There can be many reasons for selling your car, but if it has been a good servant over the years, it is likely to be an emotional experience, especially if you have spent time and money on it making it your own. While it might be tough to say goodbye, you’ll still want to make sure you get the best price possible for it and sell it in the shortest possible time.
For that reason, there are some things you need to consider to ensure you old vehicle is not hanging around, costing you money in tax and insurance. These things can help you sell your car long before you lose patience and take that ridiculously low offer the dealer gave you for a part exchange.
#1 List Your Car Accurately and Honestly
You may have a personal affection for the car, but that doesn’t mean that you are blind to all its faults. When you list your car on whatever platform you choose, be completely honest so that there are no comebacks from any disgruntled buyers. You can make sure there is no ambiguity by taking a large number of photos, including close-ups on any faults as well as those highlighting its best points.
Make sure it can be viewed by any potential buyers in a well-lit place, or by meeting up somewhere that you know has plenty of natural light. Be ready for any questions you are likely to be asked by researching the make and model online and being aware of any common faults the model might have (whether or not your car has them), as any buyer will have done their research too.
#2 Sell Off Any Premium Items Separately
You might find that if you have added any special touches to the car like a new sound system or personalized number plate. You will get more selling them on their own and putting the original part back on your vehicle for sale. Sound systems are quite simple to check out, as you can search for these on the two big eCommerce sites.
Number plates on the other hand, can take a lot more time, and getting this wrong can mean you are leaving a lot of money on the table. You will want to find a reputable platform where you can sell swiftly and safely, you can search online for reputable dealers and find where to ‘sell my number plate’ and get a good price.
#3 Make Sure All of Your Paperwork is in Order
You’ll also need to make sure that your documentation is to hand. The buyer will, of course, need to sort out their own tax and insurance – but at the same time you don’t want the sale held up because you can’t find the V5 or any service history that that was integral to the sale. The same goes for any manuals that go with the car, if you have replaced the sound system, and codes you need to activate it.
