About to list a car for sale - pitfalls?

[dave01253]

Hello all. I have a car that I'm going to put up for sale. I was going to trade it in against my new car, but the dealer was offering a stupid low price. Even wbac/carwow are offering £1k more. Anyway, I paid off the finance (3 days ago) and I will sell it privately as I figured I'd get a better deal.

It's going to be around the £19k mark and I don't want things to go wrong when it comes to money/handover etc.

Couple of questions:
How long till an hpi check shows clear?
Would a letter from the finance company suffice? (when they send it)
If I take a bank transfer, can it be recalled when they've driven away?
What things should I do/not do when it comes to a sale?

Thanks

Dave

Mod note: no need for the car details, it makes it look like an ad...

[lost in espace]

If you do a bank transfer make sure it is between major banks, non of your Revolut or similar. And send a quid just to make sure it works. Otherwise you can be sitting there for hours waiting for the fraud dept to sort it out, the buyer saying he has sent it and your bank saying not.

[swisstoni]

Good luck. One of the things I hate doing most in the whole wide world.

[georgeyboy12345]

swisstoni said:

Good luck. One of the things I hate doing most in the whole wide world.

I thought it was very much like making love to a beautiful woman?

[samoht]

I've bought & sold four cars with bank transfers now (£9, 14, 15 & 21k) and have (perhaps fortunately) had no issues with the money showing up straight away. Once the money shows in my account I'm not concerned it could be recalled.

My main concern is a 'buyer' showing up with multiple 'friends', albeit that's never happened to me. I like to talk to people on the phone first (not just texts) before meeting to get a feel and generate some trust.

Once the car's sold it's apparently important to either (a) verify the buyer has insured the car before they drive away or (b) cancel your insurance immediately - apparently there's some dumb-ass law that if you let someone drive off in your car and they haven't insured it but you have, then the claim can be made against you.

Contrary to the above I generally enjoy buying and selling cars privately, maybe I'm lucky but I've always met nice people and we've both parted with a smile on our face.

[BananaFama]

To add to the above about multiple people turning up .

Never let person 1 check the boot whilst you are kept busy under the bonnet with person 2 .

Classic oil in water and smokey exhaust scam about to occur .

[lost in espace]

BananaFama said:

To add to the above about multiple people turning up .

Never let person 1 check the boot whilst you are kept busy under the bonnet with person 2 .

Classic oil in water and smokey exhaust scam about to occur .

Better still insist on one person only viewing. If you get asked to view at lunch, they don't turn up and then ring at 8pm do not feel happy you got the viewing as a group of guys will turn up and scam you.

[samoht]

lost in espace said:

Better still insist on one person only viewing. If you get asked to view at lunch, they don't turn up and then ring at 8pm do not feel happy you got the viewing as a group of guys will turn up and scam you.

Some people will come by car so need someone else to drive the other car back. Some people will come as a couple to make a decision which will affect both of them. Personally I've accepted each of these situations as a seller, it would be >2 adults that would make me wary.

[dave01253]

Thank you everyone