Are you looking to sell your car online? One of the best ways you can do this is through an online marketplace like Gumtree. Listing a car privately online can be a great way to sell, as you can reach a wide audience of potential buyers and get a fair price for your vehicle. However, selling a car on a vast online marketplace can come with some challenges to navigate, and it’s important to know how to sell a car privately. Here are some vital dos and don’ts of selling a car to help ensure a smooth private sale process.
Dos When Selling Your Car Online With Gumtree
Do Research the Market
To make sure you list your car for a realistic asking price, you need to do some research on current listings prior to creating your ad. Research similar current listings on the used car market to get a sense of the appropriate pricing and demand for your specific make and model. You can also use an online car valuation tool to help determine an estimated value range for your car.
Do Allow Room for Negotiation
When determining your asking price, make sure you set a higher price than the lowest amount you’re willing to accept. Most people will negotiate down, so you want to ensure you have some wiggle room before you reach your minimum sale value.
Do Provide a Comprehensive Description
Offer a detailed description of your car, including its make, model, year, odometer reading, condition, service history, and any modifications or upgrades. Make sure you include all important information to reduce repeat questions from people looking at your listing.
Do Take Clear Photos
Photos are the first thing that will attract prospective buyers to your listing, so it’s vital to make a good first impression. Upload high-quality photos taken in good lighting, and be sure to capture different angles. Highlight both the interior and exterior of the car, as well as any special features or aesthetic imperfections. And, for extra points, include a video as well.
Do Be Honest
Transparency builds trust with potential buyers. Be honest and transparent about the condition of the car and the car’s history and mention any imperfections or damages to the vehicle in the description.
If the car is currently out of registration, consider renewing registration or clearly mention it in the description. An unregistered vehicle requires different paperwork during the transfer of the sale.
Do Use Secure Payment Methods
As with buying or selling anything online, always ensure that payment methods are secure.
Gumtree supports cash payments in person or secure online payment options to ensure a seamless and safe transaction process.
At Gumtree, the safety of our community members is our priority. For this reason, we don’t recommend giving anyone your bank details and recommend secure online payment instead of direct bank transfer.
Do Maintain Communication
Good communication can make all the difference in a private sale of a car. Respond to enquiries and messages promptly and politely, and always answer potential buyers’ questions with total honesty and transparency. This will help to build trust. Prompt replies show the prospective buyer you’re taking the sale seriously, and will prevent them from losing interest.
Do Prepare the Necessary Paperwork
When selling a registered vehicle, it’s a good idea to have all the relevant paperwork ready. This includes your photo identification, service history of the car, vehicle registration information, state-specific paperwork such as a roadworthy certificate, and a vehicle history report.
Take a look at the necessary forms for the transfer of car ownership in your state and make sure you have the relevant paperwork ready to show the buyer during the sale. Getting all this information ready beforehand will save time and give the buyer confidence.
Prospective buyers appreciate organised private sellers, and it makes for a smoother sale.
In most cases the new owner is responsible for the transfer of ownership and registration, but there may be some state-specific forms for you as the seller to complete before this can be actioned.
Do Detail the Car
When selling a car privately, aesthetics play an important role in drawing interest to your car. Although it can be time consuming, it’s worthwhile either detailing the car yourself or taking it to be professionally detailed.
Make sure both the interior and exterior are detailed, as well as the engine bay. This shows the interested person that the car has been well cared for, and shows your car in the best light. Taking clear photos of your car after it’s been detailed will show your car to its absolute best advantage when you post an ad online, which should help to attract interest and potential buyers.
Do Encourage Vehicle Viewings and Inspections
Genuine buyers will want to see a car for an inspection before making any decisions about buying it. Encourage unsure buyers to view the car themselves to let the car speak for itself, and offer them a test drive.
Be prepared for your potential buyer to view the odometer reading to check the mileage of the car, as well as the service book to show the car’s history.
Do Consider all Reasonable Offers
Negotiation is an important aspect of selling a used car and you need to be prepared for potential buyers to haggle with you.
Be aware that the current market value of your car can change, or may not be reflected in what buyers are actually prepared to pay. By being open to negotiations and managing your own expectations, you can remain flexible. Try not to get stuck on a higher price if it’s not realistic.
Do Be Patient
It can take time to sell your car, as you need to find the right buyer willing to pay the right price. If you have an increased urgency to sell your vehicle, this can be reflected in your asking price to encourage a faster sale.
Don’ts When You Sell Your Car Online
Don’t Set an Unrealistic Price
Overpricing your car can deter buyers from the outset. Keep your pricing competitive yet fair, and make sure you have market research or pricing justifications such as a valuation certificate on hand.
Similarly, a very low price can make people suspicious that there may be issues with the vehicle.
Don’t Accept Cheques
When you sell your car, stick to more immediate and secure payment methods, such as a PayPal transfer or cash in person. A cheque can bounce, or it could be fraudulent. If someone offers to pay for your car with a cheque, this could be a red flag.
Don’t Allow Test Drives Alone
Taking a second hand car for a test drive is an important part of the process for buyers. However, you should always accompany the potential buyer during test drives to ensure the safety of both you and your vehicle. And it should go without saying that you should never let anyone test drive your car without a valid licence.
Don’t Share Personal Financial Details
Protect your private information when communicating with potential buyers online. When you choose to sell your car on Gumtree, you’ll have access to our secure messaging platform. This means you don’t need to share your personal contact details with anyone who may contact you about your car, as everything can be communicated online through the messaging platform. This is just one more way Gumtree helps buyers and sellers stay safe online.
Similarly, don’t share any personal financial details or other important information like passwords of the answers to security questions.
Don’t Be Pressured Into a Quick Sale
If a buyer is rushing you or pushing you to finalise the deal faster than you’re comfortable with, be cautious. Selling or buying a car shouldn’t be a rushed process, and genuine buyers should be understanding if you need time to come to a decision about an offer.
Likewise, don’t rush a prospective buyer. It’s okay to ask them if they’re still interested, but try not to be pushy. Buying a car is often a big financial decision for many people.
Don’t Forget to Remove Your Ad
It can be frustrating for both the owner of the listing and other interested buyers to find an ad still listed for a car that’s no longer available. So once the sale is complete, ensure you remove the listing to prevent further inquiries.
It’s also also important to remember to alert your car insurance company after selling your car.
Sell Your Car Privately With Gumtree
By sticking to these best practices when selling your car, you can pave the way for a smooth and secure selling process and confidently negotiate a fair price.
For other tips on buying a used car, make sure you check out our essential used car buying guide.
