Sold my car privately on Saturday, took 4 days and was bought by the 1st to view. I agree with everything Matt suggests. Can’t believe how many people don’t bother cleaning their car before advertising it. I once sold a Ford Focus based purely on the fact I’d hoovered it inside, the girl who bought it opened the door and saw it was clean inside and decided at that moment she was buying it. It really makes all the difference
I can sort of understand it on higher value, high theft risk cars like Golf R, RS3, A45 etc as crimnals who use these type of vehicles, will often trawl same colour cars for sale do they can clone plates.
I agree with not covering the number plate as people will want to do an MOT check.... but two years ago I took my private plate off my car, old reg on and put it up for sale on Market Place... within two weeks I'd been stopped as my plate had been cloned.
@@trainman86trainstramsandmore haha.. no worries. I used Vehicle Smart and forever checking cars for anything from not recognising it to if it's old and wondering how long the owner had it (it shows last V5 change)
I know someone who’s cloned a car being sold on eBay, he told me it was so easy all he had to do was search for the car, check the reg to be sure it had mot, tax and insurance then just send the reg to a seller on eBay who makes up plates. He managed to never have to insurance or mot his car. He wouldn’t steal fuel or get tickets so he hasn’t been caught yet and just swaps the plate every so often.
@@Alexander_l322 yeah you can get show plates without proof of ownership but for legal plates you need to send a copy of the V5c or V70 (think that's the private reg document)... but if you're not going to get an MOT, it doesn't matter if they're show plates.
Tip here for those paying / receiving via bank transfer. Have them transfer you £1 with your reg + TEST as the reference. Make sure that comes through to your account and then have them sent the actual money to reg +SALE as the ref. That way in the very unlikely event of a fraud case being raised you can show your bank proof its genuine. Also the AA has free downloadable transfer documents you can both sign that you can have both parties sign to confirm the sale.
About taking cash for a car... beware... My son sold a car cash for around £600 to two very nice, polite middle aged men. However, he was distracted by one of the men who asked a question about the v5 after the money was handed over and the second man removed the top notes, around £200. If you are given cash, stick it in a pocket or draw, don't leave it on a table top! Excellent video, just at the right time as I may be selling my pride and joy in the next month or so!
Actually, I was thinking to say about that. Of course everything is right he says but when sell an AMG 63 or VW GTI you must speak same language as your potential buyer, what I am trying to say that saying FULLY LOADED is a normal term to use in specific cases. It is a different story when you sell a Range Rover Autobiography.
Just thought of another one which applies to eBay: Always check a private seller's other items for sale and previously sold items. If they've got half a dozen cars for sale and have a history of selling a car every other week, they're most likely a motor trader masquerading as a private seller.
I sold my car on Sunday and literally done everything in this video which I just watched. I thought it was basic selling sense but amazed that people can't or won't give it a basic clean. I spent 2 hours on mine, that's all it took. The first person to view it bought it.
Being a Motor Trader for 12 years I’ve learnt all the tricks along the way… Really is painful to see some adverts as you’ve pointed out , ‘Fully loaded’ when’s it got no more than alloy wheels and Air conditioning 🤦🏻♂️ Worst one for me is private sellers trying to hide that it’s a Category right off.
I dont mind a cat but then im after cheap so theres always a reason why . The bullshit is what gets to me . Pulls in every gear .... you what ? Pulls like a train ..... takes 5 minutes to get upto speed then ? Handles like its on rails .... falls over at bends then if taken at speed Finished in .......... finished ..... in ...... its not a feckin roller , its toyota avensis , its not e bespoke luxury vehicle hand crafted with an impecable pedigree , its an ex taxi an asian guys farted in 14 hors a day for the last 11 years . Or the other which is a cut and paste of all the options which are meaningless and if its something you may want ....missing . Head rests , sports carpets , 4 way door locking ..... then its followed up with no description of what the cars like . Oh thought of another . Theres 7 pictures , 4 of them are of each wheel because that seems to somehow matter to some sellers , 5K for the car but you want to see 200 quids worth of rubber ? , 1 picture of the car taken from the back , the boot open and one of the steering wheel where you cant even see the clocks ....
Strange that the law states that a dealer legally has to declare a car that's been accident repaired, while a private seller is under no legal obligation to do the same.
YES, YES and more YES!!! Thank you! This kind of stuff really annoys me. I recently saw a car for sale with one picture, taken out of a living room window, at night, in the rain. Absolutely insane
yeah it's a bit suspicious when the photos all look like spyshots with none of the interior, it just seems dodgy even if it actually might be an honest seller
15:14 when we went to look at a mk5 golf privately the owner insisted he would take us out for the test drive. I noticed he was driving very carefully and slow gear changes, little acceleration. Little did we know he confessed after the drive that it was in need of a new turbo and it was in limp mode but was trying to hide it from us lol. Great informative video Matt!!
@@Lauren_B Couldn't sell someone a lemon like that. I'd rather mug off webuyanycar or big main dealers that move cars on in auction would never try and mug off a private buyer or independent dealer.
Simple trick is take photo landscape not portrait, that means hold your phone sideways not straight up, then you can edit the photo in your phone, clip the photo to lose the crap. As usual great advice, amazing how many people trust strangers. NEVER EVER accept PayPal payment as the scammer can query the condition and get a full refund, from you, and keep the car😊
Another great video. What always attracts me is the whole ad in upper-case, preferably including the phase: "first to see will buy"; an M.O.T. history that clearly contradicts the description seals the deal.
I would also recommend putting a notice in the window and parking your freshly-cleaned car so local people can see it. I just sold my Audi TT privately last month. I think I followed all your (excellent) recommendations. I've got no excuse for bad photos as I'm a professional photographer! But I got absolutely zero calls from Auto Trader. Within 24 hours of putting a notice in the window I had two local people wanting to buy the car and sold it the following day. Anyhow, as someone who enjoys looking for cars on Auto Trader, I wish everyone would follow your advice!
Very useful information indeed Matt! Over a year ago I sold my wife's 2006 3.5l Mercedes C350 privately. The car was in very good shape with less than 70K miles on it. We serviced it every year and replaced any worn out parts which the garage recommended. The thing that surprised me a great deal was that people wanted to buy it off us for peanuts. The guy who finally bought it was a car dealer and he travelled all the way from Essex to our house in Hertfordshire. I picked him up at the train station and I let him drive it back to my house. As soon as he sat on that seat and drove a few metres he immediately told me that "I'm going to admit to you now that this is a very good car and the steering wheel is so nice and tight". I now understand that people who buy second hand cars expect second hand cars to be poorly maintained with hidden issues that the seller withholds from them and that's why they try to lowball as much as possible. The guy also thanked me for having about half a tank of petrol left in the car because normally when he buys a car the first trip he has to make is the petrol station. I must say I felt a bit sad after the Mercedez was gone because I miss flooring it in sport mode, it was a monster. Unfortunately, it cost over £500 in road tax per year and we had had it for just over six years. So we sold it and bought a more practical 2011 Toyota Harrier 2.4l which had been imported from Japan. It's not as powerful but more practical, especially at Ikea😁. I was very happy though that the the person who bought our Mercedez was a very happy customer. I also have a year 2000 BMW 740i E38 which has only done just under 65K. It's going to be interesting one day when I decide to sell it because it looks new and it turns heads whenever I drive it.
What I don't understand is when private sellers want to sell at trader prices? You have no rights under a private sale. So the buyer carries all the risk. People are better off going to traders.
Matt, this is great advice for someone who is not as experienced in buying and selling. Something to keep in mind is, it's ALWAYS worth checking the poor listings as this is often where you find the hidden gems, most people will flick past bad a bad photo, however it might be that the seller is old and not tech savvy, the car might actually have been looked after. Also, another thing I like to look out for in crappy listings is the old date stamp you used to get on digital camera photos, this always screams elderly owner.
Ageist drivel🤬🤬 .If the ad is badly spelt and grammatically rubbish it’s probably from a young wide boy who knows little about cars! No matter how many clever pics you include if the viewer can’t understand the ad they’re not going to follow it up!!!
Yes, you are spot on Matt, I was looking for a car over the last couple of weeks so many sellers haven't got a clue how to sell and you see the same old rubbish up for sale? most cars are ridiculously overpriced and the seller cannot understand why they haven't sold within the first week of putting their car up for sale. Presentation is king when describing your car and the right pictures taken. I found the car on eBay in an auction listing a fair price and the only person bidding I couldn't believe it and won the bid happy days.
Love this - especially the reg plate advice as I always use the free check services first but would always use a more detailed check before thinking about buying. I will admit I sometimes look for dull or dirty cars... but then I used to run an upmarket valeting company and know just how much value is stupidly easily added.
That was a very interesting & informative video Matt. I really do appreciate the way you are branching out with the variety of your later videos, not to mention your honesty! Thanks.
One thing with test drives and insurance... ive always had comprehensive insurance and it allows others to drive the car under their own insurance. They dont need to be specifically named etc. However, they are only ever covered 3rd party so any damage to your own car is not covered.
Not only that, but the insurance only applies if you are incapacitated, it does not cover the stranger for driving any car at all. If they prang your car they can simply drive off without giving you any insurance details anyway, they are under no obligation to give them to you.
Yep I've always done all that stuff you mention Matt (I thought it was the norm but apparently not , there's lots of lazy folk out there who would prefer to get an extra Gameboy session in rather than hoover their car out !) I go even further on the cleaning aspect and get it detailed. It's worth the extra cash it costs and buyers feel too guilty to even haggle when the car looks mint. I often get my asking price from my driveway. Top tips on yer vid, hope folk take your advice. 👍👍
Great informative vid👍. I'd also be aware of anyone turning up to view with 5 mates to be honest esp if it's desirable. A/C needs a regas = condenser or pump knackered lol and 'short MOT but it'll fly through' means it probably won't!
Other things to do: Always try to clean your car or tidy it up for when someone comes to have a viewing. Recently cleaned car is a massive boost for a buyer. Remove personal items from the car, so it feels as neutral as possible. Always take photos of the dashboard with car turned on, so errors and mileage are visible. Stay clear of anyone who hides their plates.
I agree preparation is everything. I sold my house and before I put it on the market I sorted every single thing which I though was wrong and redecorated from head to toe (inside and out) and even replaced the flooring in the hall ,kitchen and utility room the result it sold at (an elevated) asking price by the first person who viewed
Me and my partner were just saying how we needed to look up how to sell a car privately then this went live minutes after, great timing and very informative. Cheers Matt!
Forget private sellers- someone tell the Kia garage near Mansfield. In 2013 I drove 100 miles round to look at two Sportages and they hadn’t even bothered to hoover them out. When I said it looked bad they tried to tell me it was better to see a car warts’n’all. Yeah, but not “other people’s crisps” ‘n’all.
I think my record was 10 mins , selling my wife’s Mazda Bongo - in black, covered with flower stickers! Cleaned it, took photos,uploaded to AT and paid my £50 together with putting for sale sign on windows. Thought it would never sell. Local gardener bought it, said he’d been driving past it for years and loved the flower stickers.
That would annoy me at the same time because it would have sold to that gardener who drove past it all the time just from the signs in the window. Could've saved you £50! 🤣
The reason why people cover up the plates is because someone ‘out there’ will steal a car and search Auto Trader for a similar model. Then, get some plates made up and drive around knowing that Speeding Fines, Parking Tickets etc. are going to the real owner. It’s a lot easier than driving around town looking for the same make/model/colour that you stole. Plus, you can’t drive around in the stolen car until you’ve got the Plates! 😂
who would drive around in a stolen car , collect fines etc? Thieves move the car from A to B and take it apart. Cloning is real , but it's only for moving the vehicle from A to B without suspicion.
If you are selling a car from a distinctive marque, such as MG, Alfa, Saab etc, then selling through the owners club is an excellent option. If you're a member you'll probably get the car advertised free and possibly both online and in a members magazine. You've then got a qualified marketplace and focused your sale to a receptive audience. If you're not a member a year's subscription could be a great investment!
Hi Mark, i love this video, its been annoying me forever looking through autotrader and seeing spelling mistakes like 'breaks' 'tires' and in the case of caravans/ motorhomes 'birth'. Rubbish left in the car and shown on photos, its a good indication of the condition the vehicle is likely to be in, so from my point of view, leave your rubbish in the car, then i can avoid buying a pile of crap. I have just sold my sons 2009 Corsa D 1.2 , We Buy Any Car quoted 763 after i knocked off all the known defects dents etc. they knocked me down to £483, so i walked away put a for sale notice on the drive for £995 and sold it for £900 after 3 days,. Great content again thank you ! 👍
Matt, you should see the car adverts in my country. Firstly, everything is 10x overpriced for cars that are 15 years old, bad pictures, unwashed cars etc. But the text is golden, always "Works great, runs like a top, no rust anywhere to be seen ever, only driven on hot summer days, its tough like a mine, it zooms like a bee, its healthy as ever, ready to just fire up and drive" etc. and with TONS of grammatical mistakes. You will NEVER see that many bullshit car ads as in Bosnia 😂😂😂 Im going to follow your video if and whenever I sell my favorite car, also get a Carvertical report just so the buyer doesn't give me no BS and frames me for lying after an honest desc. Great informative video btw!!
Some great advice, I would only add be aware of your own security, especially with high performance cars. Be wary of more than 2 people turning up to view, and perhaps have a mate there with you. Take photos of them and their car if you can, direct home security cameras on the drive if possible.
Hi Matt, This is absolutely my favourite video of yours. Every issue you noted really gets my back up. I hate spelling and grammatical errors, why don't they use spell-check and/or Grammarly? The one thing you didn't mention (which I hate!) is photos taken in "portrait" mode rather than "landscape", what's wrong with these people? It's like they hate their potential customer (i.e., me), and they want me to know it!
Very good. Reassuring to know that I already do these things. I also pass on buying a car based on the effort put into the advert, if someone can’t be bothered to check their spelling or grammar, then I get the impression they won’t have bothered with other things like changing the gearbox oil, or using the correct antifreeze. All things that could come back on me after selling, so I keep clear. I have just realised though, if such a person follows your video and creates the perfect car advert, we now can’t tell who they are, so thanks for that 😂
Trying to sell my beautiful Audi A4 since last two months. I've lowered the price already from 21000 to 17900 and still nothing. It seems like car market for more expensive cars is frozen right now, but I will not sell it to scammers like we buy any car .... ;)
I passed my test in an automatic, so my buying options are limited. For me, my pet peave is that a lot of sellers don't include a clear photo of what type of transmission it has, and on some occasions, it isn't included in the listing title ether! Oh, and another thing. I would strongly recommend that you don't take the cash with you so that you get tempted and just buy the car without really making a good decision. If possible, take a knowledgeable friend or relative for an unbiased opinion! Makes it easier to walk away if you discover it's a lemon!
I picked up a V8 S4 this week, I got it dirt cheap because the guy didn’t wash it, the pictures were terrible and he didn’t mention the fact it had a full history and it had a new chain and clutch last year I still can’t believe I got it so cheap
This is brilliant. Couldn't agree more about the Arnold Clark sticker - what a rep that co has! My sister was looking at a medium sized diesel to do some hefty mileage in. She was at an AC dealership in a real dump of a town. AC salesman in his grubby AC tie was trying to almost force her to buy a Toyota Aygo. Och it's a greet wee car and supairb an the oopen rroad.
An additional tip, i know people have work, but try to arrange viewing for daytime if someone’s asking, when I was buying my car a few months ago, this seller wanted the viewing to be at 9pm, didn’t have insurance, so they couldn’t drive, and the car was SORN, so I couldn’t take out 1hr insurance, brilliant.
This is the best advice rant and I love it, so entertaining! “That - just won’t sell - it just won’t” “Don’t have your dog or wife in the passenger seat” hahahahaha 😂 excellent excellent! This channel at its best
Good advice here. When selling a car, I have always cleaned it, made it look nice and done what I would think is a good description. I have learned a few things in this video about picture angles and background let downs and wording. One of my cringe moments is when looking for a car and the ad says 'first to see will buy'. I am considering upgrading my car soon and don't really want to use WBAC. The trouble is it's a Fiesta 1.0 ecoboost, coming up to 10 years old, no timing belt changed, and feel it honest to list it as not changed
Hi Matt, great video again. I totally agree, all of your points, apart from the numberplate covering. I've been selling all my cars privately in the past 20 years. Most of them I cleared the finance on my PCP before I advertised it on Autotrader. Only the last one went to Cazoo as they offered a really great price and I wouldn't get much more for it if I would advertised myself ( and deal with a lot of tire kickers and test drivers). First serious viewer bought the car nearly every time, but I always covered my number plate. I want to know who is using my number and for what, that's why I rather covering it up. I'm happy to send it to someone who is interested, but I just don't want to get the number cloned and having unnecessary explanations to Police or Insurance Companies. I know its still not 100% but at least I have some record who requested this info from me. I never had problems selling the car, but I always kept all your other points and it was very easy.
6:40 “and also all the bad points”. Listing the bad points will give the potential buyers the impression that you’re honest with your advertisement. It will also take away bargaining arguments because the buyer knew in advance these points.
Ive sold a load of cars privately in the last 20 years, some £10K+, and of course I agree with what you say. My pet hate is when cars are over-prepared inside ie with high-shine dashboard treatment.
I valet all my dads 7 cars for £40 inside and outside as a side job of being a DJ. It takes about 3 hours per car but is all worth it in the end, its an extra £40 in my bank and is quite enjoying for me! My dad is selling his bmw 535d estate to a family member for £400 (because its family) and i did a full valet and it instantly lifted the car. A good hoover like a henry and some APC or turtle wax and some fabric cleaner does the job unbelievably well. Great video on how to sell a car!
I agree, hiding the reg plate is an instant red flag for me. All it does is make it look like you're trying to cover something up that shouldn't be known before you buy it.
I'm terrified of plate cloning because I own probably the most criminal assosciated car ever (a black golf) so my reg is always blocked in photos and I would in a sale listing too. I'd happily oblige if somebody asked because if they contact me for a reg no, I've got something to fall back on for the police if my plate does get cloned.
Sorry fella its a piss boiler . I was recently looking for a diesel golf .... if yours had the reg plate covered i spun on past . Its clear you had something to hide ........... thats how we the world think and with good reason . You just aligned yourself with shaddy business practices and have a car with most likely hidden fault , after all you hid the reg for a good reason , do i want to waste my time finding out if the reasons the sellers being stupid or because theres a fault i may not find ? .... ill pass then . Its buyer beware so its not a risk most will take . But ask yourself , if someone asks for the reg and your happy to give it then why bother ? if someones after your reg you are happy to hand it over .... come on ..... Other thing of note and its a big one ....... If a cars for sale its about to go from a known entity of tax and test to the unknown . To clone a plate from an advert therefore is bloody stupid as its tax test and insurance status is about to change . It could be going to spain for all the person knows ? .... strike 1 Not only this but the area its in is also about to chance . Cops consider out of towners a higher rish and worthy of a pull .... strike 2 Theres little point in cloning a plate if you dont know the sex of the person driving it . Its also a serious chance of being pulled when they find a cars registered to a woman ... the status is about to change etc ..... strike 3 Last thing and its even bigger Someone sees the advert and clones your plate ... ok fair enough ...... Then they drive illegally ignoring speed cameras etc ...... on a plate you have now sold ! Its not even your problem to have to deal with ............. Wobble ones head and think about what you are doing .
@@godzillas6301Takes seconds to ask a seller for a reg number, takes months for you to clear your name if you do get someone cloning your plate. If you had experience of a car being cloned you wouldn't see anything dodgy in blanking the plate off, with a note in the description: "message me for the reg no"
The registration number thing really winds me up. Private sellers and dealers alike. However, when private sellers have cars left dirty, poor pictures and a naff description, it just means a car that I’m buying and selling stands out because it’s beautifully valeted, well photographed and a great description full of adjectives and punctuation 😂 Great video!
Great guide Matt. All the basic stuff covered in your blog. It is amazing how vehicles are presented to sell by some owners... Imagine if they were selling their property.. I know, let's not clean the place & dump rubbish in every room.. Bound to get the asking price.. 😳😳🤔🤔😬
Thanks Matt. That was Intuitive for any seller. All the right ways to advertise and more of a guarantee of a sale in a short time scale. Many of your points are what I look for when changing a vehicle. Cheers.
Great advice and very well presented video. Thank you for posting. I would also recommend putting an advert in the window of the car so wherever you are, people know the vehicle is for sale.
Great advice, common sense mostly but nice to hear from a pro esp. best places to advertise, good pics & description, definitely worth the prep imho. Amazes me how many sellers cannot be bothered to provide a basic description of the vehicle or even answer simple questions on the phone, doh! You can only imagine how well they look after the vehicle when putting a simple description together seems beyond them.
Bro for 800 quid, I'm not addressing any of the aesthetic aspects you described, only the mechanical aspects, i.e. will let em know what's wrong and what's not in detail, and that's it. But the video was bang on!
I’ve come here to share the rant….God it feels good to get it all out! I’m going to be selling my two TTs soon and I’m already thinking of the work that needs doing, making sure all my service paperwork is ready, a summary of recent work, MOT for one as I’ve literally just MOTd the other, the narrative etc…. And I’m not selling for at least a couple of months. I’m definitely the guy you want to buy a car from…..But then I start looking at my next car (I’m after a CLS or an XF) and I can’t imagine I’ll buy private as I can’t find anyone who is like me!
Great video. I have made money on my last 6 cars. Have them spotless, take 20 pics, the prize one being from 30 cm above the ground, in front of the car, taken from the right, with the car turning left.
Great video, I agree with all your points, except on the Facebook marketplace bit (at least for Australia)... I did sell my 2018 Mazda 3 on that platform, which is also free and relatively easy to use.
I find it more amazing how many car traders make the same mistakes, iv been looking lately and scrolled past loads I dont want to deal with a trader who cant be bothered to create a good ad, at least a private seller can make the excuse they probably only sell a car every 3 years
You killed me at 'It isn't a gun', when talking about 'fully loaded'. I've seen people type fully loaded yet there are blank switches in the car, obviously missing some options 😂😂😂
Mike Brewer always says to check the gardens and surroundings of the photos if the photos are on a driveway. Also check the front and rear reg plates match.
I don't agree with you on that 2:00 if you are interested in the car, leave a message or call and you will find out the number. People cover the registration number because they don't want to give explanations to those around them. If friends or neighbors found out that they put their car up for sale, they would certainly have to answer a few questions, the first being the one about the financial situation. Other people wish to remain anonymous. In the case of well-known people, especially in the business environment, it is easier when your clients or business partners do not know that you are selling your car and they cannot come up with all kinds of proposals or assumptions on this subject. And company cars or those that belonged to a company often have their registration numbers covered, also in the belief that this way discussions about the reason for the sale will be avoided. In any case, I cover my number so it doesn't get cloned, that's how it's taken...when you try to sell, they search for the model and color and they copy your registration... it's done all over Europe but I heard that cloned numbers are in great demand in London.
Matt your OCD stands out a mile BUT your so correct, looking for a new car and the adds are driving me mad one guy tells us the chain is knocking but its in great condition easy fix NEEDS GONE like he's doing me a favour buying his clapped out motor. great videos,,, 👍
Being a car nut, I am always looking at various car ads with prices from around 1000 to over 50,000, and from what I have seen Matt I fully agree with what you say. Earlier on this year my sister in London was selling her 2016 VW Touran privately, and I pleaded with her to put in on Autotrader as I knew from looking at it that it was the place to sell it. I also told to put in a good long description and plenty of good photos, and she did all what I suggested and it worked and she sold it so what Matt is saying is right and I suggest following his advice because from experience it will work
Personally I don't think I could ever go back to buying from a private seller. Just bought an 11k car from a dealer and the engine belt went, (within warranty) hasn't cost me a penny and the dealer has been fantastic. If it was a private seller there is zero comeback.
Well you just paid 11k for an 8 or 9k car so you’ve already paid for the cam belt a couple of times. Could have got it in gumtree for 8.5k and spent 500 quid for a new belt and been 2 grand better off
@@melvinnnamah9040 You're usually paying for an engine rebuild or replacement on most cars if the cambelt just "goes", and that's a lot more than 500 quid which the dealer would still cover.
@@melvinnnamah9040 If the belt snapped a lot of damage will be done to the engine almost all modern engines are interfence engines which means the belt snapping will cause damage all the way up to complete and utter engine failure.
If buying a car with an uncertain cam belt history....private or dealer, the first thing you do is get it changed or negotiate a price with the selling dealer to have it changed before you take delivery. Its the cheapest insurance out there.
@@aden3113 that’s true but it’s common knowledge that a car with a belt has to have it replaced at a certain mileage, if it hasn’t been done it should be high on your list of things to do anyway, not driving it into the ground and complaining later.
This is useful for buyers because now we know look for in adverts to see if we should be weary of i was literally telling someone about your automatic tip just recently great channel
Sat on a 4-5 hour teams meeting - so browsing autotrader - found a local GT for sale - 4 poor photos (in a car park next to other cars), numberplate masked and 2 months MoT... Will set a reminder to look in 2 months as will either have a full MoT / dropped in price. Thanks for advice Matt - as using inverse advice for buying too.
I recently sold my 2017 Motorhome (10k miles) on eBay in June with a BIN/classified ad price using very similar advertising techniques as you recommend - cost me £14.5 on eBay and it sold to 2nd person who viewed it in less than 1 week for £10k more than i bought it for 4 years ago - pitched my price 15% below what dealers were asking for same model - result !!!
Great advice that's really very straightforward. How well a car is presented is at least half the battle in selling it if you want a decent price. Pricing a car half way between "trade" and "retail" makes a lot of sense. With a cheap sub 1k car - I'm not sure I'd fix every fault but a new or long MOT would be a must!
Honestly how do people not realise having a clean car devoid of rubbish and clear photographs in a nice location is the difference between your car selling and not I this day and age. These are basics.
I used to buy and sell Volvos from home, I followed all of the rules in the video and found that my pictures were (and still are) used by scammers on eBay and Facebook. I then started blanking out the reg numbers in the pictures and writing it in the description instead. The scammers haven't used those pictures. If you do want to upload pictures with your reg number, try watermarking the images with your eBay user ID or the date so they aren't used to rip people off in the future.
When I was selling my Evo IV I cleaned it, 7hrs later it was immaculate. Took it to my local park because my house wasn't a great background, & took plenty of pictures including one from the back seat facing forwards, I even had to recline both front seats for the perfect Autocar road test style shots. I even brushed the material on the front Recaros in the same direction to eliminate the finger marks. It goes for selling anything, even items on Facebook market place. Clean it. If I read 'needs a clean' I will skip over it straight away.
Hi Matt a classic story of not being fully truthful in what people advertise. So yesterday a young lady who's dad had got a lot of cars from me over the years she come into the my dealership yesterday and said I have found a Passat B6 could you come and have a look at it with me. I said yeah ok so we got their as soon as I started it was knocking I said to her no walk away.
..., and how did you know that I wanna sell my car and was wondering how I should go about it? This video will certainly be of good use.Thanks for yet another 1st class video.
Excellent video as always. The amount of extra effort involved in putting a good advert up rather than a bad one is minimal. I'd also suggest writing your proposed ad, printing it out and reading it a couple of hours later. You'll usually spot something you forgot to say or a better way of wording it.
I sold my car to an auction I made sure she was all good to go was my pride and joy it sold better than expected to a dealer funny thing was when he came to drive it first thing he said I wouldn't mind it for myself it's in lovely condition it was white zafira 2014 Sri CDTi I looked after it wasn't ULEZ compliant and was forced to sell it we loved this car went for £7250 and was sold down Brighton I now have a Qashqai 2016 petrol acenta premium spec which is ULEZ compliant which I will keep for 5 years it's an OK car for now untili find something better in the future looking into a hybrid for the future sold my car within 48 hours thank you Matt your brilliant as always love your channel
Sold my car privately on Saturday, took 4 days and was bought by the 1st to view. I agree with everything Matt suggests. Can’t believe how many people don’t bother cleaning their car before advertising it.
I once sold a Ford Focus based purely on the fact I’d hoovered it inside, the girl who bought it opened the door and saw it was clean inside and decided at that moment she was buying it.
It really makes all the difference
Amazing story (and absolutely not surprising).
People want to buy and drive a car, not go clean it (especially if you don't sell it dirt cheap)
@@BoomChockolaca’dirt’ cheap - no pun intended 😝
230000km on it...runs awesome. Well maintained.
The reg plate cover up really does my head in! Especially with the sorts of cars I’m buying, the first thing I need to do is check MOT history etc…
Exactly! I don’t even bother with those ads
I can sort of understand it on higher value, high theft risk cars like Golf R, RS3, A45 etc as crimnals who use these type of vehicles, will often trawl same colour cars for sale do they can clone plates.
@@oceandrive7283Not for a cheapy 61 plate Vauxhall Astra though.. 😅 that looks more dodgy.
Our plate was cloned and 6 months later having to prove it was sold and not us is hassle so will never include number plate no matter the value of car
Yup my plate got cloned after putting car up for sale on line ;( #hassle
I agree with not covering the number plate as people will want to do an MOT check.... but two years ago I took my private plate off my car, old reg on and put it up for sale on Market Place... within two weeks I'd been stopped as my plate had been cloned.
@@trainman86trainstramsandmore I don't know.. you're the one who's suggested there's a problem. I said I agree with not covering it, so people can.
@@TrevM0nkey oh my bad read the thing wrong
@@trainman86trainstramsandmore haha.. no worries. I used Vehicle Smart and forever checking cars for anything from not recognising it to if it's old and wondering how long the owner had it (it shows last V5 change)
I know someone who’s cloned a car being sold on eBay, he told me it was so easy all he had to do was search for the car, check the reg to be sure it had mot, tax and insurance then just send the reg to a seller on eBay who makes up plates. He managed to never have to insurance or mot his car. He wouldn’t steal fuel or get tickets so he hasn’t been caught yet and just swaps the plate every so often.
@@Alexander_l322 yeah you can get show plates without proof of ownership but for legal plates you need to send a copy of the V5c or V70 (think that's the private reg document)... but if you're not going to get an MOT, it doesn't matter if they're show plates.
Tip here for those paying / receiving via bank transfer. Have them transfer you £1 with your reg + TEST as the reference. Make sure that comes through to your account and then have them sent the actual money to reg +SALE as the ref. That way in the very unlikely event of a fraud case being raised you can show your bank proof its genuine. Also the AA has free downloadable transfer documents you can both sign that you can have both parties sign to confirm the sale.
About taking cash for a car... beware... My son sold a car cash for around £600 to two very nice, polite middle aged men. However, he was distracted by one of the men who asked a question about the v5 after the money was handed over and the second man removed the top notes, around £200. If you are given cash, stick it in a pocket or draw, don't leave it on a table top!
Excellent video, just at the right time as I may be selling my pride and joy in the next month or so!
Matt, you're a star. Great to see you sharing your industry knowledge openly for all. Not many would do that. Great and practical pointers for all!!
"Fully Loaded - It isn't a gun!." Brilliant video. Thanks Matt.
Actually, I was thinking to say about that. Of course everything is right he says but when sell an AMG 63 or VW GTI you must speak same language as your potential buyer, what I am trying to say that saying FULLY LOADED is a normal term to use in specific cases. It is a different story when you sell a Range Rover Autobiography.
Just thought of another one which applies to eBay:
Always check a private seller's other items for sale and previously sold items. If they've got half a dozen cars for sale and have a history of selling a car every other week, they're most likely a motor trader masquerading as a private seller.
I sold my car on Sunday and literally done everything in this video which I just watched. I thought it was basic selling sense but amazed that people can't or won't give it a basic clean. I spent 2 hours on mine, that's all it took. The first person to view it bought it.
Well done
Being a Motor Trader for 12 years I’ve learnt all the tricks along the way… Really is painful to see some adverts as you’ve pointed out , ‘Fully loaded’ when’s it got no more than alloy wheels and Air conditioning 🤦🏻♂️
Worst one for me is private sellers trying to hide that it’s a Category right off.
I dont mind a cat but then im after cheap so theres always a reason why .
The bullshit is what gets to me .
Pulls in every gear .... you what ?
Pulls like a train ..... takes 5 minutes to get upto speed then ?
Handles like its on rails .... falls over at bends then if taken at speed
Finished in .......... finished ..... in ...... its not a feckin roller , its toyota avensis , its not e bespoke luxury vehicle hand crafted with an impecable pedigree , its an ex taxi an asian guys farted in 14 hors a day for the last 11 years .
Or the other which is a cut and paste of all the options which are meaningless and if its something you may want ....missing . Head rests , sports carpets , 4 way door locking ..... then its followed up with no description of what the cars like .
Oh thought of another . Theres 7 pictures , 4 of them are of each wheel because that seems to somehow matter to some sellers , 5K for the car but you want to see 200 quids worth of rubber ? , 1 picture of the car taken from the back , the boot open and one of the steering wheel where you cant even see the clocks ....
Strange that the law states that a dealer legally has to declare a car that's been accident repaired, while a private seller is under no legal obligation to do the same.
YES, YES and more YES!!! Thank you! This kind of stuff really annoys me. I recently saw a car for sale with one picture, taken out of a living room window, at night, in the rain. Absolutely insane
lol
yeah it's a bit suspicious when the photos all look like spyshots with none of the interior, it just seems dodgy even if it actually might be an honest seller
'taken out of a living room window, at night, in the rain' - couldn't have made it worse.
15:14 when we went to look at a mk5 golf privately the owner insisted he would take us out for the test drive. I noticed he was driving very carefully and slow gear changes, little acceleration. Little did we know he confessed after the drive that it was in need of a new turbo and it was in limp mode but was trying to hide it from us lol. Great informative video Matt!!
Oh really. That’s sneaky
@@HighPeakAutosisn’t it!! Safe to say we didn’t buy it😂
@@Lauren_B Couldn't sell someone a lemon like that. I'd rather mug off webuyanycar or big main dealers that move cars on in auction would never try and mug off a private buyer or independent dealer.
Simple trick is take photo landscape not portrait, that means hold your phone sideways not straight up, then you can edit the photo in your phone, clip the photo to lose the crap.
As usual great advice, amazing how many people trust strangers. NEVER EVER accept PayPal payment as the scammer can query the condition and get a full refund, from you, and keep the car😊
2:44 Matt, this might be the smoothest ad for Car Vertical you’ve done yet
Another great video. What always attracts me is the whole ad in upper-case, preferably including the phase: "first to see will buy"; an M.O.T. history that clearly contradicts the description seals the deal.
I would also recommend putting a notice in the window and parking your freshly-cleaned car so local people can see it. I just sold my Audi TT privately last month. I think I followed all your (excellent) recommendations. I've got no excuse for bad photos as I'm a professional photographer! But I got absolutely zero calls from Auto Trader. Within 24 hours of putting a notice in the window I had two local people wanting to buy the car and sold it the following day. Anyhow, as someone who enjoys looking for cars on Auto Trader, I wish everyone would follow your advice!
I literally sold my car privately 10 mins ago and went on TH-cam to see this video 😂😭
Did you pass the test?
@@yamiali1783 I would like to think so 😂
@@yamiali1783if he sold it then whatever he did obviously worked!
Same! 🤣🤣🤣
Your phone is listening 👂
Very useful information indeed Matt! Over a year ago I sold my wife's 2006 3.5l Mercedes C350 privately. The car was in very good shape with less than 70K miles on it. We serviced it every year and replaced any worn out parts which the garage recommended. The thing that surprised me a great deal was that people wanted to buy it off us for peanuts. The guy who finally bought it was a car dealer and he travelled all the way from Essex to our house in Hertfordshire. I picked him up at the train station and I let him drive it back to my house. As soon as he sat on that seat and drove a few metres he immediately told me that "I'm going to admit to you now that this is a very good car and the steering wheel is so nice and tight". I now understand that people who buy second hand cars expect second hand cars to be poorly maintained with hidden issues that the seller withholds from them and that's why they try to lowball as much as possible. The guy also thanked me for having about half a tank of petrol left in the car because normally when he buys a car the first trip he has to make is the petrol station.
I must say I felt a bit sad after the Mercedez was gone because I miss flooring it in sport mode, it was a monster. Unfortunately, it cost over £500 in road tax per year and we had had it for just over six years. So we sold it and bought a more practical 2011 Toyota Harrier 2.4l which had been imported from Japan. It's not as powerful but more practical, especially at Ikea😁. I was very happy though that the the person who bought our Mercedez was a very happy customer. I also have a year 2000 BMW 740i E38 which has only done just under 65K. It's going to be interesting one day when I decide to sell it because it looks new and it turns heads whenever I drive it.
What I don't understand is when private sellers want to sell at trader prices? You have no rights under a private sale. So the buyer carries all the risk. People are better off going to traders.
Matt, this is great advice for someone who is not as experienced in buying and selling.
Something to keep in mind is, it's ALWAYS worth checking the poor listings as this is often where you find the hidden gems, most people will flick past bad a bad photo, however it might be that the seller is old and not tech savvy, the car might actually have been looked after.
Also, another thing I like to look out for in crappy listings is the old date stamp you used to get on digital camera photos, this always screams elderly owner.
Ageist drivel🤬🤬 .If the ad is badly spelt and grammatically rubbish it’s probably from a young wide boy who knows little about cars! No matter how many clever pics you include if the viewer can’t understand the ad they’re not going to follow it up!!!
Yes, you are spot on Matt, I was looking for a car over the last couple of weeks so many sellers haven't got a clue how to sell and you see the same old rubbish up for sale? most cars are ridiculously overpriced and the seller cannot understand why they haven't sold within the first week of putting their car up for sale. Presentation is king when describing your car and the right pictures taken.
I found the car on eBay in an auction listing a fair price and the only person bidding I couldn't believe it and won the bid happy days.
Love this - especially the reg plate advice as I always use the free check services first but would always use a more detailed check before thinking about buying.
I will admit I sometimes look for dull or dirty cars... but then I used to run an upmarket valeting company and know just how much value is stupidly easily added.
That was a very interesting & informative video Matt. I really do appreciate the way you are branching out with the variety of your later videos, not to mention your honesty! Thanks.
One thing with test drives and insurance... ive always had comprehensive insurance and it allows others to drive the car under their own insurance. They dont need to be specifically named etc. However, they are only ever covered 3rd party so any damage to your own car is not covered.
Not only that, but the insurance only applies if you are incapacitated, it does not cover the stranger for driving any car at all. If they prang your car they can simply drive off without giving you any insurance details anyway, they are under no obligation to give them to you.
Yep I've always done all that stuff you mention Matt (I thought it was the norm but apparently not , there's lots of lazy folk out there who would prefer to get an extra Gameboy session in rather than hoover their car out !)
I go even further on the cleaning aspect and get it detailed.
It's worth the extra cash it costs and buyers feel too guilty to even haggle when the car looks mint.
I often get my asking price from my driveway.
Top tips on yer vid, hope folk take your advice. 👍👍
Great informative vid👍. I'd also be aware of anyone turning up to view with 5 mates to be honest esp if it's desirable. A/C needs a regas = condenser or pump knackered lol and 'short MOT but it'll fly through' means it probably won't!
Great video Matt some great advice. One thing that grinds my gears in an ad is ‘first to see will buy’!! What a stupid statement.
Other things to do: Always try to clean your car or tidy it up for when someone comes to have a viewing. Recently cleaned car is a massive boost for a buyer. Remove personal items from the car, so it feels as neutral as possible. Always take photos of the dashboard with car turned on, so errors and mileage are visible.
Stay clear of anyone who hides their plates.
Other things to do? This is literally the first point he makes lmao
@@Ramirez_477🤣😂
Not necessarily - some people just have a mis-guided sense of security.
I agree preparation is everything. I sold my house and before I put it on the market I sorted every single thing which I though was wrong and redecorated from head to toe (inside and out) and even replaced the flooring in the hall ,kitchen and utility room the result it sold at (an elevated) asking price by the first person who viewed
Loved this. I have recently been diagnosed as a grammar Nazi and when I see a badly written advert I would not even consider buying.
Me and my partner were just saying how we needed to look up how to sell a car privately then this went live minutes after, great timing and very informative. Cheers Matt!
Forget private sellers- someone tell the Kia garage near Mansfield. In 2013 I drove 100 miles round to look at two Sportages and they hadn’t even bothered to hoover them out. When I said it looked bad they tried to tell me it was better to see a car warts’n’all. Yeah, but not “other people’s crisps” ‘n’all.
😂😂
I think my record was 10 mins , selling my wife’s Mazda Bongo - in black, covered with flower stickers! Cleaned it, took photos,uploaded to AT and paid my £50 together with putting for sale sign on windows. Thought it would never sell. Local gardener bought it, said he’d been driving past it for years and loved the flower stickers.
That would annoy me at the same time because it would have sold to that gardener who drove past it all the time just from the signs in the window. Could've saved you £50! 🤣
@@itchyscratch3829 . Yep, except I was expecting it to take weeks to sell.
Yo TH-cam said upload 42 seconds ago and already 6 likes, you are a star and will be giving autographs soon 😁 another great video
This is a great example of how to produce a clear and concise “Do/Don’t” video. All yours are like this and worth watching
The reason why people cover up the plates is because someone ‘out there’ will steal a car and search Auto Trader for a similar model. Then, get some plates made up and drive around knowing that Speeding Fines, Parking Tickets etc. are going to the real owner. It’s a lot easier than driving around town looking for the same make/model/colour that you stole. Plus, you can’t drive around in the stolen car until you’ve got the Plates! 😂
Plate cloning!! It happens a lot 👍
@@colin7632 - Exactly!
In europe there is no chance you will last more then 1h before you getting your ass pulled over. All the cameras check for plates everywhere you go
No they want to cover it up because they want to keep a slight amount of privacy when selling something public.
who would drive around in a stolen car , collect fines etc? Thieves move the car from A to B and take it apart. Cloning is real , but it's only for moving the vehicle from A to B without suspicion.
If you are selling a car from a distinctive marque, such as MG, Alfa, Saab etc, then selling through the owners club is an excellent option.
If you're a member you'll probably get the car advertised free and possibly both online and in a members magazine.
You've then got a qualified marketplace and focused your sale to a receptive audience.
If you're not a member a year's subscription could be a great investment!
Hi Mark, i love this video, its been annoying me forever looking through autotrader and seeing spelling mistakes like 'breaks' 'tires' and in the case of caravans/ motorhomes 'birth'. Rubbish left in the car and shown on photos, its a good indication of the condition the vehicle is likely to be in, so from my point of view, leave your rubbish in the car, then i can avoid buying a pile of crap.
I have just sold my sons 2009 Corsa D 1.2 , We Buy Any Car quoted 763 after i knocked off all the known defects dents etc.
they knocked me down to £483, so i walked away put a for sale notice on the drive for £995 and sold it for £900 after 3 days,.
Great content again thank you ! 👍
Matt, you should see the car adverts in my country. Firstly, everything is 10x overpriced for cars that are 15 years old, bad pictures, unwashed cars etc. But the text is golden, always "Works great, runs like a top, no rust anywhere to be seen ever, only driven on hot summer days, its tough like a mine, it zooms like a bee, its healthy as ever, ready to just fire up and drive" etc. and with TONS of grammatical mistakes. You will NEVER see that many bullshit car ads as in Bosnia 😂😂😂 Im going to follow your video if and whenever I sell my favorite car, also get a Carvertical report just so the buyer doesn't give me no BS and frames me for lying after an honest desc. Great informative video btw!!
Some great advice, I would only add be aware of your own security, especially with high performance cars. Be wary of more than 2 people turning up to view, and perhaps have a mate there with you. Take photos of them and their car if you can, direct home security cameras on the drive if possible.
Hi Matt, This is absolutely my favourite video of yours. Every issue you noted really gets my back up.
I hate spelling and grammatical errors, why don't they use spell-check and/or Grammarly?
The one thing you didn't mention (which I hate!) is photos taken in "portrait" mode rather than "landscape", what's wrong with these people? It's like they hate their potential customer (i.e., me), and they want me to know it!
Very good. Reassuring to know that I already do these things. I also pass on buying a car based on the effort put into the advert, if someone can’t be bothered to check their spelling or grammar, then I get the impression they won’t have bothered with other things like changing the gearbox oil, or using the correct antifreeze. All things that could come back on me after selling, so I keep clear. I have just realised though, if such a person follows your video and creates the perfect car advert, we now can’t tell who they are, so thanks for that 😂
Trying to sell my beautiful Audi A4 since last two months. I've lowered the price already from 21000 to 17900 and still nothing. It seems like car market for more expensive cars is frozen right now, but I will not sell it to scammers like we buy any car .... ;)
I passed my test in an automatic, so my buying options are limited.
For me, my pet peave is that a lot of sellers don't include a clear photo of what type of transmission it has, and on some occasions, it isn't included in the listing title ether!
Oh, and another thing.
I would strongly recommend that you don't take the cash with you so that you get tempted and just buy the car without really making a good decision.
If possible, take a knowledgeable friend or relative for an unbiased opinion! Makes it easier to walk away if you discover it's a lemon!
I picked up a V8 S4 this week, I got it dirt cheap because the guy didn’t wash it, the pictures were terrible and he didn’t mention the fact it had a full history and it had a new chain and clutch last year
I still can’t believe I got it so cheap
This is brilliant. Couldn't agree more about the Arnold Clark sticker - what a rep that co has! My sister was looking at a medium sized diesel to do some hefty mileage in. She was at an AC dealership in a real dump of a town. AC salesman in his grubby AC tie was trying to almost force her to buy a Toyota Aygo. Och it's a greet wee car and supairb an the oopen rroad.
An additional tip, i know people have work, but try to arrange viewing for daytime if someone’s asking, when I was buying my car a few months ago, this seller wanted the viewing to be at 9pm, didn’t have insurance, so they couldn’t drive, and the car was SORN, so I couldn’t take out 1hr insurance, brilliant.
Hello Again, Well done Matt, really fed up with people who have no idea how to sell a vehicle, great advise. Regards. RichardA.
This is the best advice rant and I love it, so entertaining! “That - just won’t sell - it just won’t” “Don’t have your dog or wife in the passenger seat” hahahahaha 😂 excellent excellent! This channel at its best
"There are some suspicious stains on the passenger seat"
Back in the day Autotrader used to come to you and take the photo!
Black and white Polaroid camera, ha, ha.
Sound advice succinctly delivered. Astonishing that so many vendors don't clean their car before taking photos. Thanks for the video.
Good advice here. When selling a car, I have always cleaned it, made it look nice and done what I would think is a good description. I have learned a few things in this video about picture angles and background let downs and wording. One of my cringe moments is when looking for a car and the ad says 'first to see will buy'. I am considering upgrading my car soon and don't really want to use WBAC. The trouble is it's a Fiesta 1.0 ecoboost, coming up to 10 years old, no timing belt changed, and feel it honest to list it as not changed
Hi Matt, great video again. I totally agree, all of your points, apart from the numberplate covering. I've been selling all my cars privately in the past 20 years. Most of them I cleared the finance on my PCP before I advertised it on Autotrader. Only the last one went to Cazoo as they offered a really great price and I wouldn't get much more for it if I would advertised myself ( and deal with a lot of tire kickers and test drivers). First serious viewer bought the car nearly every time, but I always covered my number plate. I want to know who is using my number and for what, that's why I rather covering it up. I'm happy to send it to someone who is interested, but I just don't want to get the number cloned and having unnecessary explanations to Police or Insurance Companies. I know its still not 100% but at least I have some record who requested this info from me. I never had problems selling the car, but I always kept all your other points and it was very easy.
6:40 “and also all the bad points”.
Listing the bad points will give the potential buyers the impression that you’re honest with your advertisement.
It will also take away bargaining arguments because the buyer knew in advance these points.
Hats off to you Matt, can’t see why anyone wouldn’t buy from you straight up an honest.👍🏽
Ive sold a load of cars privately in the last 20 years, some £10K+, and of course I agree with what you say. My pet hate is when cars are over-prepared inside ie with high-shine dashboard treatment.
I valet all my dads 7 cars for £40 inside and outside as a side job of being a DJ. It takes about 3 hours per car but is all worth it in the end, its an extra £40 in my bank and is quite enjoying for me! My dad is selling his bmw 535d estate to a family member for £400 (because its family) and i did a full valet and it instantly lifted the car. A good hoover like a henry and some APC or turtle wax and some fabric cleaner does the job unbelievably well. Great video on how to sell a car!
I agree, hiding the reg plate is an instant red flag for me. All it does is make it look like you're trying to cover something up that shouldn't be known before you buy it.
It’s to stop people cloning your car and then committing crime, for example stealing petrol or diesel.
I'm terrified of plate cloning because I own probably the most criminal assosciated car ever (a black golf) so my reg is always blocked in photos and I would in a sale listing too. I'd happily oblige if somebody asked because if they contact me for a reg no, I've got something to fall back on for the police if my plate does get cloned.
Sorry fella its a piss boiler . I was recently looking for a diesel golf .... if yours had the reg plate covered i spun on past . Its clear you had something to hide ........... thats how we the world think and with good reason . You just aligned yourself with shaddy business practices and have a car with most likely hidden fault , after all you hid the reg for a good reason , do i want to waste my time finding out if the reasons the sellers being stupid or because theres a fault i may not find ? .... ill pass then . Its buyer beware so its not a risk most will take .
But ask yourself , if someone asks for the reg and your happy to give it then why bother ? if someones after your reg you are happy to hand it over .... come on .....
Other thing of note and its a big one .......
If a cars for sale its about to go from a known entity of tax and test to the unknown . To clone a plate from an advert therefore is bloody stupid as its tax test and insurance status is about to change . It could be going to spain for all the person knows ? .... strike 1
Not only this but the area its in is also about to chance . Cops consider out of towners a higher rish and worthy of a pull .... strike 2
Theres little point in cloning a plate if you dont know the sex of the person driving it . Its also a serious chance of being pulled when they find a cars registered to a woman ... the status is about to change etc ..... strike 3
Last thing and its even bigger
Someone sees the advert and clones your plate ... ok fair enough ...... Then they drive illegally ignoring speed cameras etc ...... on a plate you have now sold ! Its not even your problem to have to deal with .............
Wobble ones head and think about what you are doing .
Sorry hoss but I ain't reading that wall of text.
You sound like you’d be scared of your own shadow. And then you buy a black golf.😂
@@BerkeleyTowers I didn't buy a black golf.
@@godzillas6301Takes seconds to ask a seller for a reg number, takes months for you to clear your name if you do get someone cloning your plate.
If you had experience of a car being cloned you wouldn't see anything dodgy in blanking the plate off, with a note in the description: "message me for the reg no"
The registration number thing really winds me up. Private sellers and dealers alike.
However, when private sellers have cars left dirty, poor pictures and a naff description, it just means a car that I’m buying and selling stands out because it’s beautifully valeted, well photographed and a great description full of adjectives and punctuation 😂
Great video!
there is a big problem with cloned plates
Great guide Matt. All the basic stuff covered in your blog. It is amazing how vehicles are presented to sell by some owners... Imagine if they were selling their property.. I know, let's not clean the place & dump rubbish in every room.. Bound to get the asking price.. 😳😳🤔🤔😬
Thanks Matt. That was Intuitive for any seller. All the right ways to advertise and more of a guarantee of a sale in a short time scale. Many of your points are what I look for when changing a vehicle. Cheers.
So glad I’m not the only one who dismisses any car with an obscured Reg plate.
Great advice and very well presented video. Thank you for posting. I would also recommend putting an advert in the window of the car so wherever you are, people know the vehicle is for sale.
Great advice, common sense mostly but nice to hear from a pro esp. best places to advertise, good pics & description, definitely worth the prep imho.
Amazes me how many sellers cannot be bothered to provide a basic description of the vehicle or even answer simple questions on the phone, doh! You can only imagine how well they look after the vehicle when putting a simple description together seems beyond them.
Bro for 800 quid, I'm not addressing any of the aesthetic aspects you described, only the mechanical aspects, i.e. will let em know what's wrong and what's not in detail, and that's it. But the video was bang on!
This video is brilliant. One thing I often see are car advertisements with no pictures of the interior. Incredible 😂
Matt - Common sense is not Common Practice.. This is why you do and have what have.. Thanks for trying to help so many!!
I’ve come here to share the rant….God it feels good to get it all out! I’m going to be selling my two TTs soon and I’m already thinking of the work that needs doing, making sure all my service paperwork is ready, a summary of recent work, MOT for one as I’ve literally just MOTd the other, the narrative etc…. And I’m not selling for at least a couple of months. I’m definitely the guy you want to buy a car from…..But then I start looking at my next car (I’m after a CLS or an XF) and I can’t imagine I’ll buy private as I can’t find anyone who is like me!
At 3:35 someone has parked the car in a bush😂
Great video. I have made money on my last 6 cars. Have them spotless, take 20 pics, the prize one being from 30 cm above the ground, in front of the car, taken from the right, with the car turning left.
Great video, I agree with all your points, except on the Facebook marketplace bit (at least for Australia)... I did sell my 2018 Mazda 3 on that platform, which is also free and relatively easy to use.
I find it more amazing how many car traders make the same mistakes, iv been looking lately and scrolled past loads I dont want to deal with a trader who cant be bothered to create a good ad, at least a private seller can make the excuse they probably only sell a car every 3 years
You killed me at 'It isn't a gun', when talking about 'fully loaded'. I've seen people type fully loaded yet there are blank switches in the car, obviously missing some options 😂😂😂
Great video totally agree with you,I recently sold my car had a mini valet don and took pictures on the way home and sold it in 3 hours,
Mike Brewer always says to check the gardens and surroundings of the photos if the photos are on a driveway. Also check the front and rear reg plates match.
Great video, civering a topic I am always talking about. Bad adverts. I reckon there could be a business opportunity creating adverts for people!
It's a while before we sell our Octavia L&K but this excellent video is in the saved file. Thank you
Love this video Matt, could not have come at a better time!
I don't agree with you on that 2:00 if you are interested in the car, leave a message or call and you will find out the number. People cover the registration number because they don't want to give explanations to those around them. If friends or neighbors found out that they put their car up for sale, they would certainly have to answer a few questions, the first being the one about the financial situation. Other people wish to remain anonymous. In the case of well-known people, especially in the business environment, it is easier when your clients or business partners do not know that you are selling your car and they cannot come up with all kinds of proposals or assumptions on this subject. And company cars or those that belonged to a company often have their registration numbers covered, also in the belief that this way discussions about the reason for the sale will be avoided.
In any case, I cover my number so it doesn't get cloned, that's how it's taken...when you try to sell, they search for the model and color and they copy your registration... it's done all over Europe but I heard that cloned numbers are in great demand in London.
This is not just when you're selling your car.. is everywhere! People do not bother with their businesses, their cars, their anything.
Something that I will keep in mind. Thx for the video that not many people do about. You nailed it Matt!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Matt your OCD stands out a mile BUT your so correct, looking for a new car and the adds are driving me mad one guy tells us the chain is knocking but its in great condition easy fix NEEDS GONE like he's doing me a favour buying his clapped out motor. great videos,,, 👍
some great basic but important advice, applicable to all regardless of which country you live in.
Being a car nut, I am always looking at various car ads with prices from around 1000 to over 50,000, and from what I have seen Matt I fully agree with what you say. Earlier on this year my sister in London was selling her 2016 VW Touran privately, and I pleaded with her to put in on Autotrader as I knew from looking at it that it was the place to sell it. I also told to put in a good long description and plenty of good photos, and she did all what I suggested and it worked and she sold it so what Matt is saying is right and I suggest following his advice because from experience it will work
Personally I don't think I could ever go back to buying from a private seller. Just bought an 11k car from a dealer and the engine belt went, (within warranty) hasn't cost me a penny and the dealer has been fantastic. If it was a private seller there is zero comeback.
Well you just paid 11k for an 8 or 9k car so you’ve already paid for the cam belt a couple of times. Could have got it in gumtree for 8.5k and spent 500 quid for a new belt and been 2 grand better off
@@melvinnnamah9040 You're usually paying for an engine rebuild or replacement on most cars if the cambelt just "goes", and that's a lot more than 500 quid which the dealer would still cover.
@@melvinnnamah9040 If the belt snapped a lot of damage will be done to the engine almost all modern engines are interfence engines which means the belt snapping will cause damage all the way up to complete and utter engine failure.
If buying a car with an uncertain cam belt history....private or dealer, the first thing you do is get it changed or negotiate a price with the selling dealer to have it changed before you take delivery. Its the cheapest insurance out there.
@@aden3113 that’s true but it’s common knowledge that a car with a belt has to have it replaced at a certain mileage, if it hasn’t been done it should be high on your list of things to do anyway, not driving it into the ground and complaining later.
This is useful for buyers because now we know look for in adverts to see if we should be weary of i was literally telling someone about your automatic tip just recently great channel
Sat on a 4-5 hour teams meeting - so browsing autotrader - found a local GT for sale - 4 poor photos (in a car park next to other cars), numberplate masked and 2 months MoT...
Will set a reminder to look in 2 months as will either have a full MoT / dropped in price.
Thanks for advice Matt - as using inverse advice for buying too.
Haha I bet it will
I recently sold my 2017 Motorhome (10k miles) on eBay in June with a BIN/classified ad price using very similar advertising techniques as you recommend - cost me £14.5 on eBay and it sold to 2nd person who viewed it in less than 1 week for £10k more than i bought it for 4 years ago - pitched my price 15% below what dealers were asking for same model - result !!!
Great advice that's really very straightforward. How well a car is presented is at least half the battle in selling it if you want a decent price. Pricing a car half way between "trade" and "retail" makes a lot of sense. With a cheap sub 1k car - I'm not sure I'd fix every fault but a new or long MOT would be a must!
Honestly how do people not realise having a clean car devoid of rubbish and clear photographs in a nice location is the difference between your car selling and not I this day and age. These are basics.
I used to buy and sell Volvos from home, I followed all of the rules in the video and found that my pictures were (and still are) used by scammers on eBay and Facebook. I then started blanking out the reg numbers in the pictures and writing it in the description instead. The scammers haven't used those pictures. If you do want to upload pictures with your reg number, try watermarking the images with your eBay user ID or the date so they aren't used to rip people off in the future.
When I was selling my Evo IV I cleaned it, 7hrs later it was immaculate.
Took it to my local park because my house wasn't a great background, & took plenty of pictures including one from the back seat facing forwards, I even had to recline both front seats for the perfect Autocar road test style shots.
I even brushed the material on the front Recaros in the same direction to eliminate the finger marks.
It goes for selling anything, even items on Facebook market place.
Clean it.
If I read 'needs a clean' I will skip over it straight away.
Putting it up this week - thanks Matt ❤
Hi Matt a classic story of not being fully truthful in what people advertise. So yesterday a young lady who's dad had got a lot of cars from me over the years she come into the my dealership yesterday and said I have found a Passat B6 could you come and have a look at it with me. I said yeah ok so we got their as soon as I started it was knocking I said to her no walk away.
Great advice, thinking of selling my Porsche Macan GTS soon with 3 months Porsche warranty still on it. Will keep these tips in mind.
..., and how did you know that I wanna sell my car and was wondering how I should go about it?
This video will certainly be of good use.Thanks for yet another 1st class video.
Correct in what you are saying I am going to put my car up for sale it's booked in for a mop polish tomorrow to make it look its best
Excellent video as always.
The amount of extra effort involved in putting a good advert up rather than a bad one is minimal.
I'd also suggest writing your proposed ad, printing it out and reading it a couple of hours later. You'll usually spot something you forgot to say or a better way of wording it.
I sold my car to an auction I made sure she was all good to go was my pride and joy it sold better than expected to a dealer funny thing was when he came to drive it first thing he said I wouldn't mind it for myself it's in lovely condition it was white zafira 2014 Sri CDTi I looked after it wasn't ULEZ compliant and was forced to sell it we loved this car went for £7250 and was sold down Brighton I now have a Qashqai 2016 petrol acenta premium spec which is ULEZ compliant which I will keep for 5 years it's an OK car for now untili find something better in the future looking into a hybrid for the future sold my car within 48 hours thank you Matt your brilliant as always love your channel
Excellent video as always and a few ideas I'd never thought of like showing both keys.