Many people lose out when selling their car because they either trade in or slap it in the ads and hope for the best. If you know the accurate and realistic asking price for your vehicle, aim high and strive to get what you ask – after all, the punter WILL find points to knock you down on. By simply addressing any small faults and adhering to the following tips and advice, you can expect to receive a slightly thicker wad when it comes to selling your car.

Pricing Your Car

To attract maximum attention and genuine punters, you must do a little research and ensure you price your car correctly. It can make the difference between a quick sale or putting people off because there may be several other cars on their list priced slightly better.

The main points to consider when pricing a car are: mileage, age, documented service history and receipts, condition and any added features. Get expert advice or go online and compare prices with other similar cars. Most car-selling sites feature their own pricing tool, so this is an easy option should you wish to advertise your car online. Through the power of the web, sites such as Sell the Car are a great way to present your car to a wide audience.

Composing The Perfect Advert

How many times have you searched the ads and wished a seller had added more information? When you compose your ad, ensure it reads well and emphasises your car’s strong points. This also means you must list its bad points should it have any – being honest saves any embarrassing exchanges when the potential buyer comes to view it.

Write clearly and keep it tight and concise. Avoid any car slang or jargon and include key features and equipment such as full leather seats, air-conditioning or sat-nav.

Three important factors a buyer will check are the tax, service history and M.O.T. Make sure you list all three, going into detail if the service history is extensive – big service history is something that can definitely attract a sale and minimise any haggling room.

Photos

Obviously, photos are extremely important, and a little time and effort in presenting your car well will have a major impact in attracting punters.

First, wash and clean your car, even polishing and using window wipes to get that gleam and sheen captured in your photos. You don’t have to spend much, but after giving the interior a good vacuum, use some products such as interior wipes for the dash and plastic work. Whether you have leather or material, there are products available to spruce up the seats too.

Always take pictures in the daylight and ensure all shots are central and in focus. Take close up shots of any damage such as small scratches. This also goes for any plus points, such as perfect alloy wheels or any added features. Instagram is a current trend I’ve seen used on selling sites, and although it can enhance pictures, it often disguises any faults with the bodywork/paint/wheels – perhaps use just one Instagram shot to entice a potential buyer into looking at your ad.

Honesty

One of the most important factors about selling your car is honesty. Once you’ve decided on a realistic price compared to similar models and then posted and presented your car online, as long as the write up and photos are honest, you won’t have any reason to doubt your asking price. Make sure you don’t give the punter any reason to try and knock you down. They will have done their research and know if you are offering them a good deal or not.

If you believe in your car’s price never lose faith and accept silly offers – if it’s priced well, someone will bite and both sides can leave happy.