What happens on a car valuation call, and which photos to send

On a car valuation call, expect questions on ten things: the exact variant, kilometres, engine and drive, options and accessories, service history, keys, warranty, condition, finance owing, and whose name the car is in. Send six photos with your enquiry (both three-quarter views, the instrument cluster with the car running, the front seats, any damage and your latest service record) and the call can focus on a price rather than a description.

Why does a valuer ring you instead of sending a number?

Because the details that move a car’s price rarely fit in a form. Online estimate tools typically start from the make, model, year, kilometres and sometimes the variant you type in, matched against data on similar cars. A form can’t easily tell a factory tow pack from a cheap tow ball, or a full dealer service history from a car that skipped two services. A valuer on the phone asks the follow-up question the moment something matters.

That’s the difference between an estimate and an offer: an estimate is a guide, while an offer is the price a buyer is proposing to pay for your car as you’ve described it. Our guide to online car valuations versus real offers explains why the two numbers so often differ.

At Sell Your Car Australia, the call is the valuation. The business is run by a valuer who has priced cars since 1992 and supplies dealerships nationwide, and what you get is a genuine offer by phone from a licensed motor dealer, not an online estimate. Most cars can be priced from the make, model, year, kilometres and a few photos, with your answers on the call filling in the rest. The inspection comes later, after you accept.

What will the valuer ask about my car?

Expect questions along these lines. Write the answers on a note before the phone rings.

The last question isn’t small talk. If the car is in joint names or a company’s name, say so, because it changes who signs. Paperwork rules also differ by state. When you sell to us, a roadworthy or safety certificate usually isn’t needed, and we confirm what applies to your car on the call.

Honest answers matter more than impressive ones. If you round the kilometres down or forget the scrape on the rear bumper, the offer is for a car that doesn’t exist, and the inspection will find the difference.

Why does the exact variant matter so much?

Two cars with the same model name can have different engines, drivetrains and equipment, and the next buyer pays for the equipment. “2023 HiLux” or “2022 Sportage” isn’t enough to price a car. A few examples from recent Australian line-ups:

• Toyota HiLux. The 2024 update brought Toyota’s V-Active 48V mild-hybrid system, but only on automatic dual-cab 4x4s: optional on the SR, standard on the SR5 and Rogue. A 2024 SR may or may not have it.
• Ford Ranger. The current generation, launched in mid-2022, came with a 2.0 single-turbo, a 2.0 bi-turbo or a 3.0 V6 diesel across grades from XL to Wildtrak. The Raptor uses a twin-turbo V6 petrol.
• Mazda CX-5. The facelifted model from early 2022 was offered with a 2.0 petrol, 2.5 petrol, 2.5 turbo-petrol or 2.2 diesel.
• Kia Sportage. The generation launched in late 2021 offered 2.0 petrol, 1.6 turbo-petrol and 2.0 diesel engines, with grades from S up to GT-Line.

The badge on the tailgate is a start, but badges get swapped or removed. Your original sale contract is the most reliable record. If you can’t find it, give the valuer the VIN from your rego papers, which helps confirm the build.

Then mention anything that wasn’t standard: a sunroof, leather, a premium audio pack, a factory tow pack. On utes and 4WDs, a tow bar, tub liner and good-quality canopy are widely expected and tend to hold or add value. Suspension lifts, aftermarket wheels, engine tuning and heavy or non-compliant modifications tend to shrink the pool of buyers. If you kept the original wheels or parts, say so.

What should I have ready on service history, keys and warranty?

Service history. Tell the valuer who serviced the car, at what kilometres, and whether any service was missed. It’s one of the first things the next buyer asks about, and our guide on how service history affects car value explains why. Some newer cars record services digitally rather than in a stamped book. If yours does, ask the dealer that services it for a printout or screenshot. If you’ve prepaid servicing through a service plan, say how many services are left.

Keys. Count every key, including the spare. If you only have one, say so on the call rather than leaving it for inspection day. A replacement key for a modern car can be expensive, so buyers factor in a missing one.

Warranty. Remaining factory warranty can be worth something to the next owner, but conditions vary by brand. Kia says the balance of its seven-year warranty remains with the vehicle for the new owner. Hyundai’s standard warranty is five years. Its passenger vehicles first registered from 1 June 2025 can get up to seven years if every scheduled service is done at the set interval by an authorised Hyundai dealer, and Hyundai says the balance transfers to the new owner. That’s why the valuer asks both when the car was first registered and where it was serviced.

What do I say if there’s finance owing?

Say so early, and have three things ready: the lender’s name, the type of finance (a car loan, a lease or a loan with a balloon payment) and a payout figure. A payout figure is what it costs to close the loan on a given date. It can differ from the balance on your statement, so ask the lender rather than guessing. Moneysmart notes that variable-rate car loans usually don’t have an early exit fee; if yours is fixed, ask whether one applies.

If the loan is secured against the car, the lender’s security interest will usually show up on a search of the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). That’s why the loan is paid out as part of the sale. When you sell to us, we deal with your lender directly to pay out the loan, so that interest can be cleared, then pay you any equity. Cars under finance usually take 2 to 3 business days to settle. Our page on selling a car under finance walks through it.

Here’s the arithmetic, using made-up numbers rather than a valuation. Say you accept $38,000. If the lender’s payout figure is $26,500, the lender is paid $26,500 and the $11,500 left over is your equity. If the payout figure is $41,000, there’s a $3,000 gap, and negative equity has to be covered before settlement. If that’s your position, say so on the first call, because it’s easier to plan for when the numbers are on the table early.

Which photos should I send with my enquiry?

Six photos cover the basics. Take them in daylight, in landscape, with the whole subject in frame and no filters.

1. Front three-quarter. Stand off a front corner so the nose and one full side are in the shot. This shows the panels, wheels and any bull bar or lift.
2. Rear three-quarter, from the other side. The other side and the rear, including the variant badge and any tow bar or canopy.
3. Instrument cluster with the car running. The odometer should be readable, and any warning light that stays on after start-up will show. On a hybrid or EV, switch it to ready mode.
4. Front seats and dashboard. Shoot from the open driver’s door. Wear on the seat bolster, steering wheel and screen shows up here.
5. Any damage, up close. Dents, scratches, kerbed wheels, windscreen chips. One photo per issue.
6. Your latest service record. The last stamped logbook page or the digital record, with your home address cropped out.

Add the tub, tyres or accessory receipts if they’re relevant. Don’t leave damage out of shot: skipping the scraped bumper only moves that conversation to inspection day.

Before you take the photos, move toll tags, garage remotes, parking permits and mail out of view.

Who is it safe to send photos and my VIN to?

Your plates, VIN and service records identify your car, and service records often carry your name and address too. Send them only to a buyer you have checked. Our guide to sharing your VIN and plates covers what someone can and can’t do with them.

A licensed dealer should give you a business name, an ABN and a dealer licence number you can look up yourself. Our guide on how to check a car buyer is licensed shows how, using our own details: Autohaus Australia Pty Ltd, NSW motor dealer licence MD 077404, ABN 54 618 813 737.

Scamwatch’s guide to buying and selling scams names two warning signs that apply directly to sellers:

• A buyer willing to buy an expensive item without seeing it in person.
• A payment for more than the agreed price, followed by a request to refund the difference.

Being asked for photos before an offer isn’t a warning sign on its own when the buyer is a licensed dealer you have checked. Watch the order of events instead: whoever the buyer is, keep the car until the money has cleared in your account, not just until an email says it’s on the way.

What can’t a valuer judge from photos?

Photos show what a car looks like, not how it drives. These things are hard or impossible to judge from photos, which is why the inspection happens after you accept:

• How the engine, gearbox and brakes feel, and any noises on a drive.
• Past paint and panel repairs that only show under good light or with a paint gauge.
• Shallow hail dents, which rarely show in photos.
• Smells from smoke, pets or damp.
• Tyre tread depth and uneven wear.
• Whether every feature works, from the reversing camera to the rear windows.
• Stored fault codes that need a scan tool to read.

The inspection’s job is to confirm the car matches what you described. The more accurate your answers on the call, the fewer surprises on the day.

What does a genuine offer look like after the call?

A genuine offer is one figure, not a range, from a named business you can check. It comes with the next steps spelled out. Before you say yes to anyone, confirm these five things:

1. Is the figure what lands in my account, or are fees taken out of it?
2. When is the deposit paid?
3. When and where is the inspection?
4. How and when is the balance paid, and who pays my lender?
5. Is the car collected before or after the money clears?

Here’s how we answer them. There are no fees taken out of the offer. If you accept, a deposit is often paid the same day. The inspection is arranged at a time and place that suits you. The balance goes into your bank account. If there’s finance owing, we pay your lender directly and then pay you any equity. The car is collected, anywhere in Australia, only after you confirm the funds have cleared.

Getting ready for your call

If you’ve enquired with a few buyers, the same note and photos work for every call, so the offers are easier to compare. Compare the payment order as well as the headline figure.

If your car is 2021 or newer with 100,000 km or less, you can request a free valuation or call 1800 73 55 73 with your note in front of you. The valuation is free and there’s no obligation to sell.