How to...sell your car

Whilst it's an exciting prospect to be upgrading to a new motor, the downside is that you almost always have to sell your old car.

It's not just a metal box with wheels on, it's like an old friend, a collection of memories, the trusted companion that (usually) got you to work on time.

But before you bid your final farewell, there are a few things that you'll need to do to make it as attractive as possible to a potential new owner. Here's how to sell your car as efficiently as possible:

Setting the price

Value it too high and people will go elsewhere, set it too low and they'll wonder what's wrong with it – the price is a crucial element of selling your car.

You'll need to consider your vehicles age, mileage and condition, while factoring in a little room for the buyer to haggle.

Try using the free valuation tool offered by What Car? Online to work out a reasonable price. And don't use the term O.N.O (or near offer) it indicates that you're desperate to sell and will provoke lower offers.

Writing the advert

Keeping it clean and concise is the best advice. Make sure to include details about the tax and MOT length, the specific model and the condition that it is in.

Don't bother exaggerating – you'll only be wasting both your time and the buyers when they see the car in the flesh.

Churchill offer a good checklist of things to make sure you've included.

Taking a photo

A good photo can make it much easier to sell your car, but you needn't be a professional to take one.

Just make sure that the image is well-lit, in-focus and fits the whole car in the frame.

Photograph the important details of the car and, above all, make sure the car is clean!

You'll also want to polish the interior and remove anything too personal – this will get it ready for potential buyers, who'd rather see the car without your CDs pouring out of the glovebox and your nodding dog gurning at them from the dashboard.

Dealing with buyers

You should always be on your guard when dealing with buyers – thieves may use this as a cover to steal your vehicle so never leave them alone with the keys in the ignition or let them take a test drive alone.

You should also make sure that they have insurance before they give your car a try.

Give the buyer plenty of time to inspect the car at their own pace and don't rush them.

Expect to have to haggle a bit over the price, but don't go below your minimum. And before handing over the keys, make sure that you've got the payment – if in doubt, contact your bank.

Doing the paperwork

You'll need to notify the DVLA immediately if you sell your vehicle. Keep a separate note of the buyers name and address.

Make sure that you write a receipt for the buyer before they leave and keep a copy for yourself.

Finally you'll need to inform your insurance company of the sale.

Congratulations, you've just sold your car!