If you're selling your car privately, it's because you want to get as much for it as possible. "Why sell my car if I can trade it in?" you might be asking. You nearly always get a lower price for your car when you trade it in and, if you advertise it properly and get it into a good condition for sale, your car could raise more money than you thought - putting you in a great position when it comes to buying a new one.

How can I sell my car for the best price?

Getting the best price for your car is the result of a number of things:

Getting a good valuation - if you price your car too highly, you may not get the level of interest you're looking for. If you're thinking: "I want to sell my car for £2k more than it's worth", you probably won't get very far. Instead, use a reputable valuation company to see what the true value of your car is. Don't cheat - put in your make and model and mileage so that you know you're getting a good figure. Use this figure as your guideline when it comes to advertising your car.

Including extras - "I want to sell my car with tax and MOT included" - that's a good plan as lots of buyers don't want to have to tax and MOT the car before they can drive it. Both of these are expensive and even if you just have a few months left on each, it's an incentive for a buyer to choose your car over someone else's.

Getting in shape - just as you would make sure your house looked good if you were selling it, so your car has to look its best. We don't all take care of our cars they way we should whilst we're using them, but that's no reason not to put in a bit of extra effort before you sell. Make sure it's clean inside and out and that it's been serviced recently so that it runs well. Get all the manuals and documentation together so that the buyer has everything they need. "It's easier to sell my car if I can show the buyer that the car's been well looked-after" is a great way to think.

Carboard is an advertising gateway that is delighted to cater to both the buyers and sellers of vehicles. Offering the latest news and reviews of vehicles and expert advice about buying and selling cars, there is no better place to go if you're thinking "I need to sell my car" than Carboard. Offering advanced search options and competitive advertisement placement prices to customers, along with the opportunity to support a range of national charities, Carboard is a unique online car site. For more information about Carboard and the services that we offer, simply email enquiries@carboard.co.uk.

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