Should you sell a car on Facebook Marketplace?

Many people will still see Facebook exclusively as a hub for connecting with friends, finding out about local events and posting pictures of your finest culinary creations. However, the rise in popularity of Facebook Marketplace – essentially Mark Zuckerberg’s alternative to eBay – means the social media platform has become a place where you can sell your car, too.

That said, selling something as important and expensive as a car on a social media platform may seem an unsettling prospect to a lot of people. This is why we’ve compiled our top tips and advice for anyone thinking of selling a car on Facebook Marketplace. This guide should not only make sure you get the best price, but keep you safe while selling your car, too.

Before we begin, it’s worth noting that, while there are several benefits to Facebook Marketplace, we encourage you to consider the full range of options when it comes to selling your car - not just alternative platforms where you can advertise your car for a private sale but also part-exchanging or selling through online car selling service. 

Different car selling platforms and solutions have different levels of seller protection and selling tools, most of them going further than Facebook’s offering. They can also make it quicker and easier to secure a sale. Facebook Marketplace, though, has it’s own appeal as a free way to advertise your car to a lot of people and it’s becoming popular, particularly with those selling vehicles at the lower end of the market.

How to list a car on Facebook Marketplace

Listing a car on Facebook Marketplace isn’t as complicated as you might expect. First and foremost, you’ll need a Facebook/Meta account – something most people have nowadays.

Next, you’ll need to head to the Marketplace tab, create a new listing and then select ‘Vehicle’. From there, you’ll be able to input all of the information about your car, including its year, make, model and any other details you deem relevant. Upload any pictures and video you have, specify an asking price and away you go.

You’ll be able to choose whether you want to advertise solely to your immediate Facebook friend list, or to the entirety of the Marketplace audience. You can also choose to list your pride and joy in up to 20 different Facebook Groups – ideal for getting the maximum amount of exposure possible.

Is it free to list a car on Facebook Marketplace?

Yes, it’s totally free to list a car for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Unlike many other car-selling websites, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) doesn’t demand a listing fee, nor a seller’s fee. The only requirement is that you have a Facebook account.

We suppose you could say that the ‘fee’ is that, as part of your membership to the site, Facebook is allowed to sell your data (cookies, web browsing history and such) to online advertisers. But otherwise you won’t have to hand over any cash – that is, unless you’re planning to operate as a business, rather than an occasional seller. If that’s the case, Meta will want to take a small cut (five per cent) of sales.

Is it safe to sell a car on Facebook Marketplace?

Keep your wits about you and Facebook Marketplace is a perfectly safe place to sell your car. Of course, you should take some necessary precautions – as you would if you sold anything online…

Check a buyer’s rating

Buyers and sellers can leave feedback whenever they transact with someone and it’s always worth checking a prospective buyer’s score as this can help you determine whether they are serious or simply a waste of time.

Keep it all on the platform

Be wary of prospective buyers who want to move communications away from the Facebook platform. By keeping communications through Facebook it’s easier to track the process and keep a record of what has gone on.

Exchange for cash if you can

If possible, make sure the buyer pays in cash to avoid potential scams. Fraudsters like to use ploys like fake PayPal emails, as well as ‘chargebacks’ in which they claim an unauthorised transaction has been made, in order to try and get the payment provider to reverse it.

Meet buyers in public

If you plan to meet a potential buyer, make sure you do so in a relatively busy public place. This ensures that there will be others around if things go pear-shaped, plus it means that the buyer won’t know your home address if their intention to get in contact was anything less than innocent.

How to get the best price on Facebook Marketplace

It may be a part of a social media site, but Facebook Marketplace is basically just like any other online private car listings website. This means there are a handful of general housekeeping rules to make sure you get the best price…

List all the necessary information

Don’t skimp when it comes to providing info on your pride and joy; make sure to list all the necessary items such as its current mileage, service history and any known faults. Listing what optional extras or modifications it might have may even make it easier to sell or get you a higher price, too.

Make sure there are plenty of photos

Make sure to show your car in its best light by getting it cleaned and taking plenty of good quality photographs to give prospective buyers a good idea of what they’re looking at. Make sure to photograph any damage and, on the flip side, any unique selling points - such as options fitted to the car.

Research prices

We all want to sell our car for hundreds of thousands of pounds, but sometimes this just isn’t realistic. Do some research into what similar cars are selling for and price your car accordingly. Make sure to also leave a bit of wiggle room as buyers on Facebook Marketplace love to haggle!

Respond to buyers

Buyers will drop you a message if they’re interested in your vehicle. Make sure to respond promptly and politely as this will build buyer confidence and should make it quicker and easier to secure a sale.

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