern between desirable and undesirable vehicles (this has nothing to do with car condition).

See my car valuation guide

If you’ve got a question about selling your car email me for an answer. Selling cars is what I do best and my experience can probably help you along.

 

Marcus Rockey
Used Car Guy