Selling car privately - test drives?

Ultrasonic

Quentin wrote: »

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

That isn't the only alternative to your suggestion though, and not one that I was advocating.

Quentin wrote: »

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

You wouldn't need it, but I said I would want it. For the obvious reason that if I were unlucky/stupid enough to be involved in an accident during the test drive that I was deemed responsible for, I wouldn't want to be liable for the full cost of the repair/repacement of the car I was driving. Whilst I do not regularly go around crashing cars (never, in fact), I would also expect that the chance of me doing so when driving a strange car for the first time during a test drive would be rather higher than normal. It is obviously a matter on personal choice whether to take the risk or not.

almillar

Different opinions here from purchasers and sellers.
When selling, I'll drive first, then swap, I'll ask if they're insured, and if they say yes that's fine. If they are stopped and turn out to not be insured, at least I asked.
When buying, especially older and cheaper cars, you'd be foolish NOT to get a drive yourself. What if the power steering doesn't work and the seller manages to hide it?!
I'd be happy to show the seller my insurance certificate, which states that I'm insured (third party) on any vehicle, with that vehicle's named driver's permission. Many policies have this (always check when you get insurance), but lots exclude, for example, under 25s. If it doesn't say so on the certificate, it's no use as that's the only document the police are interested in.

pinkteapot

Thanks again for the feedback all.

Sold the car today - buyer asked me to drive it (he came as a passenger). I got 1/4 mile up the road and he said that's fine, so we came back again! He didn't even ask to drive it. Cash handed over. Job done.

Advertised at 10am on Autotrader. Sold at 1pm. Had phone calls from about 5 different people. I fear I may have under-priced it!

Oh well, job done. My plan was to ask about insurance if he did want to drive it and I'll know that for the future now. Even if he'd said yes I was going to go to a local business park that's all private roads and near-empty at weekends.

Hintza

pinkteapot wrote: »

I fear I may have under-priced it!

Under pricing it slightly means that it does not become the headache it could. Most people over price it and take ages to sell their pile of junk.

pinkteapot

Yeah I'd been watching others locally on Autotrader - it was a bog standard MkIV Astra so there's loads of them. There were a handful that hadn't sold in the last month on for £895 so I stuck it up at £795 and took £780.

I was hugely attached to it so I was pleased it was all done and dusted quickly. Even managed not to cry when he drove it off. Even more pleased when I cancelled my insurance and got a £200 refund. :money:

He did get 1/2 tank petrol with it as I didn't think it would sell that fast!

yangptangkipperbang

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Insurance, not really my problem. They get the point if they are stopped.

Really ? If traffic police stop the driver they impound YOUR car !

property.advert

In this day and age you cannot give your vehicle to someone who may have a dodgy license, is probably uninsured and is almost certainly not covered fully comprehensive.