Selling a car privately? Have you decided to part ways with your old car? Whether you’re looking to make room for a new acquisition or simply don’t use the second family car anymore, receiving a fair amount of money for your vehicle might prove tricky. There are multiple methods to advertise your used car, especially if you are looking to sell your car privately. Putting out a good sale offer for potential buyers to see is the first step towards reaching a great deal.
Let’s have a look at the main points that you need to consider when selling a car privately.
Selling a car privately - advertising your sale
Nobody will call out of the blue asking if by any chance you’ve got a car to sell. And if they do, you should probably consider the possibility of a fraud attempt. If you are ready to sell your old car, the first step is advertising your intent. Letting people know there’s a new car for sale on the used car market can be done via various means:
Classified ads in newspapers
Internet advertising
Adding a SALE sign on your car
Spreading fliers
While all the methods above are still being used, it is no surprise that you have the highest chances of selling a car privately on the Internet. The web lets you reach a wider group of potential customers, not only increase the chances of a sale, but also potentially getting a better price for your used car.
Before putting your vehicle out there for a private sale, you should prepare your car: documents, aesthetics, evaluation etc.
Evaluating a used car for sale
There are multiple factors to take into account when evaluating your used car. The main factors that come into play when setting a sale price for your car are:
Odometer value – more miles mean more wear
Age – older cars lose more value
Mechanical state
Aesthetics (colour, dents, bruises, worn interiors)
Brand and model
Engine capacity
It is important to evaluate your vehicle the right way before advertising. This ensures the highest rate of success. Common mistakes when selling your car privately include setting unrealistic prices and making exaggerated claims about your unit. Nobody is going to believe that a 7-year old car will run just as smooth as the day it went out the factory doors nor that it somehow gets even better mileage than what the producer indicates.
Being honest with potential buyers boosts your chances of reaching a fair deal. If a buyer catches on to a lie, he or she will turn away from the car and you might have lost a good deal.
If you are unsure what the right price is when selling your car, don’t rely on guesswork. Instead, you might want to advertise your car, van, or truck privately on Motor Breaker where there is no timeframe for your advert and it's FREE. With Motor Breaker, you can get multiple offers/bids from a wide range of potential buyers with no-obligation to sell, and keep advertising until you are happy with the proposed deal, selling your vehicle for a price and deal that works for you.
Selling a car privately vs selling with a dealer
Private car sales are often countered by selling directly to a used car dealer. Compared to an individual, dealers buy cars in bulk in order to break them down and source parts or to service and resell for profit.
Generally, selling a car privately takes a lot more time and effort. You need to take pictures, create attractive sale descriptions and then publish them on the internet. Then, you would need to constantly keep checking your e-mail or phone to answer any enquiries for the vehicle. Dodging low-ball offers, considering exchanges, setting up meetings for potential buyers to see the car – all these take time and patience. In the end, you might not even get to finalize the sale, or it will take a long time before a buyer decides to pay the asking price. On the bright side, selling your car privately generally results in getting a better price than when selling to car breakers or dealers.
Selling to dealers is a faster way to get cash in exchange for your car. Generally, you would need to look for a dealer of the brand that you are trying to sell. While in most cases you can get a quote for your used car over the internet, you may want to check multiple locations in order to get the best price.
Dealers generally pay based on a car’s trade value and condition; thus, you won’t be getting the same prices as when selling privately. On the other hand, selling to a dealer will save you time in advertising, setting up car views and test drives. Furthermore, dealers tend to pay outright, so you will have your money via bank transfer. In case of private sales, you may have to deal with checks that could bounce and have you getting in touch with the buyer again to solve any issues.
The “buy any car” websites
Unlike brand dealers who would accept only a particular make of car for second-hand purchases, there are a number of services on the internet allowing you to sell any car make or model and get cash for it.
Generally, these services are allowing multiple bulk buyers to come together, and share offers to the seller on an online platform. This way, once you fill out your car’s details, you will be almost instantly provided with buy offers from multiple entities close to your location.
While having multiple offers at once to compare is a good way to ensure you are picking the most favourable one for you, the downside is that most platforms do not provide the option to negotiate prices. You would have to be 100% happy with the offer, as you can’t haggle for an extra hundred pounds. Motor Breaker is, however, a platform that allows sellers to receive automated bids so they know they are always getting the best offer for their vehicle.
If your purpose is to sell a car as quickly as possible and you are not looking to squeeze every penny out of the deal, quick sale platforms are your best bet. In some cases, you can get someone to come over to your house and to collect the car while paying in cash. This is a great solution for when you are in a hurry or simply can’t be bothered to answer calls and e-mails all day long, waiting for potential buyers to come over and test-drive the car, negotiate every time someone is trying to make a bargain out of your car and so on.
Online bulk buyers are added to platforms via a rating system, so you can see how well they’ve been rated by previous sellers. This creates an extra layer of trust between you and the buyer, ensuring you are not falling for a scam and that you will indeed receive payment in the shortest time possible.
Conclusion
Selling a car is easy – until you start getting into the nitty-gritty of things. If you are looking for the best price, then selling a car privately is the way to go. Makesure to take care of any technical and document-related issues, create an eye-catching advert, then upload plenty of pictures of your vehicle. Remember, it’s important to set a realistic sale price, or you won’t get many calls for a test drive.
Selling to a dealer can provide you with a decent price for your used vehicle, but you will only be able to sell to dealers carrying your car brand.
Finally, going for a used car buying service may be the least effective way to get a good price for your vehicle, but it saves the most time, as you don’t need to spend hours posting online and dealing with potential buyers. If you are in quick need of cash, such buyers may provide payment on the same day.
Depending on your particular car-sale needs, make sure to choose the right service for you.
