Advice please re test drives etc. - thinking of selling my blue rover
 

Hello folks,

I'm thinking of consolidating my finances in preparation for retirement, and can't really justify two rovers anymore. Sad but no avoiding it.

I wondered what advice anyone could give me in relation to selling a car at the moment given the pandemic and social distancing restrictions? Normally one would always accompany a prospective buyer on a test drive, but enclosed spaces with limited ventilation are precisely the most risky environments for transmission of the corona virus.

Wondered how others have handled this, and what documents I should request to see ...driving license, insurance ....trying to sell via the club would of course be my first preference and a good starting point.

Thanks,

Nigel

I have never accompanied a prospective buyer, ask them to deposit their keys. The legalities are down to them, but it wouldn't hurt to ask for them to bring their D/L.

Hold the funds in your hand, if they crash it on the test drive its their property.

insurance, who's insurance policy will they be using to drive on?

macafee2

I expect that they will be driving on their insurance policy.

So most likely just third party!

Can't say that I'd ever let a prospective purchaser have a test drive without me being in the car as well.

I wouldn't allow an unaccompanied test drive under any circumstances.


A few years ago, I did just that, no problem at the time as the prospective buyer returned the car after a 20 minute test drive saying "it wasn't for him"


That was until I received a notice of intended prosecution through the post, stating my car had been seen speeding.......


Cue one visit to court later, an expensive legal bill, and fortunately all was resolved.


So make sure if any prospective buyer wishes to test drive your car you.....


Take a picture of their driving licence


Make sure to speak to your insurer and include a temporary any driver cover....if you knowingly permit someone to drive your vehicle while uninsured, you become liable for the offence of permitting, which carries the same penalty as if you were yourself driving while uninsured!!


If they cannot provide entitlement to drive, do not allow them to drive, it simply isn't worth the heartache and expense if it goes wrong.


Chris

This for one.



And that is why.




I'd also advise to not only make sure you check their driving licence is ok and have them to leave it with you along with the full purchase (asking) price for the car. Take as long as you need to check the photo. Only trust proper documents - not photocopies or a photo on a phone (trust me on that!). Photograph all documents for the record. Might even be worth having them sign a test drive disclaimer with date and time on it (break it, bought it. And any offence or accident is their responsibility). Also check their insurance particularly for other vehicles - no Ins, no test drive. I'd always take my ins cert and schedule and driving licence if I'm expecting a test drive at a private sale myself. All dealers are supposed to check for adequate licence before letting you take a test drive as well. Paranoid? maybe, but all sensible precautions against many scams. Don't accept the keys to their vehicle (possibly borrowed or stolen and you'll have no real claim to it anyway.)

something that I often wondered about regarding the third party cover insurance (for a car that you neither own nor hire). Does the seller not become a third party, and therefore covered too?


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Another thing too, is to make sure you provide a receipt for the sale, and note the time on it. If the buyer has an accident on the way home, without transferring their insurance, or covering anew, the seller's insurance could get dragged into any claims - which is not what you want if you are replacing the car you have just sold, any no claims discounts will be suspended until the matter has been resolved.