Note: We Buy Any Car is not a commercial partner of Motorway. Last updated on 24th June, 2024.
WeBuyAnyCar started in 2006 and was the UK’s first online car-buying service. They provide sellers with instant car valuations and the ability to sell your car within hours. They introduced a new level of speed and convenience to the process of selling your car. The concept quickly became popular UK-wide and in 2019, the company was bought by the private equity firm TDR Capital.
Whilst it remains a leading instant-buying service in the motor space, there are many alternative ways to sell with We Buy Any Car that are also available.
As of March 6th, instant car buyer Cazoo, pivoted their business model to stop buying and selling used cars and instead become a car marketplace to rival AutoTrader.
Read our car selling guide on alternative options to WeBuyAnyCar:
- How to use WeBuyAnyCar
- Instant online car-buying companies
- How to sell your car privately
- How to sell your car to a dealership
- How to part exchange your car
- How to sell your car on a free listing site
- How to scrap your car
- Is Motorway the same as WeBuyAnyCar?
- Selling your car the Motorway way
How to use WeBuyAnyCar
WeBuyAnyCar.com is not a commercial partner of Motorway.
WeBuyAnyCar was the UK’s first instant car buying site. It works by giving sellers an instant online valuation which sellers can either accept or decline. Their service offers a fast, convenient way of selling a car without the need to sell privately to another individual, or through a car dealer.
Since they launched, they have become one of the UK’s most recognisable car-selling brands and, according to their website, have helped over a million customers sell their car.
How it works
Sellers head to webuyanycar.com and enter their car’s mileage and reg where prompted. They’ll get a valuation for their car, valid for four days.
If the seller accepts the valuation, they drive their car to the nearest We Buy Any Car branch or hub and meet with a rep to have their vehicle assessed. Once this is completed, the customer will receive a final quote to buy their car.
If the final price is agreed, the customer leaves their car behind and payment is made. There are no obligations, and customers are free to drive away at any stage if they’re unhappy with the final offer.
Admin fees and payments
WeBuyAnyCar has a transaction fee that applies at the point of sale. They vary depending on the final price of your vehicle and are:
- £0 for cars valued below £99.99
- £49.99 applies for cars valued between £100 to £3,999.99
- £59.99 applies for cars valued between £4,000.00 to £4,999.99
- £74.00 applies for cars valued at £5,000 or more
There are additional, optional fees if you want to receive your payment faster than the standard processing time (4 working days):
- Next working day payment is £24.75
- Same-day payment is £29.75
Instant online car-buying companies
There are lots of alternatives to WeBuyAnyCar. Plenty of companies that will instantly buy your car after an online valuation. Some of these operate at a national level, and there are also local companies that offer a similar experience for car sellers too.
Each instant-sale company varies slightly from one another. Below, we have broken down the most common benefits offered by some alternatives brands to We Buy Any Car.
Motorway is slightly different to standalone instant car buyers. Motorway is an online car buying service with a marketplace model that sees thousands of individual, verified dealers competing directly to offer their best price for your used car.
| Company | Zero fees | Instant payment | Home pick-up | Dealers compete |
| WeWantAnyCar* | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Money4YourMotors* | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| The Car Buying Group** | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Best Car Buyer** | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Evans Halshaw** | ✓ | |||
| Arnold Clark** | ✓ | |||
| Motorway | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
** A commercial partner of Motorway
How it works
The main competitors to WeBuyAnyCar mainly offer fee-free, instant payments and a home-collection service for your vehicle.
Some of these companies are attached to bricks-and-mortar car dealership franchises, whereas others operate online-only. Instant-buy companies attached to these sites generally will require car sellers to drop their car off (as opposed to having a home collection service), which can make the process of selling your car less convenient.
While some of these companies prioritise the speed of sale, others are more focused on price, or convenience. There’s some diversity in the offering, but they all start by providing an instant online valuation for your car.
Admin fees and payments
WeWantAnyCar offers no administration charge for cars that sell for less than £100. For vehicles with a purchase price of over £100, the admin charge is £99.
Money4YourMotors has the same pricing: no fees for cars that sell under £100, and a £99 charge for all other cars sold.
The Car Buying Group offers £50 extra for your car if you drop it off at one of their centres.
How to sell your car privately
When it comes to selling your car privately, the biggest challenge is the time it can take. You have to advertise your car in the right channels to find a good market of buyers. It can be a protracted process to handle the viewings, test drives, and sale. Selling your car to a private individual can seem like more hassle than you bargained for, and can require you to publish your contact details.
While data shows this method can get you a competitive price, once you’ve factored in the project management work it takes to get said good price, you may be tempted to use a service or company after all.
How it works
When selling your car privately, the first question you have to ask yourself is whether you’ll sell to somebody you know, or whether you’ll have to find a buyer more proactively.
If you know you can find a private buyer within your personal networks and community, you may be able to set up viewings with next to no hassle. With a good idea of what your car is worth, and access to motivated buyers, it shouldn’t be hard to agree on a price. All that’s left is ensuring secure payment and handling the admin of transferring ownership.
However, if you need to find an unknown private buyer, you’ll have to advertise to a wider market, and probably online. You could advertise on a specialty site online like AutoTrader, use a free advertising or classifieds site such as Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace (more on these below), or find a good local solution. This might be a newsletter, local paper or even a noticeboard.
When you sell your car privately, you’re responsible for setting the price, and then arranging logistics with your buyers. Unfortunately, you might attract time-wasters, so you’ll have to factor in some screening when you set up viewings and test-drives.
The desirability of your car will make a big difference in how many buyers you have to negotiate with before you secure a good and reliable deal. Then, once again you have to ensure safe and secure payment, and handle the transfer of ownership.
Admin fees and payments
If you take out advertising in local newspapers, noticeboards or mailing lists, you may have to pay a fee or charitable donation. These will vary depending on location.
AutoTrader is a trusted marketplace, and it has variable advertising package costs that vary depending on the value of your car. These are detailed in the table below:
| Package name | Cost | Duration | Media included | Notes |
| Basic | £36.95 | Two weeks | Up to 100 photos | |
| Standard | £46.95 | Three weeks | Up to 100 photos | More pominance than a basic ad |
| Premium | £58.95 | Six weeks | Up to 100 photos and a YouTube videos | |
| Ultimate | £74.95 | Live until your car sells | Up to 100 photos and a YouTube videos | Rebook your advert every 10 weeks until your vehicle is sold |
How to sell your car to a dealership
Since the 1950s, one of the most popular ways of selling cars has been to take them directly to a car dealer. Dealerships are split into two categories: independent and franchise. Independent dealers sell a range of car brands and types and franchise dealers are specialised to a specific car brand.
Selling your car to a dealership is a safe option for owners with cars in good, saleable condition. It’s a good option for a quick sale, especially when there are reputable dealerships local to you, making it a reliable alternative to WeBuyAnyCar. Read our ultimate guide to selling to a dealership for a detailed analysis.
Dealerships make offers on vehicles based on the car specs (age, mileage, service history, condition) and the dealer’s own business (customer base, location, specialism, stock). This means that the value of your car is partially determined by factors outside of your control, which may be a turn-off for price-conscious sellers.
Typically, selling to a dealership works out to be easy and fairly quick, but not the best way to get a competitive price.
How it works
Selling your car to a dealership is one of the most traditional ways of selling a car. They can seem like a fast, hassle-free option for most – especially if you live close to several well-reputed dealerships.
Dealerships are split into two categories: independent and franchise. Independent dealers sell a range of car brands and types and franchise dealers are specialised to a specific car brand, such as VW. Most dealers will buy any car, but you may not get the best deal selling to a franchise dealer if your car isn’t one of their franchised brands. For example, selling your Mercedes to a Land Rover dealership might not get you the best price.
Dealerships need to make a markup on your car. For this reason, it’s unlikely you will be offered a purchase fee on par with your valuation. It’s advisable that you visit various dealers to get an array of offers for your car. This means you can pick the highest offer, or the one that is best suited to you. This requires both project management and sales skills, and you have no guarantee of a good deal at the end.
Admin fees and payments
There shouldn’t be any fees or payments when you sell your car to a dealership. You simply take payment by whatever means you and the dealership administrators agree on, and the sum will be as negotiated.
Some dealers can get a bad reputation for ‘price chipping’: taking chunks off their original offer due to previously undisclosed cosmetic damage or reconditioning work that they believe the car needs. Not only does this reduce the money you can get from selling your car this way, but it also reduces trust.
How to part exchange your car
Part-exchange is where you trade in your existing car to offset the price of a new, or, new to you, car. This is a great option offered by many car dealers and it allows you to get rid of your current car and get your new one in the same transaction. It’s particularly useful for drivers who want to be out with the old and in with the new, as quickly as possible. Franchise dealerships often offer part exchange – which is great if you’re a make or model loyalist.
However, while it might initially look like you’re onto a winner, even though the price of your new car will drop, part-exchange usually doesn’t offer a competitive financial advantage. You’re not in a position to negotiate the discount your car will achieve against the newer one, and you are almost certain to make more from selling your car separately.
In many cases, a dealer offering part exchange will sell your old car at an auction rather than on their forecourt, and they’ll be looking for a good markup. The part exchange offer will not come very close to what you think your car is really worth.
How it works
To prepare for part-exchanging your car, prioritise making it sale-worthy by focusing on servicing, cleaning, and gathering all essential ownership documents, including any financing paperwork. Before heading to the dealership, it’s recommended that you get an independent valuation of your car. This will help you have a clear understanding of its market value, which in turn will help you negotiate a fair price for the exchange.
Once at the dealership, you can choose your next car and negotiate the terms of the part exchange. The dealership or garage will then manage the transfer of ownership, a process similar to when you sell your car outright. This approach ensures a smooth transition from your current vehicle to your new one, with all necessary documentation and valuations taken care of beforehand.
Admin fees and payments
Every dealership handles part-exchange differently to the next. Fees can vary on a case-by-case basis, however there shouldn’t be any confusing charges or fees beyond the vehicle prices you’re offsetting against one another.
It’s worth being wary of ‘price chipping’. Price chipping is where a buyer cuts down the initial valuation of a car or vehicle after finding cosmetic and maintenance work they think they will have to do to the car in order to sell it during their inspection. If you’re looking to part-exchange, price-chipping will reduce the value of your vehicle and impact the discount you get on the car you want to trade it in for.
How to sell your car on a free listing site (eBay, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace)
Free-listing sites offer an alternative to dedicated car-buying services such as We Buy Any Car. Websites such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Gumtree, Shpock, and Motors.co.uk offer alternative ways to bypass any middlemen and help connect private buyers and sellers.
It’s likely you won’t reach the same volume of keen buyers using these alternatives, however that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re less likely to sell your car for a decent price. In fact, selling within a smaller network might appeal to you more. There can be a fair amount of set-up work you need to do to list and advertise your car to the best of its potential.
While you’ll have high negotiation power, it is up to you to manage payments safely and ensure the sale is legal in accordance with the DVLA’s guidelines. If you don’t do this, both you and the buyer could be subject to fines.
How it works
In order to sell on these sites, you need to have a profile. You can either register for one or, if you have a profile already, simply log in. You create a listing for your car by uploading photos and video (if it’s enabled) as well as entering key information and writing a description. Attractive listings tend to draw more interest – but it’s up to you to format the information in the best way possible. You can share your online listing with co-workers, friends and family and other personal networks to reach more potential buyers.
Admin fees and payments
Facebook Marketplace
You can boost your advert by sponsoring the post on Facebook Marketplace. The more money you put behind your post, the more people it will reach.
eBay Motors
For private sellers the listing fee is £19.99 for a classified ad, and £14.99 for either an auction style or fixed-price ad. If you sell your car on either an auction-style or fixed-price basis, you’ll have to pay an additional 1% of the list price (minimum £25 and maximum £45). There are optional listing upgrades that come at further cost.
Gumtree
It’s free to list your car on Gumtree. You can boost your advert to reach more people, and this will cost you between £5-£8 per week. Adverts have a set lifespan and when they expire, it is up to you to re-list the ad.
How to scrap your car
If your car is older (at least 10 years old), has high-mileage, is a write off or generally hard to sell, there is an option to scrap it. For more specifc information on this, read our ultimate guide to scrapping your car.
Scrapping a car is unlikely to make you more than £500 – though this varies. If you know how to safely break down your car into parts and sell them individually, as well as selling the shell, you could fetch more.
Compromise is possible with scrapping as in some instances, owners can remove and sell the highest-value parts, and still offer the rest of the car to a scrap merchant. Worth noting is that you’ll likely get a similar price for the shell as you would have for the complete car. The expensive parts worth selling separately are:
- The engine
- The gearbox
- Airbags
- Seats.
The best and biggest marketplace to sell these parts is eBay.
At Motorway, we also work with a partner to provide a scrapping service. If you’re thinking about scrapping your car, enter your reg and mileage on our dedicated scrap my car page to be directed.
How it works
When you scrap your car, you can either find a private company, or you can find an authorised treatment facility (ATF) that will scrap your vehicle and pay you the scrap value — usually by cheque.
Admin fees and payments
Typically, when you scrap your car, you will be offered one sum that represents the scrap value minus any deductions. You can normally expect £100-£1,000 for your scrapped vehicle, the most common price being around £500.
Is Motorway the same as We Buy Any Car?
No, Motorway offers a very different service from We Buy Any Car.
- Motorway does not buy your car. The sale is between you and the dealer, not you and Motorway.
- With Motorway, you profile your car on your phone, selecting answers to some key questions about the spec and condition. There is no need to drive to any hubs for an in-person inspection.
- We find your highest offer by allowing the 5,000+ verified car dealers in our network to compete to offer you their best price in our online daily sale. The best offer at the end of the sale gets sent to you, the seller, to approve or reject.
- When you’ve approved your offer, you enjoy free home collection, arranged with your buyer. At this point, the dealer checks over your car. If all is according to your profile, the dealer makes instant payment and drives your car away.
Selling your car the Motorway way
When you sell your car the Motorway way, more than 5,000 dealers compete to give you their best price. You can sell your car to motivated buyers without even leaving the house. It’s completely free for you, and you can get a sale agreed in as little as 24 hours.
We’ll give you all the necessary tips to profile your car while it’s looking its best and likely to fetch a great price.
How it works
Just enter your reg on the homepage and you will be provided with an instant estimated sale price based on up-to-the-minute market data. We’ll then ask you a few easy questions about your car and guide you through the photos you need to take to complete your vehicle profile. It can be done right from your phone – in a matter of minutes.
If you choose to enter your car into a daily sale, it will be shown to our nationwide network of more than 5,000 verified dealers looking to add to their stock of used cars. Interested dealers will then compete to buy your car, offering you their best price.
In as little as 24 hours you will receive your best offer – and, if you choose to go ahead with the sale, your car will be collected for free by the dealer and the money will be quickly and securely transferred to your bank account.
Admin fees and payments
We charge you, the car seller, absolutely nothing. You’ll receive payment in your nominated bank account once the dealer has collected your car.
Is it time to sell your car?
Want to learn more about owning, maintaining, and selling your car? Check out more of our guides here, covering everything from finding buyers, to negotiating a good price, and completing payment safely.
- Sell your car online
- Selling with car buying websites
- Car valuation – value your car
- Top 10 tips to sell your car
- Can you sell a car without an MOT?
- Companies that buy cars
- Auto Trader alternatives
- Gumtree alternatives
- Safest ways to accept payment when selling a car
- Car selling scams and how to avoid them