Sell your car without any hassles!

So it’s that time when you feel that you need a new car and you’d like to sell your old car….or you are moving countries for better prospects and would not need your car anymore….or in some cases, you have altogether decided that you will use public transport to move around Dubai! Congrats, it is time to sell your car!!

For many of us, selling something is quite cumbersome! Why?? Because it involves ‘selling’!! But do not worry, as far as I have seen in the past, if you have to sell something here in Dubai, there are always takers. So if it is time to sell your car, it would not be so tough as there is still demand for used cars and it is a quite large industry in itself in Dubai. So, in this article you will learn how to quickly sell your car in Dubai.

Selling your car basically involves of 3 basic steps:

• Finding your buyer;

• Insurance cancellation;

• Transfer of ownership.

Step 0: Service your car and clean it up

This is actually not a real step but a given! If you’d like to sell your car, you would at least need to take it for a proper service and clean it up. Make sure that you have tested vehicle performs well. What I mean to say is do not cheat! If the car has some defects, dents…get them repaired. It is clever to be honest about the condition of the car.

Step 1: Finding a buyer

The first step for you when selling your car is to find a buyer. Often there are popular online services you could use to attract buyers for your car. Some of  the most popular sites to list your car for sales are:

• Dubizzle
• Sell Any Cars
• Car Switch
• Notice boards of supermarkets, your comminuty
• Gulf News classifieds
• Khaleej Times classifieds
• Magazines such as Auto Trader

You could also visit used car showrooms across Dubai to find potential buyers. Most of the used car sellers in Dubai are located in Ras Al Khor used car market. This is a better way to find your buyer, in fact, you buyer will be the used car show room. In a way this is advantageous because they will do most of the paper work required later. But note that their offer for your car may be much lower  than what buyers individually are ready to pay for a simple fact that they have the bargaining power.

Once you have found a buyer, it would be appropriate to let them inspect the car condition and agree on a price. If you really would like to sell your car, it better to be a bit flexible on the pricing. Before even listing your car, make sure that you deal with the person buying face to face.

Precautions to take while dealing to sell your car:

• Deal only with genuine people who are ready to meet face to face and discuss terms;
• Do not accept Post Dated Checks for payments and deal in cash only, that is unless you are dealing with a reputed reseller (used car);
• If you are accepting post dated check, let it clear before you continue with transfer process;
• Do not advertise on the windscreen or display on the car. This may attract fines from RTA.

At this point in the sales funnel, it is better that you take a token payment or full payment from your buyer for the car. This would ensure that you have a deal from the buyer. It is also better to make some kind of agreement of sales and proof of payment received.

Step 2: Insurance cancellation

Once you are certain that the payment is received, you can now go ahead and transfer the ownership. You will need to follow these steps:

• Cancel your insurance policy from the insurance company. If there are still months of insurance valid, you will be able to receive a refund for the premium paid.
• You may need to provide your identification and registration documents (Mulkia)

Step 3: Transfer car ownership

Once you are done with the insurance cancellation, following steps will apply:

• If your vehicle is due for renewal, you will need to test the vehicle in any of the RTA authorised test centres (like Tasjeel);
• After this is done, you will need to fill in the transfer form through typing centre.

Following documents are required at this point:

• Your original registration card (Mulkia)
• Valid driver’s license of the buyer;
• Valid copy of the Emirates ID / Passport + Visa copy;
• New insurance from the buyer.

When these documents are submitted in any RTA authorised registration centres:

• Give the documents to the respective officer;
• At this point, your vehicle will be checked for any fines that may have accrued on the car;
• If there are fines, you will be asked to pay these. If not the new registration card (Mulkia) will be printed.

You may need to keep a copy of the registration card with you as a proof of sale. So, that’s it. This is a simple way to sell your car in Dubai.

Precautions to be taken when you sell your car in Dubai:

• Sell only to reputed persons;
• Only deal in Cash in advance unless you are dealing with a reputed company;
• Advertise the car condition as it is. Do not hide the faults in the car. Even if there, it is better to get them repaired;

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about selling car:

What if I have a bank loan against the car…how do I sell my car?

If you have a bank loan against your car, you will have to first settle the loan. RTA will not transfer your car unless you have a clearance letter from the bank for the chassis number on the car. If the buyer of your car is looking for car loan, it is advisable that you take a token amount and once buyer gets approval for the car loan from his bank, take the approval letter and then go ahead with the sale. In most case, your buyer’s bank will get involved in this as they need to mortgage the car.

What is I have to sell my car outside UAE?

Yes, this is possible. In such case, RTA will issue you a temporary Export license plate, which can be used to drive or transport the car to the country intended. But make sure that you have received all the payments for your vehicle.

What are the fees for transfer?

Usually the transfer fees are around 100 Dirhams and registration will be 390 Dirhams.