It's a well-known fact that a private sale is the best way to get the most money for your vehicle. Trading in or dealer stocking the vehicle will only result in you getting a trade value and this can often be considerably less than the market value of the vehicle.
Related: Is it better to sell or trade-in a car?
Owners are often dissuaded from attempting to sell their car privately as it's generally a more arduous process where you, the owner, are responsible for certain elements of the paperwork. Add in the fact that unscrupulous individuals who will attempt to scam and con you exist, and it's easy to see why car buying services exist. But more on this later.
Sell it on AutoTrader
With millions of visitors searching for their next vehicle, AutoTrader is the best marketplace for your private sale. While the majority of our listings are from dealers, there are many private listings as well, offering loved, pre-owned vehicles for the visitors to the site. Your car can be one of them.
While listing on AutoTrader will cost you a small listing fee, you can be assured that the views your car gets are of in-market car buyers who are serious about buying a car. These are the steps you will take if you elect to sell it yourself.
- Navigate to Sell Your Car
- Click on the Sell It Yourself button
- Fill in the form to create your very own Private Seller account with us. Don't forget to check your email for the confirmation email to activate your account.
- Create your advert with pictures, price and, of course, a great description that will entice buyers to choose your car. Don't forget that great photos make great sales. Click here to find out how to take the best photos for a sale: How to: photograph your car when selling
- Make the payment for the advert via credit card or EFT and the advert will be submitted for approval. This helps ensure that all the information required is listed and that only genuine adverts get displayed on AutoTrader. This is part of the peace-of-mind AutoTrader offers.
- Our team will contact you to help set up a virtual phone number, protecting your personal details as you advertise with us.
- Wait for the calls from interested parties who are looking to buy your vehicle.
Sound like too much hassle?
AutoTrader also offers you two other solutions when it comes to selling your car. Both of these help eliminate the hassles associated with selling a car privately.
Sell It For Me
Your first option is the Sell It For Me option where we assist with the process for a small fee. Sell It For Me sees an AutoTrader assistant guide you through the process and help you with the pricing, preparation of the vehicle, management of the listing and deal with the negotiations on your behalf.
Your car will be listed as a Verified Private Vehicle which tells the potential buyer that you are a genuine seller, that the vehicle has been inspected, and that the transaction is safe and secure. This is a safe and secure way of ensuring that all interested parties are vetted before a secure test drive is arranged.
Instant Offer
AutoTrader's newest product takes the fight to the other vehicle buying entities we spoke about earlier. With AutoTrader's Instant Offer you will be able to sell your car in hours, not days and all from the convenience of your home.
Registering for Instant Offer will see one of our representatives contact you within 5-minutes and arrange to come see the vehicle. Our representative and expert partner will come test drive the car, inspect it and check the necessary paperwork before making you an offer on your vehicle.
If you accept the offer, immediate payment will be made and you will have to find your own way to work the next day because you will have just sold your car! It's all that simple!
Check out the frequently asked questions on Instant Offer here: Instant Offer FAQs
