Around 39 percent of the annual used car trade is accounted for by the private sale of cars. But there are pitfalls in private sales, especially since many sellers are unsure which way is better for selling their old vehicle. Is it advisable to advertise the car on the internet or place an ad in the newspaper? Or should car owners rather go through a used car dealer and save themselves the stress that goes along with the sale?? This article shows what details are important around the sale and what car sellers should generally keep in mind.
Figure 1: At some point, everyone will part with their beloved vehicle and be ready for a fresh start – but what needs to be considered in the process??
The sales offer – ideas at a glance
Often the sale or the achievement of a good price falls with the sales offer. If you make mistakes here, you will face strict price negotiations later on. At the same time, a faulty report is the cause of many problems. If important details are forgotten or simply ignored by the seller, the sale can be difficult. In general, the following points are important:
- Attractive display – this point mainly concerns sales via internet portals. private sellers tend to keep the details about the car low or make the ad unattractive. A single, large block of information and missing paragraphs guarantees low customer interest and problems when viewing the vehicle. Interested parties simply skim the block and take note of very few of the details.
- Mention details – If the car has special features or has been tuned, these features should be mentioned. This can even be unimportant details. An old car with a good music system or expensive rims is simply better received on the market if the advantages are emphasized in the advertisement.
- Honesty – a vehicle once involved in an accident is no longer perfect. the same applies to minor dents or hail damage. All these damages must be mentioned in an advertisement, even if they have been properly repaired in a professional workshop. Every seller should be aware that the mileage must be correct and not illegally corrected downwards. But honesty also includes positive details. If the vehicle has been serviced regularly and has a detailed checkbook, this will be mentioned in the advertisement.
- Photos – no one cares about an invisible vehicle. Likewise, terrible pictures in an advertisement are a deterrent. It’s not enough to photograph the car in the evening just to have some pictures. The lighting conditions must be right, a clean car looks more attractive. Minor damage or damage that is still noticeable despite repair should also be photographed. Here applies: the more an interested party can see of the car in advance, the sooner he will inspect the car and the fewer problems he will have.
- Personal safety – while the photos should be as meaningful as possible, it is still important to pay attention to some points. The license plate must always be covered. There are criminals who use the information on other people’s license plates to commit insurance fraud. In addition, information about the vehicle owner can easily be obtained from a license plate. the central call of the car insurers can be used to find out the insurance details as well as the information about the owner of the vehicle. by the way, it is also better to make sure that the photos do not show the exact location of the vehicle. Street signs, house numbers or a close look at the house should be treated with caution, especially in the case of high-value vehicles. It quickly becomes clear why this is the case: if you sell a high-value car and live in a large or expensive house, you are an interesting target for burglars. Street signs and house numbers can be used to find out the exact location of the house and to observe the house.
- Realistic price – the price must not be set too high and not too low. If you are unsure, check the blacklist beforehand and check the prices of other offers. Do not forget the region. the selling prices of used cars often vary depending on the region and the availability of the individual models.
If you are placing an ad for the first time, you would be well advised to look at other ads beforehand. Especially the frequently viewed ads on sales portals play an important role here. What do the other sellers do? Is there any content that the advertisements have in common??
Newspaper ads of course can not be written so detailed, so they are omitted for younger and higher class vehicles. Old cars or the typical winter cars of older age can be sold well via newspaper ads.
sales opportunities
Generally there are three ways to sell a car.
Sale method | advantages and disadvantages |
internet portals | self-determination of the display (+), higher prices (+), a lot of work and tense nerves (-) |
newspaper ads/classifieds | only little space available for the advertisement (-), information can only be given to a limited extent (-), also work and often uninformed interested parties (-) |
dealer | less work (+), easier sale (+), but lower selling price (-) |
advertisements on the internet and in newspapers often achieve higher prices than selling through a dealer. But every seller should be aware of the fact that the sale is connected with work, stress and nerves. Many interested parties simply do not read advertisements correctly and ask unnecessary questions. People contact us or make an appointment to view the property, but do not show up. Trading or insisting on the warranty. Selling through a used car dealer or a car dealership does not have these pitfalls, but the selling price is usually lower, as the dealer wants to make a profit on the sale later on.
The purchase contract
If you sell the old car to a dealer or a car dealership, you do not have to deal with the contents of the sales contract. The situation is different if the car is sold privately. Now there are important details to consider so that the seller does not face problems later on:
- In writing – selling a car by hand was common practice in the past, but it is not advisable even in a private environment. in case of sale on receipt only, the seller faces a two-year liability for material defects.
- Exclude warranty – in the contract the point "private sale without warranty" should be stated. no sale without payment – a down payment for the sale of a car is not a problem, but the remaining amount should always be handed over at the time of collection.
- Registered vehicle? – this is only recommended with caution or when selling to a car dealer. It is essential that the time and date of the handover of the vehicle are noted in the purchase contract, so that the buyer cannot commit offences with the car at the expense of the seller. A vehicle that has already been deregistered cannot simply be picked up. The buyer must bring a short license plate or pick up the car by trailer.
- Notice of defects – If there are defects in the vehicle at the time of sale, or if it is a repaired accident vehicle, there is no harm in pointing out the defects in the contract. Buyers cannot claim after the fact that they did not know about the defects.
- Mileage – the mileage valid at the time of sale is stated in the contract.
- Payment – how the vehicle was paid for is also included in the contract.
- Test drive – if there was a test drive, maybe even a short check by the buyer, this will be mentioned in the contract. The check report of the workshop or the tuv are named and attached to the contract. If repair invoices are still available, copies of these can also be enclosed.
Since private sales contracts drawn up by the buyer are always a risk, sellers should download sales contracts from the Internet. Many sales portals or also the ADAC provide legally secured forms free of charge.
Pricing
figure 2: the sale of a used car poses major challenges for car sellers.
Every seller wants to achieve the best possible price for a vehicle. Nevertheless, the price should be set realistically. The price may be a little higher, so that there is room for negotiation. to find a suitable price, the schwacke list is a good solution. In addition, it is important to find out the prices of comparable vehicles on sales portals. Here, however, the selling prices should be compared not only in their entirety, but also by region. In metropolitan areas, similar vehicles are sold much more frequently, so there is a high level of competition. If you live in a rural area, you can set the price higher, because the market is simply smaller.
Conclusion – many roads lead to the sale
how a car is sold privately may well depend on one’s own situation. Not everyone wants to go to the trouble of selling themselves. In this case, a dealer is the best option, as it simply eliminates the need for multiple inspections and often tough negotiations. Private sales via portals, purchase sites and portals offer the chance of a better price, but involve risks and often demand the nerves of the seller. Especially in small ads and on sales portals, the requests from interested parties are often "rarely stupid" and leave the boundaries of good taste. Of course, a higher sales price compensates for the effort and the stressed patience thread.