Sell your car

Selling your car top 10 tips

• 1

  A place to sell ...more

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  Selling your car can be a tricky process, but using a company like Netcars.com will allow you advertise your car to the masses. Exposure is the best way to shift your motor, and it goes without saying that advertising your car on the side of the road isn’t exactly the most logical way to sell.

• 2

  Clean your car! ...more

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  You would be surprised at how many people put their car on sale but don’t clean it properly beforehand. Just think about how you want your car to be presented to the buying public – a clean car will gleam off the page and will definitely impress more than a car that looks like it was previously driven through the Somme.

• 3

  Polish ...more

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  This could come under the cleaning segment, but polishing your car can really help sell your car. Polishing is quick and easy to do, but it makes your car look as good as new. The shine that will allure the buyer can be worth lots of pennies – after all, they do say that when you polish you are literally ‘polishing money into the car’.

• 4

  Maintenance ...more

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  Your car will have to drive well to ensure a sell, but you can help your metal counterpart by making sure things like tyre pressures are kept to optimal levels, the engine oil is topped up and those window wipers are working well. It’s the details that will help you sell your car and being meticulous is a sure-fire way to shift it.

• 5

  Take a picture ...more

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  Pictures sell. It’s a simple ethos that many people don’t think is necessary. For a buyer, the ability to see a picture of your car is of paramount importance. Try and take at least three pictures of your car – after you’ve cleaned it – and make sure they are from different angles to really show your cars’ lines off.

• 6

  Asking price ...more

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  Many people over value their car, and on the whole, it’s because they don’t know how much their car is worth. We would recommend searching for the same model and spec as your car and gauging the price from there. The last thing you want to do is price your car out of the market.

• 7

  Create a buyer/seller agreement ...more

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  Most people don’t even know this exists, but you can create your own buyer/seller agreement form that will ensure that when your car sells, it is sold as seen and there will be no comebacks. All that is needed is the details of the sale, both participants’ signatures and a date and time. Of course, only do this if your sale is genuine and not just for personal gain.

• 8

  Haggle! ...more

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  Haggling is something that we Brit’s aren’t that great at. We prefer to be polite and respectable, but when it comes to selling your car, you really need to haggle with price. The potential buyer may want a considerable discount off your asking price, but make sure you have a price that you wouldn’t mind letting it go for – that way, you can ensure you achieve the price you are looking to sell it for.

• 9

  Avoid cheques & money transfers ...more

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  When the deal is done, make sure you both agree a payment method that is both safe and trusted. Try to avoid cheques and money transfer services – the potential for fraud and losing all your money is very high with these methods. The best way is to receive cash in hand – then you can let the car go knowing you have the money in your hands and not waiting for it a couple of weeks down the line.

• 10

  Paperwork ...more

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  Being organised is important in the sale of your car. You need to fill out the V5C at the bottom of the logbook and send it direct to the DVLA – this will ensure that they recognise the new owner of the car. You will also need to give the new owner any manuals, MOT certificates and service details that you have for the car.