How to proceed when selling a car

You don't sell a car every day, maybe as a car dealer, but private individuals drive their cars for an average of 9.5 years. Most cars on German roads are about 8 years old, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority.

Options for selling

Nowadays, there are internet platforms that take over the car sale for their customers / users or offer them a price and you can easily hand in the car at a certain place. The advantages of these internet platforms are that you don't have to negotiate and you don't have to answer questions from interested parties. However, it may not be possible to get the best price. It is therefore advisable to have your car valued first. There are also various Internet portals for this. Car owners also have the option of placing the car for sale on a sales portal and negotiating a good price.

This is how private online sales work

The price can be demonstrably higher if the car is well looked after and clean. If this is not the case for you, the car can be upgraded with a professional car preparation. In addition, buyers mostly pay attention to the fact that the car has a well-maintained chequebook. A checkbook documents the inspections and maintenance carried out on the car. But don't worry, people also like to buy cars that are not in good repair. The car should still have at least one year's MOT.

It is important for the internet portals to have photos that are not blurred or blurred and show the car from all sides as well as from the inside. Don't forget to write all the equipment features in your sales advertisement and, of course, to note the condition of the car. In principle, private individuals like to buy a car that is accident-free and undamaged. Small scratches or dents that are not very noticeable tend to play a minor role in used cars and only depress the price by a few euros. The correct mileage and year of manufacture are the most important data that attract prospective buyers. In many cases, prospective buyers want to know how many previous owners there were. Buyers often want to test drive the car, so it would be advantageous if you were present during the drive, because questions could arise during the test drive.

Things to bear in mind when selling

If a potential buyer agrees with you, you should conclude a contract of sale with the buyer. In the contract of sale you should include a clause with a sentence like: Sold under exclusion of any warranty. It is essential that you include in the contract all the defects that the car has at the time of sale.

Finally, it is important not to hand over the vehicle registration document and keys until the full purchase price has been paid. The car should only be sold with your registered number plate in an emergency, otherwise it is strongly advised to inform the vehicle registration office and the insurance company immediately after the sale.

Tip: There are many prefabricated sales contracts on the internet that are provided free of charge.

Visit us on: