Craig and Melissa’s story: Selling their beloved car to go on a honeymoon beyond their wildest dreams

Selling their car unlocked two major goals for newlyweds Craig and Melissa: a safari honeymoon, and home renovations.

When Craig and Melissa bought their dream car, a black Mercedes GLA, they planned to keep it for at least five years. It was custom-fitted with heated seats and steering wheel, and Melissa’s dad even helped maintain its near-mint condition by installing seat covers and cleaning it meticulously! 

Their prized Mercedes took the couple and their dog on holidays around the UK, and even down to their magical clifftop wedding venue in Devon. It held precious memories, and reminded the couple of all the hard work they’d put into buying it.

However, two years into owning the car, Craig and Melissa started planning their dream honeymoon: a safari in Kenya, followed by a week on the beach. They realised that their savings would leave them with a very tight budget. With their home suddenly needing renovations too, Craig had what he described as a ‘crazy idea’ one evening and ran a valuation for their car on Motorway. 

Melissa was sceptical when Craig showed her the impressive valuation their GLA received. Where she would have expected to see up to £15,000 displayed at the very most, they were shown a price of about £21,000. With their outstanding finance balance much lower, if they really achieved that price they’d be able to pocket thousands and enjoy both a dream honeymoon and work done to their home – with more financial breathing room.

Craig profiled their Mercedes on the Motorway app, finding it easy to use, and appreciating how it promoted honesty about wear and tear, avoiding difficult conversations later on and ensuring the valuation was truly reflective of their car. He felt proud uploading the photos, seeing how professional they looked, thanks to Motorway’s AI photo assistant. 

When the best price came through at the end of the sale, Melissa’s scepticism turned into shock – ‘in a good way!’ – as they achieved the same high price they’d been quoted right at the start of the process. Their buyer arranged their free collection promptly and didn’t find any additional damage to the car, so their finance was cleared with the rest of the sum paid straight into their bank account while the dealer was still on their driveway.

Feeling like they’d won the lottery, Craig and Melissa got the work to their home sorted quickly, then set off on a honeymoon that turned out to be beyond their wildest dreams. They visited three different national parks and saw leopards, cheetahs, and lions – plus baby lion cubs! 

For Craig and Melissa, it was sad to say goodbye to their dream car so early into owning it, but priceless to experience the holiday of their dreams a year into their marriage. Their favourite elements of the Motorway experience? ‘How simple it is, how there’s very little pressure, and how it does what it says on the tin’. 

If you’re looking to free up some capital, see what you could get for your car today with an instant, online valuation.