Selling your car privately can seem like the best way to get a better price than you would from a dealer or online car-buying platform, but it often comes with hurdles many sellers don’t always anticipate. Drivers can face a time-consuming process, the challenges of haggling prices, and insurance worries when it comes to test drives.
A new survey of 1,700 UK drivers who have previously sold a car privately, carried out by short-term car insurance experts Tempcover, highlights these challenges, as well as the lessons motorists have learned to make the process smoother and get a fair price for their car.
Price, Speed and Control Are Top Reasons Drivers Sell Privately
Many motorists are drawn to selling privately for the personal rewards. The top reason drivers chose to handle the sale themselves was to achieve a higher final sale price (26%), reflecting the belief that private sales can put more money back in their pocket than trading in with a dealer or using an online car-buying service.
Speed was also a key factor. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) opted for private selling because they thought it would be quicker. Another 12% valued having more control over the process, while 10% reported positive past experiences was enough to give them the confidence to go down the same route again.
Nearly 40% of Private Car Sellers Accepted Less Than Their Asking Price
While the hope of a better payout motivates many private sellers, the final sale price often tells a mixed story:
- 59% of sellers received their full asking price.
- 39% accepted less than their original asking price.
- 2% managed to secure more than their initial asking price.
The average asking price for a privately sold car was £6,826, while those who accepted a lower offer settled for an average of £908 less. Over half (54%) of sellers who accepted less saw a price drop of under £500, highlighting the importance of having a clearer idea of a car’s value before negotiating.
Drivers who accepted a lower offer often did so for practical reasons, prioritising speed, convenience, or other concerns:
| Reason for Accepting Less | Percentage[1] |
| I wanted to sell quickly / needed money urgently | 47% |
| I wanted to avoid additional viewings / hassle | 39% |
| I was frustrated with too many enquiries or time wasters | 17% |
| I wasn’t sure how much my car was really worth | 15% |
| The buyer discovered issues during inspection or a test drive and used them to negotiate the price down | 12% |
| I was worried about depreciation or the car losing value | 12% |
| The buyer negotiated aggressively | 10% |
| I was concerned about buyer safety or meeting strangers | 6% |
Private Car Sales Take Two Weeks on Average
According to the survey, which asked drivers how long it took to complete the sale of their last car after advertising it, the average time was 13.5 days. However, one in five sold within three days, over a quarter (28%) within four to seven days, while nearly one in 10 (8%) said the process took more than a month.
From start to finish, drivers spent an average of nearly six hours creating listings, responding to messages, arranging viewings, and handling negotiations. The pace of a sale depends on several factors, including enquiry responses, number of viewings, and how prepared sellers are with paperwork. Even with careful planning, private selling requires patience and persistence.
Key Lessons for Next Time
Selling a car privately can be rewarding, but it’s also a learning process. When asked what they would do differently next time, drivers highlighted practical steps that could make sales smoother, faster, and help them get the best possible price.
|
Top Lessons for Next Time |
Percentage[1] |
|
Allow more time for the sale / be patient |
17% |
|
Be firmer on negotiation / stick to asking price |
17% |
|
Use multiple platforms simultaneously for more exposure |
16% |
|
Get the car professionally cleaned or detailed before sale |
14% |
|
Take more care with photos and listing description |
13% |
|
Price the car more realistically from the start |
13% |
Other lessons included highlighting maintenance history, setting clear terms of payment and handover, and screening buyers more carefully
Interestingly, 37% of drivers said they wouldn’t do anything differently, while 5% said they wouldn’t sell privately again. Despite this, more than half (57%) of drivers said they would consider using an online car buying service for their next sale, even if it meant less financial reward than selling privately, showing that many are open to trading extra cash for a much easier experience.
Claire Wills-McKissick, short term insurance expert at Tempcover adds;
“Selling privately may offer a way to get a better price for your car, but it’s important to remember the legal and safety obligations too. Our survey found that nearly one in four drivers didn’t check if they were insured for test drives, an oversight that could leave both buyer and seller exposed. Using short-term insurance for test drives is a simple way to give both the seller and the buyer peace of mind
“By planning ahead, feeling confident in your price and presenting the car well you can make sure the perks of selling privately aren’t spoiled by an easily avoidable insurance risk. Taking a few extra steps can protect sellers legally, safeguard the buyer, and ultimately make the sale process smoother and less stressful.”
Sources & Methodology
This online survey of 1,700 UK drivers who’ve previously sold a car privately in the past 5 years was commissioned by RVU on behalf of Tempcover and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected between 20th and 27th February 2026. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council. Unless otherwise specified, all insights are drawn directly from this survey’s results.
[1]Respondents could select more than one answer option.