Best way to sell an old second hand car?

YORKSHIRELASS

Well we were hoping to keep our car for a bit longer but have decided that it may be time to let it go - the bodywork is starting to deteriorate and there is a slight seepage of oil that could spell trouble.

Its a bog standard 10 year old Zafira, fsh, 8 months MOT, 97k miles on the clock, cam belt changed, new steering rack, other bits and pieces done as necessary.

I appreciate its not worth a huge amount but how do we get the most money for it? I have never sold a car on ebay before, is this the way to go? Any tips or advice?

Or do I just stick some for sale signs in it and park it out on the road?

dannyrst

Your car doesn't sound to be in the best state. I would personally sell it to a garage. They won't look as closely at it as a private buyer so smaller issues won't knock the price down. You may be advertising for months and paying for ads and lose a lot of money if you go down the private sale route.

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks, we could part-ex it because we will be buying from a garage but is this the best thing to do?

dannyrst

Yes. Do some valuations, be realistic about what you expect to get them go find a car you like. Then haggle on the price they offer for your car. Then, when they think a deal is done, haggle the price of the new car. The longer you take the better, a salesman doesn't mind spending 30 mins on a failed sale, but doesn't want to spend 2 hours on one.

colino

Clean it, clean it again, hoover it, then polish it. Take pictures inside and out from as many angles as you can think of, then put a good, fullsome ad. on Autotrader using the best pics.. Your car is worth virtually nothing as a TI, but they still have a following and with details like a timing belt change, a nice cash in hand deal will be better than anything a local trader will offer you.

forgotmyname

The garage may offer you peanuts for your trade in though. But they may switch the figures to say yeah we will give you £2000 for it when it maybe worth much less. But they wont give you the £2000 discount that you would have got for cash.

You need to ask the question, how much to swap and how much for straight cash.

prof.azer

Take pictures inside and out from as many angles as you can think of, then put a good, fullsome ad. on Autotrader using the best pics.

loskie

Dannyrst is offering poor advice.
trade in for simplicity and least hassle but poor price.
Clean it and put an ad on Gumtree, use all 9 photos, good honest description and price it realistically and it will sell.
With 8m MOT left I wouldn't bother with a fresh one but if you think it would pass another that may be £40 odd well spent.
And yes before some smart !!!! says it is £54.85 most places will charge 40 to 45.
Sign in the road too is free and effective and likely to yield results too.
I would avoid paying for an ad if I could.

Having no trade in should make your buying process more transparent too.

mcjordi

you'd be suprised how much zafira's make on ebay etc.. with a new belt and steering rack at that sort of age and miles you should see £1000 upwards on ebay or gumtree..

fred246

I photographed mine and put it on Gumtree for free and Autotrader for £7.95. I avoided ebay because the fees were too high and I didn't want to be paid by paypal with all the problems that can cause. It went very quickly.

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks all. The garage are offering us £500 part ex so it's got to be worth having a go selling it privately. Similar Zafiras have sold for £1100 so you never know. Will look at Gumtree, don't know much about it.