Your car is one of your most valuable assets, and you want to make sure you get the best possible price when you decide to part with it. Fortunately, you have a lot more options when it comes to selling your car today then you did 20 years ago, thanks to online services like eBay and Auto Trader.
Wondering ‘how much to sell my car on Autotrader?’ or ‘how much to sell my car on eBay?’ – see below
Of course, these services don’t come for free, and a lot of people I speak to often ask about the true cost of advertising cars on these sites. A common complaint regarding selling a used or second-hand car on eBay is the “hidden cost” in the form of a final selling fee, so we’re going to take a look at the different advertising/selling options available from both eBay and Auto Trader. We’ll also provide some tips on how you can improve your chances of closing a deal.
Advertising cars on Auto Trader
Advertising costs on Auto Trader will depend on your car’s selling price. It’s not easy figuring out how much to ask for your car. Naturally, you’ll want to get as much as you can for it, but valuing it too high will scare away buyers. On the other hand, a lot of buyers like to barter anyway, so you need to leave some room for the price to be haggled down.
The first thing you need to do is set a minimum price that you won’t go below, and which you will keep secret from buyers. When it comes to setting the actual selling price, you should do some research to find out what is reasonable and realistic. Ask around at various local dealers to find out how much they would value your car, and look at some of the ads for similar cars on Auto Trader.
Another useful resource provided by Auto Trader is the car valuation tool. Simply enter some of your car’s details and you’ll get a recommended selling price.
As well as advertising cars through Auto Trader, you can contact their customer support team for tips on closing the deal. They’ll help you design the advertisement, and they can provide valuable advice on dealing with buyers and avoiding scams.
Another really useful tool provided by Auto Trader is the car check tool. Simply enter any cars number plate and find out if that vehicle is written off, stolen or has outstanding finance.
Get more information on advertising cars on the website. However, you need to be aware that not everyone on Auto Trader is there with good intentions. So, it’s important to find out about some of the scams and fraudulent behaviour you might encounter.
Auto Trader advertising rates
When it comes to the advertising fees, there are three different packages for cars under and over £1000: Basic, Standard and Premium. Bear in mind that Auto Trader doesn’t charge final value fees.
Cars under £1000
- Basic: Costs £9.95 for two weeks and includes up to 20 photos.
- Standard: Costs £14.95 for three weeks and includes up to 20 photos, mobile advantage and search standout.
- Premium: Costs £19.95 for six weeks and includes up to 20 photos, desktop advantage, mobile advantage and search standout.
Cars over £1000
- Basic: Costs £36.95 for two weeks and includes up to 20 photos.
- Standard: Costs £45.95 for three weeks and includes up to 20 photos, mobile advantage and search stand out.
- Premium: Costs £56.95 for six weeks and includes up to 20 photos, desktop advantage, mobile advantage and search stand out.
Mobile advantage is a useful feature to have, as 60% of online searches are performed on mobile devices.
We hope these tips help you get the best deal when you decide to sell your car. If you need more information, give us a shout and we’ll do our best to help you.
Visit AutoTrader’s website
Advertising cars on eBay
eBay Motors receives over 3 million visitors every month, with a car selling every two minutes. Advertising your vehicle through such a recognisable brand certainly has its benefits.
eBay also provides you with more space to advertise than you would get in a printed ad, so you should make use of it. Include lots of photos of the car in your advertisement to increase your chances of luring buyers, and make sure the car is in tip-top condition before you bring out the camera (wash it, in other words).
eBay fees for motors
Bear in mind that eBay advertising fees differ for those who want to sell one vehicle and those who intend selling several vehicles (cars or vans). If you’re selling several vehicles you will need to register on eBay Motors Pro, while sales of a single vehicle can be done through regular eBay classified ads or auctions. These fees are as follows:
eBay Listing Fees
- Classifieds: £14.99
- Auction: £10.00
- Buy it now: £10.00
eBay offers optional upgrades to improve the look of your advert and increase your chances of successfully selling your car. Some upgrades are free and some are paid-for. For example:
- Gallery Plus costs £2.99 for classified ads but is free for auction and Buy it now ads.
- Subtitle costs £0.50 for classified, auction and Buy it now options.
- Listing designer is free for all options.
- Scheduler is also free for all options.
Final value fees on eBay
- You pay 1% of the final selling price (min £20 and max £35) when the transaction is complete.
Check out eBay’s fee calculator to get an estimate of total advertising costs for your motor vehicle.
