Sell well, buy well.

Sell

The seven mistakes that cost you CHF 2'000 in a private sale

A badly sold vehicle doesn't sell for less because it's worth less. It sells for less because the sale was poorly prepared. Here are the seven mistakes we see most often, and what they cost.

1. Pricing on gut feeling

Most sellers start from the price they would like to get, or from what they paid. The market only knows one thing: what equivalent vehicles have actually sold for over the last three months. Price ten per cent above the market, and the phone won't ring.

2. Taking photos at midday

The overhead sun creates harsh shadows, flattens the lines and highlights every bodywork flaw. Late-afternoon light, or a covered space with controlled lighting, completely changes how the vehicle is perceived.

3. Ignoring the background

A car photographed in front of bins, a cluttered garage or washing hung out to dry immediately loses perceived value. The background should always be neutral and uniform.

4. Posting eight photos

Listings that convert have between twenty-five and thirty-five, plus a video. A buyer who can't see the interior, the odometer, the boot and the engine will assume something is being hidden.

5. Losing the service book

A complete, stamped history with invoices can be worth several hundred francs on the final price. It is the only objective proof that the vehicle has been properly maintained.

6. Selling with only one set of keys

A missing set costs between three and five hundred francs to replace, depending on the model — and above all, it worries buyers. Remember the locking wheel nuts and their key adapter too.

7. Negotiating unprepared

A buyer always arrives with arguments. If you don't have yours — comparable vehicles, history, recent invoices — you give in. Negotiation is prepared before the viewing, not during it.

Buy

How to read an inspection report without being a mechanic

An eighty-point check sounds impressive, but not all points are equal. Here are the ones that really matter, and the ones that should make you walk away.

The eight points that matter

• Mileage consistent with wear. A shiny steering wheel, a polished gear knob and worn pedals on a car advertised at sixty thousand kilometres are a warning sign.
• Electronic diagnostics. Stored fault codes tell the vehicle's recent story, even after the dashboard warnings have been cleared.
• Timing belt. Done or due, and at what mileage. It's a four-figure bill that comes round quickly.
• Panel gaps. Uneven gaps between the doors and wings often reveal repaired accident damage.
• Consistent paint colour. A difference in shade between two panels means a part has been resprayed.
• Tyre tread depth and age. Four tyres to replace means six to eight hundred francs. Also check that they are the same brand.
• Visible leaks. Under the engine and gearbox, seepage is always visible.
• Number of previous keepers. This is shown on the vehicle registration document. More than three on a recent vehicle? Ask questions.

The three signs that should make you walk away

A mileage discrepancy. There is no good explanation. Walk away.

A structural defect. Chassis, side member, floor pan: the repair is uncertain and the resale value collapses.

A seller who refuses a pre-purchase check. One hundred and eighty francs at an independent garage is the best investment you can make when buying used. A refusal is an answer in itself.

What isn't serious

A scratch, a stone chip on the windscreen, a kerbed alloy, an interior that needs cleaning: all of these can be repaired, costed and negotiated. A defect that is listed and photographed in the report is not a problem — it's information. The problem is the defect you weren't shown.

Security

Paying for a vehicle: the five most common scams

Selling a vehicle involves tens of thousands of francs changing hands between two people who don't know each other. That is exactly the kind of ground fraudsters look for.

1. The fake bank cheque

This is by far the most common. The document is a very convincing forgery: watermark, chevrons, serial number. It looks genuine, and the bank only detects the fraud several days later, when the vehicle is long gone.

How to protect yourself. Call the issuing branch to confirm the cheque was issued — on a number you look up yourself, never the one printed on the cheque. And only hand over the keys once it has been confirmed.

2. The transfer shown as a screenshot

The buyer shows you their phone: the transfer has gone through. Except that a payment order can be cancelled, or the image simply faked.

How to protect yourself. Only money actually received in the account counts. An instant transfer settles the matter: confirmation appears within seconds in the seller's banking app.

3. The fake buyer scouting the car

An appointment at the seller's home, a few questions, a quick look round. Three nights later, the vehicle is gone.

How to protect yourself. Never receive buyers at home. A neutral, professional venue eliminates this risk.

4. Theft during the test drive

The buyer goes off alone for a drive — and never comes back.

How to protect yourself. Take a copy of the driving licence and identity document before handing over the wheel, and always accompany the first test drive.

5. The concealed leased vehicle

The seller is not the owner. The leasing company reclaims the vehicle from the buyer, who has paid for nothing.

How to protect yourself. Check the vehicle registration document and the keeper's name, and ask for the outstanding balance statement if in doubt.

The principle that sums it all up

The keys do not change hands until the funds have actually been received. Not “sent”, not “pending”: received. This is the rule we apply without exception to every transaction.