Can You Tell Me How To Sell A Car?

[Lie-in King]

Hi all - I have a problem that I hope someone can solve for me.

I'm the sole executor of a will, as a result of which I find myself the owner of a car. I know nothing about cars. I've never driven, so have no licence.

The car is uninsured but has both MOT & tax until September & I have the V5 (logbook?) form.

I need to sell the car but have been told it will be impossible to let anyone test-drive it without insurance.

A neighbour asked his company if they would grant him temporary cover for it but they refused.

I've been advised that going through a trade dealer might be possible, as they apparently have "trade insurance" which might make a sale possible, although it would result in a big drop in price.

Is there ANYTHING that AB can think of that will assist me in this? Please use "complete idiot" language in any replies! :-))

I may not be around to reply to any answers immediately, but will check back in later.

As always, thank you for your time & attention.

[mazie]

Hi LiK. Some insurance Companies allow Fully Comprehensive policy holders to drive other cars on a Third party Fire and Theft basis. If the person interested in the car and wanting to test drive it has this sort of policy you maybe OK. There's a link below.

http://www.confused.com/car-insurance/articles/when-fully-comp-doesnt-let-you-drive-any-motor

[pauln90]

Under no circumstances allow any one to test drive the car without fully comp insurance otherwise in the event of an accident you will have to stand the cost of repair. As you say you are a complete novice regards motors I would say that a trade dealer is your best option,although I appreciate you will get a lower price, but it will be less hassle for you

[Psybbo]

Hi Lie-in-King, I can't help but Tonyav should be around later and I'm sure he'll be able to help. xx

[ubasses]

The Daily Telegraph often recommend Sure Sell in their Motoring Section letters, may be worth a google, I think that they will collect the vehicle.

[ladybirder]

The car must be insured in its own right before a fully comp person or any other can drive it.

[ladybirder]

Yes good idea ubasses. Sure Sell come and collect the car don't they?

[ChuckFickens]

"The car must be insured in its own right before a fully comp person or any other can drive it."

Incorrect. the road traffic act mentions nothing about vehicles being insured at all, it's the person using it that is insured.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/145

[ladybirder]

??? So you can drive my uninsured car on your policy?

[ChuckFickens]

If my policy covers me to drive it, then yes. Your car is never insured in the eyes of the road traffic act, the user is insured, the section in the RTA is titled "Users of motor vehicles to be insured or secured against third-party risks."

There would be a very high likelihood of me getting stopped as the vehicle would get flagged up as having no insured user registered against it, but as long as I could produce a policy showing I was insured to drive it then it would be perfectly legal.

[Hopkirk]

Yes Ladybirder, but you mustn't get out of it and leave it on a public road as it would be uninsured again.

[ladybirder]

OK. Thanks Chuck. That sounds really odd Hopkirk but I get what you mean.

[Ellipsis]

If you simply want to sell it with the minimum effort and are not too worried about getting the most cash possible for it, then there are lots of "we buy your car" web sites around. Some (e.g. http://www.webuyanycar.com/) require you to drive your car to them for them to purchase it, but others (e.g. http://www.buyacar.co.uk/ - see the "Sell Your Car" section) will come and pick the car up from you.

[TWR]

Lie-In-King, do not use "We bye any car" you pay for everything & the lowest price, get the car cleaned mabey valeted, make sure you have all the Docs at hand, sipulate that the byer produce Full comp Insurance Cert & (CHECK IT OUT) If you have a male friend that drives, ask him to go with the byer for their test run, You did not state the Year /Colour / milage / how many owners the car has had, if you give out the details, we can help with the price close to book price, if the sale is on-going, make sure your male friend is there so you do not get ripped off. ( Some will try belive me)

[Lie-in King]

Wow! Excellent answers from everyone, thank you so much :-)

I'll read the links & try to get my head around the info this evening, when I've had a chance to wind down.

[tonyav]

LIK, you could advertise it in some thing like Auto Trader or put it on Ebay, and put in the advert that you will need to see proof of insurance from any perspective buyer before you will allow any test drive.

[hc4361]

Many insurance policies no longer automatically include 'any other car not owned by you' and those that do often have the proviso that the car is taxed, MOT'd and INSURED in its own right.

Don't forget that driving the car on a public road could flag up to the police by way of APNR that the car is uninsured so get full details of anybody you allow to drive it.

[Hopkirk]

Paerhaps ask some local independant car dealers if they would sell it for you, or buy it off you.

[EDDIE51]

If you tell us the car make, model, year mileage we could give an idea of the price it would get.
As said whatever you do DO NOT use We Buy Any Car they are legalized robbery. They will quote a decent price but when you actually get to them or they to you they will find all sorts of excuses to drop the price, the final insult is that they then charge £49.95 just to complete the sale. I know a man who was about to sell his car to them , the final offer was £50 which he was going to accept until he realised that there was a £49.95 fee so he was going to get 5p ( Yes 5 pence) for the car .
There are decent car buying companies out there but We Buy Any car is not one of them. A local 2nd hand car dealer would be a better bet.