[webwysard]

Hi All,

As I am going to put my car up for sale on Autotrader therefore I need advice about do's and don't's of private car selling.

There are few questions Iam not sure about but if I've forgotten something important then please advice me accordingly.

1. What are rules of letting the potential buyer to test drive the car and before that can you tell if hes really serious about buying or just a time waster ?

2. What documents I need to see apart from both parts of driving licence ?

3. What sort of insurance does that person need to have to testdrive my car as most of the insurance policies cover other cars for third party only ?

3. And if someone like the car and wants to buy it what is the safest method to receive money or if they want to put down a deposit to collect the car later on how much should it be and in which form ?

As always your help is very much appreciated.

[creepy coupe]

You drive them, unless they can produce proof of temporary full comp insurance cover.

CHAPS payment is the safest IMO

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHAPS

[kaishang]

You make a judgement call about the insurance and the person who wants to test drive. If they look like they want to buy it, give them a test drive.

May be nice to say they need to provide proof of comprehensive insurance, but it ain't gonna happen. People are not prepared to go to the effort and expense of taking out comp insurance for a test drive, so they will just walk. I've private bought vehicles before and for me, no test-drive = no buy.

> 2. What documents I need to see apart from both parts of driving licence ?
I'd want two bits of mail with an address which matches the licence.

> 3. And if someone like the car and wants to buy it what is the safest method to receive money or if they want to put down a deposit to collect the car later on how much should it be and in which form ?

Cash is king. I would only take a deposit in cash. Cash is easy to arrange for serious buyers, unlike test drive insurance which isn't.

For the balance either a CHAPS transfer OR you walk into their bank with them and watch them make a transfer into your account OR you watch them dial the telephone banking number of their bank (which you have checked to see is real beforehand) and hear them via speakerphone transfer the money into your account.

If you have finance on the vehicle, things will go a lot smoother if you discharge the finance first.

[kaishang]

You need to be organised as a seller too.

That means you need to have the V5C handy for them to inspect; I'd be looking that the address on the V5C matches where I am looking at the car. Have the service book handy. Don't BS them as they will probably work out it is BS.

Put several good quality photos on Autotrader of both the interior and exterior. Get things like rubbish bins, your pet dog out of the background.

Wash the car prior to photos and prior to viewing.

They may or may not know about 335i HPFP problems.

[urfankhaliq]

When I had my X5 for sale, I had a buyer and his wife come see the car, i was willing to let them drive if he can show me his license and insurance details. All of a sudden he didnt want to test drive it and wasnt interested in the car either. Seemed dodgy to me and glad I didnt let him n e where near my baby!!

[CardinalZeus77]

Originally Posted by webwysard

Hi All,

As I am going to put my car up for sale on Autotrader therefore I need advice about do's and don't's of private car selling.

There are few questions Iam not sure about but if I've forgotten something important then please advice me accordingly.

1. What are rules of letting the potential buyer to test drive the car and before that can you tell if hes really serious about buying or just a time waster ?

2. What documents I need to see apart from both parts of driving licence ?

3. What sort of insurance does that person need to have to testdrive my car as most of the insurance policies cover other cars for third party only ?

3. And if someone like the car and wants to buy it what is the safest method to receive money or if they want to put down a deposit to collect the car later on how much should it be and in which form ?

As always your help is very much appreciated.

Here are my points ...

1. You should drive them first. Be careful who/how many turn up to look at the car. During any test drive stick to busy roads and no quiet country roads!
If you feel you can trust them then let them have a short test drive.

2. Both parts of driving licence and two other forms of Id (utility bill, bank statement etc) that show their address (which should match the address on the driving licence).

3. I doubt they will have any insurance other than third party so it really is at your own risk. If they have temporary insurance then check it properly.

4. If someone wants to buy it then take a cash deposit (say £100) and then the balance either by CHAPs transfer or cash. If you receive cash then go to the bank with them and deposit the cash into your account. That way the bank is responsible for checking the notes are not counterfeit.

Above all just be sensible and if something doesn't feel right then walk away.

[webwysard]

Nice one guys.

Love this fourm for an honest and accurate advice.

[marmac]

Got offered 13.5k from my local bmw dealer today and had to laugh glws

[webwysard]

Originally Posted by marmac

Got offered 13.5k from my local bmw dealer today and had to laugh glws

I got offered about the same from webuyanycar.com so that it is quite a rediculous offer and thats only because they dont want to buy it.