How to sell a used car

There are a number of things you can do to help sell your used car faster and more easily.

Prepare it to sell it

Make sure the car is as clean as possible, inside and out. No sweet wrappers on the floor or drinks cartons in the glove box. If you want a top cleaning job done you could always have it professionally valeted. You may also want to have major imperfections such as dents, rust or interior fabric tears repaired. The car should be recently serviced and have an up-to-date MOT.

Advertise your car

There are many websites and magazines in which you can advertise your car. You’ll need a good photograph and an accurate, simple description of your car.

Where it’s best to advertise depends on your car and price range. The larger classified publications and websites have sections for all types of cars. If you have a car at the lower end of the market, you could try putting a postcard in your local newsagent’s window and advertising in local newspapers. There are also many magazines specifically for specialist and classic cars.

Making the sale

Answer any questions that prospective buyers have honestly. And when someone visits, be as helpful as possible. If they test-drive the car, check they are insured and go with them.

If you take payment by cheque you should ask to see proof that the amount is available and that the cheque is genuine. You could also accept a payment by banker’s draft, but you should only do this during banking hours so that you can phone the bank that issued it to check it’s genuine. You would be perfectly within your rights to ask that the cheque clear before the buyer takes the car. Be careful when accepting cash – be sure you’re happy that the notes are genuine.