Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork

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Sun 13 May 2012 12:23
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - hallington

My beloved car is selling and ending today on ebay. I have never sold privately before, but it's 14 years old and has a leaky radiator which I have put on the listing, so knew it wasn't worth going to a dealer/garage. I was advised by my mechanic to meet the buyer a few streets away from my house so they don't where I live? I'm not selling anything dodgy, but so I don't have people trying it on he said.

  1. Do I give them all the old MOT's and current one?
  2. What do I do with the V5
  3. Is it normal for them to want to test drive it when they have bought off ebay
  4. Do I ring my insurance the minute they have gone to cancel, as it's a sunday
  5. Who do I notify once I've sold the car?
  6. I printed off a which pdf that has sections for addresses etc, and a box for them to tick as sold as seen and a box for both of our signatures, should I get them to do this?
  7. Is there anything else I should do? I'm nervous about meeting a stranger to be given cash and go on a test drive

Thanks for any advice:)

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Sun 13 May 2012 13:47
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - KB.

I'm just off out so will make one point only. I learned the hard way not to trust a complete stranger who is looking round /driving your car. I lost my one year old car to a 'prospective buyer' who took the opportunity, whilst looking round the car, with the keys in the ignition, to jump in to the drivers seat and drive off up the road....having first closed the bonnet - but with the nearside door open and, without going into further detail, left me injured and horizontal on the tarmac of the pub carpark where we had stopped to look round the car.

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Sun 13 May 2012 17:10
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - bathtub tom

Has your mechanic not realised your address is on V5?

1. They only need current MOT

2. Read the V5, it tells you what to do

3. Quite normal, they'll then try to beat you down.

4. If they answer on Sunday

5. See 2

6. Private sale, they've no comeback as long as it's not misrepresented

7. I usually sell from home, but transfer money in a PO. The cash is then checked for funny money and deposited directly into my account, whereupon I hand over keys and documents. It's been known for houses to be broken into that have cash from a newly sold car.

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Sun 13 May 2012 18:43
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - Chris M

I can't see any problem with giving them all old MoTs and any invoices, especially if your listing has made a point of verified mileage and service history.

Test drives on ebay are for before the listing ends. Winning the item doesn't mean the winning bidder is first round to kick the tyres. They should be turning up, ensuring themselves that what you have listed is what is standing in front of them, giving you the dosh and driving off.

Phone your insurer on Monday.

Read the V5 and look on www.direct.gov.uk if you need further info.

Finally, as a buyer, I would be very suspicious of a seller that wouldn't meet me at their home address. I would assume a trader and would walk. Traders are fine, but they should be up front IMO. You can't be talking many bucks for a 14 yo car, so I wouldn't worry about large amounts of cash lying about. If you are worried, then selling a car privately isn't for you.

Edited by Chris M on 13/05/2012 at 18:45

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Sun 13 May 2012 19:30
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - wrangler_rover

When I hve sold a car in the past, I always write two copies of the receipt, both identical but containing the following words.

"This vehicle is sold as seen and as such, a warranty is neither given or implied"

I also sign it and get the buyer to sign it with the date and time on each receipt, I then give one copy to the buyer.

This may sound long winded but after picking up the car, if the buyer were to get caught by a speed or red light camera, you have proof it wasn't you driving.

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Sun 13 May 2012 19:33
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - KB.

"Finally, as a buyer, I would be very suspicious of a seller that wouldn't meet me at their home address. "

Agree entirely. Warning bells would sound.

But as a seller (which the OP is) he might possibly find himself in the same position that I was in ..... i.e. the 'prospective buyer' was coming to me by train and, as a gesture of kindness, I picked him up from the station and proceeded on to take him for a drive and, at his suggestion, we pulled in to a pub carpark for him to look around the car.

Edited by KB. on 13/05/2012 at 19:35

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Sun 13 May 2012 19:54
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - hallington

Thanks everyone, much appreciated, I will write that bit down you said and get them to sign that:) My mechanic bless him has never used ebay, but yes I see what you mean about my address is on the V5 anyway. I had to sell this way to get the most money as I need it towards another car. It only sold for £310, but with the leaky rad and being 14yrs I hope this ok and I haven't made too much of a loss, what do you guys think? Part of the reason I don't want him to want to test drive the car is because I get get travel sick as a passenger, a tad embarassing :( But if he just listens to the engine whilst stationary it's this that makes the rad pump water out, you don't see it whilst driving.

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Sun 13 May 2012 20:26
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - Chris M

With hindsight it's easy to see where you went wrong KB. Stopping in the pub car park and leaving the keys in the ignition, but I guess most people are naturally trusting and the minority sometimes take advantage. Maybe the OP should have a friend there to be an extra pair of eyes and ears.

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Sun 13 May 2012 21:05
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - KB.

Yes Chris, you're spot on. The whole thing could have easily been avoided. But there is a point of view which could be taken that had he not had the opportunity to nick it as easily as he did, then, would he, in desperation having travelled to me to obtain the car, gone to greater lengths to take the car? By this I mean, if the chance to take it hadn't arisen would he have produced a knife at some later point and would he have used it? And was I, in fact, lucky to have got away with the relatively minor physical injuries that I did? - I'd bought and sold dozens of cars privately since the age of 18 without a problem and was too trusting, naive and unsuspecting. It took ten years before I sold another car privately. And on that occasion I did take a second person with me during the drive and handover and I did insist on cash and did get the buyer to hand the cash straight over to my bank branch cashier before handing over the keys. All of which was, of course, unnecessary as he was as genuine as the day is long.....as was indicated by my checks on him before I ever set eyes on him.

Looking at these two examples, I guess I WAS lucky.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-135620/Man-killed-attempted-car-jacking.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/81256/Man-killed-in-car-jacking.html?print=yes

Edited by KB. on 13/05/2012 at 21:10

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Sun 13 May 2012 22:49
Never sold a car before, what do I do re paperwork - GavoTheSane

I just sold a car, and I used the PDF reciept form from What Car, which is handy, I also got the guy buying to hand over cash at my local bank branch, it went straight into my bank, went back to mine to sign over the documents. Made two receipts, and took a copy on my printer of the V5 before I sent it off.

I'd never take a cashiers cheque or bankers draft, too easily faked unless you go to their branch and see them draw it. Or ask them to do an instant bank transfer (CHAPS) into your bank, if they're genuine, they should be find doing any of the above.

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