Sale or Return
Selling your car privately can be a time-consuming, stressful process
It can disrupt your day-to-day life with having to arrange test drives, viewings and making sure prospective buyers are insured to test drive your car which is just added pressure when you’re working or looking after your family. So at LMC, we offer a sale or return (SOR), a car selling service that is vastly growing in popularity.
What is Sale or Return?
Sale or Return (also known as SOR) is essentially an agreement where we sell your car on your behalf and you receive a fixed or percentage fee once it has been sold.
Why should you choose SOR over private selling?
One of the biggest benefits of SOR is that we, as the dealer, will utilise all of our marketing expertise to ensure that your car is sold as soon as possible. Meaning that your car will be advertised 24 hours a day on our website, AA cars, AutoTrader and EbayMotors as well as over 20 other websites. We will keep you up-to-date throughout the entire selling process, and making sure your car is insured whilst in our care.
In order to help buyers feel confident in buying your car, we will take advantage of our car finance services which will also increase the number of prospective buyers, for more information on our finance packages then click here.
Why choose SOR?
Another aspect of SOR is that should anything go wrong with the vehicle, the buyer has 30 days to return the car for a full refund. Of course, this isn’t an ideal situation for you as the seller, however, we at LMC offer a 3-month warranty as standard and extended warranties from 12 to 36 months where the costs of part and labour are covered. Rest assured, if anything goes wrong after the sale, both you and the buyer are covered. For more warranty information, click here.
Another way we will look to sell your vehicle is through our part exchange service, some of our customers will be looking to get rid of their old car while searching for a new one, we cut out the middleman by making it one simple transaction. If you’d like to more about how our part exchange service works then click here.
At LMC, you can be assured that we will make the most of our services to improve the saleability of your car. If you’d like to know more about our sale or return service then give us a call and one of our team will happily provide more information.
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Contact our team
Why not talk to us directly by giving us a call or sending us an email.
FAQs
- How much does the Sale or Return service cost?
Our SOR commission is based on either a fixed fee or a percentage of the final sale price, depending on your vehicle's value and our agreement. The exact fee structure is discussed during your initial valuation with us - we'll explain all costs upfront with no hidden charges.Â
Many sellers find that even after our commission, they achieve a better net return than selling privately because we can command higher prices due to our professional presentation, extensive marketing reach, warranty offerings, and finance options that attract more serious buyers.
- Is my car insured while it's at LMC for Sale or Return?
Yes, absolutely! Your vehicle is fully insured while in our care at our Upminster premises, giving you complete peace of mind. This covers the car while on display in our showroom, during test drives with potential buyers, and while parked on our secure forecourt.Â
This is a major advantage over private selling, where you'd need to arrange insurance for every test drive yourself - a complicated and potentially risky situation, especially if you're working or have family commitments.
- Can buyers get finance on my SOR vehicle?
Absolutely, and this is a huge advantage! We offer finance on all SOR vehicles with zero deposit from 9.9% APR, which dramatically expands your potential buyer pool. Many people who can't afford to buy a car outright can comfortably afford monthly payments - by offering finance, you're opening your car to thousands more buyers across Essex and beyond.Â
Buyers can spread the cost over 24-60 months, making even higher-value vehicles affordable. This typically results in faster sales and the ability to command the asking price rather than accepting low cash offers.
- How do you determine the selling price for my car?
We base the selling price on several key factors:
- Current market conditions - what similar vehicles are actually selling for (not just advertised at)
- Your vehicle's condition - honest assessment, including any cosmetic or mechanical issues
- Mileage and service history - full service history commands premium prices
- Specification and desirability - popular colours, trim levels, and features
- Age and MOT status - time remaining affects value
- Market demand - seasonal trends and local Essex/London demand
ÂWe'll provide a realistic valuation that balances achieving the best price while ensuring the car sells within a reasonable timeframe. You'll have the final say on the asking price, and we'll advise on pricing strategy based on our decades of market knowledge.
- What if my car doesn't sell through Sale or Return?
If your vehicle hasn't sold after an agreed timeframe, we'll have an open conversation about next steps. Options include:
- Price adjustment - reducing the price to reflect market feedback
- Direct purchase - we may offer to buy the car outright from you
- Part-exchange credit - if you're buying another vehicle from LMC
- Return to you - you can collect the car and try alternative selling methods
- Extended SOR period - continue marketing if you're not in a hurry
ÂWe'll provide honest feedback about why the car hasn't sold (price, condition, market demand) and work with you to find the best solution. Our goal is a successful sale, so we'll explore every avenue before giving up.
- Can I trade in my old car and buy a replacement from LMC using SOR?
Yes! This is one of the clever advantages of our Sale or Return service here at LMC. Some of our customers are looking to part-exchange their old car while buying from our stock, and we can facilitate this through SOR. Here's how it works: if you're buying a vehicle from us, we can take your current car on Sale or Return, giving you part-exchange credit against your new purchase. As your old car sells, the proceeds go toward your new car's balance.Â
This cuts out the middleman and makes it one simple transaction. Alternatively, you can browse our stock while your car is on SOR and potentially use the proceeds as a deposit on your next vehicle with our zero-deposit finance options.