If you are thinking of selling your car, you’ve probably considered listing it online, but with so many different websites to use, it can be difficult knowing where to begin. Luckily for you, we’ve provided a guide to the best places to sell your car online and included the pros and cons for each option.

Classified car ads website

There are a number of websites that you can create classified car advertisements to reach a wider audience. These range from websites that advertise both new and second hand cars to niche sites that specialise in advertising certain makes and models.

Pros

One of the best things about these websites is they make it quick and easy for you to get your advert up. Simply write a description, add a few photos and it’ll be live within minutes. Sometimes it’ll be free, sometimes you’ll have to pay, it all depends on the website.

These websites advertise your car to a much larger audience than you’d be able to reach with an advert in a local newspaper or a sign on your vehicle, giving you a much better chance at finding a buyer.

Cons

On the downside, it’s likely you’ll have to deal with a few timewasters. People will come to see your car but it’s not guaranteed to sell. You’ll also get potential buyers trying to haggle down the price to get it as cheap as possible, so you need to be able to stand your ground. You should also be careful about giving out personal information online.

 

Auction websites

Today many people sell their cars online using auction websites. Like with classified car ad websites, they’re great for widening your audience and attracting buyers from further afield. You simply register your details, pay a small fee for your listing and let the bidding commence. Most auction websites also let you set a reserve so your car doesn’t end up selling for a ridiculous price like 99p!

Pros

You can list pretty much any car on auction websites and no matter how strange the make is or what condition it’s in, you’re likely to find someone who wants it. Not only that but because buyers have the chance to ask you questions upfront, it makes for a much smoother sale.

Cons

On the downside, once your reserve is reached, you are obliged to accept the winning bid, even if it’s less than you hoped to get. The lesson here is to make sure you set a reserve price that you’re happy with.

Another issue is that if the winning bidder doesn’t turn up to buy your car, then you’ll have to go back to square one and it can feel like a waste of time. You should however be able to leave them negative feedback so that other people are put off from dealing with them and also get the opportunity to re-list your vehicle for free.

Car buying websites

If you’re after a quick sale, the best thing to do is to sell your car to a car buying website. Simply enter the required information about your car, they’ll provide you with a free valuation and you can decide whether you want to proceed with the sale or not. If you do, they’ll send your money, pick up your vehicle and voila, the sale will be complete!

Pros

One of the main advantages when you sell your car to a car buying company is that it’s super speedy. There’ll be no need to spend time and money on advertising your car online or organising viewings.

Another benefit is that you won’t have to have strangers visiting your home to view your car, which can often feel like an invasion of privacy. Instead you can simply arrange for the company to collect your car at a time that is most convenient for you.

Cons

When it comes to selling your car to a car buying company, you’ll find that the pros far outweigh the cons. One of the only downsides we could think of is that the price you get for your car may be slightly lower than you would get from a private buyer, however once you factor in the time and money you have saved from not having to advertise your car yourself, you’ll soon see it equals out!