What photos do I need to sell my car online?

Good car photos are not about making the paint look unreal. They let a buyer understand the exact car without guessing. Ten honest, sharp images can produce a firmer valuation than 30 dark close-ups that avoid the awkward bits.

Before you start

Move the car into daylight, leave enough room to walk around it and remove loose clutter. A quick wash helps the camera show the body panels, but there is no need for an expensive detail just to request a valuation. Avoid beauty filters, portrait blur and screenshots from old adverts.

The essential exterior photos

• front three-quarter view, showing the front and one side;
• rear three-quarter view from the opposite side;
• both full sides, photographed square-on;
• front and rear directly, with the whole car in frame;
• each wheel and tyre; and
• the roof if it has a panoramic panel, convertible mechanism or visible damage.

Stand far enough back that perspective does not stretch the nearest corner. Keep the sun behind you where possible, but make sure your own shadow is not hiding the sill or bumper.

Interior and dashboard

• driver's seat and steering wheel;
• front passenger area and centre console;
• rear seats;
• boot with the floor visible;
• dashboard with the ignition on, showing mileage and warning lights; and
• any high-value factory options, such as upgraded audio, panoramic roof controls or electric seat controls.

Do not clear a warning light before taking the photo. A buyer will check again at collection, and a hidden fault creates exactly the last-minute disagreement good photos are meant to prevent.

History and condition evidence

Photograph the service book stamps or show that a digital service record exists, plus receipts for major recent work. Cover personal addresses and payment details before uploading anything. Never upload the V5C document-reference number or a full copy of the log book.

Then photograph every dent, scratch, cracked lamp, kerbed wheel, stained seat or missing trim piece. Take one wider shot so the buyer can locate the damage and one close image so they can judge it. Honest damage photos normally make an offer more reliable; they do not automatically stop a sale.

Photos for a non-running car

Add the engine bay, dashboard warning messages, tyre positions and the space around the car. Say whether it starts, rolls, steers and releases its parking brake. A collection vehicle needs enough access to line up and load, so a photo of a tight drive, underground car park or narrow lane can prevent a failed collection.

A quick final check

1. Make sure every image is in focus and taken recently.
2. Check the registration and mileage you entered match the photos.
3. Remove faces, house numbers and unrelated personal documents from the frame.
4. Include the bad bits as clearly as the good ones.

That is enough for a human buyer to price the actual car rather than a generic registration. Send Carmora your registration and photos for a free, no-fee valuation.