Your Money blog: Insider tips to ensure a profitable sale for your car on the UAE’s secondhand market

Selling your motor? From taking a good photograph and being honest about a car's history to repairing any dents or scratches, here are some tips to ensure you secure the best deal.

Owners can increase chances of selling their cars by using Dubizzle’s Car Report, which costs Dh99 and includes information on the car’s history. Jaime Puebla / The National

Your car is probably one of the largest assets you own, so it is worth taking the time to present it in the best possible way when selling it. In this week's Money section, The National looked at the different ways you can actually sell your vehicle. But what else do you need to know to ensure you get the price you want?

One of the most important things if are overseeing the sale process yourself is to take a good photograph, says Osman Bhurgri, product marketing manager for motors at Dubizzle.

“We always say take the front, each side and an interior shot. Make sure you make it look really nice,” he adds.

And whatever you do, do not overprice it. It will take a lot longer to sell. Similar cars on Dubizzle are a good guide to deciding what price to set, says Mr Bhurgri.

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Secure a good deal

■ How UAE residents can spin their second-hand wheels for cash

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It is also very important to be honest, he adds. If a car has had an accident, say so in the advert.

One way to increase your chances of selling is to include a report on the condition of the car. Dubizzle offers a Car Report, which costs Dh99 and includes information on the car’s history, including accidents which have required repairs paid for by an insurer.

You could also display an inspection report from a company such as Scout My Car, which inspects underneath the car, the engine, exterior, interior, and subjects cars to a road test. It costs Dh400 for normal cars and Dh750 for luxury and classic cars, but can increase your chances of selling it privately, according to Omar Benseddik, a cofounder of Scout My Car, who is from Morocco.

“It’s a kind of leverage because they get to sell quicker because it has been inspected by an independent party,” he says, adding that around 30 per cent of its inspections are carried out for sellers.

Another way to reduce the time it takes to sell and increase the price you can ask is by repairing small scratches and dents.

“I think you could easily ask Dh3,000, Dh4,000 or Dh5,000 more, depending on what the condition of the car is in the first place and obviously the value of the car,” says Marco Alzapiedi, general manager of Automotive Repair Systems, which carries out small and medium repairs in the UAE – charging around Dh500 to repair a dent on a door or a wing.

“If you have a car in perfect condition and it is worth Dh100,000, a car with four or five dents on one side and some scuffed wheels is going to be Dh85,000. And also, it is the sell-ability of it, as well. A buyer might look for one with less damage,” Mr Alzapiedi adds.

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