Super Selling Guide.
We’ve packed this
guide with lots of useful
hints and tips to help you
sell your car
Welcome.
If you’re interested in selling your car quickly and proﬁtably you’re in the right place. This Super Selling Guide
will help you do just that. Packed with 30 years experience this easy to use, step-by-step guide will make
selling your car easy and provide you with priceless hints and tips for a quick and lucrative sale.
Step 1 - Where To Sell
Decide who to sell your car to
Step 2 - Prepare Your Car
Increase your car’s value
Step 3 - Great Advertising
How to create a great advert and generate interest
Step 4 - Viewings & Negotiations
Find out everything about test drives and negotiations
Step 5 - Making The Sale
How to ensure a safe and hassle-free transaction
Step 6 - Documents & Hand Over
How to inform the DVLA and complete the transaction
Extra Expert Tips
Lots of extra detail on the six key steps
FAQs
Selling Kit
For Sale Sticker
Car Speciﬁcation Sheet
Viewing Diary
02
03
04
05
06
07
07
08
13
Step 1 - Where To Sell
The ﬁrst decision you have to make is who to sell to.
A) To a car dealer or B) To another motorist
If you’re buying a car from a dealer you might be tempted to part exchange your existing car. But you might
not get the full value, as dealers need to proﬁt on the resale of your vehicle. It stands to reason that if you
advertise to more people, you have a better chance of getting the price you want. Therefore it’s always worth
trying to sell your car privately ﬁrst, you never know how much extra money you could get. And with this
guide, there’s nothing to be worried about – selling privately is easy and secure, just follow our advice.
Auto Fact:
Over half a million cars were advertised
on autotrader.co.uk in 2008.*
In order to sell your car quickly and at the best price, you need as many car buyers as possible to know your
car is for sale.
The quickest way to do this is by advertising with Auto Trader. With over 10 million potential car
buyers a month, autotrader.co.uk is the biggest motoring portal in Europe. Plus we offer great local coverage
via the regional Auto Trader magazines - the UK’s no.1 automotive trading magazine.**
You could use a local newspaper or a free listing site, but really, with your car depreciating every day, you
need to be attracting real buyers as soon as you can.
And nowhere has more buyers than autotrader.co.uk
* Auto Trader internal stats 2008
** Omniture site catalyst March 2009
03
Step 2 - Prepare your car
If you want the best price for your car you can add hundreds of pounds to its value in a few quick and easy steps.
You’d be amazed how many sellers don’t take the time to make their vehicle look its best – steal the advantage
over your competition with a pristine vehicle.
Car Maintenance
Car buyers love to check under the bonnet to make sure the car is reliable and in excellent condition even if they do
not know what they are looking for! Complete a few essential car checks such as oil level, windscreen washer and
car brake ﬂuid to ensure everything is looking clean and looked after.
Don’t forget to check your tyre pressures and consider replacing any punctured or well worn tyres.
Cleaning Your Car
Cleaning your car can greatly increase your chances of selling it – without costing the world. Here’s how to make
your car gleam with pride.
Wash your car from the roof down with car shampoo and a sponge, use car wax or polish to create the perfect
sheen.
Remember a car’s interior is just as important as its exterior – as buyers want a comfortable drive that looks great
inside as well as out. So vacuum the carpets, mats, seats, dashboard and any dusty little crevices!
Auto Fact:
Use lavender scented windscreen
cent.
washer ﬂuid for that hardly-driven scent.
Weird but it works!
For our full car maintenance check list and expert tips when cleaning your car visit page 08
04
Step 3 – Great Advertising
Wording your advert
It’s your ﬁrst point of contact with potential buyers, so make a good impression and ensure the advert
conveys the right message.
Start with summarising the most appealing key features (such as engine size, model and alloy
wheels) in bullet points as this will help to keep the advert concise.
State speciﬁc advantages and features of the car – let the buyer make up their own mind and
avoid vague phrases such as: “Good car”, “A joy to drive” or “First to see will buy” as these are subjective.
Aim to keep the length of the advert text to around 50–75 words for an online ad and 20-30 words in a
magazine ad
Did you know?
When advertising online you can revisit your advert copy and change it at anytime to boost or cool the
response you are getting.
Perfect Pictures
Ever heard the phrase “a picture tells a thousand words”? It’s true. We recommend uploading nine images of
your vehicle as it’s proven to increase response by 5.7%.*
Here’s a few angles we would recommend so that the buyer has a complete view of the car and knows
you’re not hiding anything. Go to the expert guide section on page 11 for more angles.
Selling Price
Knowing the exact value of your car is difﬁcult, that’s why Auto Trader has teamed up with the valuation
experts CAP, enabling you to get a personalised valuation – adjusted for mileage, extras and condition. Visit
Autotrader.co.uk and select valuations to get your car valued or click the link in your conﬁrmation email. The
ofﬁcial valuation certiﬁcate you’ll receive will help you in price negotiations later.
Alternatively, search for a car using your car details and take a quick look through the search results to get
an idea on price.
Auto Fact:
Hate canvass calls? When booking your advert just tick the box for Telesafe,
which blocks calls from known canvassers – it’s free to set up. Telesafe also enables
you to choose when you receive phone calls and masks your real number, ensuring
maximum security.
* Auto Trader internal stats August 2009
05
Step 4 - Viewings & Negotiations
Well done, your advert has worked and car buyers are contacting you to enquire about your car. Print off the
car speciﬁcation sheet in the Sellers Pack section, ﬁll it in and then keep it by the phone; this will ensure you
have the details to hand when you need them. It means you can get someone else to inform potential buyers
about your car if you’re not around.
If you have a good advert you may acquire a lot of qualiﬁed leads so use the viewing diary in the sellers kit to
note down who is coming to view your car and when. This will mean you are in complete control from the off.
The vast majority of private buyers are friendly, ordinary people just like you, but nevertheless:
For peace of mind meet the buyer in the day on your own territory and when a friend or relative
may be around.
Ask for proof of insurance before they drive your car.
Auto Fact:
Remember. Although it may seem
obvious never allow a buyer to go for a
test drive on their own!
Haggling
Buyers will inevitably try to haggle the price; it’s all part of selling a car. Try to be ﬁrm, without being
unreasonable. We advise against declining a sale for the matter of £50 or so. It could cost you more in
re-advertising fees and your time. Set your ideal, expected and lowest price you would accept beforehand
and keep these in your head during negotiations.
For extensive tips on the viewing process visit the expert guide on page 12.
06
Step 5 - Making the sale
Once a price has been agreed your efforts are rewarded as you are shown the money!
In an ideal world, you’ll be paid cash or a bankers draft. Try to get it handed over to you in a bank, so you
can pay it in straight away and the cashier can count for you.
Another safe payment method is via online banking. It allows you to receive the funds straight into your bank
account. It can take a few days, so don’t release the car until the bank tells you the funds have been
successfully transferred.
Avoid money transfer services, cheques and bank or building society cheques as these can cause problems.
Let’s make the sale ofﬁcial…
Step 6 - Documents & Handover
To make everything ofﬁcial you just need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Write a receipt stating the date,
amount paid, make, model, registration and the names and addresses of both parties. Make two copies –
one for you and one for the buyer. Ensure both you and the buyer sign the two receipts.
Fill out the slip at the bottom of the V5C registration document (or ‘logbook’) and send it to the
DVLA, informing them of a change in owner.
Give the top part of the V5C to the new owner.
Hand over the car’s handbook, service book and MOT certiﬁcate (if the car is over three years
old) plus any other useful manuals and documents.
Inform your insurance company if you haven’t already.
Remember to remove the tax disc and get it refunded
if it wasn’t included in the deal.
Congratulations! You have
now successfully sold your
vehicle with Auto Trader
07
Extra Expert Tips
Within this section of the guide we wanted to provide you with extra tips and hints that we have discovered
in our 30 years experience in the world of motoring. Feel free to pick and choose the elements that you see
as relevant.
Where to sell
www.autotrader.co.uk attracts over 10.3 million potential car buyers a month*, plus your adverts
automatically go onto the Auto Trader mobile platform which attracts 285,000 unique users a month.**
Additionally, your ad also appears on our partner sites (such as: Top Gear, MSN Cars, Telegraph, Auto
Express) at no extra cost.
The Auto Trader magazine attracts a national circulation of 239,205 copies per weekly issue***, and is split
up across the following areas: Thames Valley, London, East of England, Kent, Sussex, Surrey,
Southern, Midlands, North West, North East, Scottish, South West, Wales & Yorkshire
Advertise on the website and in the magazine for maximum coverage and a quick sale.
Prepare your car
Car Maintenance
Check your oil level using the dipstick and ﬁll accordingly. Clean oil looks far better than sludgy,
treacle so if necessary consider an oil change. It won’t cost the world, and can make a big
difference.
Review your car’s brake ﬂuid, windscreen washer and coolant levels and ﬁll accordingly – use
sweet-smelling washer ﬂuid for maximum impact.
Clean out leaves and debris from the air intakes and make the engine bay appear well
looked after.
Check your tyre pressure and replace any punctured or well worn tyres - tread depth should
be at least 1.6mm deep – 3mm is strongly recommended.
Repair or replace any damaged car parts that affect driving, or make people aware of the
faults in your advert or during the viewing.
* Omniture site catalyst March 2009
** Omniture site catalyst July 2008
*** ABC February 2009
08
Cleaning your car
Cleaning checklist:
Car shampoo
Vacuum cleaner
Low-gloss cleaner
Sponge
Window cleaner and cloth
Car wax or polish
Leather chamois
Bucket or hose
All of the above products can be found at Auto Trader’s car accessory shop, where you can get them
delivered straight to your door.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/CARS/partsaccessories/parts_and_accessories.jsp.
Wash the car from the roof down with car shampoo and a sponge. Avoid using washing up
liquid, as it contains salt which can cause rust - scratches can be covered with special ﬂuids
such as T-Cut.
Clean the wheels last. Try using a special alloy wheel cleaner if dirt is particularly stubborn to
remove.
Rinse the car thoroughly with a hose or bucket of water and dry with a chamois leather.
Use car wax or polish to create the perfect sheen. Don’t worry if paint residue appears on the
cloth; this is just a layer of ‘dead paint’.
Stone chips can be removed with a paint touch-up stick. These aren’t expensive and can
dramatically improve your car’s presentation.
Minor dents can be repaired but be realistic – if your car isn’t worth much more than the cost of
repairs, it might not be worth it.
Consider replacing any wheel trims and repair damaged alloys, especially if they’ve been
kerbed.
Finally, missing badges stand out like a sore thumb, so consider buying replacements before
putting your car up for sale.
A car’s interior is just as important as its exterior – car buyers want a comfortable drive that looks great inside
as well as out.
Vacuum the carpets, mats, seats, dashboard and any dusty crevices.
Use low-gloss cleaner on the dashboard (avoid household polish).
Wipe glass with window cleaner and a damp chamois.
Consider getting minor damage or holes on the dashboard ﬁxed by specialists.
Empty the ashtrays; spray and wipe them clean.
Use a light air freshener or odour neutralisers if the car smells of smoke, but don’t use too much.
09
Great advertising
Wording your advert
The perfect car ad will include the following:
1. Exact type of car - Write the correct car type and model – for example “Ford Focus Ghia 1.8
5-door hatchback” and not “Focus hatchback.”
2. Year and registration letter - Be as descriptive as possible. Writing 1999/T or 2006/56 is ﬁne.
“T-reg” or “2000 model-year” are easier to read.
3. Mileage - Include the car’s mileage.
4. Colour - Be as precise as possible. “Metallic blue” is more helpful than “Sorrento Shimmer”.
5. Tax - State whether the vehicle comes with road tax, or when the current tax disc expires.
6. MOT - Include the due date of your car’s next MOT.
7. Service history - If your car has a recorded service history, mention it. If it’s complete, put
“full service history”. Use the full words and avoid abbreviations.
8. Number of owners - State how many previous owners the car has had and how long they
owned it for. Cars with fewer owners are desirable and could clinch a quick sale.
9. Features - Show off your car’s best features – air conditioning, alloy wheels, electric
windows, central locking and so on. Remember to include any modiﬁcations you’ve made to
the vehicle here.
10. Asking price - Expect buyers to haggle, so set your price slightly higher than the minimum
price you’d accept.
11. Reason - Explain why you’ve put your vehicle up for sale to reassure the buyer – perhaps
you’re buying a new car or moving abroad.
12. Pictures - Attach as many photos as possible (up to a maximum of nine) and make your
advert stand out – you can now even display a video slide show of your images.
When advertising online you can revisit your advert copy and change it at anytime.
Perfect Pictures
Choose a good location to take the pictures; a green, light, background scenery can really help
your car stand out.
Picture quality should be at least 0.3 Mega Pixels (640 x 480 Pixels).
Take 9 images of your vehicle - adverts with nine images have proven to increase response by 5.7%*. We
recommend the following angles to ensure the car buyer has a complete view of the car and knows
you’re not hiding anything.
* Auto Trader internal stats August 2009
10
Photo 1: Close up of the vehicle with the bonnet pointing to the right.
Photo 2: Close up of the vehicle with the bonnet pointing to the left.
Photo 3: Side on shot of the vehicle.
Photo 4: Head on shot of the vehicle.
Photo 5: Back end of vehicle.
Photo 6: Shot of dash from passenger’s side across to driver’s door.
Photo 7: Dashboard instruments and steering wheel.
Photo 8: Rear seats shot.
Photo 9: Shot of the engine.
Viewings & Negotiations
When the buyer calls:
Be polite and try to make yourself available.
For peace of mind arrange a viewing during the day, on your own territory and when a friend or
relative will be present.
Think carefully when giving a caller ﬁrst refusal on a car – you might put off subsequent callers.
Refrain from giving out unnecessary information over the phone.
Inform them you require proof of insurance before you will let them drive your car.
If you’ve arranged a viewing, tell subsequent callers, and make sure you take their details as
they are all potential buyers. Call them back when you know what’s going on, so they know
where they stand.
The viewing:
When the buyer arrives, it is important to keep on top of the situation.
Never leave the buyer with the keys.
Never let them wander around your house.
11
Negotiating
Have three prices in mind before meeting the buyer:
1. The price you’d love to get
2. A good, fair deal
3. The lowest sum you are willing to sell at – never go below this
DO:
Be conﬁdent and appear to know what you’re talking about
Stay relaxed
Be friendly
Act straightforward in a businesslike manner
Stay in control
DON’T:
Get carried away or emotional
Fall out with the buyer or complain about a low price - when this happens just re-sell the key
features and re-iterate the selling price, but open it up for negotiation.
Making the sale
In an ideal world, you’ll be paid cash. Try to get it handed over to you in a bank, so you can pay it in straight
away and the cashier can count for you.
Another safe payment method is via online banking. It allows you to receive the funds straight into your bank
account, it can take a few days, so don’t release the car until the bank tells you the funds have been
successfully transferred.
Cheques and bank or building society cheques can cause problems. Personal cheques can be cancelled or
issued without the available funds in the account, meaning that if you’ve handed the car over, it could be the
last you’ll see of it.
Despite common belief, bank or building society cheques aren’t as good as cash. With quality forgeries
changing hands, don’t release the vehicle until the money has cleared.
You should ask the bank if you can draw funds against the cheque. Don’t ask the bank if the cheque has
cleared as this can mean something different.
Ask the buyer for ID with an address and landline telephone number. If something goes wrong, you’ll know
where to ﬁnd them. If they are reluctant to give this information, you should be wary.
Write a receipt for both you and the buyer, stating the car is being sold and make sure you both sign it.
Documents & Handover
Fill out the slip at the bottom of the V5C registration document (or ‘logbook’) and send it to the DVLA,
informing them of a change in owner.
Give the top part of the V5C to the new owner.
Hand over the car’s handbook, service book and MOT certiﬁcate (if it’s over three years old) plus any other
useful manuals and documents.
12
FAQs
Why haven’t I received any response to my advert?
Ensure all details are correct and consider dropping your asking price. Call us on 0845 345 3450 for expert advice.
How do I avoid canvass calls?
Telesafe
Opt for Telesafe when placing an advert and Auto Trader will block all known canvassers for free.
If you are concerned or have been affected by this, please contact our customer service line on:
0845 345 3450.
I have heard about canvass calls, but what are they?
Canvass calls come from companies who try to persuade the car seller to advertise with them for a ﬁxed fee.
Some promise that they have a number of buyers on their database who are waiting to buy their car and offer to
refund the fee if the car does not sell. Unfortunately in many cases the promised buyers do not materialise and
neither does the refund. When sellers have later checked the companies’ websites they have found the ﬁrms’
terms and conditions state refunds will not be given under any circumstances. Some companies have been found
to have numerous addresses and have proved very difﬁcult to track down when trying to complain.
Auto Trader wants to make it clear that it does not pass any customer information on to these companies and that
it does not work in partnership with companies of this nature in any way.
What should I do if I receive a canvass call?
You should NEVER hand money or provide bank details to canvassers over the phone.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly by one of these companies get in touch with your local Trading
Standards Ofﬁce and lodge a complaint. It may be possible for your credit card company to help you if
you complain you haven’t received the service you were promised, so ensure you ring them as well.
If you have any questions or
require any help, call our
customer service line on
0845 345 3450
Disclaimer:
Whilst every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in this Seller’s Pack, Trader Media Group cannot be held liable
for any loss, directly or indirectly as a result of any information or advice provided.
13
Find this car at www.autotrader.co.uk
,
FOR SALE
Name
TOP TIP
Viewing Date
Viewing Time
Asked for
insurance details?
For peace of mind meet the buyer in the day, on your own territory and when a friend or relative may be around.
Although it may seem obvious never allow a buyer to go for a test drive on their own.
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Tel:
Contact Details
CAR VIEWING DIARY
CAR SPECIFICATION SHEET
Make + Model
Make
Model
Car Type(Tick box)
Hatchback
People Carrier
Saloon
Coupe
Estate
4x4
Convertible
Other
Fuel Type(Tick box)
Petrol
Diesel
LPG
Bi Fuel
Electric
Price
Mileage
Hybrid
Age
Colour
Engine Size
Number of Doors (Tick box)
2
3
4
5
Transmission
Automatic
Manual
Semi-automatic
Number of Owners
Features(Tick Box):
Electric windows
Central Locking
Other features
Tax Renewal Date
Mot Due date
Full Service History
Yes
No
Number of owners
Reason for selling
Alloy wheels
Bluetooth
Air Conditioning
Seat Heaters
Sunroof
Inbuilt Sat Nav