Selling your car is often viewed as a stressful and time consuming task. Not everyone is a natural sales person and making sure that you get the best price for your car can often be a daunting job. To help make life a bit easier we've compiled a quick checklist of ideas, issues and things to do to make selling your car stress free.
It sounds obvious but the difference between a dirty car and a fully valeted car is enormous. If you're thinking about taking some photos of the car to put online or will be likely putting the car up for inspection from potential buyers, you need to ensure that it's looking the very best. A quick hoover of the interior, some polish on the dashboard and a thorough scrub on the outside will show potential buyers that you've taken care of the vehicle.
If you don't fancy rolling your sleeves up, take your motor to your nearest car wash and many will valet the inside for a fee.
Just like selling houses, it only takes a few items to make a car look brand new again. Replacing any old mats with some new ones for a reasonable cost could be the difference between your car looking worn and tired versus clean and fresh.
If you've got any scratches that might put a buyer off, see if you can use some T-Cut or scratch remover to see if they can be buffed out. If you're missing any hubcaps or manufacturer badges, chances are your car will remain unsold so invest a little and you could be getting higher returns back.
Once you have your vehicle nice and shiny, you need to generate interest. There are a number of ways to go about this:
• Signage - the old fashioned sign on your car as it's parked up or driving about still generates interest and shouldn't be sniffed at
• Automotive Directories - look at 'for sale' boards in shops, local newspaper classifieds and directories like Auto Trader to list your car
• Car Auctions - sites online such as eBay and eBid are great ways to easily sell your car to a wider audience
• Part Exchange - if you're thinking about a new car then see what your dealer will give you for it if you exchanged it for a new car and cash
• Make and model
• Mileage and condition (be honest)
• Colour
• Engine specification
• Full service history (if applicable)
• Equipment & features
• Year of registration
If you find yourself accepting an offer on your car then you need to make sure that you also deal with the correct paperwork. The below documents need to be completed for the transaction to be legal:
Make two copies and note down the price, registration number, the buyers name and address and the date.
The V5C is a government document that needs to be completed with the new owner's details and sent to the DVLA
Finally, hand over your keys with the handbook and any other older documents you may need to transfer such as the MOT certificate and service logbook
Most importantly, you want to ensure you're paid for the vehicle. There are a number of options available for payment such as payment as cash in full. Whilst this allows you get the money immediately, it can also be the most difficult. Regardless of if you feel awkward, make sure you count out the money before completing the transaction. You may also want to undertake the transaction at the bank if you're worried about carrying so much cash on you in a public space.
Alternatively, you can use bank transfer systems like CHAPS or BACS but they will incur a small fee for the additional ease and security. Alternatively, you can use a banker's draft / cheque to finalise the payment. If you are thinking about this process, make sure they provide a copy of identification so you can chase up if the cheque turns out to be fraudulent.
Whatever you do, don't release the car until you've had confirmation of payment, otherwise you may end up making the whole process even more stressful.