Private sale
Advertising the truck yourself, online or in trade papers, can get you the highest price if you find the right buyer. The catch is time: answering calls, arranging viewings, dealing with time-wasters, and making sure payment is genuine before the truck goes. Payment scams are a real risk with private sales, so never release a vehicle until cleared funds are in your account.
Auction
Commercial vehicle auctions reach lots of buyers quickly. But you pay seller’s fees, you often have to deliver the truck to the auction site, and the price on the day isn’t guaranteed. A reserve protects you from selling too cheaply, though if the reserve isn’t met, you’re back where you started.
Dealer part-exchange
If you’re buying a new truck, part-exchanging the old one is convenient. Dealers generally offer less than the truck is worth to the end user, because they need margin to resell it. They may not want older, damaged or non-running trucks at all.
Direct buyer
A direct buyer, like us, buys the truck outright. You get a price from your photos and details, an inspection, payment and collection, usually within days. You won’t always get the very top retail price, but there are no fees, no adverts and no risk of the sale falling through on the day. Direct buyers are often the only realistic option for non-runners, damaged trucks and export-condition stock.
Side by side
| Private | Auction | Dealer | Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Weeks to months | Weeks | When you buy new | Days |
| Fees | Advertising | Seller’s fees | None | None |
| Price certainty | Low | Low | High | High |
| Effort | High | Medium | Low | Low |
| Non-runners | Hard | Possible | Rarely | Yes |
Which is right for you?
If your truck is in demand, you have time, and you’re comfortable handling buyers and payments, a private sale may pay off. If you want certainty and speed, or your truck needs work, a direct sale usually makes more sense. Whichever you choose, our free valuation gives you a benchmark to compare against.