We buy any car & van — including damaged and non‑runners
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If you are looking to sell your car, you want three things: a fair price, a straightforward process, and money in your account as quickly as possible. Whether your car is nearly new, high mileage, damaged, or sitting on your drive without an MOT, there is a route to selling it that works for your situation.
This guide covers everything you need to know about selling a car in the UK — the different options available, what affects your valuation, what paperwork you need, and how to avoid the common mistakes that cost sellers money. If you already know you want a quick, no-obligation offer, you can get your free valuation here and have a price in minutes.
There are essentially three routes when you want to sell your car: selling privately, trading in at a dealership, or using a car buying service. Each has genuine advantages and drawbacks, and the right choice depends on your priorities.
Selling your car privately — through Auto Trader, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or similar platforms — can achieve the highest sale price because there is no middleman. You set the price and negotiate directly with buyers.
However, the reality of selling privately is often less straightforward than it sounds. You will need to write a listing, take decent photographs, respond to enquiries (many of which lead nowhere), arrange viewings with strangers, negotiate with tyre-kickers, and handle the paperwork yourself. The average private sale takes two to four weeks, and there is no guarantee of a quick result. Some cars sit on platforms for months.
There are also risks. Payment fraud is a genuine concern with private sales, particularly with bank transfers that can be reversed or fake payment confirmations. You are also responsible for ensuring the buyer is insured to drive the car away and that the DVLA transfer is completed properly.
Best for: Sellers who are not in a rush, have a desirable car in good condition, and are comfortable dealing directly with members of the public.
If you are buying a replacement vehicle from a dealer, part-exchange is convenient. The dealer takes your old car and deducts its value from the price of the new one. The paperwork is handled for you and the whole thing happens in one transaction.
The downside is price. Dealerships need to make a margin on your trade-in, so part-exchange valuations are typically the lowest you will receive — often fifteen to twenty-five percent below private sale value. The dealer knows you are already committed to buying from them, which weakens your negotiating position.
Best for: Buyers who want everything handled in one place and are willing to accept a lower price for convenience.
Car buying services sit between private sales and dealer trade-ins. You receive a valuation based on your car’s details, the vehicle is inspected, and you are paid directly — usually the same day. There is no advertising, no viewings, no haggling, and no risk of payment fraud.
The trade-off is that the price is typically below what you might achieve through a private sale, though usually above a dealer part-exchange. The speed and certainty are the main advantages. When you sell your car through a reputable buying service, the price quoted is the price you receive, the collection is free, and the administrative side is handled for you.
At Car and Van Buyer, we buy cars and vans in any condition across South East England and beyond. Our process takes as little as 24 hours from valuation to payment, and there are no hidden fees or last-minute deductions. See exactly how our process works.
Best for: Sellers who want a quick, guaranteed sale without the uncertainty and effort of private selling.
Understanding what drives your car’s value helps you set realistic expectations and avoid being caught out by lowball offers. These are the main factors that determine how much your car is worth when you come to sell it.
Some brands and models hold their value far better than others. Japanese manufacturers like Toyota and Honda tend to depreciate more slowly. German premium brands such as BMW, Audi, and Mercedes hold value well in the first few years but can drop steeply once warranty periods end. French and Italian cars tend to depreciate faster, though there are exceptions.
Age matters, but not in a simple linear way. A three-year-old car has already absorbed the biggest depreciation hit. Between three and eight years, the decline is more gradual. Beyond ten years, values flatten out and condition becomes the primary factor.
Lower mileage generally means a higher price, but context matters. A seven-year-old car with 30,000 miles will command a premium over an identical model with 90,000 miles. However, extremely low mileage on an older car can raise questions about whether it has been sitting unused, which can cause its own mechanical issues.
The average annual mileage in the UK is around 7,000 to 8,000 miles. Cars within that range for their age are considered normal. Anything significantly above or below that will affect the valuation accordingly.
A full service history adds measurable value because it proves the car has been maintained properly. Main dealer stamps carry slightly more weight than independent garage records, but any documented maintenance is better than none.
Cosmetic condition matters too. Scuffed alloys, stone chips, scratched bumpers, and worn interiors all reduce the price. You do not necessarily need to fix these before selling — the cost of professional repairs often exceeds the value they add. But be honest about them when requesting a valuation.
A long MOT reassures the buyer and adds a small amount of value. An expired or failed MOT does not prevent you from selling, but it does reduce the price because the next owner will need to invest in getting the car through a test. If you are wondering whether to put your car through an MOT before selling, the general rule is: if it will pass with only minor work, do it. If there are significant issues, sell it as-is and let the buyer factor in the cost. We buy cars without MOT regularly and can make you an offer regardless of test status.
The market for different fuel types is shifting. Diesel values have softened in recent years as urban emission zones expand and running costs increase. Petrol cars remain steady. Hybrid models, particularly plug-in hybrids, hold value well thanks to fuel savings and benefit-in-kind tax advantages. Pure electric vehicles have their own market dynamics — strong demand for popular models but steeper depreciation on some older EVs with limited range. If you are selling an electric car, our electric car selling guide covers the specifics.
If there is finance on your car, the settlement figure will be deducted from the sale price. If your car is worth more than the outstanding balance, you keep the difference. If it is worth less (negative equity), you may need to cover the shortfall. We handle finance settlements directly with lenders, so you do not need to find the money upfront. Read our detailed guide on selling a car on finance for a full explanation of how this works with HP, PCP, and other agreement types.
We have designed our process to be as quick and straightforward as possible. Most sellers go from initial enquiry to money in their account within 24 to 48 hours. Here is how it works, step by step.
Enter your registration number and mileage on our valuation page. We use current market data to generate an accurate offer based on your car’s make, model, age, mileage, and condition. The valuation is free, there is no obligation, and your quote is guaranteed for four days.
If you are happy with the offer, we arrange a convenient time to collect your vehicle. We come to your home, workplace, or wherever the car is located. There is no need to bring it to us, and collection is completely free. We cover Surrey, London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Essex, and surrounding areas, with nationwide collection available for most vehicles.
When we arrive, we carry out a quick inspection to confirm the vehicle matches the details you provided. As long as everything checks out, we complete the paperwork on the spot and transfer your payment immediately by bank transfer. There are no admin fees, no deductions, and no waiting around.
That is it. Three steps, no hidden catches, and you walk away with the money in your account. Get your valuation now to see what your car is worth.
Having your paperwork in order makes the process faster and smoother. Here is what you should have ready:
If you are missing any of these, it does not necessarily prevent the sale. We buy cars without a V5C, without MOT, and without service history. The process may require additional verification steps, but we will guide you through it. Our full guide on documents needed to sell a car covers every scenario in detail.
One of the most common questions we hear is “will you buy my car if it has this problem?” In almost every case, the answer is yes. We buy:
The only vehicles we cannot buy are those without proof of ownership or with unresolved legal issues. If you are unsure whether your vehicle qualifies, check our full list of vehicles we buy or simply request a valuation and we will let you know.
When we say same-day payment, we mean it. Once the inspection is complete and the paperwork is signed, we initiate a bank transfer immediately. In most cases, the funds appear in your account within two hours, though it can be faster depending on your bank.
We do not pay by cheque or ask you to wait for clearance. There are no admin fees deducted from your payment, and the figure we transfer is exactly the amount we agreed. This is one of the biggest advantages of using a car buying service over selling privately, where payment complications and fraud are genuine concerns.
London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone now covers all London boroughs, and other cities including Birmingham, Bristol, and Bradford have introduced or are planning Clean Air Zones. If your car does not meet the emission standards (generally Euro 4 for petrol, Euro 6 for diesel), you face daily charges for driving in these areas.
This affects your car’s market value. A non-compliant diesel car will be worth less to buyers who live or work in these zones. However, it does not make your car unsellable. We buy non-ULEZ-compliant vehicles and factor the emission status into our valuation fairly.
If you are based in London and want to avoid ULEZ charges while you sort the sale, we offer collection across all London boroughs. See our London car buying service for local details. We also cover Surrey and the wider South East.
Around a third of cars on UK roads have some form of finance attached, so this is a common situation. If you have outstanding HP or PCP on your vehicle, we handle the settlement process for you. We contact your lender, obtain the settlement figure, pay them directly, and transfer any remaining equity to you.
You do not need to clear the finance yourself before selling. The entire process is managed as part of the sale, and there is no additional cost. Our guide to selling a car on finance explains the process for HP, PCP, and other agreement types in full detail.
Regardless of which selling method you choose, there are practical things you can do to maximise your car’s value:
These are the errors we see most frequently from people trying to sell their car:
We are a Surrey-based car and van buying service covering the whole of South East England and offering nationwide collection. Our approach is simple: fair prices, no hidden fees, and fast payment.
We have helped hundreds of customers across London, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and Essex sell their cars quickly and for a fair price. Read what our customers say about their experience.
Most sales are completed within 24 to 48 hours of the initial valuation. Once you accept our offer, we arrange collection at a time that suits you. Payment is made the same day as collection.
No. We buy cars with expired MOTs, failed MOTs, and cars that have never been tested. The MOT status is factored into the valuation, but it does not prevent the sale. See our guide to selling a car without MOT for more information.
Yes. We buy non-runners, cars with engine failure, gearbox problems, and other mechanical faults. We arrange collection with the appropriate transport, so the car does not need to be driveable.
Yes. We buy accident-damaged cars, including Category S and Category N write-offs. Our damaged car buying guide explains how the valuation works for accident-repaired vehicles.
We use a combination of live market data, recent auction results, and current trade values to price your vehicle. The main factors are make, model, age, mileage, condition, service history, and MOT status. Our valuations are designed to be competitive and realistic — not artificially inflated to be reduced later.
No. The valuation is free, collection is free, and there are no admin or processing fees. The price we quote is the price you receive in full.
We are based in Surrey and cover the whole of South East England, including London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and Essex. We also offer nationwide collection for most vehicles. Get a valuation and we will confirm collection arrangements for your location.
Ideally, yes. The V5C should be in your name. If it is not — for example, if you are selling on behalf of a family member — additional documentation may be required. Contact us to discuss your specific circumstances.
Car tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) does not transfer to the new owner. When the DVLA is notified of the sale, your tax is automatically cancelled and you receive a refund for any complete months remaining. We handle the DVLA notification as part of our process.
Yes. We settle outstanding finance directly with your lender as part of the sale. If the car is worth more than the settlement figure, you receive the difference. Read our full guide on selling a car on finance for details.
Getting a price for your car takes less than two minutes. Enter your registration and mileage on our free valuation page, and you will receive an instant offer based on current market data. There is no obligation, no pressure, and no hidden catches. If you like the price, we arrange free collection and pay you the same day. If the price does not work for you, there is nothing more to do.
Have questions before you start? Our frequently asked questions page covers the most common queries, or you can contact us directly and speak to a member of the team.
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