Who Can I Trust When Selling My Car?

How do you know who you can trust?

Author

Jason Fisher
August 04, 2023

How do you know who you can trust when selling your car?  

When you set out on the journey of selling your car you get bombarded with companies that want to buy it from you, but how do you know who you can trust?  

As we mentioned in last week’s newsletter, many companies will have a ‘sales pitch’ on their website as to why you should sell to them, however, they usually don’t include any information on where you will get the best price or best service from. Because of this it can become very overwhelming to figure out who you can actually trust.  

 

Here at Carfisher, we do things differently!  

Read on to find out who you can trust to sell you car to as we break down all the factors.  

  • Reviews – Reviews are a vital part of any buying decision we make in this current world, and they are just as vital when deciding which company to sell your car to. One important thing to remember is to look at all the reviews, not just 5-star ones. Sometimes, a negative review is just as important as a positive one, because it shows you how the company dealt with it. Was the company at fault, or the customer? Did the company blame the customer, making the situation worse? When you are in the process of selling your car, take some time to read through the reviews of the various companies you are considering and use them to help you make an informed and educated decision on who will be right for you.  

  • Initial Enquiry – You should take into consideration how the company deals with your initial enquiry. Do they simply take your registration and mileage and give you a price? Or do they dig deeper into the condition of your car? A company that looks more closely at your car is more likely to give you a more accurate price than one that just asks for your registration number and mileage. The way that a company handles your initial enquiry will usually give you an idea of how they will treat you throughout the whole journey of the sale. If they reply to you promptly and when they said they would, they are likely to turn up on time and do what they have promised in the first place. If their organisational skills are lacking, then you are more likely to be messed around.  

  • Online Presence – Online presence is huge these days when it comes to the customer journey and again, selling your car is no different. You need to be on the look out for companies who are reputable and have a good online presence. Things such as keeping their website fully updated with their contact details and address, and being active on social media all help to build trust.  

  • Logistics – Although most companies now offer to visit your home to complete the purchase of your vehicle, it is important to know if they are also happy if you take the car to them. That way you are able to see their premises and check out where they operate from. This is just another step to help you build trust with the company and see whether they have a suitable forecourt and office.  

  • Your Network - Before searching online it is often worth asking those around you if anyone has recently sold their car. You shouldn’t underestimate the value of your own network. Speak to them and ask who they sold their car to, how they found the process and the company as a whole and whether they would recommend them to you. Recommendations are very important, and we all usually highly trust the opinions of those closest to us.  

  • Payment Method – Have you thought about how they pay you? Instant bank transfer should be the only way that you accept payment. Anyone offering cash or cheque should make you think very carefully and perhaps that you need to do a lot more research on that company prior to any sale being made.  

  • Buyer’s Identification – Before making any sale, you should ask to see the buyer’s identification and trade insurance (if they haven’t already shown it to you prior). Reputable companies should have no problem presenting you with a copy for your peace of mind. Anyone that may be resistant to showing you should signal some red flags, so be wary of this.  

Here are Carfisher, we think that there are 3 main things you need to trust when making the final decision to sell your car.  

  1. Trust the person you are dealing with.  

  1. Trust the service they are offering.  

  1. Trust the company that are offering the service.  

If you trust and follow these three things, we think you will have then made an educated decision and that they are a good company to sell your car to.  

 

Final Notes  

One thing to be wary of is any company guaranteeing you the price they have offered over the phone. You wouldn’t guarantee to pay someone a certain price without first seeing what you are buying yourself, especially if the product is used. So, you shouldn’t do the same when a company offers you a price without first seeing your vehicle.  

No matter how much detail you go into about the car and its condition, it is very easy for you to miss something, after all we’re all human. So, it’s important to remember that they cannot guarantee the price without viewing the car first themselves and checking over all the paperwork and credentials.  

Get in touch today for a chat if you’d like to find out more about who to sell your car to.