There are multiple ways to sell your car online. Which one is right for you depends on how quickly you need to sell your vehicle and whether you’re willing to put in extra work to get the best price.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to sell your car online using three approaches and offer tips to help you get the most money for your vehicle.
Ways to Sell Your Car Online
You can sell your car online in three ways.
Sell with an online car-buying platform
One of the easiest and fastest ways is to use a car-buying service, such as Motorway or Carwow.
These platforms help you value your car based on its make, model, mileage, condition, and recent sales data for similar vehicles. They then list your vehicle on an internal marketplace, where thousands of car buyers can see your car and make offers. At the end of the sale period, the marketplace will arrange for the buyer to pick up your car and ensure you get paid.
Online car-buying platforms make money by charging transaction fees, so you won’t get the full amount from your sale. In addition, most buyers on these platforms are dealers, so you should expect lower offers than you could get by selling your car to a private individual.
Pros:
Put your car in front of thousands of buyers
Buyer will pick up your car from your home
Platform ensures you get paid for your vehicle
Cons:
Sales platforms typically charge transaction fees
Offers are usually less than what you could get from a private sale
Sell to a car dealer
Another option is to sell your car directly to a used car dealer. Many dealers offer online estimates similar to those on an online car-buying platform. The biggest difference is that there’s no bidding process—you just have to bring your car to the dealership to complete the sale. The whole process can take just a few hours.
Many dealers offer trade-ins or part exchanges, which can be helpful if you need to buy a new vehicle. You may be able to get more money for trading in your vehicle than you would for selling it without buying a new car. You can also negotiate the final offer at many car dealerships.
Pros:
Sell your car and get paid in a single day
Many dealers offer trade-ins or part exchanges
You may be able to negotiate a better price
Cons:
Requires taking your car to a dealer
Offers are usually less than what you could get from a private sale
Sell using online classifieds
Selling your car to a private individual using online classifieds takes significantly more effort than selling with an online marketplace or a dealer. However, you may get a much higher price for your car.
You can list your vehicle on classified sites like AutoTrader, GumTree, or Facebook Marketplace. It’s important to take good pictures of your vehicle for your advertisement and write a description that makes potential buyers want to purchase it. You also get to set the price and decide whether you’re willing to negotiate.
When selling to a private buyer, beware of scams and make sure you sell safely. Always meet with prospective buyers in public places. Take a photo of the buyer’s ID and insurance before allowing them to take your car for a test drive. Never leave someone alone with your car’s paperwork.
Pros:
May be able to get a higher price for your car
Cons:
May take a long time to sell your vehicle
Requires meeting with buyers
Must watch out for scams and take precautions during meetups
Tips to Sell Your Car Online
Here are a few tips to ensure your car sale goes as smoothly as possible.
Understand your car’s value
Before you go to sell your car, you should know what it’s worth. That way, you know what offer to take and what offers to walk away from.
Many online car-selling platforms and dealerships have free tools that you can use to estimate the value of your vehicle. You’ll need to provide your car’s registration number and mileage, plus fill out a questionnaire describing its condition.
Clean your car
Cleaning your car before you take any photos or show it to a prospective buyer can help you get a better price. Even if your car runs perfectly, a buyer will likely offer less if it looks shabby. A thorough detailing can pay for itself if it helps you get a significantly higher offer.
Be honest about any problems
While keeping quiet about under-the-hood issues with your vehicle is tempting, you’ll save yourself a headache later by being upfront about your car’s condition. You’re not legally responsible for any problems that develop unless you lied to the buyer about the state of your car. However, it’s still a lot of hassle to deal with an angry buyer.
Remember to notify the DVLA
You’re legally responsible for your vehicle until you notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that you’ve sold it. The DVLA has an online form you can use to report sales.
FAQs
What documents do you need to sell your car online?
You’re required to have your car’s V5C logbook to sell your car in the UK. Most online car-buying platforms and dealers also require your car’s handbook and service logbook.
Can I sell my car if it is financed?
Yes, you can sell your car online even if it has outstanding financing. You must use the proceeds from your sale to settle your financing balance.
How can I get paid for selling my car online?
Most car buying platforms and dealers pay for your car with a bank transfer. If you sell your car by a private sale, it’s up to you to decide what form of payment to accept. You can get paid by cash, cheque, bank transfer, e-wallet, or another method.
Conclusion
You can sell your car online using a car buying platform, by selling directly to a dealer, or by creating an ad to sell your car to an individual. Car buying platforms and dealers offer slightly less money than private sales, but they’re convenient and hassle-free. Check out our guide to the best car-selling platforms in the UK to sell your car today.
