Selling car privately - test drives?

Mr_Thrifty

Ask them to put down a £25 deposit. LOL

rdwarr

Hintza wrote: »

I wouldn't be buying your car if I didn't get a test drive, I would not be getting day insurance nor bringing my insurance with me (as it happens I am covered.)

That in most cases is the reality and if you you are not happy then probably best to either trade it in or auction it.

I disagree. I sold two cars last year on eBay, both unseen and without a test drive (or even further questions). Got a fair price too.

It's totally unreasonable to expect a private seller to have motor trade insurance. In most cases buyers will have DOC cover (which they are happy to show to the seller - can't see your problem there) or the seller will drive under instruction from the potential buyer.

Looking at your location you probably won't be buying a car from me anyway

Hintza

rdwarr wrote: »

I disagree. I sold two cars last year on eBay, both unseen and without a test drive (or even further questions). Got a fair price too.

As it so happens I have been buying salvage over the last few years and they normally aren't in a fit state to move let alone drive, but I take the view it was probably running OK before it was pranged.

I would still want a feel of the clutch and brakes even if I let the owner drive it.

LincolnshireYokel

gord115 wrote: »

Even if the buyer is fully comp with their car,they will only be third party when they drive your car.
If they crash on the test drive,they don't have to pay for your car.
I would never let anyone drive my car without day insurance.

I wouldn't let anyone drive. Ill drive, ill demo it, thats all. You can drive it when ive got your money and the V5 has been filled in with your name and address, at that point its your car and you can do what you like with it.

Ultrasonic

Quentin wrote: »

Ask them to bring photo id/insurance cert. And to bring cash (for the asking price) to leave as a deposit whilst they do the test drive.

I can't see many (any?) potential purchasers agreeing to that. It would strike me as very foolhardy on the part of the potential buyer if they did do.

Personally I wouldn't consider buying a car if I couldn't test drive it myself first. I also wouldn't want to do so without fully comp. insurance on it. As a potential purhaser I think I'd be encouraged if a seller was at least willing to split the cost of day insurance with me.

For those advocating sellers state that buyers test drive cars on a you damage it, you pay for it basis, would it perhaps be prudent to get the prospective purchaser to sign something to that effect?

Sgt_Pepper_2

fivetide wrote: »

Yes it's basically permitting the offence and also carries £200 and 6 point fine.


5t.

If the seller is in the car at the time they are actually using it not permitting.

Ultrasonic

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

If the seller is in the car at the time they are actually using it not permitting.

Surely sitting next to a person driving your car that you know is not insured to do so cannot be legal though, whatever this is strictly called?

Quentin

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I can't see many (any?) potential purchasers agreeing to that. It would strike me as very foolhardy on the part of the potential buyer if they did do.

Even more foolhardy for a vendor to allow a stranger to drive the car under the third party only cover provided by their insurer

I wouldn't consider buying a car if I couldn't test drive it myself first. I also wouldn't want to do so without fully comp. insurance on it. As a potential purhaser I think I'd be encouraged if a seller was at least willing to split the
cost of day insurance with me.

Why would you need fully comp insurance when you weren't driving your own car?

And day insurance isn't cheap, (a vendor would have to incorporate the cost of day insurance for test drives into the asking price)!

Johnmcl7

I'm perhaps over the top but when I have gone to test drive a private car I have taken my license, insurance (or taken out day insurance) and I've expected the seller to come out on the test drive as a passenger. If I wasn't allowed to drive the car myself then I'd walk away, there is no point being in the car while it is being driven as I can't get any feel from it as you do when driving through the steering wheel, pedals and gearstick.

John

Aretnap

gord115 wrote: »

Even if the buyer is fully comp with their car,they will only be third party when they drive your car.
If they crash on the test drive,they don't have to pay for your car.

They'd be obliged to pay for it if they damaged it and the accident was their fault. Whether they'd actually pay, and whether you could prise the money out of them when they didn't, are different questions of course.

Apart from the possibility of a permitting no insurance charge, if a test driver did get stopped by the police and couldn't prove that he was insured to drive it they'd likely seize the car, leaving you with a bill of £150 or so to get it back.