I need to sell my car but it has an outstanding recall notice. What do I do?

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I need to sell my car but it has an outstanding recall notice. What do I do?

I recently bought a car from my brother, which means I need to sell my current car. I was about to advertise it but have just had a recall notice in the post from BMW saying my car needs to come in for replacement of parts - which may catch fire (heating and A/C system). However, they don't have enough parts to do the repair straight away. The letter says they will contact me in the next 4 to 8 weeks to arrange to book my car in. In the interim, the letter says I shouldn't use the heater. How can I possibly advertise a convertible for sale with this recall outstanding?

Asked on 23 March 2021 by Chinleyman

Answered by Dan Powell

Sadly your choices are limited to:

1) Advertise the car but tell any potential buyers about the recall (legally you are obliged to do this as it's a serious safety issue).
2) Wait until the recall work is completed and then sell the car.

Obviously, if you choose option 1 you will not get the best price for the car. Personally, I would wait until the car has been fixed. You will be given paperwork to prove the work has been completed to BMW standards and this will inevitably make the car more desirable compared to similar vehicles that do not have this evidence.

Tags: recalls private car sales

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