Selling My S3 - Test Drive Insurance?
Discussion
I'm selling my S3 privately, which I have done for my last 10 or so cars. This is the first time I have sold a quick and relatively high value car.
I'm concerned about letting someone else drive it from a legal point of view but also because I've just had the wheels refurbished at a great expense so don't want someone new and unfamiliar kerbing them.
Do you think the following is a fair way to proceed with viewings?
Show them round the car
Take them out in it with me driving
Come back and agree a deal in principal subject to a test drive
Pay for "Day Insure" for the buyer so that they can drive the car insured
Accept a deposit unless the test drive threw something up, which it won't.
Also advise if they haven't driven an S3 before to go to a dealer or something unless they are serious about this one?
Most times with cheapies I've just let people go off on their own TPFT cover but this time with the amount of test pilots that have called me I just don't feel like handing over the equivalent of £15k in a suitcase and hope that it comes back in 15 minutes!
I'm concerned about letting someone else drive it from a legal point of view but also because I've just had the wheels refurbished at a great expense so don't want someone new and unfamiliar kerbing them.
Do you think the following is a fair way to proceed with viewings?
Show them round the car
Take them out in it with me driving
Come back and agree a deal in principal subject to a test drive
Pay for "Day Insure" for the buyer so that they can drive the car insured
Accept a deposit unless the test drive threw something up, which it won't.
Also advise if they haven't driven an S3 before to go to a dealer or something unless they are serious about this one?
Most times with cheapies I've just let people go off on their own TPFT cover but this time with the amount of test pilots that have called me I just don't feel like handing over the equivalent of £15k in a suitcase and hope that it comes back in 15 minutes!
That sounds more than fair to me, in fact I don't think you should pay for the insurance. You need to get some form of commitment from them ideally before arranging insurance or going to expense on their account.
Might be worth asking your insurers for advice? It must be a very common problem!
Might be worth asking your insurers for advice? It must be a very common problem!
Just read the customer when they arrive, you can tell after about 5 minutes whether to be cautious or not. Just ask them to bring some proof of insurance. I've had a few people who never brought any insurance proof but I let them drive the car anyway because they seemed decent and were unlikely to crash it.
If you're not flexible then the car might be sat on your drive for a long time.
If you're not flexible then the car might be sat on your drive for a long time.
Whenever I sell the rule is: "if they have fully comp insurance for my car, they can drive - if not, I'll drive". If they want full test-drive facilities, pay dealer prices, not private.
No one has ever complained yet.
But on every occasion, the seller has not arranged insurance, so the first time they drive it is when money has changed hands and it is then their car to drive off in.
No one has ever complained yet.
But on every occasion, the seller has not arranged insurance, so the first time they drive it is when money has changed hands and it is then their car to drive off in.
volvoforlife said:
Just ask them to bring some proof of insurance.
But that insurance will be third party at best, surely? If he stacks it at the end of the drive it's "sorry mate" and that's the end of it.I'm being flexible enough to put my hand in my own pocket to get them a day insure policy if they are serious, but if I let everyone who called me have a whip round the block and then "think about it" I might as well stand at the local bypass with placard "free test drives" on it.
AddieB said:
But that insurance will be third party at best, surely? If he stacks it at the end of the drive it's "sorry mate" and that's the end of it.
I'm being flexible enough to put my hand in my own pocket to get them a day insure policy if they are serious, but if I let everyone who called me have a whip round the block and then "think about it" I might as well stand at the local bypass with placard "free test drives" on it.
I've sold about 7 cars privately in the last 5 years and nobody who came was not serious. I think timewasters would rather visit dealers and make a 'day out' of it. I'm being flexible enough to put my hand in my own pocket to get them a day insure policy if they are serious, but if I let everyone who called me have a whip round the block and then "think about it" I might as well stand at the local bypass with placard "free test drives" on it.
As long as their insurance covers them to drive any car, then I think it would cover your car if it was involved in an accident. Another thing to do is plan your test drive route in advance so you can avoid risk areas.
Its your car and its up to you, but you'll be surprised how quickly you can sell a car if you're just nice to people and show them some level of trust (assuming they are nice people who you can trust!).
volvoforlife said:
AddieB said:
But that insurance will be third party at best, surely? If he stacks it at the end of the drive it's "sorry mate" and that's the end of it.
I'm being flexible enough to put my hand in my own pocket to get them a day insure policy if they are serious, but if I let everyone who called me have a whip round the block and then "think about it" I might as well stand at the local bypass with placard "free test drives" on it.
I've sold about 7 cars privately in the last 5 years and nobody who came was not serious. I think timewasters would rather visit dealers and make a 'day out' of it. I'm being flexible enough to put my hand in my own pocket to get them a day insure policy if they are serious, but if I let everyone who called me have a whip round the block and then "think about it" I might as well stand at the local bypass with placard "free test drives" on it.
As long as their insurance covers them to drive any car, then I think it would cover your car if it was involved in an accident. Another thing to do is plan your test drive route in advance so you can avoid risk areas.
Its your car and its up to you, but you'll be surprised how quickly you can sell a car if you're just nice to people and show them some level of trust (assuming they are nice people who you can trust!).
t, not covered!It is a tricky point and I have let people test drive cars previously who probably weren't covered (didn't ask) but realistically you can't sell a car without a test drive (I'm talking a car worth <£2k).
volvoforlife said:
I've sold about 7 cars privately in the last 5 years and nobody who came was not serious. I think timewasters would rather visit dealers and make a 'day out' of it.
As long as their insurance covers them to drive any car, then I think it would cover your car if it was involved in an accident. Another thing to do is plan your test drive route in advance so you can avoid risk areas.
Its your car and its up to you, but you'll be surprised how quickly you can sell a car if you're just nice to people and show them some level of trust (assuming they are nice people who you can trust!).
I had a timewaster turn up for a mazda 323f I was selling, advert went live at 1130pm he called at 1145 wanting to see it next morning came went on testdrive and then said he would think about it and text me half of what I was asking for it. As long as their insurance covers them to drive any car, then I think it would cover your car if it was involved in an accident. Another thing to do is plan your test drive route in advance so you can avoid risk areas.
Its your car and its up to you, but you'll be surprised how quickly you can sell a car if you're just nice to people and show them some level of trust (assuming they are nice people who you can trust!).
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