We’ve all been through the rollercoaster of selling a car, whether it’s bartering for a better deal, feeling bullied by salespeople or having to take time off work to show the vehicle to potential buyers.
Now, Caltex is trialling a new service which it hopes will takes the stress out of the process for consumers.
“It’s as simple as jumping online, getting a quote and if you’re happy with the quote, we organise for you to drop it off at the Caltex service station,” says Desmond Hang, CEO of Carbar, which created the concept for the service station giant.
After the seller drops off their vehicle, it’s collected by Carbar and if all checks out, the money is transferred into your account the next day.
“It’s hassle free and convenient,” says Mr Hang.
Carbar is also offering a subscription-based rental service which gives consumers the flexibility of having maintenance, registration and insurance costs included without being locked into a contract.
“Think of subscription as Netflix for your cars,” Mr Hang said.
“Basically, a no-locked-in lease that includes maintenance, registration, roadside assist and insurance.”
For $150 a week you can get behind the wheel of a basic sedan while a more luxurious set of wheels such as a BMW 3 Series costs up to $400 a week.
These Australian-first concepts are just some of the ways Caltex are future-proofing themselves against falling petrol sales.
“These are really interesting times for service stations and something like Carbar gives customers another reason to come,” says Caltex’s Head of Innovation, Beatrice Bowen.
The convenience does come at a cost – you’ll make 10 to 15 percent less selling through Carbar than you would privately.
“Using a service like this is very convenient but do be aware that you are going to be hit with a commission fee,” says Kate Browne from Finder.com.
Ms Browne says while innovations like this are a good idea “you still need to do all your homework and make sure your paperwork is up to date if you’re selling.”
Extracted from 9News