Sell your car on Ebay
Selling a second-hand car is easier than ever thanks to the auction website Ebay. We show you how to do it.
The key to selling something is to reach as many people as possible who might be interested in buying it.
If you’re selling an old car for a new one, then possibly the biggest collection of potential buyers is already out there on Ebay.
More than three million people visit Ebay Motors every month and, according to the company, a car is sold on the site every two minutes.
If you’re looking to offload your current vehicle or buy another car, the sheer number of visitors to Ebay makes it a great first stop. The cash you pay for a listing on the site will get you far more exposure than you can expect for the same kind of fee in a car trading magazine.
Research assistance
To put together a comprehensive listing for your car, you need to gather plenty of information. Basic make and model details are easy, but other information, such as the engine size, whether it has anti-lock brakes, airbags and other valuable extras may need more investigation. Make sure you have all the relevant information before you even think about putting a listing together. Anything you forget to include could result in a lower price.
From a legal point of view, you need two main things: the MOT certificate and the logbook, also known as the V5 document. If you’re selling a car that is less than three years old, there will be no MOT certificate, but for everyone else, having less than six months of MOT remaining will reduce the price. No logbook also means you won’t be able to sell the car for its true value.
The last piece of information you will want is a valuation, especially if you plan to set a reserve on the auction or a ‘Buy It Now’ price. Dozens of websites can give you this sort of information, but our favourite for newer models is What Car? at www.whatcar.com, which offers a free rough valuation and general information about models to help write a description.
Listing post
Once you’ve clicked on the ‘Sell Your Car’ button on the site, you need to decide between a regular Ebay auction and a fixed-price sale, before choosing the ‘Cars, Parts and Vehicles’ category.
It’s possible to place your car in more than one category, such as ‘Classic Cars’ as well as the regular ‘Cars’ section, but the listing fees will be doubled as a result. Listing by manufacturer will suffice for more run-of-the-mill machinery.
When listing the car, you can enter the registration number. The idea is that key information about the vehicle can be filled in automatically based on DVLA records. For older models, imported cars and specialist vehicles, including motor caravans, this isn’t very reliable, but for regular cars, it’s a good time-saver. Do check, however, that all the information is correct before submitting.
Say what you see
To make compiling your car listing easier, write the main car description in a Word document and carry out a spellcheck to minimise the chances of making a mistake.
You can copy and paste the words straight into the Ebay listing window later on.
The first thing to write is a strong line or two to start the listing off. Being positive without slipping into the slimy patois of the used car salesman is the key.
A good opening line might be “You are bidding on a very smart 2004 Kia Sorento XS diesel. This high-mileage example has a full service history, leather seats and is in excellent all-round condition”.
The main description should cover all the things a buyer needs to know. Split the description into logical sections, but keep things brief – between 150 and 200 words – to prevent buyer boredom. Make sure you mention the mileage and any desirable aspects that will make your car stand out.
It’s customary to be honest about any problems a car has, but many Ebayers dwell on the negative points of their car to an absurd extent. You have a legal obligation to be truthful, but if you overplay the bad points, it’ll simply put potential buyers off. For example, if the car has a dent, say the bodywork is excellent apart from a small dent. You are trying to sell the thing, after all.
Image is everything
The next task is the image section, where you get the chance to upload pictures. It’s important to put some thought into your images. Ebay says cars with six or more photos sell for an average of a fifth more than those with less pictures, but quality is key.
The main picture should allow viewers to see the front and one side of the car. Avoid taking the picture in bright sunshine if possible, and ensure it’s in focus and that the car fills the picture, rather than being in the middle of lots of scenery. With 12 small photos included in the listing price, there’s plenty of opportunity to show the main views, but avoid repeating photos or putting in pointless ones.
A dashboard image, including a close-up of the milometer reading, is a good idea, along with views of both sides and a shot of the rear. A good interior photo is worthwhile, as are close-ups of any faults mentioned.
There are various picture upgrade options to consider with the listing. The Supersize option is good for seeing larger versions of your pictures. This costs 60p per listing and will pay for itself in helping serious buyers make a bid. Paying the 15p requested for the Gallery picture is money well spent too.
This means a small picture of your car will appear in the search page list. The new Picture Show option, which puts your images in a slideshow along the bottom of the listing, is better suited to car accessories and isn’t really worthwhile for our purpose.
Remember to upload the best picture first as with any Ebay listing, as this is the one that will appear on the search result screen.