Whether you own a Ferrari or a Fiat, the chances are at some point you’ll want to sell your car. For most people, it’s just part of the ownership process. Maybe you’ve seen a new model you fancy, or maybe something in your life has changed and your current car no longer suits – or maybe you no longer even need a car. Thankfully, it’s never been easier with a range of flexible options to dispose of your car.
Can I sell my car to a car dealer?
You sure can. The chances are if your car is in good condition and fairly modern, almost everybody in the car business will want to buy it from you. Practically every car is an opportunity to make money for a dealer, but they will only offer you market rate – the wholesale price, in other words. So, while this option is great for moving a car on quickly and not having to put up with the general frustrations of selling it yourself, you will get less money than if you sold it privately. There might not even be room for negotiation, as the dealer will only be willing to buy the car if they are confident they can make a tidy profit from it.
Before you go any further, use our valuation tool to find out how much you can expect for your car.
This option is perhaps best if you’ve got your eye on a brand new car, especially one from the same manufacturer as the car you’re already driving. The dealer might give you a little more for your old car if you are upgrading. If you do choose the dealer route, make sure you can still get that discount on top of your part-ex. Clever salesmanship can sometimes talk you into a deal with less discount than you would have without your car as a part-exchange.
Selling your car privately
Selling your vehicle privately is probably the most difficult option; it usually takes a long time (the average time taken is actually 7 weeks) and requires quite a bit of work. However, this is the way to get the best possible price, so it’s the best method if you’re prepared to work for it. If you love a deal and the thrill of the negotiation, then this is option for you.
You’ll have to deal with enquiries from potential buyers, arrange for visits and test drives, and spend time taking pictures and posting adverts for the car. Normally, the best way to do this is online, using dedicated classifieds - like our dedicated Used Car Section, for example. However, you could also try your local newspaper or a good old-fashioned advert in the window of the car. If you do manage to sell your car privately, make sure you are paid correctly, so you’re not defrauded and left out of pocket.
Online offerings
Now if you really don’t have time, options like WeBuyAnyCar prove to be popular but for us, this route doesn’t make any sense at the minute.
We’d expect the likes of WeBuyAnyCar and other similar firms to typically offer a low price so they can then resell for a profit - a better alternative would be our partners at Motorway.
As a real life example, a Regit team member was selling their Nissan Juke last week and got quotes from WeBuyAnyCar (£6,585), a dealer (£6,500) and then Motorway (£7,100).
All three options offer quick payment and you’d likely have your money from any of the three firms listed within a few days of committing to the sale.
We recommend Motorway though as its business model is different from the other two options.
Motorway uses its network of over 5,000 dealers to hold a live auction on your car, using the estimated price as a reserve. Fortunately for this team member, their Juke was well kept and clearly an attractive buy for a few dealers as bidding pushed the final sale price up to over £8,000.
How does Motorway work?
Simply enter your reg and mileage for an instant, free valuation. This will be based on Motorway’s smart valuation tech that uses live market data for vehicles just like yours to ensure your online estimate is as accurate as possible. Assuming your vehicle is in good condition, this will give you an accurate valuation for your car's current market price.
If you decide to sell your car, you then profile it with Motorway’s app. This involves answering some basic questions about the vehicle’s spec and condition, and uploading photos of your car from several different angles.
The in-app camera lays templates on the screen so you can snap your car from all its key angles, and upload a comprehensive range of professional standard photos.
Unlike traditional car-selling methods, which require a lot of time spent handling admin, communications, and logistics, the platform is designed to make the whole process as seamless as possible – it will take around 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
Something that sets Motorway apart from other car-selling platforms is that it never takes any fees or commissions. When you get your best price from your buying dealer, based on the condition of your car as described, that’s the money you can expect to see paid straight into your bank account when the car is collected.
If you have any questions on the process, drop them in the comments box and we’ll do our best to answer.