Selling a car: What should be considered when selling a car to a private person or dealer?
Selling a car should be easy and stress-free and of course you want to get a good price for your vehicle. Whether you're selling to a private individual or a retailer, there are a few things you should keep in mind. We have a checklist for you that tells you what is important when selling the car.
Our checklist for selling a car - What should be considered?
Why is the checklist worthwhile?
Used cars are currently in demand like they haven't been for a long time, so it probably shouldn't be difficult to sell your vehicle. In order for the car sale to go smoothly, good preparation is important. That's why you should take a look at our checklist to make selling a car a breeze for you!
Are you unsure whether you should check the TÜV sticker or do a complete used car check? We have the answers.
First of all, make it clear to yourself why you want to sell your vehicle in the first place. It is important to take the time to find the right buyer. Especially when selling to private individuals, this can take a while – depending on the vehicle and market situation. If you need to sell your car quickly, it usually works at a very attractive price and faster at the dealership.
Once you have found someone, it is important that you have already prepared the most important documents for the car sale. Above all, pay attention to all documents if you want to sell an inherited car. Once the purchase contract has been signed, buyers can only withdraw from the car purchase contract under certain conditions.
Sell your car privately or to a dealer?
Selling to a private individual or to a dealer is basically not much different. However, there are a few things that should be considered in each case.
Selling a car privately, what do I have to consider?
There are various ways to sell your car privately, including an online advertisement, a notice or even selling it via Carwow. You can usually get more money in a private sale, but you also have the complete effort.
Selling a car to a dealer, what should be considered?
If you sell to a dealer, then he takes over the complete effort such as drawing up a purchase contract, deregistering the car, etc. But of course, every car dealership wants to make money, which will lower the price of your car.
Price determination: How do I find the perfect sales price?
You should therefore think in advance about what price you still want to get for your car. If there is a person in front of you who is willing to buy, you should be able to justify why the price is justified. Also, think about how much discount is okay for you, and what reserve price you want the car to bring.
That's all well and good, but how do you determine the right price for your car? There are different approaches here:
- Compare prices of similar vehicles
When looking at other vehicles, pay particular attention to the areas of odometer reading, equipment and general condition of the vehicle. A low mileage, high-quality equipment and an accident-free and well-maintained condition of the vehicle ensure a higher price. It can be worthwhile to have small scratches or other damage repaired by Smart Repair before selling. This is cheap and increases the value of the vehicle. If you have protected the paint with a nano sealant, the car tends to bring in higher sales revenue.
- Have the vehicle valued and indicate any loss of value
If you are unsure what price you can estimate, companies such as Schwacke, Dekra or TÜV offer the opportunity to have the vehicle evaluated by experts. Depending on where you have the assessment done, however, this can also be expensive. Especially if you want to sell a financed car, a valuation makes sense.
If you had bought the vehicle as a new EU car, then you paid less and can therefore make more profit.
Photographing & advertising a car professionally: tips for a successful sale
Professional photos and an appealing advertisement are important prerequisites for a successful car sale. We have some tips for you:
1. Good photos of the vehicle, interior and accessories
Appealing and high-quality photos are one of the most important criteria for a good advertisement. Choose a quiet environment for the photos: A house wall could serve as a background, and an empty parking lot would also be conceivable. Good lighting conditions, good weather and photos from different perspectives make a good impression. Make sure that the license plate is not visible, it is for your own safety. If the car is already deregistered, then of course this is no longer relevant.
Detail shots are suitable for special features, such as expensive rims. Damage should also be indicated in detail photos – an interested person will see this at some point anyway. Just disclose what defects there are, that makes you trustworthy.
2. Mileage
The indication of the mileage of the vehicle is an important criterion for estimating the price level. If the car is still registered and test drive kilometers are added, you can also simply round up the mileage to the nearest number of thousands.
3. Technical data
It is best to have the vehicle registration document ready to enter the technical data, because online sales platforms ask for a key number and the like. You can find this information on the documents. This includes the specification of the hp or kW, the standard consumption, etc. The colour of the environmental badge is also indicated here.
4. Special equipment
Any indication of optional equipment can justify the price called. For example, if the car has a parking heater, exclusive rims, assistance systems or a trailer hitch, you can and should specify these features. This not only makes you look conscientious, but also makes the price more reasonable.
5. Date of the last HU
If the TÜV is due soon, it can make sense to have a general inspection carried out before the sales advertisement. A new TÜV sticker is often an important selling point.
6. Set a fair price
Taking into account all equipment features, mileage, any damage and general condition, you set a justified and fair sales price. Note that you should take into account any room for negotiation.
7. Refurbishing the car – the first impression counts
As soon as someone wants to inspect your car, it's time for car care. Wash the car even in winter - because only a washed and vacuumed car brings a good price and makes a high-quality impression. Whether you decide to get the car up to scratch yourself or whether you prefer to choose a professional reconditioning, which of course has its price – the following things need to be done:
- Car washing and polishing
- Check tire pressure, oil level, coolant
- Accessories such as first aid kit, warning triangle, etc. in the car
- Remove small scuffs and stone chips
- Engine wash
- Clean the interior, clean fittings and remove odours
Offer a test drive – but safely!
Anyone who wants to buy a car will certainly want to take a test drive – because no one buys the proverbial pig in a poke. If you have nothing to hide, then you should definitely agree to a test drive. However, it is advisable to have the person in question sign an agreement that they are liable for the deductible in the event of damage.
In addition, the test drive should take place during the day and you should always be there. If you feel uncomfortable doing this, ask another person to join you for the test drive. Don't let the car key out of your sight.
You should also have considered whether you want to sell the car registered or deregistered. If you sell a deregistered car, then a test drive is only possible if you take care of short-term license plates. This is because a deregistered vehicle may neither be parked in public nor moved.
A small note: A test drive is not a must, you can theoretically refuse to do so – but then probably no one will buy the car from you.
Payment and purchase contract for private sales
These two points come at the end of the sales process, but they are very important. Accordingly, everything should be well planned.
Selling a car privately – How does the payment work?
When selling to private individuals, cash payment is the most common means of payment. Here you are on the safest side as a seller. The full amount can be paid in cash upon pick-up, a deposit after a successful test drive is also possible, the remaining amount will then be paid upon pick-up.
The only important thing is that you do not pass on the vehicle documents to the buyer before payment. Promissory notes, transfers or the like are not common when selling to private individuals and should not be accepted.
This should be in the purchase contract for private sales
The following information and data should be recorded in the purchase contract:
- All relevant data of the contracting parties
- Vehicle data
- Mileage
- Possible accidents and previous owners
- Exclusion of warranty
If drafting a sales contract on your own seems too complex to you, you can also make use of ready-made sales contracts from the Internet. Carwow has also prepared a sample purchase contract for you.