Dealing with prospective buyers

Knowing how to deal with prospective buyers to ensure a successful sale is a vital skill when selling a car. Of the few things that go against our natural instincts, inviting strangers into our house and giving them the keys to test drive our car along the freeway would be among them. But in car sales these are situations that are pretty hard to avoid. So, to minimise the risk of problems developing, we recommend the following important safety measures:

Phone Call

When contacted by potential buyers make sure you always remain polite and keep all relevant information at the ready. However, ensure that you do not give out too much personal information when answering enquiries and if the conversation ever becomes threatening or you feel uncomfortable, end it immediately.

Be aware that people may have to travel large distances in attending appointments, so ensure you have laid down the boundaries of the sale beforehand. For instance, be sure to inform the prospective buyers of any possible defects or extra wear to the car and allocate a particular time for the meeting, making it clear that after this period you retain the right to sell to another. Accordingly, it is also useful to request a contact number lest the car is sold in advance, and to establish the sincerity of the inquiry.

In case of trouble, it is advisable that you have only one ‘buyer’ at a time and arrange meetings within daylight hours.

When negotiating prices, make sure you have given your ad enough time before dropping the original offer. Also be careful in advertising to buyers the ‘right of first refusal’ that can be used to deflate the price after removing all competitors.

Finally, a car is not sold until you have the cash in hand; be aware that even after deposits, sales are still liable to collapse.

The Viewing

Unless you are selling something of rarity or high value - in which case it safer to conduct the sale away from home and with the assistance of a friend for backup to prevent the re-enactment of any tacky Hollywood action scripts - arrange meeting on your own turf or a friend’s (if you feel vulnerable).

Precaution is always the watchword when selling your car, so make sure you don’t allow anyone into your house or to possess the keys. Leave nothing valuable in the car, including any corresponding paperwork (service records, registration papers). Additionally, ensure the removal of all key codes from owner’s manual or any other important documents that can be used to have keys remade.

Most importantly, watch out for those paying undue interest to the where the car is kept or your security system, as they may be making notes for a subsequent (uninvited) visit.

The Test Drive

Test drives are neither a necessary or critical element to a vehicle sale, but if you do choose to offer one there are important rules to follow to make sure that you don’t eagerly watch your car drive away, never to be seen again.

Firstly, always accompany any buyers and ensure you’ve made the time to properly check they possess an up-to-date driver’s license, to protect yourself against theft or any unwelcome fines. Also, it is important that you make sure your own insurance covers any third party costs.

Do not under any circumstances leave the car without first retrieving the keys from the customer. It may sound reasonable to accept the buyer’s keys as a security, but it’s entirely possible that you will be fobbed off with a stolen car as you watch yours drive off into the sunset.

Lastly, make the terms of sale clear before handing over the keys and do not enter into any deals that involve a transfer of money at a later date. Remember, the aim of this exercise is to obtain a successful sale without being swindled.