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How to sell your car before you emigrate

  Wednesday, 11 May 2022

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.

Want to sell your car? Click here for a free quote

For the sale itself you have three options:

Private sale
  • 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.
Dealerships
  • 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.
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.

Do I need a new Driving Licence?

Car Insurance abroad

  • 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.

Vehicle tax abroad

  • Countries vary on their rules regarding vehicle tax, with many European nations demanding that you display your tax certificate, as in the UK.
  • 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.

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!

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