Top 5 best ways to sell a 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, you have several options, including fast online car buying services – such as Motorway – and selling privately.
The best method for you depends on how quickly you want to sell, how much you want to get for it, and how much time you’re willing to invest.
Motorway is a UK-based online car buying service with over 7,500 verified dealers. Start with a free, no-obligation valuation and see how much you could get when you sell your used car.
We’re not totally biased, though – this guide explains the five best ways to sell a car, with the pros and cons of each method. You’ll also find tips for selling a car with finance, selling at auction, and when it might be best to scrap your vehicle.
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.
So who will buy your car? The 5 best ways to sell explained:
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.
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, non-obligation 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)
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
3. Selling to a dealer
You can sell your car to an established dealership, which is often a quick and easy process. You’ll likely get the most money by selling to the same brand as your car, but many franchise dealerships buy cars of all models.
However, you might get a lower price in this case as they are unlikely to sell it directly themselves. Dealerships will be focused on maximising their profits, so you’ll need to bring your best haggling skills during the car selling process.
However, dealerships will be able to help with settling finance plans, as long as the car is worth more than your outstanding balance (known as positive equity). If your car has lost too much value, it might be in negative equity.
But don’t worry – you can sell a negative equity car with Motorway just as easily.
What are the positives of selling to a dealership?
- More trusted and reliable buyers
- Easy process with paperwork taken care of
- Dealers can buy a car still on a finance plan
What are the negatives of selling to a dealership?
- If you’re changing cars, you’ll be limited to what’s available at that dealership
- You’ll likely be offered a lower price so they can make more profit
- There might be hidden fees such as admin charges
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. Sell 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. If you have the knowledge and skills to do it yourself, you may be able to break your car up into spare parts and sell them separately.
But for most people, a scrap car buying service will be able to collect your car quickly and easily, offering a great solution for cars that are past their best.
Here at Motorway, we can’t buy a car that has failed its MOT, so this could offer an alternative. You can check your car’s MOT status, then track its value and sell at the right time with our tool.
You might have heard of scrappage schemes to help when you buy a more modern car. There aren’t many of these available anymore, but if you’re wanting to buy a new car, it’s always worth speaking to the dealer about how to get the best for your used car.
What are the positives of selling your car for scrap?
- Quick and easy process
- Many services offer free collection from your address
- The best option if your car is not working or has failed its MOT
What are the negatives of selling your car for scrap?
- Although an easy option, might not be the last resort if you could fix any damage
- You’ll only get paid its scrap value, which usually isn’t very much
- You might need to deliver the car yourself
FAQs
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, compared with online car buying services and dealerships. But they require more time and effort as you are responsible for organising the listing, viewings, test drives, and paperwork yourself.
Can I scrap a car without an MOT?
Yes. Licensed scrap services can collect vehicles without an MOT directly from your home.
Is it time to sell your car?
Ready to get selling? Get your free, no-obligation valuation from Motorway and let us take care of the paperwork, payment and collection. Selling your car really can be that easy.
- Sell my car online with Motorway now
- Instant cash for your car now
- Find car buyers now
- Value your car now
- Explore car buying sites now
- How to sell a car privately: Complete guide
- How to sell a car to a dealer: Complete guide
- How to sell my Land Rover – the ultimate guide
- How to sell my Mercedes-Benz – the ultimate guide
- How to sell my Jaguar – the ultimate guide
- How to sell my VW – the ultimate guide
- How to sell my MINI – the ultimate guide
- Alternatives to Gumtree
- Alternatives to Auto Trader
- Alternatives to We Buy Any Car