The best way to sell your car

Is selling privately still the best way to sell your car?

Conventional Kiwi car wisdom says that when it comes time to sell your car in NZ, the best method is to advertise and sell your existing vehicle privately, before you go shopping to get your next car. This is no longer the case though! The old days of friendly one-on-one private sales are something of a fantasy these days. These days, the best way to reach a big potential audience (some might say the only way, really) is an online platform with big reach, like TradeMe.

But that big audience also opens you up to people who make a business of scamming honest sellers online. It’s hard to know who’s who, when you’re looking at them through your keyboard, rather than looking them in the eye.

That’s in addition to the usual hassles of selling a car privately such as back and forth with countless questions and answers, the risk and hassle of having unknown prospects potentially come to your home to test-drive a car, and then the further risk of a test-drive with someone you just met behind the wheel.

At the end of the process of selling privately, you might get more money than selling it to a dealer. But that’s a “might”. You also might not. So is it worth all the drama and risk?

Why a dealer might be the right choice to sell your car

Nobody would deny that simply selling or trading your old car with a dealer is the easiest and lowest-risk thing to do. But it might also get you the best deal.

Many dealers may actually be very keen to obtain your trade-in vehicle; certain models of used cars are in demand and unlike new vehicles, they’re not always easy for dealers to find; you may have just what they’re looking for. After all, selling cars is what they do, they have an expert eye for what’s sought-after in the market and your car might fit the bill.

Yes, it’s true that the dealer will have to make some money on top of what they pay you, when they resell the car. But a dealer is also best-placed to find the right buyers for specific vehicles, so don’t assume that you will automatically be able to get a better price yourself by selling privately. It’s not that simple and you may find that a trade-in offer is equal-to or even better-than what you might able to negotiate through a private sale – especially when the dealer is also keen to sell you a new car too.

Does your car have to be perfect to sell to a dealer? No!

You have a lot more elbow room when it comes to the condition and financial status of the vehicle when selling it to a dealer. Even if a car is damaged or undriveable, you may still be able to trade it in because a dealer will have the ways and means to make the trade work in a way that suits you.

The same goes for a vehicle that’s still under finance. A dealer can facilitate a trade and reapportion funds to clear the existing debt and get you into the next car without too much hassle for you.

In fact, eliminating hassle is one of the biggest benefits of trading-in compared to selling privately. It doesn’t have to feel rushed or pressured, either: in some cases you can roll slowly into the process by supplying a dealer with the details of the vehicle you want to sell, and go on from there.

Sell Your Car

Trade In Your Car