Selling Advice

Writing a car advert that generates response is simple as long as you choose a good photo of your car, and have a good brief description, for buyers to read full details of your car Pick out a few important features that make your car a good buy. Air con, metallic paint and leather trims, electric windows/sunroof, can improve a car's value so include them in your ad.

Mention colour, mileage, service history and number of owners. Be specific, if your car has a low mileage and say how low. If it has one owner, a full service history, MOT and road tax, make sure it's all in the ad. These are the things that'll interest buyers.

Ensure that you are being realistic about your valuation of the car, asking over the odds will only mean you have to advertise for longer. Check the price using one of the available used car price guides sold in newsagents, supermarkets, petrol stations.

Attach up to 12 colour photos, this will enhance your advert and increase the level of response you will receive.

Ads with photo/s, attract more buyers than text ads. FACT.

Use our attractive printable for sale signs to put on your car.

Honesty - Always be honest about the condition and history of your car as it will save you time and money on re-advertising.

Checklist Always include the following in your advert:

 Year
 Colour
 Service History
 Number of Owners
 Condition
 MOT & Road Tax (if got them)
 Key Features
 Colour Photograph(s)
 Mileage

 Preparing your car for sale.
 

Exterior

Prepare your car as a showroom would, give your car a good wash, with quality car wash liquid, and not washing up liquid, and do not think the car will no longer be mine, so why use good stuff to wash car. Buyers are only going to pay the asking price if their feel and see the car has been well looked after, otherwise you may get silly offers on your car. Once washed, wipe dry with chamois leather downwards. A good polish afterwards, brings out the shine of the car.

Interior

Cleaning the interior of your car is as important and harder. A good vacuum and interior polish, as well as clean windows, gives buyers no excuses in making ridiculous offers, for work to be carried out. Clean ashtrays, side pockets, glove compartment, rear boot helps towards a successful sale. Remember a very important point, if a buyer comes to view your car, there want to purchase your car.

If you don't have time to clean your car, there are loads of Hand Car Wash centres throughout the UK which offer inside/out for about £8-£15, or alternatively a full valet costs from £40 for a full showroom condition clean.

Documents

Have your documents ready to show interested buyers, these are as important as the car, the verification of History, Mot, Log Book, Invoices, Spare Keys, is a sign of a well looked after car.

Handling response from interested buyers

Once you have offered your car for sale, potential buyers will call at any time so try to be available. You may wish to leave day/night time numbers or a mobile number.

Show documentation of proof of ownership, maintenance records, the owner's manual, service history, and registration.

Allow potential buyers to run a car data check or vehicle inspection (HPI check), this will reassure the buyer that the vehicle is credible.

Be safe - make sure there is someone else at home with you, and don't give out unnecessary information over the phone.

Do not take the vehicle to meet potential buyers however reasonable they may sound.

Remember, once your car is sold, please contact us. This will stop customers being able to see your contact details and will ensure that your advert is removed from the CarsForSaleDirect.com website within 24 hours.

Test drive

Always allow the potential buyer the opportunity to test drive the vehicle with you; it'll help you sell the car. Make sure they are covered either by your insurance or theirs. Take precautions- keep hold of the keys at all times, and don't leave strangers in the house whilst you take a test drive.

You may want a friend or partner to accompany you.

Negotiating the price

It's almost impossible to receive the asking price, as buyers always want to pay a lower price, so have clear in your mind the lowest price you'll be happy to sell your car. Don't be pushed into agreeing a lower price; if you are not sure, take their phone number and call them back later. Be calm and polite. Smile, you are more likely to get a successful sale if you are relaxed.

Check the buyer is genuine. Ask for ID and take a telephone number. Give them a ring before they collect the car to check their details are sound. If the buyer is genuinely interested ask them to leave a deposit, this helps weed out any time wasters.

Keep all numbers of interested parties in case your buyer pulls out at the last minute.

Car scams to be aware of:

A foreign buyer will offer far more for the advertised car. The idea here is that the seller banks the money, keeps the offer price and sends the balance to a shipping company to pay for export to Europe or, more frequently, Africa. It's only when the advertiser has sent his own cheque to cover the shipping costs that he discovers that the drawer's cheque was fake and has bounced.

Another example of this type of scam, is the seller is overseas. He will appear to appreciate the buyer's anxiety about sending money for something of such high value unseen. So the seller recommends that the money be sent to a 'legitimate' third party. The car will be shipped, and only when the buyer is happy with the goods will the third party release those funds to the seller. The problem is, the third party is anything but legitimate. The buyer was seduced by the seller's appearance of honesty and by the intermediaries impressive website. But the two were partners in crime; they split the cheque and you find the car never existed.

Taking payment

Do not hand over car, keys, documents until payment has been made in full and cheques have cleared. If you do take a cheque make sure it's verified. Write a receipt for both you and the buyer, stating that the car is being sold, date and time of transaction.
Finally, remember to complete the Vehicle Registration Form to inform DVLA that you no longer own the vehicle. This is even more important since the recent changes in the law as you will remain liable for the tax if you don't!

Buying Advice

When buying a car, it is highly recommended you check the vehicle over, and ask the seller any questions about the car before agreeing a deal.

Ask seller whether car has any finance owing, has car been repaired, are their the legal owner, if not ask who is. Ask to meet registered owner and ask for ID. Once you are happy that you know registered seller, then hand over payment.

Once you have had your questions answered and agreed a price, it is highly recommend you check the history with a HPI check.

Check all electrics, engine oil, Wheels, and if any work is agreed to be carried out, make sure the seller puts the points in writing.

 Check documents;

 Log Book
 Mot (if applicable)
 Road Tax
 Service History
 Handbook
 Spare Keys
 Stereo Code
 Invoices
 

Make sure you get a receipt, whether for a deposit, full payment, and ask for ID from seller that their own the car.

If you feel you are not too sure, but feel you a have a bargain, walk away, it maybe to good to be true.

Recommended Websites

 hpicheck.com

 warrantydirect.co.uk

 multimap.com

 streetmap.co.uk

 moneysupermarket.com