I've never done it but am going to be selling a 17k car private.

What are the pitfalls? how do i accept the money? How do i avoid getting ripped off?

Thank you and sorry for being a numpty thicko 😐

Inisist on cash and then meet them at the bank and get the bank to accept the cash prior to handing anything over. You may be accused of beign a drug dealer if you're handling large sums of cash but it's a small price to pay.

Anything else seems to leave you open to fraud from what I've read.

Make sure youre not alone when people view it, never let anyone test drive it without showing you proof of insurance, if you're going to accept cash then get either a pen or uv light to check the notes, if you take a bankers draught it might be worth getting the buyer to go to the bank with you to check its real!

Cash all the way for car sales and as above meet them in a bank if you're worried. Test drives with insurance only. Make sure you get it professionally valeted before you sell it, will be £50 well spent.

Advertise on autotrader to get the best money for it. Don't bother with the magazine anymore just go for the online option. Mark the ad no canvassers.

Expect lots of calls with stupid questions that are in the ad and some silly offers by text.

Still the best way to sell a car though.

Agree that Autotrader is the way to go. Get the car perfect and take some good photos to upload with the ad. Go through all the ads for cars similar to yours to check pricing, and also check it on Parker's.

Checking insurance is OK, but it will be 3rd party only on someone else's insurance, so no claim if they damage it during the test drive.

Best way to organise the money is by banker's draft, but not direct from the buyer. Get the buyer to arrange collection of the draft from the nearest branch of their bank to you. Go with them to the bank and get the cashier to hand it directly to you. Lots of forged draft's around, and personally I don't like huge wads of cash as you can't be sure they are genuine

Give them the long blank look while shaking your head, when they give you an offer below your asking price, remember to say nothing, silence is money!

Might be worth practising this in a mirror to perfect it before they come round 😉