FAQs
Everything you need to know
We have a valuation system which gathers up to date information from the market and trade sources which provides an accurate
value for all cars including trade prices, private sales, and dealer prices. We can even advise on historical values for your car. Your
registration and mileage details are required to start the enquiry.
There’s lots of things which determine car values including the following
Year of registration Used car prices are directly related to the new car price of the car, the newer the car higher value.
Make & Model Some make/models are more sought after than others which increases values. The engine size, road tax, running costs including fuel consumption and maintenance are also factors with regard to valuing a car.
Mileage/kms Average mileage is 15,000 kms per year, lower mileage cars will achieve higher prices compared to the average mileage car, likewise higher mileage cars have a lesser value.
Service history this is often overlooked but is very important, a documented main dealer service history will increase the value of your car. It gives the next owner peace of mind and reassurance knowing the car was maintained to a high standard. Cars without a service history are not as valuable.
Condition The important question to ask here is What needs to be spent to get my car ready for re sale? What are the reconditioning costs? Are there dents/ scratches to be repaired? Has the car been serviced recently? Is there a timing belt due? When will the tyres need to be replaced? Is the NCT in date? For example If a car needs a major service including tyres, wipers, brakes, NCT and some bodywork it could cost over € 1,000. These costs need to be factored in when valuing a car.
There’s lots of options when selling your car, here’s the most popular.
Sell your car privately
You can try advertising on a dedicated car selling website like Carzone, Carsireland or DoneDeal. This means engaging with people through email or mobile phone and arranging viewings of your car at an agreed time and place. You may be happy for potential buyers to call to your home, or you can arrange another location if that makes you more comfortable. It’s important to get peoples details before they call to you and always confirm the appointment on the day. The buyer will need to organise a transfer of the agreed amount to your bank account or arrange cash for you. It’s important you fill out the paperwork correctly and make sure you post the change of ownership documents. If you give the Registration Certificate to the new private owner you are depending on them to transfer the ownership correctly, just be aware you will be liable for Speeding Tickets, Parking Fines, Toll Charges etc until the Department of Transport are notified of the change. The new owner will receive their new registration Certificate typically within 2 weeks. Keep in mind private sale prices are less than main dealer asking prices because the dealer has different costs associated with selling cars including reconditioning, advertising, warranty expenses, premises overheads and sales taxes.
Sell to HAPPYSELL
You will get Peace of mind, a great experience and a great price for your car by having all the latest and historical sales data and no worries about completing paperwork. You don’t have to worry about Parking Fines, Speeding tickets or Toll Charges as we transfer the ownership of your car directly online with the Department Of Transport and give you a copy for your records. You will be dealing with us at our Premises conveniently located in Parkgate Street so no need to stress about strangers calling to your house or place of work. We will organise payment into your bank account or cash, whichever suits. Having the cash from Happysell will give you better bargaining power when buying your next car without a trade in.
Trade your car Into a Motor Dealer
A Motor Dealer will normally be happy to take your car as a trade in and make you an offer for it. They will complete the paperwork with you and pay you for your car or take the price agreed from the cost of your new car. Remember a dealer has associated costs with reconditioning your car for re sale and costs to running their business which will be reflected in what they offer for your car. Bear in mind you will often get a discount if you don’t have a trade in so you could have more bargaining power if you had the cash for your car. It's always best to do business with an established Motor Dealer with good reviews.
- A valid Vehicle Registration Certificate that matches the car, your name & address.
- A valid photo driving licence or your passport
- Evidence of your car’s service history
- At least one set of car keys
- Any accessories or parts that came with the car
- Proof of address, such as a utility bill or bank statement
If you’re missing any service history let us know in the online valuation. You also need to be the registered owner.
We buy all types of Cars, SUVs & Light Commercials Vehicles which are less than 10 years old with less than 160,000 kms. We also buy cars without a valid NCT or DOE within reason.
We don’t buy cars that:
- have major accident damage
- have been categorised as insurance A, b or C
- have been written off or stolen
- have a mechanical or electrical fault
- have over 160,000 KMS on the clock
- are over 10 years old
- are or where at some stage a Taxi or PSV
Things to note:
You must be the registered owner: We're unable to buy your car if you are not the registered owner. We will need proof of address in the form of a utility bill or bank statement and copy of your passport or drivers’ licence which need to match details on the vehicle registration certificate.
If your current car has outstanding finance on a PCP or HP agreement, we can take it off your hands. We'll give you a valuation based on your car’s current condition and compare this against the amount of outstanding finance you have on your agreement - this is known as a “settlement amount”.
If the valuation we give you is higher than the outstanding finance, we will settle your loan with the finance company and pay you the difference.
If the valuation we give you is lower than the outstanding finance, this means your car is worth less than what you owe your lender. You can still sell the car to us, you’ll just need to cover the difference between the settlement amount and your car valuation. We’ll then settle the loan with your current finance lender.
We’ll need to know the correct settlement amount to work out the figures. It’s best to get your settlement letter to speed up the process. You can get your settlement letter by contacting the lender you have your current finance agreement with.