The best ways to sell your used car
Thinking about selling your car? Maybe you’re looking for something bigger to cope with a growing family, or searching for a new car on a cheaper finance deal. Whatever your circumstances, getting rid of your used car can feel like a pain. But don’t panic – we’re here to make it easy, in just a few simple steps.
Motorway is a UK-based online car buying service with over 7,500 verified dealers. Start with a free, instant valuation and see how much you could get when you sell your used car.
We’re not totally biased, though – read on to find out more about the best ways to sell a car. And if you’re not ready to sell quite yet, you can track the value of your used car with our helpfully named Car Value Tracker tool and find when is the best time to sell.
- Selling through Motorway
- Selling privately
- Selling by part exchange
- Selling at an auction
- Selling for scrap
- FAQs
1. Selling through Motorway
An online car buying service is a great place to start, even if we do say so ourselves. There are multiple websites available, including Motorway, that offer an easy solution to selling your car. Simply enter your registration number online to get a quote. Some car buying websites require you to take your car to a local drop-off point, while some offer collection at a time and place that suits you.
It’s worth looking at different car buying websites to find the one that best suits your needs. For example, some services accept cars in poor condition or without service history, while some let you buy cars through their platform, too.
But, with over 80,000 ‘Excellent’ reviews on Trustpilot and over 7,500 dealers in our network, obviously we are a great place to start. It’s easy to sell with Motorway in just a few steps. Simply enter your reg for a free, instant valuation, then snap a few photos using our easy-to-use app. We’ll help finalise the price and get your car listed in our daily auctions, getting bids from over 7,500 verified dealers. Best of all, it’s 100% free to sell your car.
Once it’s sold, simply arrange free collection from the winning dealer at a convenient time for you. We’ll sort all the paperwork for you, too, including paying off any existing finance plans. It’s car selling made easy.
What are the positives of selling your car with Motorway?
- Quick and easy process – sell from the comfort of your sofa
- Sell your car even if it is still on finance
- Get an average of £1,600 more with Motorway than by part exchange
What are the negatives of selling your car with Motorway?
- You might be able to get more if you sold privately
- Price could be adjusted if extra damage is found
- No opportunity to haggle (if that’s your thing)
Other ways to sell to a car-buying service
Carwow
Carwow is an online car buying and selling platform, founded in 2011. It launched a car buying service in 2021, letting customers list their car to a network of over 5,500 dealers. It works in a similar way to Motorway, so you can enter your reg for a free valuation, then proceed to list your car in their auction. Once it’s sold, agree on a collection date and have your money paid straight to your account.
The brand’s breadth of services include buying new cars, selling your old one, plus car reviews, videos and editorial, offering lots of support to motorists. In fact, Carwow has the biggest automotive YouTube channel in the world, with over 11 million subscribers.* As an all-purpose platform, Carwow offers lots of services to let you sell and buy a car with confidence.
Positives of Carwow
- One of the largest online car buying and selling platform in Europe*
- Carwow offers comprehensive automotive services including reviews, guides, and the world’s most popular automotive YouTube channel, with over 1.1bn annual views
- An easy way to sell your car, with competitive prices, no seller fees and free collection
Negatives of Carwow
- The final sale price is subject to inspection and might be knocked down if there is any undeclared damage
- You’ll likely get more money for your car if you sold it privately
- Carwow only has around 5,500 dealers on the platform – Motorway has over 7,500
webuyanycar
Anyone after a quick car sale will know about webuyanycar (also known as We Buy Any Car or just WBAC). Founded in 2006, it’s the UK’s largest instant car buyer, offering an easy alternative to private selling or part exchange. Over 4 million people have sold their car with WBAC at one of the 500+ branches across the UK.* Simply enter your car registration to get an instant quote, then book an appointment at a location that suits you. The team will look over your car – and are known for making price adjustments at this stage – but can buy your car within the hour, with money in your bank account in just 15 minutes if you’re willing to pay an extra fee.
Webuyanycar doesn’t offer a collection service, so you’ll need to deliver your car to a nearby branch (and find a way to get home again if you sell). It also has the added benefit of buying cars in poor condition, for example with existing damage or without a valid MOT. It will even buy non-runners and cars with no insurance, which most other services won’t, but you’ll need to get it to the branch yourself. You’ll also likely get a much lower price for your car than with other car buying services such as Motorway.
Positives of webuyanycar
- Over 500 branches across the UK to take your car to
- Buys cars in any condition, including non-runners or with no MOT, which most other services won’t
- Sell your car in under an hour, with money in your account in 15 minutes (for an extra fee)
Negatives of webuyanycar
- Likely to get a much lower price than with other car buying platforms
- You have to deliver your car to your chosen branch (and find a way home again if you sell)
- Known for offering price reductions when the team assesses your vehicle on site
2. Selling privately
Whether you put an ad on Facebook, list it on an online platform or go old school with an advert in the local paper, selling your car privately relies on you finding someone else to buy the car from you. You can normally get more money by going down this route, but it can come with much more hassle and stress.
Start by taking honest photos and writing a thorough description before listing on your choice of platform, such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay Motors, Gumtree or Autotrader. These sites generate a huge amount of traffic, so you’ll get plenty of eyes on your used car listing. However, because of this, some of these marketplaces charge high fees to list an advert, so make sure you factor that into your costs when you come to sell. Once your advert is live, be prepared to answer enquiries, organise viewings and go out on any test drives – just make sure the buyer is insured if you do.
It’s worth bearing in mind you won’t be able to sell your car privately if there is an outstanding finance agreement on it. The car is legally owned by the finance company until the loan is fully repaid, so selling it privately without settling the finance is illegal and could be considered fraud.
What are the positives of selling your car privately?
- Likely to get a higher price from a private buyer
- Can negotiate with the buyer
- Full control over when you sell and who you sell to
What are the negatives of selling your car privately?
- Responsible for organising viewings and answering questions
- Have to personally meet with buyers and organise the sale
- Illegal to sell if your car has an existing finance plan
Other ways to sell your car privately
Autotrader
Autotrader is the UK’s largest car marketplace for private sales, with an average of 449,000 live car stock per month in 2025.* The high-tech platform has a finance calculator built in, plus listing optimisation, market valuation and in-app messaging system, making it a popular option for private sellers. It does come with premium listing fees, starting from £9.95 for low-value cars, but offers maximum exposure to its huge audience – Autotrader had over 81m cross-platform visits per month in 2025.*
For sellers looking to get the highest price for their car, it offers the best platform to attract private buyers, with full control over the process and no commission fees. However, it comes with the extra effort of selling privately, where you’ll have to organise your own viewings, speak to interested parties and arrange payment yourself.
Positives of Autotrader
- The UK’s largest car marketplace with an average of 449k live car stock per month in 2025
- Lots of features for sellers including a finance calculator, market valuation and listing optimisation
- Likely to get the highest price for your vehicle when selling privately
Negatives of Autotrader
- Expensive fees to list your vehicle, depending on the value of your car
- Much more labour intensive – you have to organise all of the viewings and payment yourself
- Can be more risky as doesn’t have the safety and security of other car-buying platforms
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is another private selling platform, linked to the social media site and launched in 2016. Over 16% of all Facebook users regularly use Marketplace*, as it allows people to list all kinds of items for sale, with a specific section for cars.
The platform isn’t as high-tech as others, for example there’s no option to organise finance, and car dealers are limited in what they can list on the platform. But, it’s totally free to list, and has a local focus that can help with a quick sale. You might not get the best price via Facebook Marketplace, as potential customers are known for some strong haggling, but it’s an easy way to get your car in front of buyers. Again, you’ll need to be prepared to deal with messages, arrange viewings and organise payment, all of which you’ll have to do through your personal Facebook profile.
Positives of Facebook Marketplace
- Free platform with easy, integrated messaging to buyer via the social media app
- Has a local focus, so it works well for quick sales
- Gives you full control over the selling process
Negatives of Facebook Marketplace
- A more basic platform known for lots of timewasters
- Marketplace also includes adverts for other types of products, e.g. clothes, so your advert can get lost
- Extra effort as you have to organise the viewing, paperwork and payment yourself
3. Selling by part exchange
If you’re looking to buy another car at the same time as selling your existing one, part exchange could be an easy answer. That means a dealership will buy your old car as part-payment for your new one, meaning you only need to pay the difference. The dealer will sort all the paperwork and can take it off your hands there and then. Most dealers will also let you part exchange your car even if it has an existing finance plan on it, by settling the deal with the finance company directly.
This method works well if you’re actively in the market for a different car, new or used, as the dealer can offer a quick and convenient way to sell and buy at the same time. While super convenient, part exchange isn’t the best way to get the most money for your car. The dealership will incorporate costs – such as stocking, preparing and reselling – into their offer, as well as looking to maximise profit. So, while it’s easy, you might not get the best price.
What are the positives of selling by part exchange?
- Convenient when buying a new car
- Easy process with paperwork taken care of
- Dealers can buy a car still on a finance plan
What are the negatives of selling by part exchange?
- You’ll likely be offered a lower price so the dealer can make more profit
- There might be hidden fees such as admin charges
- If you’re changing cars, you’ll be limited to what’s available at that dealership
4. Selling at an auction
Going once, going twice… Selling your car at auction is a good way to get your car in front of lots of potential buyers at once. However, it will only be sold at face value and buyers won’t have a chance to test drive your used car. This might work against you if it doesn’t look in the best condition. When you enter your car to an auction, you can set a reserve price, meaning the car won’t be sold if no one bids over that. The car selling process, from auction to payment, can vary in length depending on the auction schedule. You’ll also be charged a fee to sell, so make sure you take that into consideration.
What are the positives of selling at an auction?
- Lots of potential buyers all in one go
- No need to organise viewings or speak to potential buyers directly
- Process is managed by the auction house
What are the negatives of selling at an auction?
- Auction house will charge fees when you sell
- Car might not sell if it doesn’t reach the reserve price
- Takes effort to research the most suitable auction house
5. Selling your car for scrap
If your car is in bad condition, such as with engine problems or damaged after an accident, your best bet might be selling your car for scrap. Here at Motorway, we can’t buy a car that has failed its MOT, so this could also offer an alternative. You can find a nearby scrap merchant or use an online comparison tool to find the best price from a selection of different scrap buyers.
FAQs about selling a used car
Can I sell my car with outstanding finance?
Yes, but only through a dealer or online car buying service that can settle the finance for you. Selling privately without clearing finance is illegal.
What is the quickest way to sell a car?
An online car buying service like Motorway or selling directly to a dealership is usually the quickest turnaround, often in a few days or less.
Which method gets the most money?
Private sales generally achieve the highest price, but they require more time and effort.
Ready to get selling? Get your free, instand valuation from Motorway and let us take care of the paperwork, payment and collection. Selling your car really can be that easy.
What are the differences between the major car buying services?
You’ll likely be aware of the many different platforms now available to help you sell your car. Of course, Motorway is one of them, but there’s also car-buying services such as webuyanycar and Carwow, plus private marketplaces including Autotrader and Facebook Marketplace. Check out the table below for the key differences between the major players.