Ask the expert: I'm giving up driving. How should I sell my beloved Volvo?
Dear Alex,
I bought my 2005 Volvo V70 from a main dealer in March 2006. Because it's a diesel, I've used it almost entirely for longer journeys. It has done only 87,000 miles; I have a full service history and MOTs to prove it. I love the car but at 92 I reluctantly have to dispose of it. But I don't know how best to sell it or what it might be worth. It would be a tragedy to scrap it. What would you suggest?
– GB
Dear GB,
There certainly is a market for your Volvo. Cars such as yours – those that have been impeccably maintained – usually end up becoming most prized by enthusiasts.
While it's not quite a classic yet, if it is looked after sympathetically for the next few years, it will be sought after. It deserves to be saved, so please don't scrap it.
There are two suitable ways to sell it. The first is a private sale the traditional way: place an online classified advert at one of the big classifieds sites, and allow people to inspect the car and make an offer.
This is the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to get the car sold, although the downside is that at its current value you're likely to see more than your fair share of tyre-kickers, no-shows and chancers who'll try to haggle you hard on price.
Alternatively, you could auction it, either at one of the online sites (for example, Bonhams Online or Collecting Cars) or a traditional bricks-and-mortar auction house that specialises in affordable modern classics (Anglia Car Auctions and Manor Park Classics are two that spring to mind).
You will have to subtract auction fees so you may get less than selling privately, but with knowledgeable bidders and a growing interest in such 'modern classics' it may also make more than you'd get through a private sale – with a lot less hassle.
The added bonus is that by selling it this way, it's more likely to go to a good home, where the legacy of excellent maintenance that you've carried out will be continued.
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