Should I use websites, like Cazoo, to sell my car?

Wednesday, 15 June 2022

If you are thinking of selling your car, there are numerous ways in which you can do so.

A private sale will involve arranging viewings with the potential buyers. You may have to put up with tyre kickers, time wasters and haggling. If this doesn’t appeal, you have two choices.

You can go to a reputable local car salvage dealer, such as ASM Auto Recycling. We will be able to give a competitive estimate of the valuation of your vehicle. We offer a choice of a collection or drop-off service, and immediate payment once a price has been agreed.

Alternatively, you can visit one of the many websites available offering a used car buying service. You know which ones we mean – sites like Cazoo, Webuyanycar and CarWow, to name but a few. They claim to offer a quick way to sell your car for cash, but how do they compare with each other, and to selling through a trusted local dealer?

“Cazoo yeah you can”. Well, can you?

Cazoo has made a big dent in the online car buying and selling market, even though they are relative newcomers. Cazoo was only founded in 2019 by the people behind LoveFilm and Zoopla, and like those websites they have given used car shopping a funky digital makeover. But can you sell a used car without leaving your sofa?

Well, actually, it’s not as easy as it looks.

Like every online dealer, Cazoo has a few rules regarding what cars they will buy.

You start by giving a few basic details of your vehicle such as mileage, service history and its general condition.

Most of the cars Cazoo buy are under 15 years old, with fewer than 150,000 miles on the clock. They also need a valid MOT with at least two weeks of validity left by the time a sale is booked with Cazoo. They also do not buy the following:

Cars with outstanding finance
Cars with major accident damage
Cars with tyres that are not road legal
Cars that have not been first registered in the UK
Cars that have exceeded 25,000 miles per year

Webuyanycar – do they though?

Webuyanycar is still perhaps among the most well-known online car selling services. Their unmistakable jingle was first heard on our TV screens back in 2006.

Their USP is written into their brand identity. There are only two types of vehicle that they will not buy – any registered outside the UK or from within the motor trade.

Their pledge is to provide a valuation within 30 seconds. Admittedly it would depend on how quickly you entered the details of your registration and mileage, email address and postcode. Once your details are entered you do receive your valuation immediately and the details of your nearest drop off branch.

However, there are the following caveats to your valuation:

The sale may be subject to a transaction fee
An inspection of the vehicle may change the price offered
The valuation is only guaranteed for 4 days

Is CarWow like, er, wow?

CarWow does not actually buy your car. It is merely a middle man, providing you with a listing on its site, through which dealers can contact you with their valuations. CarWow does provide an initial quote, but only after a very lengthy survey (compared to Cazoo or WeBuyAnyCar) on details about your car. You need to add photos as well here.

So it feels like you are doing a lot of what is involved in a private sale, but for the lower price that a dealer will offer.

The benefits of selling your car through ASM Auto Recycling

Ultimately, anyone wanting to sell their car needs to be clear on what is most important to them. Is it solely about the best price you can get, or are there other factors? Do you want a quick sale, or one where most of the paperwork is done for you?

If you come to a local dealer like ASM Auto Recycling, you can expect to get a better price than an online site. Selling through ASM can be just as quick too.

We will provide you with a quick online valuation and only ask for your vehicle’s registration, your postcode, email address and phone number. If you think the car is worth more than our valuation, you can give us more detailed information about the vehicle, and we will respond with a new quotation
We will offer you a scrap price too
We will accept cars that do not have a valid MOT or are not currently running, unlike an online seller
Your valuation can be higher if you choose to drop your vehicle off at one of our four locations across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Selling to a local dealer like us also means that if there are any issues with the sale, you will be able to speak to us in person.

Plus, it should be noted that most online sellers will only honour their offer price after their engineers inspect the vehicle in person. You will still need to provide documentation and accessories, such as a valid logbook (V5C), service history, locking wheel nut, spare keys etc.

Get a valuation from ASM today

We know that it can be tempting to sell to seemingly speedy online platforms. But you can get just as quick a sale, and at a better price, with a local car dealer like ASM. Request your free instant valuation today.

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