Hoot Top Tens Car selling tipsThe secondhand car market has grown increasingly cutthroat in recent years. Widespread use of the internet (particularly online auction sites like eBay) and a raft of TV programs devoted to buying and selling secondhand means that power is now firmly in the hands of the buyer when it comes to private car sales. As somebody with a 'spare' vehicle, that means you've got little margin for error if you want to ensure a good price and a quick sale. So, to try and even things up for you a little, the online car insurance experts at Hoot have put together a top ten list of dos and don'ts for selling that secondhand car. 10. Wait till the time is right
You'll generally get more money for your car and a faster sale if you avoid certain times of the year. January, for instance, is a terrible choice; firstly as you'll be competing with sale prices at the dealerships, and secondly as all your potential buyers will be penniless after Christmas, and only prepared to make the most miserly offers. 9. Spend time on your advert
If you're placing an advert in your local paper or free ads magazine, make it as comprehensive a description as possible and double-check the details before submitting it. A poorly written ad will put buyers off, and a non-factual one will infuriate anyone who comes for a viewing. As a bare minimum, specify your car's make and model, year, mileage and colour. Leave any of these details out, and buyers will assume you're trying to hide something. 8. Be realistic about price
The asking price for your car should represent what it's actually worth, not what you think it's worth or, even worse, how much money you happen to need at the time.
Today's buyers are a savvy bunch, and the internet makes it easy to keep on top of what price constitutes a reasonable one. Take a leaf out of their book, and consult online buyers' guides such as Parker's http://www.parkers.co.uk. 7. Get an MOT done
If the car to be sold is in good shape and due an MOT soon, consider having it done before the sale. Cars with a recent MOT test pass are a much more attractive prospect for buyers, and unless yours needs a substantial amount of work done you'll probably end up adding more profit onto the sale than you'll spend at the garage. 6. Make appointments for buyers
Avoid being too casual when it comes to arranging viewings, particularly where times are concerned, and more people will come. Buyers feel a sense of obligation to show up if you've agreed on a particular time-slot rather than a vague 'tomorrow afternoon' or 'sometime over the weekend'. 5. Carry out basic checks
Everybody knows (or should know) how to carry out the basic maintenance checks on fluid levels, tyre tread depth and so on. Make sure this stuff is all up to spec before letting any buyers near your car. 4. Clean the car
Giving your car a good clean will make such a difference you'll probably regret putting it up for sale in the first place. However, it'll also give prospective buyers a much better impression of the vehicle and of you as a person - both of which will be a great help with getting your asking price. 3. Stick to your guns
Decide on the minimum price you're prepared to accept for your car before any viewings take place, and keep it firmly in mind if a buyer starts haggling for a discount. Negotiating on price is all part and parcel of the secondhand car market, so don't be offended if an interested buyer offers you less than you want - but equally, don't cave in to the bid. 2. Get the spare keys out
It's really important that you locate the spare set of keys (if there are some) and prepare all necessary paperwork for the sale before commencing viewings. Once the glorious moment comes when somebody agrees to the sale, the last thing you want to be doing is scrabbling around in the sideboard for those keys and a 'change of registered keeper' form. By the time you get back outside, any potential buyer will most likely be having second thoughts - if they're still there at all. 1. Don't get ripped off
Whatever you do, don't let somebody drive off in your car without paying for it. If they want to take possession on the day of the sale, insist on cash or a banker's draft by way of payment. A personal cheque, by contrast, is worth nothing until it clears. It's fine to accept one as payment for your car, but never surrender the keys until the money actually reaches your account. You're well within your rights to do this, so don't let a pushy buyer with a chequebook force you into taking an unnecessary risk. Get covered by the online car insurance experts
Most other online car insurance firms will try and charge you the price of a new car for a motor insurance policy - but at Hoot, we do things a bit differently. You see, a big part of most other car insurance companies' policy prices is taken up with funding their advertising budgets. Hoot is pretty unique in our belief that car insurance advertising is totally redundant if you have a good enough product - and our continuing, commercial-free success is testament to the fact that we spend as much of your car insurance premium as we possibly can on you, the policyholder. In a nutshell, that's how we can offer an amazing standard of cover at such bargain prices. Still don't believe it? Then click the quote button below for an online car insurance quote that'll knock your socks off. 
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