How do I sell a car privately?

How do I sell a car privately?

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EBRANDON1

Original Poster:

309 posts

11 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
Probably a very amateur question for most but want to check when selling privately if I'm missing any steps, never sold privately before, so just been googling.

Car has private reg which I want to retain. From my understanding I need to....

- Apply to take personal reg off online (£80??)
- Receive V778 Reg Retention and new V5, can take 4-6 weeks?? so best doing now I assume as wanting to sell probably in the next couple months.
-Original plate is now automatically assigned back to the car, so I then fit the plates.
- Buyer comes, transfers money for car, I give them the 'buyer slip' on the log book (but keep the rest of the V5 form, just give them the slip?)
- Maybe do an AA Template signed sale receipt

So then I'm left with my personal reg, and V778 Retention document, which when I buy new car can transfer onto it online.

Also, test drives, do most people request proof of insurance from the buyer? 'Cuvva'?

Odds

85 posts

252 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
I sold privately recently, and those were pretty much the steps I followed.

When you take the private plate off, you'll be told the registration going back on, so you can refit plates straight away. My V5 and V778 showed up within about 10 days. Don't forget you'll need to amend your own insurance if you're going to continue driving it.

The "New Keeper" details can be completed online by yourself and your buyer to save you completing anything on the V5 or sending it to Swansea. It's a 2 minute job on the DVLA website.

I requested proof of Fully Comprehensive insurance for test drives in the car I sold - but I guess it's up to you whether you'll be happy for people to drive with 3rd party only on their own Fully Comprehensive cover - Either way, you'll need to make sure their insured, or you do the driving.

You'll also get any outstanding Road Tax back from the DVLA when you sold, so would be good to remind the new purchaser that they will need to tax it (i.e. the tax doesn't follow the car anymore)

brillomaster

1,395 posts

177 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
perhaps im in the wrong, but i rarely request proof of insurance if someone test drives my car - i'd normally go out with them though.

one guy i let test drive on his own, but he left me a backpack full of cash which i counted while he was out (wasn't a particularly expensive car)

when i have bought cars in the past, i've normally sorted insurance in advance, on the assumption that i'm going to be buying the car.

crofty1984

16,236 posts

211 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
EBRANDON1 said:
- Buyer comes, transfers money for car, I give them the 'buyer slip' on the log book (but keep the rest of the V5 form, just give them the slip?)

Also, test drives, do most people request proof of insurance from the buyer? 'Cuvva'?
They get the new buyer slip, fill out their name and address on the main bit, which you keep. Then you send that off to DVLA, or do it online. Between the hours of 7am and 7pm. What sort of website has opening hours????

For test drives, I request fully comp day insurance like cuvva, or offer to drive them round in it myself. Some people still think "well I'm fully comp on my own car, that gives me cover for other people's." Yes, but usually 3rd party only cover, which means that while they're driving they're legally OK to drive, but if they wrap it round a tree, you're up st creek.

Muzzer79

11,027 posts

194 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
brillomaster said:
perhaps im in the wrong, but i rarely request proof of insurance if someone test drives my car - i'd normally go out with them though.
If it's a cheap car then I'll take the risk.

Something with value - no proof of insurance = no test drive. You have no idea what they'll drive like and if they bin it and just walk away then you're left with a bent car and nothing to show for it.

Hoofy

77,458 posts

289 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
If the potential buyer is only covered for third party (which is typically the case if he shows you his insurance which covers him to drive other peoples' cars), then in the event of an accident, he's not liable to give you a penny should he damage your car. In this case, you are neither the first party or third party (the third party being the person he hit, not your car).

A note about the advert, state facts, not opinion. If you put, "Reliable runabout" and it clatters to a halt a month later, they can come back to you and it will be fun in court, so stick to stating things like "MOT until August" or "Full leather interior" or "rough runner" (but don't state what you think the issue might be because if it isn't then it could be problematic for you).

Happy to be corrected!

EBRANDON1

Original Poster:

309 posts

11 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
Thanks all some good points!

fflump

1,757 posts

45 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
Muzzer79 said:
brillomaster said:
perhaps im in the wrong, but i rarely request proof of insurance if someone test drives my car - i'd normally go out with them though.
If it's a cheap car then I'll take the risk.

Something with value - no proof of insurance = no test drive. You have no idea what they'll drive like and if they bin it and just walk away then you're left with a bent car and nothing to show for it.
If you let a person drive your car that does not have insurance in place then you are potentially committing an offence, leading to points, fine or more.



Patch1875

4,931 posts

139 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
I got the V5 in a few days when I done a plate change. DVLA seem to be on the ball nowadays!

Pit Pony

9,228 posts

128 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
I print out a receipt with a copy which we both sign, and both mine and his name and addresses go on it, with the following special words.

Car reg ......
Make Model.....
Mileage at time of sale....
Date and Time of sale....
Price paid £..........

This car is wholly owned by me, not subject to any HP or other finance agreement. I am.a private seller, and therefore, no warranty is offered or implied, vehicle is sold as seen and tested.

And then as they drive off.

Last car I sold was unlike any private sale I'd ever done.

The guy bought it based on my description on a specialist forum, transferred the money to me by bank transfer, I transferred it into his name, parked it in a car park opposite the house, then I tie wrapped a plastic bag to the exhaust with my bin store key in it. And placed the 2 keys in an old tin under a load of old nails on a shelf in my bin store.
And went on holiday. When I came back the car was gone, and the bin store key was inside my post box.

Bin store one side of front door, post box the other side. Behind the green astra.

bennno

12,679 posts

276 months

Tuesday 4th June
quotequote all
brillomaster said:
perhaps im in the wrong, but i rarely request proof of insurance if someone test drives my car - i'd normally go out with them though.

one guy i let test drive on his own, but he left me a backpack full of cash which i counted while he was out (wasn't a particularly expensive car)

when i have bought cars in the past, i've normally sorted insurance in advance, on the assumption that i'm going to be buying the car.
If they biff it in to another car then ultimately your insurer would be forced to pay but would be likely to pursue you for their losses.

LightningBlue

568 posts

48 months

Wednesday 5th June
quotequote all
As others have said you can do the transfer of ownership online and when I sold a car a few months ago the buyer was happy for me to drive him. The photos are really important, provide a variety of wider shots as well as details of wheels and interior. Be honest about blemishes or faults and detail service history and anything relevant like ‘four new Goodyear tyres’ or if the cambelt has been changed recently. Had no interest at all on Facebook but I put the car on AT and the new owner had it three days later.