Sell my car fast: which UK car-buying site will pay out quickest?

Need to sell your car quickly? We look at how long it takes to get paid by Motorway, Webuyanycar, Cazoo and all the other major car-buying sites.

‘What are my options if I need to sell my car fast?’

If you need the cash as soon as possible then your best bet is to sell it to a reputable car-buying site (scroll down to see which one pays out the fastest).

You won’t get as much for it compared to listing and selling it yourself on AutoTrader, but you could potentially have your cash in your account within a day of getting an online quote.

You’re also likely to get a higher price for it than if you part exchanged it at a car dealer.

However, it’s important to remember that the time taken to actually get your hands on the money for your old motor can vary significantly depending on which company you sell to.

To help those looking to sell their car quickly, we have broken down the timescales you’ll face when using the biggest car-buying websites in the UK today.

We’ve listed them alphabetically in the table below – scroll further to see more detailed info on each car buyer’s payment process.

Sell my car fast: how quickly does Arnold Clark pay out?

There are no admin fees to pay when selling through Arnold Clark.

You simply get an online valuation for your vehicle then take it into a branch for it to be inspected and for a final price to be agreed.

The money is then paid into your account through a bank transfer.

The timescales for the money arriving can vary, though Arnold Clark suggests it should arrive within three days.

Sell my car fast: how quickly does Carbaba pay out?

Carbaba is unusual when it comes to car buying sites, in that it will actually pay you in advance of picking up the vehicle.

That means it all depends on how quickly you can agree a price.

There are no additional fees or charges either ‒ the price you are quoted online is how much Carbaba will pay, before arranging to collect the car.

Sell my car fast: how quickly will Cazoo pay out?

Cazoo no longer buys cars directly. Instead, it now acts as a middleman and connects you with car dealers looking to buy motors.

What that means is the speed at which you’ll be paid depends very much on the specific car dealer who ends up buying your car.

Cazoo says that most of the dealers they partner with will pay you as soon as they take the car off your hands, but it’s a good idea to check directly with the dealer who’s buying your car before agreeing on a sale to make sure the payment timeframe is acceptable to you.

Sell my car fast: how soon will Money4yourmotors pay out?

Should you opt to sell your vehicle through Money4yourmotors then once an initial price has been agreed, a member of the team will come and inspect the vehicle to ensure everything is accurate.

Once they are satisfied, they will set up a bank transfer payment right after the inspection.

The purchaser will stay with you until the funds have gone through.

Money4yourmotors will then arrange to collect the car itself, which usually takes place within a week.

If you do go through with a sale with Money4yourmotors, then there is a hefty administration fee to take into consideration. This stands at £125 but only applies to vehicles that sell for above £100.

Sell my car fast: how soon will Motorway pay out?

With Motorway, the money for your old motor is paid by bank transfer.

According to the firm, funds are usually transferred within 24 hours of the vehicle being collected, so you won’t have to wait long for the cash.

However, it does warn that the time taken for the money to go through can vary slightly depending on the dealer you choose to sell to, as well as your bank.

All of the dealers that work with Motorway will collect the vehicle from your home for free, while any outstanding finance against the vehicle will be paid off first.

Sell my car fast: how soon will Webuyanycar pay out?

If you sell your car to Webuyanycar, then payment will be made directly into your bank account.

It can take a little while for the money to appear though ‒ according to Webuyanycar, the free standard electronic bank transfer service can take up to four working days.

However, you can choose to pay £29.75 to have your money within two hours through its Immediate Payment option.

Alternatively, you can get paid the next working day for a £24.75 charge.

Not all vehicles qualify for these faster payment options though ‒ you will need to be selling your vehicle for at least £500.

These aren’t the only fees to be aware of when using Webuyanycar, either.

You might also have to pay a transaction fee, which varies based on the value of the vehicle.

The transaction fee ranges from £49.99 to £99.99 depending on the value of your motor, although any vehicles worth less than £100 are fee-free.

Sell my car fast: how soon will Wewantanycar pay out?

With Wewantanycar, an inspector will come to check over your car to ensure it matches the description.

Once that takes place, and you’re happy with the price being offered, then you will be paid through an instant bank transfer after the inspection.

Wewantanycar is another car buying site which promises that its staff will stay with you until the money arrives, as a way of providing peace of mind.

There is an administration fee to bear in mind when using Wewantanycar.

You’ll have to pay a £125 administration charge should your vehicle sell for more than £100, otherwise, there’s no fee.

Which car-buying site pays out the fastest overall?

If getting paid quickly is all that matters to you, then Carbaba is your best bet as they pay you in advance of picking up your vehicle.

However, if you can afford to wait even a day, then we’d strongly recommend getting quotes from a few places before selling your car.

All but one of the firms we’ve covered in this guide can pay you by the next day (albeit some charge a fee for doing so) and you risk losing out on £1,000s if you don’t shop around for the best offer.