How to sell a car

[neversay]

I finally caved-in and took out a 2 year lease on an EV through my business. That leaves me with a car (Prius PHEV) to sell reasonably quickly as the new one arrives in a couple of weeks.

It's been 25 years since I sold a car privately and there are so many different channels now. Can anyone recommend which one(s) to use?

[Mike4]

I finally caved-in and took out a 2 year lease on an EV through my business. That leaves me with a car (Prius PHEV) to sell reasonably quickly as the new one arrives in a couple of weeks.

It's been 25 years since I sold a car privately and there are so many different channels now. Can anyone recommend which one(s) to use?

Broadly speaking, if you want top money for it use ebay. Its the first place anyone wanting to buy privately will look so hardly any point in going elsewhere. You will however get tonnes of tyre-kickers and time wasters, this being the 'price' you pay for getting full second hand value.

If you just want rid with no hassle, call into pretty much any car trader lot selling similar cars to yours and ask for a cash price. You may well sell it on the spot and have to walk home. Or if it is young, low mileage with good service history try the same thing with a Toyota main dealer.

[neversay]

Many thanks @Mike4. I will do as you suggest and give eBay a try, then keep a dealer in reserve. Are eBay car transactions safe from scammers?

[Mike4]

Many thanks @Mike4. I will do as you suggest and give eBay a try, then keep a dealer in reserve. Are eBay car transactions safe from scammers?

Nope, car and boat transactions are specifically excluded from all the usual eBay protections AIUI, so you're living on your wits to make sure you don't get stitched up.

Most eBay protections are for the benefit of the buyer though, so if you insist on cash or an off-ebay bank transfer, there is little a crooked buyer can do once you have the dosh. Ebay will not be able to reverse a transaction in response to a frivolous complaint about the car days or weeks later.

[neversay]

Thanks Mike. I've experienced the eBay swamp before, never been fleeced but there have been several attempts that I managed to outwit.

Do ebay still get fees if you make a cash or balance transfer sale?

[redsturgeon]

It is probably worth the minute or so to check what webuyanycar.com will offer.

I used them once, very straightforward and they offered £1000 more than the dealer was offering for a trade in.

John

[neversay]

It is probably worth the minute or so to check what webuyanycar.com will offer.

I used them once, very straightforward and they offered £1000 more than the dealer was offering for a trade in.

John

Thanks John. Webuyanycar seems to be £1250 lower than the highest private sale price using several online valuation tools like Auto Trader and What Car. It might the case that these are unrealistic valuations in order to capture business. The challenge of pricing is another kettle of fish.

[Howard]

I'd second Webuyanycar.com.

When I took Mrs H's "immaculate" three year old C Class Merc Estate to them around five years ago they slightly startled me by making, what I thought was a brilliant offer but insisting that the deal had to be done that day. I didn't argue but had to drive home, check the car had been emptied of our stuff, reset the SatNav and mollify Mrs H (I needed a lift back!).

Returning to their office, I opted for the quick payment method and, from memory, the cash was in my account the next day.

Two years later, I used Autotrader to advertise my seven year old E class Merc. Their site gave me good advice about the advert content and a price guide. As a check I looked up the valuation on Webuyanycar which was slightly lower. Anyway I went ahead with Autotrader and, no exaggeration, I had an email from a guy within around five minutes. He ended up buying the car. We agreed a price within £100 of mine. Amusingly Webuyanycar came back to me and increased their offer to very close to the end price.

The only disadvantage of using the Autotrader route was going to the bank with the buyer who paid me £12k in cash!! To be honest, if I'd had the higher offer from Webuyanycar at the start I would have taken it to avoid the cash transaction. But it was a good story to tell my mates. The cash came to the bank in a Sainsbury's bag!

Autotrader protect you from any dubious characters. I only had genuine email contacts through their system.

regards

Howard

[DrFfybes]

I finally caved-in and took out a 2 year lease on an EV through my business. That leaves me with a car (Prius PHEV) to sell reasonably quickly as the new one arrives in a couple of weeks.

It's been 25 years since I sold a car privately and there are so many different channels now. Can anyone recommend which one(s) to use?

Broadly speaking, if you want top money for it use ebay. Its the first place anyone wanting to buy privately will look so hardly any point in going elsewhere.

For me it would be Aututrader, then Pistonheads (or vice versa if it is an unusual car, owners club, and as a last resort Ebay.

I've never searched on Ebay for a car, not even when I was just browsing to see what was out there. TBH looking for £6-8k estate cars in June it didn't even occur to me to look there.

Paul

[88V8]

If selling on eBay or elsewhere online, take good pictures.
This is from BaT, but the advice is good.
https://bringatrailer.com/2017/07/08/ba ... 2017-07-09

I've bought six cars on eBay and sold two cars there, sales went OK but it does attract messers and tyre-kickers.
Note that the winner of an eBay auction is not obliged to buy. What they have won is first refusal.

Unless you are selling something unusual, I think the hassle of a private sale is not really worthwhile.

V8

[neversay]

Thanks 88V8. I've done an Autotrader listing but re-used the same good photos from the original dealer listing when I bought it. The Autotrader recommended price was £1700 above We Buy Any Car so we'll see if I get any bites.

[airbus330]

Having disposed of my late fathers car at WeBuyAnyCar last week, and having used them once before, I have found the service to be sound, easy and fast paying. The firm is owned by BCA, so a reasonably secure buyer.
Couple of points from chatting to the buyer. Always present the car in as immaculate a condition as you can. If it needs bodywork it is often better to get it repaired as the deductions are high per panel damaged.(in my case £500 of panel repairs increased the online valuation by 1300). Have all the documents and service history to hand before the inspection. The new one on me was, drive up rather than make the appointment from the online enquiry. The manager on duty has a slightly greater discretion to pay more. Covid is having a severe impact on the stock levels that dealers are willing to hold in the belief that another lockdown before Spring is likely. The auctions were also closed as up to last week in England. Both these items are depressing values temporarily.
I had this car for several weeks and tried Ebay, Gumtree and local ads to sell at the forecourt price less 1000. Not a single response. The price paid by WBAC was £1200 less than a reasonable forecourt price but included -160 for 2 curbed diamond cut alloys. In the current climate and with a car that was not hugely desirable, I was quite pleased with that.

I also tried 2 other similar services but did not find the prices acceptable.

[redsturgeon]

Having disposed of my late fathers car at WeBuyAnyCar last week, and having used them once before, I have found the service to be sound, easy and fast paying. The firm is owned by BCA, so a reasonably secure buyer.
Couple of points from chatting to the buyer. Always present the car in as immaculate a condition as you can. If it needs bodywork it is often better to get it repaired as the deductions are high per panel damaged.(in my case £500 of panel repairs increased the online valuation by 1300). Have all the documents and service history to hand before the inspection. The new one on me was, drive up rather than make the appointment from the online enquiry. The manager on duty has a slightly greater discretion to pay more. Covid is having a severe impact on the stock levels that dealers are willing to hold in the belief that another lockdown before Spring is likely. The auctions were also closed as up to last week in England. Both these items are depressing values temporarily.
I had this car for several weeks and tried Ebay, Gumtree and local ads to sell at the forecourt price less 1000. Not a single response. The price paid by WBAC was £1200 less than a reasonable forecourt price but included -160 for 2 curbed diamond cut alloys. In the current climate and with a car that was not hugely desirable, I was quite pleased with that.

I also tried 2 other similar services but did not find the prices acceptable.

All good advice there. It reminded me of one issue I had when taking my car to be valued on site. The car was undamaged as far as I knew and had been valued as such. When viewed on site the buyer pointed out a black mark on the white paintwork that would attract the normal deduction of something like £120 per panel damaged. I challenged this but he would not budge, so I told him I would return the next day with the mark gone, for the full price offered. He agreed.

I went home, got out the T cut, spent two minutes on the mark with a cloth, finished it with wax polish and returned the next day for the full asking price.

John