How to sell your car before you emigrate

Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Moving abroad can be a stressful process, but selling your car before you leave needn’t be as difficult as some suggest: Plan enough time to sell your vehicle: you will still need it before you go away, but it’s going to make things difficult if you haven’t sealed the deal before you depart; three weeks should be enough time, but it depends on the car and the price you are looking for. If you are selling it last minute don’t be afraid to accept less than market value for it, you need the sale after all.

Why sell your car at all?

There are many reasons why you would want to sell your car instead of taking it with you. It may be that the car is low in value and not worth the hassle of shipping. It could also be that the car you have wouldn’t work as well for you in your new home abroad. Or, that you need the money to fund the move. However, the main reason you might sell your car before emigrating is simply due to shipping costs.

How expensive is it to ship a car?

Shipping a car, as you might expect, isn’t hugely affordable. As an example, the average cost of shipping from the UK to Spain is approximately £750-£1,000 at time of writing. But if you’re looking further afield, like the USA, you’d be expecting to pay more along the region of £1,200-£2,000. It will also be more expensive the larger the car, so a 4x4 will cost more to ship than a saloon.

For the money you’d need to pay the shipping, plus any hidden fees or additional costs, it’s often cheaper to simply sell your current car and buy a new one when you arrive at your new home.

What are the 3 ways to sell?

Sell your car privately

You can try and sell your vehicle privately to the highest bidder by taking out an advert in a local paper or motoring magazine/website. This is likely to take the longest amount of time but will potentially give you a very good price. Beware of the hassle involved too: you will need to wait for appointments to arrive, carry out test drives and be prepared to haggle. Early morning phone calls and no shows may drive you mad, but you could get lucky and find the perfect buyer, first time, too.

Through a dealership

Dealerships may buy your motor if it has a relatively low mileage and is in good condition, guaranteeing a quick sale. However, be prepared to forego on price because the dealer will need to add on a margin to their sale price to make a profit. Unless your vehicle is in very good condition, they may not choose to buy it, so be prepared for disappointment.

With ASM Auto Recycling

ASM Auto Recycling can take your car off your hands quickly and easily, just fill in your registration details for a quick and easy quote. We will buy your car whatever its condition – whether it’s fully-working, damaged-repairable, end-of-life or scrap, you can be paid quickly and fairly every time.

What to consider once you move

Do I need a new driving licence?

All European Union countries will accept a British Driving Licence as proof of your ability to drive, while Australia lets you use it for a limited period. To drive in many other countries you will need an International Drivers permit (IDP), which you will need to acquire before you leave and carry when driving, together with your UK licence.

Car insurance and vehicle tax

Your no claims bonuses are very unlikely to be taken into account abroad, so you may well have to start all over again, which may seem a little unfair. Be sure to check insurance costs before committing to buying a vehicle, as regulations vary from country to country.

Countries vary on their rules regarding vehicle tax, with many European nations demanding that you display your tax certificate. Being caught without vehicle tax in a new country isn’t a good way to start your new life, and could result in you being arrested and detained, so make sure you check with the UK embassy of your destination country before you leave.

Rules when driving abroad

Foreign countries have lots of different road rules which you will need to learn quickly; aside from countries like France driving on the right-hand side, others, like America, have different signs (‘Stop’ at junctions), no overtaking school buses, turn right at red lights etc.
Others have different manoeuvres, like Melbourne in Australia, which require ‘hook’ turns to give way to oncoming trams.
Make sure you are aware of all the new road rules before driving by reading a copy of their highway code. You can check out the Government’s website for more details on individual countries’ driving regulations.
While it may seem like a good idea to take your vehicle abroad with you, particularly in the EU, a right-hand drive car will cause you problems when driving on the right-hand side of the road, particularly when using toll booths and drive-through windows. It’s probably a better idea to sell your car and start from scratch, especially if your move overseas is a long term one.
If you are worried about driving abroad, don’t be: take some lessons when you arrive, and it will soon become second nature!

later post | index | earlier post