Sell my car to Motorway: tips to get the best possible price

Motorway claim they'll pay you £1,000 more if you sell your car to them, but is this really true? Our independent review has all the info you need

“Should I sell my car to Motorway” is a question we’re often asked by readers.

We’ll do our best to answer that in our independent Motorway review but, first, we wanted to make something clear up front: no car-buying site out there that can guarantee that they’ll pay a better price for your car than all their rivals.

Don’t believe what all those adverts claim.

The only way to know whether you’re getting the best deal for your car or potentially missing out on thousands of pounds is to spend 15 to 20 minutes comparing offers from the main sites (more on that later).

That being said, price isn’t the only consideration when selling to a car-buying site.

Will you be hit with any surprise fees, for example? Is there anything you can do to get a better price?

Will they collect the car from your house, or will you have to drive it to a branch and drop it off?

We’ll answer all these questions and more in our Motorway guide (read our reviews of other car-buying sites here) to help you make a more informed decision when selling your car.

How do I sell my car to Motorway?

From the Motorway homepage, you can enter the registration number of the motor you’re looking to sell.

That will give them an insight into the make, model and age of your car, but Motorway needs a few more details about the car before they can give you an accurate quote for what you could get for it.

That means detailing things like the mileage, while you’re also helped to build a ‘profile’ of your car ‒ including photos ‒ so that the car dealers who purchase the cars through the platform have all of the information they need.

There are more than 5,000 car dealers that use Motorway, who are notified about each new listing and invited to bid for them.

You’ll be notified of the highest offer for your car, and then it’s up to you whether to accept it or not.

If you do agree to go ahead, then you can arrange a time for the car to be collected.

The money then gets paid into your bank account.

How accurate is the Motorway valuation?

When you first build your profile, you’ll get a quote for how much the platform reckons you can get for your car.

There are all sorts of factors that go into that quote ‒ Motorway says they combine live data on what similar models are selling for, which is then adjusted based on the information you’ve supplied about your specific car, such as its age and mileage.

Adding those details ‒ as well as things like the service history, condition and damage of the car ‒ will mean you can set a ‘reserve price’.

This might be higher or lower than the initial valuation, as ultimately it all comes down to the specifics of your vehicle.

While Motorway says that they strive to ensure that the final sale price you get hits that reserve price, it all comes down to demand from dealers for your type of car.

In some cases, you’ll be offered more, but most likely the best offer will be less than that reserve price.

Motorway claims that people who sell their car through the platform make an average of £1,000 more than selling to another car-buying site (but as we explained at the start you might get more for your specific car elsewhere).

One important thing to bear in mind is that there is no guarantee that your car will actually sell.

It all comes down to how in demand your motor is, particularly given its current condition.

Motorway says that if it doesn’t sell, the firm will then discuss with you whether it would likely go at a lower price or what your other options may be.

How do I get the best price when I sell my car to Motorway?

If you don’t have to sell urgently, think carefully about what time of year you do so.

Ultimately, the best time to sell your old car will vary depending on what make and model it is, but Motorway says they do often see higher prices in months around new number plate launches, so from February to April and then from September to November.

Finally, don’t simply assume that demand for your car is seasonal: for example, that convertibles only sell in the summer.

Motorway says that the usual seasonal trends haven’t been apparent in recent years.

What photos will I need to take when selling my car to Motorway?

The photos you supply play a key role in securing the best possible price for your car from Motorway, as these are what the dealers will be basing their offer on.

Taking good quality photos will present your vehicle in the best possible light, and avoid any issues later on.

You need to take 16 photos, covering things like the exterior, interior, wheel and tyre treads.

You’ll also need to take photos of any imperfections, such as scratches and bumps.

Motorway offers its own photo app which steers you through the specific types of photos you need to share.

Importantly you can’t use photos from third-party websites ‒ they have to be of your motor.

Motorway recommend taking photos on a dry day, adding that overcast days may actually be best as they minimise the risk of glare and reflections.

Making sure that your car is clean inside and out is also a good idea.

You can do that yourself, removing any clutter or personal items ‒ things like car seats and shopping bags for example ‒ though you might prefer to get your car cleaned professionally before taking the snaps to boost your chances of getting a great price.

The location where you take those photos is important too.

Having somewhere with enough space that you can easily walk around the car and get the correct angles, as well as frame the car properly, is a smart move.

What fees will I have to pay when I sell my car to Motorway?

One of the main selling points for drivers who are considering selling their car through Motorway is that they don’t have pay any fees.

The platform is completely free for all car sellers. Motorway makes its money by charging dealers a commission fee when they buy your car.

That means you won’t be on the hook for anything if the sale falls through.

What are the most sought-after car makes and models at Motorway?

According to Motorway, the cars below are the ones that attracted the most bids in the site’s daily sales from the 5,000 dealers on its platform.

What documents and items will Motorway need from me?

You will need to get certain documents in place ready to either hand over to the dealer on the day of the sale or simply show them.

These include:

• The V5C vehicle registration document;
• MOT certificate;
• All spare keys;
• Authority from the finance company confirming the final settlement figure, if you still have outstanding finance on the car;
• The service record book, car handbook;
• Miscellaneous items like locking wheel nuts, code for the radio and so on.

You’ll also need to prove your own identity, which you can do through photo ID ‒ think of things like your driving licence or passport ‒ as well as proof of address, such as through a utility bill or bank statement.

Crucially this address needs to match the address on the V5C registration document.

You will also need to supply the dealer with your bank details so that they can process the payment.

One final consideration is fuel.

While you aren’t expected to supply the car with a full tank, you do need to make sure there is at least enough in there that the low fuel light isn’t on.

Will I get the agreed price for my car?

It’s important to remember that the dealer will not simply turn up, pay and then drive away with the car.

As well as checking those crucial documents, they will also want to check over the car to ensure that it matches the description and photos that you’ve provided.

This may mean simply casting their eye over the vehicle, but it could also involve taking the car for a short test drive.

Only once they are satisfied that the car is as described and worth the agreed price, will they go through with the deal.

The money is then paid the same day via bank transfer, though how long it takes for it to go through will come down to the banks involved.

Will Motorway collect my car?

Yes. One of the nice things about selling to Motorway is that they’ll collect your car from your home.

Other popular car-buying sites like Webuyanycar and Arnold Clark require you to hand over the car at a local inspection centre and then organise a lift home.

Does Motorway always pay the best price? Why you ALWAYS need to shop around

While we are big fans of Motorway, we want to make this point absolutely clear: we’re not saying Motorway is definitely the best place to sell your car.

As we said at the start, no car-buying site will offer the best price on every single car – just take a look at our analysis of how much the main sites pay for some of the UK’s most popular motors to see what we mean.

That’s why our mantra at Sell My Car Guide is to always shop around and get quotes from a few different car-buying sites before doing anything else.

It’ll generally only take you between 15 and 20 minutes and it could mean you end up getting you thousands of pounds more for your motor.

If you’re unsure who else to get quotes from, we’ve listed the main sites below.

For each company, the first link is to our review that explains how each works, the fees you’ll pay and so on, and the second link will take you straight to their site to get a quote.

Read our Webuyanycar review or get a quote

Read our Cazoo review here or go and get a quote now

Read our Evans Halshaw review or go and get a quote

Read our Arnold Clark review or go and get a quote

Read our Carwow review or go and get a quote

Read our Wewantanycar review or go and get a quote

Read our Money4yourmotors review or go and get a quote

What do other customers think of Motorway? Trustpilot rating

The last thing we want to mention is the quality of customer service you should expect from Motorway.

We had a look on Trustpilot, a site that lets customers independently rate their experience of any company online.

At the time of publishing, those customers have given Motorway a Trustpilot rating of 4.5 stars out of 5.

Given that anything over 4.3 is considered ‘excellent’, that’s an impressive score.

Crucially, we went through the Motorway Trustpilot reviews that mention sale price and the vast majority said they were happy with the amount they received.

While that’s no guarantee when it comes to selling your own car through the service, it should give you some confidence Motorway won’t rip you off.