How much is my car realistically worth?

Associate
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I did an earlier thread, I'd like a BMW 3 series. I'm not a massive petrolhead, I know opinions on the gen of 3 series I'm looking at is quite low, but there's not really many midrange cars for £6K I like.

I currently have a Honda Civic Type SI 2010, 102,954 miles. I have got a new job so plan to quit delivery driving imminently (I'm doing two jobs at the moment).

Autotrader values my Civic at £2400, however I bought it May 2021 for basically that price, and since then it obviously has 20k+ more miles on the clock, and quite a bit of aesthetic damage around the front.

It also has a dodgy gearbox. Of course, when test driving it, this problem didn't materialise, it was only when driving home we realised when putting the car into second gear the gear would grind. A very common problem in that generation of civics by all account. It's a 59 plate, registered early 2010. Other than that, the car is pretty much flawless, though the AC can be a bit intermittent as you might expect a car of that age.

MOT does not expire til 1 March 23.

How much am I looking at selling this car?

It's petrol, a manual too.

I'm thinking of around the £1,000 mark. I can afford a 3 series BMW now but the insurance is about £1.4K. And there's only one or two 3 series under £6K which are petrol. Indeed basically every BMW I see is diesel. How problematic are diesels, in all honesty, relatives who are somewhat car-savvy advise against them. I believe the 3 series 2013 BMW is only Euro 5 as opposed to Euro 6 so whilst its ULEZ compatible for now, I don't know how long this will continue to be the case, plus diesel prices are really high at the moment. Mostly at the moment its short drives, going to and from deliveries for driving, and to the gym and work etc, however I basically use motorways every day, being in Essex, though I do like to drive in and around London.

Would you advise me getting an MOT now and then selling? The issue I potentially see is, if I do get an MOT, firstly if a problem is uncovered I'll then have to pay to get it fixed etc, and then that's my only car gone and also lots of my income. Also even if nothing is wrong, I pay for the MOT, and can't sell it, still some wasted money there, though admittedly there's still a fee to list it on auto-trader.

It had a new car battery fitted like a month or two ago because the old one died, other than that the car has run fine, there were some issues with the headlights which caused it to fail the last MOT but they were fixed last March and no issues since. Full service history etc etc, all kosher.

I am painfully aware, however, that there is unlikely to be a car that is 9/10 years old which has been reliable as the current one, which is built like a tank. If it comes to it, I'll wait a few months longer and save, but even between £6 and £10K I don't think I'm going to find much of a better offer, maybe the same car but with less mileage and a year or so newer.
 
Soldato
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12,380
I guess it depends if you can be bothered selling it privately. You'd typically get more for it selling private but then you have to deal with... People... A dealer wouldn't give you as much but it's generally a quicker less hassle sale, although most will probably want a few months on the MOT so you'd have to be looking to get rid pretty soon.
 
Associate
OP
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I guess it depends if you can be bothered selling it privately. You'd typically get more for it selling private but then you have to deal with... People... A dealer wouldn't give you as much but it's generally a quicker less hassle sale, although most will probably want a few months on the MOT so you'd have to be looking to get rid pretty soon.
Around £1200, I believe that's probably a reasonable estimate
 
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What do WBAC offer?
£1,200, sorry meant to reply to you.

I did a listing on ebay starting bid £990 and also put a post in a local community FB. I've got lots of offers and it's barely been an hour, but I'm just in the awkward position in that I have yet to see this potential new car (I have one in mind which would seem the most suitable of the listings I have seen), obviously I need to be insured on the new car...don't know how to work it

Being careful though because I think I've already had a scammer. Guy wants to buy the car and send his "agent" to pick it up, and wants my paypal details. Seems very dodgy
 
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Soldato
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Worth checking autotraders instant cash offer via mannheim, they initially offered me over a thousand more on my mazda MPS (£6.5k offer) than WBAC (£5.3k) and similar sites and when they came and took it last friday, the final offer was £150 higher than the actual offer on the website.

Not necessarily saying you'll have a similar outcome but worth a try.
 
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OcUK Staff
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Hi there

WBAC, Cazoo, Motorway will all give you a trade valuation.
If selling private you might be able to get 10-20% more than the trade offer.
 
Soldato
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Being careful though because I think I've already had a scammer. Guy wants to buy the car and send his "agent" to pick it up, and wants my paypal details. Seems very dodgy
Cash or no sale.

But sending a "guy" around to pick up a car in itself isn't that unusual. You need to make sure whoever turns up fills in the new keeper section on the V5 (or you fill it in, whatever) but yea sod that PayPal business.
 
Associate
Joined
19 Jun 2013
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183
Based on the car I have just purchased as a guideline £2000. It depends on the MOT history and maintenance for me personally. A Euro 5 diesel is not ULEZ compliant in most areas. I would keep the Civic you can get at least another 80,000 miles out of it with proper maintenance. An old used BMW has high maintenance costs and low resale value as it ages.
 
Last edited:
Associate
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27 Sep 2008
Posts
1,300
I did an earlier thread, I'd like a BMW 3 series. I'm not a massive petrolhead, I know opinions on the gen of 3 series I'm looking at is quite low, but there's not really many midrange cars for £6K I like.

I currently have a Honda Civic Type SI 2010, 102,954 miles. I have got a new job so plan to quit delivery driving imminently (I'm doing two jobs at the moment).

Autotrader values my Civic at £2400, however I bought it May 2021 for basically that price, and since then it obviously has 20k+ more miles on the clock, and quite a bit of aesthetic damage around the front.

It also has a dodgy gearbox. Of course, when test driving it, this problem didn't materialise, it was only when driving home we realised when putting the car into second gear the gear would grind. A very common problem in that generation of civics by all account. It's a 59 plate, registered early 2010. Other than that, the car is pretty much flawless, though the AC can be a bit intermittent as you might expect a car of that age.

MOT does not expire til 1 March 23.

How much am I looking at selling this car?

It's petrol, a manual too.

I'm thinking of around the £1,000 mark. I can afford a 3 series BMW now but the insurance is about £1.4K. And there's only one or two 3 series under £6K which are petrol. Indeed basically every BMW I see is diesel. How problematic are diesels, in all honesty, relatives who are somewhat car-savvy advise against them. I believe the 3 series 2013 BMW is only Euro 5 as opposed to Euro 6 so whilst its ULEZ compatible for now, I don't know how long this will continue to be the case, plus diesel prices are really high at the moment. Mostly at the moment its short drives, going to and from deliveries for driving, and to the gym and work etc, however I basically use motorways every day, being in Essex, though I do like to drive in and around London.

Would you advise me getting an MOT now and then selling? The issue I potentially see is, if I do get an MOT, firstly if a problem is uncovered I'll then have to pay to get it fixed etc, and then that's my only car gone and also lots of my income. Also even if nothing is wrong, I pay for the MOT, and can't sell it, still some wasted money there, though admittedly there's still a fee to list it on auto-trader.

It had a new car battery fitted like a month or two ago because the old one died, other than that the car has run fine, there were some issues with the headlights which caused it to fail the last MOT but they were fixed last March and no issues since. Full service history etc etc, all kosher.

I am painfully aware, however, that there is unlikely to be a car that is 9/10 years old which has been reliable as the current one, which is built like a tank. If it comes to it, I'll wait a few months longer and save, but even between £6 and £10K I don't think I'm going to find much of a better offer, maybe the same car but with less mileage and a year or so newer.
I'll buy it off of you.
 
Soldato
Joined
3 Jun 2012
Posts
10,912
Worth checking autotraders instant cash offer via mannheim, they initially offered me over a thousand more on my mazda MPS (£6.5k offer) than WBAC (£5.3k) and similar sites and when they came and took it last friday, the final offer was £150 higher than the actual offer on the website.

Not necessarily saying you'll have a similar outcome but worth a try.
How dare you put the MPS through that torment. Poor thing. Gets me all in the feels.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Sep 2007
Posts
15,660
Location
Limbo
How dare you put the MPS through that torment. Poor thing. Gets me all in the feels.
Needs must sadly - missus starting a new job at short notice and have to turn 1 car into 2 quickly - I could maybe have got another grand by going private but time was against me.

I already miss it - such a fun and generally underappreciated car.
 
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