How much you actually come to make when you come to sell your second hand car will depend on a number of different factors. The process isn’t as simple as just selling a used Skoda Octavia for example and receiving a set price.
Here are several things to think about before you sell:
How old is your car?
This might sound obvious but the impact that the age of your car has on its residual value is not always as straight forward as it seems. For example a Hyundai i10 which is 2 years old will cost a lot less than one which is only 6 months old; however there may be little or no difference in price between a model which is 10 years old and the same model which is 8 years old. To put it simply, vehicles depreciate fastest at the start of their lifetime.
Is it in good condition?
Remember that a buyer will be looking for a vehicle which is in good condition, and will expect to see a huge discount for any car which isn’t up to scratch. This is why it is a good idea to ensure that everything is in working order before you sell. If, for example, the radiator is not working properly, you should replace it.
MOT
If you are selling a vehicle which is more than three years old it is vitally important that you have a valid MOT certificate, and preferably one which was issued in recent months. This applies even more for older vehicles – an 03 plate Ford Focus is more likely to break down than an 09 plate one. You can compare prices of MOTs in your area at BuyYourCar.co.uk.