Introduction

If you're selling your car, it's almost certainly because you've got a new one to replace it with. You have various routes open to you to dispose of your old car, but depending on how old it is - and therefore what its worth - you may not want to consider all of them.

If you're buying another car, whether it's new or used, the supplying dealer generally prefers it if you don't have a car to part exchange. As a result, they'll give you the best deal they can on your replacement car; chop in your old vehicle and they'll be less generous. The only exception to this is if you're trading in a low-mileage mainstream vehicle that's been really cherished and needs no real preparation. Not only does this cut down their costs, but they've got a guaranteed buyer for your car because such examples are always in demand.

Therefore, selling your car privately will net you more cash than trading it in, but there is the hassle factor to be considered. Do you really want to have to advertise it, prepare it and be available for people to come and test drive it? You may get a few hundred pounds extra (or maybe less depending on the car's age and value), but it may not be worth the bother.

Selling your Car - When to Sell

While the time of year used to make a big difference to how much you got for your car, nowadays it's not so clear-cut. The classic example was convertibles only selling in the summer, but with modern drop-tops so well engineered, they can be used all year round quite comfortably. Off-roaders used to sell best in the winter, but with demand for SUVs constantly high, and with the cars now being so usable, there's little difference in values throughout the year.

If your car is a mint example, it'll sell at any time of year because the best cars always do. However, if it's merely average you need to be more careful with your timing.

Selling your Car - Where to Sell

There has never been as much choice as there is now, when it comes to places to advertise your car. The trade in has already been mentioned in the introduction, but if you choose to sell privately there are plenty of ways to get rid of your old car.

Online. It's usually cheap to advertise your car online while the audience is potentially massive. An advert on GhanaCarTrader.com  is currently free and it remains live until the car is sold. Not only this, but your advert will be seen by up to one million potential buyers.

GhanaCarTrader.com Publication. If it's an ordinary car that isn't worth a huge amount, people won't be inclined to travel very far to buy it. Regional or local newspapers are your best bet here; only go national if it's a valuable car.

Selling your car - Preparing for the Sale

Although things like the service history and mileage directly affect your car's value, its appearance is one of the biggest things that dictate what it is worth. It's also one of the easiest things for you to transform yourself. Giving it a good scrub inside and out will see your car's value increase - in some cases dramatically. However, a professional valet will generate even more impressive results. Spend some money on a professional valet and your car's value should increase by rather more.

If you do the work yourself, don't use washing up liquid as it contains salt and will promote rust. Work from the top down and use plenty of water to prevent paintwork damage. By the time you've finished, ensure you've paid attention to detail by cleaning all the following:

•  Wheels
• Carpets
• Seats
• Headlining
• Wheel arches
• Door jambs.

Also ensure all the fluid levels are topped up and that you've got all the paperwork to hand. Any invoices will be useful, while the registration document and MoT are essential.

If there's minor damage such as small dents, scratches or interior trim damage it may be worth getting a professional in to fix things. Such work needn't be costly, but you do need to make sure that you'll get your money back by being able to ask a bit more for the car. If the tyres are worn out, you probably won't get your money back by replacing them, unless you fit some cheap ones - but a buyer may then think that you've run the car on a shoestring. That's why you're probably better selling the car with tyres that will soon need replacing, and taking a hit on the asking price.

Selling your Car: Creating an Advert

The only chance you've got to get people interested in buying your car is the sales pitch you create in its advert. That's why the text has to be informative - vague statements are just a waste of space. Make every word count - don't waste the reader's time with statements such as 'no time wasters' or 'lovely driver' because they're meaningless. What you do need to include are:

• The exact make, model and specification of the car. That means its engine, trim and body style are in there, such as 'Ford Focus 2.0TDCi five-door hatch'.
• Don't use the manufacturer's colour name as it won't mean much to the reader. Say whether it's a light, mid or dark colour, and then say what the basic hue is. Also state if it's metallic.
• State the exact mileage - don't just say whether it's low or high.
• Say exactly how much tax is left - and the same goes for the MoT. Also state if there's a full service history - and whether or not the work has been carried out by a main dealer.
• Say how many owners the car has had - unless that will work against it because it's had dozens of them.
• Name the key features that your car has, such as air conditioning, alloy wheels, sat-nav and so on - whether they're standard-fit items or optional extras.
• Make sure you put a price - don't just say 'open to offers'. See more about this on the next page; Setting the price.

Selling your Car: Setting the Price

It's crucial that you price your car at the right level; too low and you'll be out of pocket, too high and you'll get no interest. Always leave yourself room to negotiate and don't start too low because you can't talk the price up - but you can knock it down.

When it comes to establishing your car's value, look around to see what other people are charging. Use the GhanaCarTrader.com advanced search to get a better picture. If you've got an especially nice example of a car, it'll be worth a premium - but you have to work out just how much. The same goes for if it's a particularly rare or well-specified example. However, ask for too much of a premium and the phone will never ring.

If your car is especially unusual or old, get in touch with the relevant owners' club and ask them to help you value it. However, as with any valuation exercise, you have to accept that it's an inexact science. There's a large element of the right buyer being around at the right time, which is why values can fluctuate significantly from one week to the next.

Selling your Car - Handling Buyers and Making Sure you're not Caught Out

While you have to remain vigilant when buying a used car, it's just as easy to be caught out when selling one. The classic scenario is for a thief to pose as a buyer and simply drive off with your car at the first opportunity. That's why you should never let them take a test drive alone and you shouldn't leave the keys in the ignition.

However, a thief may just weigh up your security arrangements then come back later to steal your car. That's why you must never leave any of the keys lying around and your house security needs to be pretty tight too. However, having your car stolen by a thief posing as a buyer is just one of your potential problems - there are plenty of other scams to be on the lookout for. In fact there are so many that we've dedicated a whole section to them.