How to sell my Mercedes – the complete guide

Cars with the famed three-pointed star have always been very desirable – so you'll probably find plenty of keen buyers to take it off your hands.

There are a few different ways you can sell your Mercedes. You could offload it to a car dealer, part exchange it for a different car, or sell it privately to the next owner. This guide breaks down your different selling options so you can choose the one you like best.

How to sell my Mercedes

1. Visit an online tool to get a free valuation on your Mercedes
2. Choose what your priorities are for the sale – do you want a quick sale or to get the most money?
3. Pick the type of sale that best fits your needs
4. Prepare your car for sale – think about fixing small issues, and make sure it's clean and tidy
5. Finish the sale using your chosen route
6. Use the money on another car or for another project

Here are the four main ways you can sell your Mercedes:

• Selling your Mercedes to a dealer
• Part-exchange your Mercedes
• Selling your Mercedes to an online auction
• Selling your Mercedes privately

Selling your Mercedes to a dealer

Selling your Mercedes to a car dealers is probably the easiest option. Many large dealerships and car-buying services have a handy online valuator, which will give you an indication of how much they'll offer for your car. You can get as many valuations as you like, and pick the best offers to take forward. Once you've shortlisted your offers, you can take your car to the dealer or buying service for an inspection and final valuation.

You might choose to sell your car to a dealer or car-buying service if you value having a quick and easy experience. Before the negotiation even begins, you have a fairly good idea of how much they'll pay for your car, and you may only need one meeting to get a final valuation and complete the sale – rather than handle many individual private buyers. As a slight drawback, you might get a little less for your car versus selling it privately.

Part-exchange your Mercedes

If you're planning to sell your Mercedes and then buy another car, it might actually be easier to simply arrange a part exchange. This is where you sell your old car to a dealer, and its value goes directly towards a new car. If you know what car you want to swap into, this could the easiest route since you can combine the selling and buying tasks into one dealership visit. Most large car retailers (including Motorpoint) can also arrange to part exchange a car on finance, allowing you to put any positive equity towards your next finance agreement.

A part exchange might be the best choice for you if you're sure you'll be swapping directly from one car to a different one. It'll probably be less legwork than selling an old car and buying a new one in two separate operations. Just like directly selling your car to a dealer or car-buying service, the convenience means you might get a slightly smaller amount for your car than choosing to sell it privately.

Selling your Mercedes to an online auction

You also have the option of listing your car for sale on an online auction site. This covers auctions that are open to the general public such as eBay. You could also try sites like Motorway, which allow dealers to bid for your car.

This option is a little more work than selling to a dealer, as you'll have to take photos of your car and fill out its description. However, it's still more hands-off than arranging a private sale. Be aware that you might not get a very clear idea of how much your car is worth. And, if you don't set a reserve, you might end up with less than you'd hoped for.

Selling your Mercedes privately

Choosing to sell your Mercedes privately is the most work of all the options here. Like an auction, you'll need to photograph and describe your car in the listing. On top of that, you'll also have to meet potential buyers and show them the car, and handle any pricing negotiations that follow. Annoyingly, many of the big websites that let you list your car also charge a listing fee, which impacts your final total.

In return for the effort, you might end up with a little more money versus selling to a dealer or car-buying service. This is because you've cut the middleman out of the process, and any profit margin that would go to the retailer instead goes directly to you. Just be aware that there's no guarantee you'll get more money in a private sale, and buyers may be more wary since you won't be offering any aftersales protection like a dealership.

What’s the best way to sell my Mercedes?

The best option here depends on what matters most to you when selling your Mercedes.

If you want an easy sale, you should consider selling your car to a dealership or car-buying service. You may get a little less money than selling privately, but you won't have to manually list your car or meet any potential buyers. You'll usually be in and out in one visit and, if you part exchange at the same time, you can sort your new car out at the same time.

If you're not in a rush and don't mind doing a little more legwork, however, you might prefer a private sale. You'll have to snap some pics and scratch some text together to describe your pride and joy – plus handle the occasionally eccentric general public. In return, you might get a little more money in total.

Do Mercedes cars hold their value?

Mercedes is a desirable German brand with an illustrious heritage and a range stacked with popular models. That means residual values are typically quite strong, especially for big-ticket bodystyles like SUVs.

It's a good idea to take care of your Mercedes if you want the most value when selling it on. That includes getting all the services done promptly, and fixing any problems that crop up quickly. We'd also suggest keeping your car clean and avoid tacky aftermarket accessories to preserve its value.

Sell your Mercedes to Motorpoint

Get a quick, competitive valuation and sell your Mercedes to Motorpoint today! We pay out over 99% of final valuations with no changes, and initial valuations are locked in for seven days.