How to Sell Your Car: Everything You Need to Know
Whether you're selling a classic you've had for years, a modified build you're moving on from, or just fancy a change — getting the basics right makes all the difference. A faster sale, fewer timewasters, and a price you're actually happy with. This guide walks you through everything: getting your car ready, taking photos that do the selling for you, writing a listing that attracts the right buyers, pricing it fairly, and sorting the paperwork correctly.
Get your car ready
First impressions count — even if what you're selling needs work. You're not trying to hide anything, just showing it at its best. Give it a proper clean. Wash the exterior, vacuum the interior, wipe down the dashboard and surfaces. A clean car photographs better and tells buyers it's been looked after, even if it's a work in progress. If you're selling a classic or modified car, take extra time here — presentation matters even more when buyers are emotionally invested in a car. For parts, clean them up before photographing — a box of oily components looks like scrap; the same parts cleaned and laid out look like value. Fix the easy wins. Small things — a flat tyre, a missing trim piece, a blown bulb — can put buyers off out of all proportion to their actual cost or effort to fix. If it takes an hour and a few pounds, it's usually worth doing. Gather everything you have. Service history, old MOTs, receipts for parts and work done, restoration records, original handbooks, a spare set of keys. Even incomplete history is better than nothing. For classics and modified cars, documented history and provenance can meaningfully increase what buyers will pay. Be honest about condition. Buyers on theRestohub know their stuff — they'll spot things you haven't mentioned. Undisclosed problems destroy trust and deals. A clear, honest description of what needs doing is actually a selling point — it shows you're straightforward to deal with and saves everyone's time.
Price it right
Pricing is one of the hardest parts of selling a car. Too high and it sits unsold for months. Too low and you attract flippers or leave real money behind. Research what's actually selling. Search theRestohub and other platforms for similar cars. Focus on what's sold, not just what's listed — a car that's been sitting at £6,000 for four months isn't evidence of market value. One that sold in a fortnight at £4,500 is. Factor in the work remaining. For project cars especially, buyers will mentally tot up what it'll cost to finish — parts, labour, MOT, paint — and adjust their offer accordingly. Price with that reality in mind rather than against it. Consider the model's desirability. Popular classics and sought-after modified platforms will always attract stronger interest and higher prices than obscure or unpopular models. Availability of parts and a strong owner community both push prices up. For parts, check new and used prices. Buyers need a meaningful saving over buying new to take on a used part. Price accordingly — but rare, discontinued, or hard-to-find parts can command a genuine premium. Leave room to negotiate. Most buyers want to feel like they've got a deal. Pricing slightly above your minimum gives you wiggle room without underselling yourself.
Take photos that sell your car
Good photos are the single biggest thing you can do to get more enquiries. Buyers can't see your car in person before they reach out, so your photos are doing all the selling. Pick your spot and timing. Shoot outside in natural light — an overcast day is ideal as it gives soft, even light without harsh shadows or blown-out highlights. Find a clean background: a quiet road, empty car park, or tidy driveway. Avoid shooting into the sun or in a dark garage. Cover every angle. At minimum: front three-quarter, rear three-quarter, both sides straight on, interior from each door, engine bay, boot, and underneath if you can get there. For classics and modified cars, get close-ups of the details buyers love — wheels, badges, engine dress, interior trim. For parts, shoot multiple angles and include something for scale. Show the flaws as well as the good bits. Rust, cracks, damage, worn trim — photograph it all clearly. Buyers will zoom into every photo looking for things you haven't mentioned, so get there first. Being upfront about imperfections actually builds confidence rather than undermining it. Document work you've done. New brakes — photograph them. Fresh engine rebuild — show it. Recent respray — get it in the light and shoot it properly. Evidence of work adds real value to a listing and justifies your asking price. Your phone is fine. A modern smartphone is more than capable of producing great listing photos. Keep the lens clean, tap to focus, shoot in good light, and take several shots of each angle so you can pick the sharpest.
Write a listing that gets the right buyers
Your title and description have two jobs: help people find your listing, and convince them it's worth getting in touch. Write a specific, detailed title. Include make, model, year, and a key detail or two — "1969 Ford Mustang Fastback Project — Solid Body, Running V8, No MOT" or "BMW E30 325i — Modified, Coilovers, Full Service History". Vague titles like "Classic Car For Sale" or "Project Car" get ignored. Lead with the facts that matter most. Open your description with what the car is, what condition it's in, what work has been done, and what's left to do. Buyers are scanning lots of listings — make it easy for them to decide quickly whether this is worth reading on. Be specific about condition. "Some rust" tells a buyer nothing useful. "Surface rust on the nearside sill and rear offside arch, floor pans solid, inner sills replaced 2021" tells them everything they need. Specific listings attract serious buyers and filter out timewasters. List everything that comes with it. Spare parts, workshop manuals, extra trim pieces, a second set of wheels, a folder of receipts — list it all. Extras add real perceived value and can tip a wavering buyer into making an offer. Say why you're selling. Buyers are naturally a little suspicious — a brief, honest reason removes that. "Run out of garage space", "taking on a different project", "clearing the collection after a house move" all land well. Finish with a clear call to action. Tell buyers exactly what to do — message you through theRestohub, include their location if they're asking about transport, or confirm they've read the full listing before making an offer.
Sort the paperwork
Selling a car in the UK involves a few straightforward legal steps. Getting them right protects you as much as it protects the buyer. The V5C (logbook). You need this to sell a registered car. When you sell, complete the relevant section and post it to the DVLA, keeping the yellow slip as your record. No V5C? Apply for a replacement from the DVLA before listing — buyers will be rightly cautious without one, and it can significantly affect what you can achieve on price. Notify the DVLA you've sold the car. Do this online at GOV.UK on the day you hand it over. Until you do, you're still the registered keeper — meaning any speeding fines, parking tickets, or incidents on the road remain your problem. Write a receipt. A simple signed receipt with the date, both parties' names and addresses, the car's make, model, registration number, and agreed sale price protects everyone. It's not a legal requirement but it's good practice and costs nothing. For parts, a receipt is equally worth doing. SORN and tax. If your car isn't taxed or MOT'd, make sure it's on a SORN before you sell. The SORN transfers with the car when you sell — the buyer will need to either re-SORN it or tax it before taking it on the road. Be clear about what you're selling. If it's sold as seen, as a non-runner, or spares/repair only — state that clearly in your listing and on the receipt. You can't guarantee what you don't know, but misrepresenting the condition of a car can cause serious problems. Selling parts only? No DVLA paperwork needed — just an honest description of the part's condition, what it came from, and a receipt.
Ready to list?
You've done the prep, taken the photos, written an honest listing, and priced it fairly. That's everything you need to sell quickly and find a buyer who genuinely values what you've got. List your car on theRestohub and put it in front of buyers who know exactly what they're looking at.