Selling a car to a foreigner...

[gazchap]

I recently sold my E38 on eBay, and the high bidder was a German fellow who (judging by his username) buys lots of E38s and other 7ers, and then sells them on for a profit somehow in Germany.

He's coming to collect the car tomorrow, so I'm just checking that there's nothing special I need to be aware of re. the V5C.

Do I just fill out the new keeper details as normal (or, if he's a trader, the yellow bit?) or do I need to do anything special given it's effectively being exported?

[welshjohn]

Think you need to fill in the export part of the v5

[ruff'n'smov]

There's a selling it / going abroad section on the V5.

[soad]

Suspect used cars command much higher prices there, hence profit being made selling it on.

[hedgefinder]

soad said:

Suspect used cars command much higher prices there, hence profit being made selling it on.

Why would a RHD BMW sell for more money in Germany, doesnt sound right to me?

[soad]

hedgefinder said:

Why would a RHD BMW sell for more money in Germany, doesnt sound right to me?

Broken for parts?

[80quattro]

soad said:

hedgefinder said:

Why would a RHD BMW sell for more money in Germany, doesnt sound right to me?

Broken for parts?

I sold a non runner M535i to a Belgian chap, who showed up with an old Citroen Dispatch van with a car trailer on it. He reckoned he could sell just the bodykit in Germany for more than he paid for the whole car.

[fuzzymonkey]

hedgefinder said:

Why would a RHD BMW sell for more money in Germany, doesnt sound right to me?

Breaking them for parts to sell in Eastern Europe?

[speedmonkeycouk]

Sold a bike (Yamaha FZ6) once. Was bought by a a Pole who stuck it on a trailer and took it all the way to Poland. I think the answer could be in European luxury taxes. You pay up to (I think) 40% tax on cars and bikes which impacts on the secondhand market

[wolf1]

You give him the complete V5 as he needs it to register it in Germany. To inform the DVLA you just write them a letter stating it has been sold to a foreign national who is taking it out of the country (make sure you include his name and adress)

[Frannington]

Probably goes without saying, but confirm the funds before releasing the car.

The usual scam is to pay with a "false instrument" and by the time you find out - usually because the bank claws the money back - the car is out of the EU and you end up with nothing.

But I'm probably over-paranoid.

[H_Kan]

Sold my MX5 to a french bloke who came over on the Eurostar with his missus.

Was no hassle, I signed a couple of french documents for him and sent off a letter to the DVLA.

[205jsy]

Sold my s2 to a guy from Germany. Gave him the complete document and had no problems.

[heretheygo]

A lex said:

wolf1 said:

You give him the complete V5 as he needs it to register it in Germany. To inform the DVLA you just write them a letter stating it has been sold to a foreign national who is taking it out of the country (make sure you include his name and adress)

This.

Ive sold my last 3 cars to 'foreigners' and this is the exact procedure.

I've bought a few cars for foreigners and exported them myself.

As a safeguard for both parties make sure you add the date and time of the sale.
A short trip to the port by your buyer could include a few scameras. You might be pleased to have the time of the transaction on your sale document(signed with the owners passport/id no.)

[DaveZT260]

Just to add further I sold my last Scooby to a German lad who came over with his mate, paid cash into my account after I took him to the bank with me, gave him the V5, written time and date receipt and I forwarded the the exported part to the DVLA. All sorted.

The value of second hand cars on the continent can sometimes be twice as much as in the UK hence why more foreigners come here to buy cars these days.

[gazchap]

wolf1 said:

You give him the complete V5 as he needs it to register it in Germany. To inform the DVLA you just write them a letter stating it has been sold to a foreign national who is taking it out of the country (make sure you include his name and adress)

Does the letter go to the same address that you'd normally send the V5 back to? I guess so.

He didn't turn up in the end, because I'd not e-mailed him the chassis number (busy moving house!) so he couldn't insure it apparently.

Coming on the 12th now.

Keeping a note of the time on the receipt is a good point, ta. I wonder if he'd object to me photocopying his passport so I can show it sold to him if necessary.

[Utterpiffle]

DaveZT260 said:

The value of second hand cars on the continent can sometimes be twice as much as in the UK hence why more foreigners come here to buy cars these days.

Indeed. As are parts. If I have to pop back to the UK for any reason, I sometimes buy something to drive back and break for parts. 10 year old VAG stuff is a good bet at the moment, although I wish the exchange rate would stop playing silly buggers.

[gazchap]

I've sold the car now, and gave him the full V5C.

I've now got a problem. I can't write to DVLA and tell them it's been exported, giving them his name and address, because I can't read his handwriting on the receipt I got him to sign, and he's not responded to my e-mail asking me to send me his details via e-mail.

I assume DVLA won't just accept a letter without new keeper details?

[magpie215]

they are not bothered about the new keeper...I cocked up when I sold my car to Lithuania.

just send them a letter saying ... car VRM has been sold on "date" "time" and that you believe it to have been permanently exported overseas.

Job done

[Camaro91]

Sold my Chevy van for £875 and was pretty happy as that's what I paid, few days later I found it for sale in Holland for 4500 euros!