At your final destination, it's time to sell your car!

You need to work out what price you can sell the car for, then look at methods of sale.

Your sales options are :

1. Sell the car to a scrap yard (often called a breakers yard)

2. Sell the car to a dealer

3. Sell the car privately

Of the 3 options, clearly option 3 is the one that will get you the best return!

To work out the value for your car, use HCC to compare what others are selling and have sold!

Here is a link to the previously listed cars section for your research:
Previously listed cars (for research)
NOTE: Advertised prices will probably be higher than the final sale price, especially in winter!
We don't generally know what the final sale price is, however must cars will have price drops.

Most notably vans can vary in price as the fit-out and condition can vary widely from van to van.
Some vans make camping out a delight, others not so!
The value of a good van with a good fit out can not be reflected in an on-line price book.
To some extent, the value is driven by market forces, such as supply and demand.

There is almost no such thing as an average old camper, they are all different!

Scrapping your car would obviously be a last resort!!
Most towns have a scrap yard (often called a breakers or wreckers yard), drive in, give them the keys, complete the registration transfer papers and walk away. If you get some $'s from the wrecker, that is bonus!
Please, please, please do not dump your car at the airport!
Some people do, it causes major problems and costs the government a lot of money ... if you were thinking about dumping your car, why not just give the car to another backpacker and ask them to drop you at the airport!

Always ensure you complete the registration transfer papers, regardless of who you sell or give your car to.

Selling to a dealer should be second to last resort, clearly a dealer needs to make money so they will be looking to offer you bottom dollar and sell for top dollar.
To be fair, a dealer needs to cover many costs including warranty, rent and wages to name a few. They run a business and not a charity!

Option 3 (private sale) is your best chance of getting something like your money back, but it is also the one you need to work at!

Here is your target audience :

1. Normal members of the public

2. Fellow backpackers / travellers

Generally members of the public will use the local newspaper and it's associated website to find local cars.
They will be expecting to find a car sold by a local person ... not arrive at a hotel or youth hostel to find an interstate car ... so this is a tough audience!

We would recommend chasing target audience 2, fellow travellers and backpackers.

To target this audience, you will need to advertise and place your car in strategic places and be prepared to throw in your water bottles, camping gear etc for free!

Print as many posters as you can and put them on as many hostels, hotels and internet cafe notice boards as possible.
You can print posters with pre-made tear off strips in the printables page of this site. (it's easy to use and saves you Internet cafe time)
We have also published a route for Sydney covering the hostels with the best notice boards and car books!
The more you market your car, the greater your audience is, the better the chance of sale.

A value of HCC is you can also advertise on our site for free.
You can text and pictures, so buyers can check your car out without even leaving their seats!

We strongly encourage you to register your car for sale with us as soon as you get it (or as soon as you hear about us!!), write about your car as you travel, and at the end, refer to the history of the car in your sales pitch!
If you buy new tyres, battery, make a repair or have a service LOG IT on this site! This all add history and value.
If the new owner buys your car and does the same, you can keep track of where the car is and how it is going.("if" the new owner updates the entry of course!!)

HCC history can provide your car has a legitimacy it did not have before ... and hopefully as a result increased value.

TIPS
Think about what was important to you when you were looking for a car!

Clean the car, make it look its best.

Ask a reasonable price for it

If your car requires a safety test, get it done before the buyers turn up. This will remove any uncertainty about the condition of the car and in some states such as QLD and VIC is a legal requirement.

Always be open and honest. If there is something wrong with the car, get an estimate to repair and let the new buyer know. Most people expect an old car to have some problems.

The new buyer may drive to some isolated places, so honesty is important, especially about reliability.

Keep all paperwork, including servicing bills etc, especially take car of your pink, green and blue slips!

If selling in WINTER ... remeber there are less buyers, especially in Sydney ... less buyers = lower prices ... market forces will come into play ... supply will be high, demand will be low!
What can you do? Make your car look at its best, get a safety check ... advertise like hell everywhere you can (posters on boards etc) and set the price lower.
Allow "weeks" to sell in winter when it may have been days in summer. (plan selling time into your trip and use HCC FREE advertising to help!)

Remember(1) - ALWAYS complete the registration documents at time of sale and post or hand them in yourself.

If you don't, all subsequent speeding and parking fines will still be associated with you, so complete the paperwork!

Remember(2) - if your car is from VIC or QLD, you will need to get a safety inspection report to sell the car!

Some states require a transfer form to be completed.

Use our forum for free help and advise :-)

Good luck selling, feel free to visit the HCC forum to discuss this topic further :-)