CarZar

Sellers Toolkit

Sellers Toolkit

Discover How to Get the Best Offer Nationwide

Equip yourself with all the tools and knowledge required to sell a car seamlessly, while getting the best price the market is willing to pay for your vehicle.

Toolkit Overview

About Our Seller's Toolkit

Most private car sellers have gone through the nightmare of advertising on online classifieds:

 

Getting inundated with phone calls at all hours of the day from strangers who wasted time with lowball offers. Not to mention, the safety risks associated with selling your car to a complete stranger.

 

Car trade-ins are no different, except you get a pushy salesman telling you what the resale value of your car should be. Although the selling experience may seem like a convenient one, salesmen are not interested in buying a car, unless you’re going to trade in your car. As for a seamless car trade-in experience, did you know you have to pay to trade in a car for a new one? When salesmen offer you a ‘discount’ for trading in your second hand car, all they are doing is reducing the profit they’re earning on the new car.

 

On the other hand, have you considered every car owner’s worst nightmare? Depreciation, that is.

 

As soon as your car touches the road, depreciation will have a great impact on the market value of your car. However, the rate of depreciation decreases as the car gets older. Thus, the sooner you sell it, the more cash you will receive!

 

From private car sale basics to valuation tools, paperwork and sales contracts, this guide kits second hand car sellers with all the tools and knowledge required to sell a car seamlessly, and get the best possible value out of a car.

 

Ready to sell your car? Let’s get started…

Selling Car Privately

What are the benefits of selling my car privately?

You’ve probably planned on advertising your car on online classifieds, such as Gumtree or OLX. But, selling a second hand car privately will not come as a seamless process when you’re completely clueless on how to haggle your way into getting the best price for your used car.

 

Safety and security are the biggest risks when selling your car privately. This means dealing with the hassle of consistent calls, meeting strangers and handling risky test drives. You’ll also be placing yourself at risk of scams, fraudulent transactions or even theft!

 

The first thought that comes to mind when deciding to sell a used car is, “I wonder what is the value of my car”. Well, there are a few ways in which you can go about figuring this out:

  1. Online research – the resale value of your car will, generally, vary according to your car’s mileage on the clock, availability of paperwork, spare keys, and the cosmetic, mechanical and electrical quality of your vehicle.
  2. Car inspection – ensure that you visit a trusted, professional vehicle inspector who can provide you with a fair quote.
  3. Car buying services – On www.carzar.co.za you can get an estimated value for your car in seconds. We use a unique algorithm based on current market trends and previous transaction histories, to ensure you receive an accurate value for your car.
  4. After you book and attend an obligation-free inspection with us, you can decide between:

 

Option 1: Instant Cash

 

CarZar will make an instant cash offer at the end of your inspection.

 

Option 2: More for your Car

 

Looking for a higher price? Let us advertise your car to our nationwide network of dealers for 48-hours. Here you’re guaranteed the best price the market is willing to pay for your car!

Vehicle Sale Contract

Creating a Vehicle Sales Contract

Firstly, ensure that you have a clear structure for Vehicle Sales Contract – it should be legible and readable.

 

Here’s what you need to do include within a Vehicle Sales Contract:

  1. Motor vehicle make
  2. Motor vehicle model
  3. Motor vehicle year
  4. Motor vehicle registration number
  5. Mileage on the motor vehicle at the time of handover
  6. Cosmetic, mechanical and electrical faults of the motor vehicle
  7. The price payable by the Buyer to the Seller for the motor vehicle
  8. The banking details of both the motor vehicle seller and motor vehicle buyer
  9. Whether the buyer was presented with Spare Keys
  10. The motor vehicle buyer’s acknowledgement that it is his/her responsibility to have the vehicle tested for roadworthiness.
  11. Location and date on which the Vehicle Sales Contract was signed
  12. The date and time of the car delivery/collection
  13. Name and signature of the motor vehicle seller
  14. Name and signature of the motor vehicle buyer
  15. Name and signature of the witness
What is a Vehicle Sales Contract?

How do you seal the deal of a motor vehicle sale, if both parties are not in agreement?

 

A Vehicle Sales Contract is a binding agreement stating that the Seller sells and transfers to the Purchaser the particular make, model, year and registration number of a particular motor vehicle.

 

By signing the Vehicle Sales Contract, the used car buyer agrees to the terms and conditions of the motor vehicle sale – which generally include:

  • The Seller warrants that the Seller has the full right and authority to sell and transfer the vehicle and hereby indemnifies the Purchaser against ejectment;
  • The Seller warrants that the vehicle is sold free of liens and encumbrances;
  • The vehicle is sold as is, voetstoots;
  • The Seller shall sign such forms and deliver to the Purchaser such documents as may be necessary to enable the Purchaser to register the vehicle in his name;
  • The price payable by the Purchaser to the Seller for the Vehicle
Motor Vehicle Payment

Be wary of car scams. Scammers generally come across with a sense of urgency, unnecessary or private information, and upfront payments. Hold on to your car keys. The vehicle should not leave your site until you have received full payment and the money is reflected in your account.

 

With CarZar, all the hassle and safety risks of selling a used car privately are removed.

 

After you get a free estimated value for your car, you can book an obligation-free inspection at one of our DEKRA or KwikFit partner locations, or at your preferred location. After your inspection, you can decide between:

 

Option 1: Instant Cash

 

CarZar will make an instant cash offer at the end of your inspection.

 

Option 2: More for your Car

 

Looking for a higher price? Let us advertise your car to our nationwide network of dealers for 48-hours. Here you’re guaranteed the best price the market is willing to pay for your car!

 

But, whichever path you take, as soon as you accept the instant cash offer made in Option 1 or the highest cash offer made in Option 2, we’ll make an immediate payment straight into your bank account! No haggle, no hassle.

 

Here’s how a motor vehicle payment at CarZar works:

  • The first thing you need to know is that CarZar banks with FNB (First National Bank) – if CarZar pays to an FNB account, the motor vehicle payment will reflect immediately in the seller’s bank account. However, less commonly, payment can take up to an hour.
  • If CarZar pays to a bank account other than FNB, payment into the seller’s account can take between 2-hours and 2 working days.
  • All CarZar customers will receive proof of payment from CarZar, as well as a notification from FNB.

Car Trade-Ins

Should I rather trade-in car than sell my car for cash?

Most consumers believe that trading-in their car for a newer car will give them the best deal. This is not actually the case. When you trade-in, you buy a newer, generally much more expensive car, and the dealer makes a good profit on this vehicle. In order to entice you to buy the new car from him, the dealer will be willing to reduce the profit on the new car and allocate this “discount” to the amount he will offer for your trade-in – creating the impression that you are also ‘getting a great deal on the trade-in’.

 

In reality, if you sell your car for cash, you can get a better discount on the new car anyway! You will also have the flexibility to buy the car wherever you want, without having to try to match-up a good trade-in offer and good new car offer, from a single dealership.

 

Let’s take an example:
Peter and David both possess the same vehicle and visit the same dealer. Peter intends to trade-in his vehicle for a new car, while David intends to sell his car for cash. The dealer offers R100,000 to David; while Peter is offered R110,000 for his trade-in. Peter believes that his offer price is better than David’s; but instead, the additional R10,000 was taken from the discount available on his new car purchase.If someone were to walk into the dealership with cash in hands and buy the car that Peter was interested in, the dealer would offer them a discount of R10,000, at least!

Paperwork

About the car sale ‘paperwork’

Ever heard of the term ‘Change of Owner’? In case you were unaware, the person whose name the car is registered on – the name on the original Natis – is the rightful owner of the vehicle. Without having your name on the NaTIS, you cannot prove that the car is rightfully yours

 

This is essentially why paperwork and forms are required when selling a car. When selling your used car for cash or simply changing any details about your second hand motor vehicle, it is your responsibility to ensure that the vehicle ownership or vehicle titleholder particulars are changed. This is to avoid paying pricey fines involving incorrect information use; and ensures that you retain a clear vehicle record, in case any traffic violations have been committed using your used car or any second hand vehicle that you have sold.

 

However, in this case, if you sell your car to CarZar, we’ll take care of all the admin for you!

Roadworthy Certificate

After selling your car, the used vehicle needs to be registered in the car buyer’s name, due to a change in the vehicle’s ownership.

 

However, in order to do so, the car buyer will first need a roadworthy certificate. Ensure that the second-hand car buyer gets the car roadworthy tested at a private or public testing station. The car buyer will then be able to use the roadworthy certificate, to apply for and ensure a successful Change of Ownership or Titleholder Particulars for a Vehicle.

 

Find out more from CarZar about When and why you need a Roadworthy Certificate.

Service History

Most second-hand car buyers like to be aware of what they’re paying for. If your used vehicle has been well-maintained, you can expect an increase in your second hand car’s value. This is where your vehicle’s Service History can backup your claims of remaining consistent in your car’s servicing.

 

Not having a full Service History book or alternative proof of full Service History can reduce your car’s market value by up to 10%. To get the highest possible value at your inspection with CarZar or any private car buyer, ensure that you have valid proof of full Service History, as well as spare keys – not having spare keys can reduce your car’s market value by up to 5%.

Required forms and paperwork

If you want to avoid expensive fines that do not belong to you, as well as ensure a clear vehicle track record in terms of road traffic violations, it’s probably best to ensure that the car buyer applies for a ‘Change of Ownership or Titleholder Particulars for a Vehicle at their local Traffic Department. However, in order to do this, they will need particular paperwork and forms from you.

 

Apart from the vehicle’s NaTIS, you’ll have to hand over all registration documents to the second-hand car buyer. Avoid the hassle of complicated car sale processes by making sure you, as the second-hand car seller, provide the car buyer with the following documents:

  • Original NaTIS
  • Settlement letter and copy of the NaTIS (if financed)
  • ID/Passport
  • Proof of address
  • Proof of bank details (statement)
  • Service Books and Spare keys (if any)

 

If used vehicle’s ‘change of ownership’ was transferred onto your name within the last 3-months, you will be required to provide the second-hand car buyer with supporting documents as proof of purchase. For example:

  1. If purchased from a dealership, the car seller has to provide the invoice of the car purchase.
  2. If purchased privately, the car seller has to provide the previous NaTIS of the car.
Selling a financed vehicle

Generally, second-hand car sellers only sell their car if it has already been paid off. In this case, they’ll most likely have the vehicle’s original NaTIS (National Traffic Information System) documents available. However, if your vehicle is still being paid off or ‘financed’, acquiring the NaTIS will be slightly more tricky.

 

If the car seller’s used vehicle is still being financed – not paid-off yet – the customer will have to provide the car buyer with a copy of the NaTIS, as well as a settlement letter from the bank.

 

At CarZar, we settle the full outstanding amount with the bank, in order receive the car seller’s original documents. For example,

 

If the bank settlement is R100 and CarZar offers the customer R80 then:

  • The Customer pays CarZar R20
  • CarZar pays the bank the full R80

 

If the bank settlement is R80 and CarZar offers the customer R100 then:

  • CarZar pays the customer R20
  • CarZar pays the bank R80

 

Calculate your vehicle finances with our Vehicle Finance Repayment Calculator!

Selling to CarZar

How does CarZar calculate the value of my second hand car online?

CarZar’s unique algorithm uses national data to provide fair, stats-based pricing based on market trends and historical data from previous transactions, to calculate a reliable estimate of your car’s current market value.

 

In addition, our algorithm also takes into account various factors, which include the year, make, model, transmission, fuel-type, variant and mileage.

 

If you’re happy with your estimated offer, schedule an obligation-free appointment at one of our DEKRA or Kwikfit partner locations and receive a transparent car inspection from a certified third-party assessor. Alternatively, you can book an obligation-free inspection with one of our professional inspectors, at your preferred location. However, *please note that off-site inspections are not available in all locations.

 

After your obligation-free inspection, you can decide between:

 

Option 1: Instant Cash

 

CarZar will make an instant cash offer at the end of your inspection.

 

Option 2: More for your Car

 

Looking for a higher price? Let us advertise your car to our nationwide network of dealers for 48-hours. Here you’re guaranteed the best price the market is willing to pay for your car!

How does CarZar value cars?

We base our pricing on current market value. We, therefore, look at what people in the industry are currently paying for a given vehicle, based on its current offer and demand. This is usually driven by vehicle popularity, economic conditions and model-specific factors – think Ford Kuga!

 

CarZar, therefore, uses a unique algorithm to calculate a fair estimated offer for your car. Our algorithm takes into account various factors, which include the year, make, model, transmission, fuel-type, variant and mileage.

 

In addition, we also refer to your car’s current trends within the market and historical data from previous transactions. In turn, these provide an obligation-free and transparent estimated offer.

 

Please note: Due to the fluctuation of vehicle pricing within the market, the estimated online offer you receive for your car will be valid for only 7-days after issue.

Why should I bring Documentation, Service History and Spare Keys to my inspection?

We require your NaTIS to prove you’re the rightful owner of the vehicle, Identity Document to validate the Vehicle Sales Contract, and Proof of Address to make a Change of Ownership at the Traffic Department. Not having a full Service History can also reduce your car’s market value by up to 10%, while not having Spare Keys can reduce your car’s market value by up to 5%. So, bring along spare keys and proof of Service History to get the highest possible value at your CarZar inspection.

How can I get the best offer at my inspection?

Would you purchase a used vehicle with scratches, dents or tires that need replacement? Reconditioning costs are the costs required to bring the car into a ‘selling condition’. At the inspection, your car’s reconditioning costs will be calculated and incorporated into your cash offer.

 

To get the highest possible value at your inspection, ensure that you have spare keys, proof of Service History, clean car, damages repaired, warranty, no tyre wear-and-tears, no windscreen chips or cracks, and no active dashboard warning lights.

 

Not having Spare Keys can also reduce your car’s market value by up to 5%, while not having a full Service History can reduce your car’s market value by up to 10%.

 

After your obligation-free inspection, you can decide between:

 

Option 1: Instant Cash

 

CarZar will make an instant cash offer at the end of your inspection.

 

Option 2: More for your Car

 

Looking for a higher price? Let us advertise your car to our nationwide network of dealers for 48-hours. Here you’re guaranteed the best price the market is willing to pay for your car!

What does ‘Trade Book Value’ mean?

A vehicle’s ‘trade book value’ is a rough guide used to help determine the trade price of that specific car. The industry uses book value – only as a starting point – and not as a definitive reference. Book values are calculated using historical data collected from previous trade transactions and typically differ significantly from current market values. In fact, book prices are almost always significantly higher than market prices.

 

The saying, “First impression counts”, is definitely something that all second-hand car sellers should consider before booking a car viewing; especially if you want to get the most resale value out of your car.

 

Would you be interested in an advert showcasing an old, rusty second-hand car? If you want to attract the perfect car buyer, it is important that your used vehicle is not only in perfect running condition but also cosmetically appealing. Get your car cleaned, damages repaired, ensure there are no tyre or upholstery wear-and-tear, windscreen chips or cracks, and no active dashboard warning lights.

 

Now your vehicle is ready to enter the second-hand car market!