Selling your car can be daunting and stressful, especially if you’re selling privately - but there’s no need to worry. In this blog, we detail the top mistakes people make when trying to sell their car and what you can do to avoid falling victim to a scam or even the law. Ensuring that you have everything you need to sell, as well as ensuring the car is in good condition and works exactly as it should. Whether you’re selling privately or to a dealership, ensuring that you don’t do these things helps the process move along as smoothly as possible.
What should you avoid when selling your car?
When you want the process of selling your car to be stress-free and uncomplicated, there are a number of common mistakes others make that you can avoid to ensure you’re selling your car for the right price:
Failing to research your car’s value and accepting the first offer you get
It’s important that you know exactly what your car is worth when you come to sell it, so that you're getting the right price for it and you’re not unknowingly underselling it. If you set the price too high, your buyers won’t be interested. If it’s too low, buyers may either be suspicious that you’re hiding something that’s wrong with it or you’ll sell it for a lot less than you should. Some buyers may even ask questions about its value and if you’re not sure and don’t answer confidently, you may not seem trustworthy. It’s also worth being educated on a value so that you’re not coerced into a bad deal with a buyer - knowledge gives you the upper hand so that you sell the car for a price you are happy with.
Whilst there’s no certain way to know the exact value of a car, doing a bit of research can go a long way. Of course, if the car shows signs of obvious damage or issues then the value is subject to the cost of repair. Some ways to research include:
- Using a valuation tool can help you to understand how much your car could be sold for, based on make, model and mileage.
- Looking at a dealership for cars just like yours to see what they are being sold for and in what condition they are in.
- A licensed mechanic may be able to give you an estimated value for your car.
If you do get offered a price, don’t accept immediately just because that’s the first offer you get - you don’t know whether you’ve priced your car properly yet, until you have other offers. If you want to sell the car quickly and you aren’t worried about the price, then this isn’t an issue. If you’re interested in the price the buyer gives you, tell them that you want to consider other offers - just be respectful of their timeline and when they would like to close a deal.
Forgetting to clean and maintain your car before sale
Whilst this may seem obvious to most, but perhaps not others - when you bought the car, one of the reasons you did so was because it looked so good. This is because it had been cleaned and maintained by the dealership or private seller - you wouldn’t have bought the car if it looked anything other than immaculate. It’s well-known that first impressions matter so when someone sees your car for the first time, they expect it to be in good condition and you could end up selling the car for a lot more.
Regular maintenance ensures the car is in good working order as well - servicing, MOTs and replacing components or oils help to keep the car in good condition and ensure that it runs long after you’ve sold it. You may need to show proof of service history, so that potential buyers can see the car has definitely been looked after. Consider getting the car detailed inside and out and replacing any low-cost components like windscreen wiper blades and new car mats.
Constantly repairing the car
Let’s face it - repairs on cars can be very expensive and it gets to a point that you’re spending more on repairs for the car than it’s actually worth. This is when you know it’s time to move on, otherwise you could be spending thousands on a car that isn’t fit for purpose. In reality, repairs that are that significant don’t increase the value of your car anyway, so we don’t recommend doing this. If there are small, low-cost repairs to be made, then it’s acceptable to fix them. If there are significant issues with the electrical or structural elements, then it’s probably best to sell parts individually (part out).
Not having the correct documentation
Selling your car means you are going to have to do the relevant paperwork. Forms such as your vehicle’s V5C logbook are vital if you’re selling your car to both a dealership and a private seller, as it proves who the owner of the car is. If you don’t have these documents, buyers may consider you untrustworthy. As well as the V5C, you will also need a valid MOT certificate. These documents are imperative to show ownership of the car, letting the DVLA know that the car has been transferred to someone else and that the car is legally allowed to be on the road. It is possible to sell a car without the V5C document, but potential buyers may worry the car has been stolen and may not want to buy it. Some other documentation you may want to show your potential buyer includes:
- Service records
- Independent vehicle inspections
- Parts receipts
- Insurance claim history (if you have any)
Selling a car on false pretences
Whilst normal wear and tear is acceptable when selling a car, being dishonest about the condition of the car is not. Not only is it morally wrong to do so, but you could also be in legal trouble as well. There are certain things that you should not lie about when you sell your car:
- Faking service records, claiming parts have been fixed and replaced when they haven’t - buyers will find this out very quickly.
- Selling your car whilst it’s still on finance and failing to settle an outstanding loan.
- Falsify mileage, commonly known as clocking, without disclosing mileage disputes.
- Sell an unroadworthy vehicle without telling the buyer.
- If you do one of these things and the person you are selling to (whether it be a private buyer or dealership) finds out, you could be sued.
Not making use of online listings
Even if you are selling your car privately, you will want to list it online on sites such as AutoTrader so that you have as many interested parties as possible. It’s a good way to make sure you don’t miss out any information, as sites like these will prompt you to enter certain information, like the mileage and how many previous owners it’s had.
It’s imperative to ensure that all photos you take of the car are high quality and show potential buyers exactly what they will be buying. Many sellers post photos that are blurry or don’t show the car properly, which puts buyers off wanting to even view the car. Include anything that’s been modified, service history or any accidents the car has been in (if any). The more transparency you show to the customer, the more likely you are to sell the car for a good price.
Cancelling your insurance before you sell the car
Whilst the temptation may be to save a bit of money on the cost of car insurance, we don’t advise that you cancel your insurance before you sell the car. Not only does your insurance cover you on the road, but it also if something catastrophic happens to the car, such as theft, a fire or if the sale falls through. If you don’t have insurance should something like this occur, then you won’t get a payout and you could be left without a car or any money to get a new one.
Not screening potential buyers or disregarding safety
Some buyers won’t have any intention of buying, whilst others may be intending to rob you. Knowing exactly who it is you could be meeting up with could save you from time wasters or even being robbed - for example, if you’re selling on Facebook, take a look at the Facebook profile of the interested party. If they don’t have many friends or the profile seems very empty, don’t take a risk. Ensure you know what the buyer’s budget is, how they expect the buying and selling process to go, the reason they want to buy the car, how they intend to pay and when they expect to close the deal.
To keep yourself safe when meeting a potential buyer, there are a number of things we recommend you do:
- Make the sale during daylight hours or if you need to do it during the night, ensure you go somewhere that is heavily lit.
- Take a family member or friend with you.
- Sell in a busy area with lots of people around. Perhaps meet somewhere with security around, like a supermarket car park or bank.
- If they want to test drive the car, don’t let them do it alone and take a photo of their driving licence or some type of photographic ID just in case.
- Never pass the keys over to the potential buyer if they’re just looking around the car and if they go for a test drive, go with them, even if they insist.
Get money for your car with Sell 2 Swansway
Selling your car with us couldn’t be easier - with our online valuation tool, you can get a real market data price for your old car, which is very competitive. You can either have the money transferred directly into your bank account or use it towards a part-exchange at one of our 27 dealerships. You can find out more about Sell 2 Swansway and how we can help you find your next car. Know what car you want next? Take a look at our new and used vehicles to find your next car. If you’re unsure what you're looking for or would like more information about one of the vehicles you see on our website, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our team and we’d be happy to help you.
