We get this call every week, almost always in the same words: "I have a car to sell — where do I even list it?" The honest answer depends entirely on the car. A 2021 Octavia with 55,000 km and a fresh inspection doesn't sell in the same place as a 2012 diesel estate showing 210,000 km and a check-engine light. Here's what actually exists in Switzerland, with the numbers, the timelines, and the things each route won't tell you about itself.
The private listing, and why almost everyone starts there
tutti.ch, anibis.ch, Facebook Marketplace: the natural reflex, and on paper unbeatable. You set the price, nobody takes a margin, and on a sought-after car you'll clear 10 to 20 percent more than any professional offer.
What the paper doesn't show is the rest. Photos that need doing properly, twenty messages of which half open with "last price?", appointments that fall through, test drives with a stranger behind the wheel of your car. Above all: Swiss private buyers want a valid MFK — the mandatory roadworthiness inspection, and if you're new to Switzerland, know that it carries real weight here. Almost without exception. If yours has lapsed, either you go through the inspection first (with the repairs that implies — at 150,000 km, easily CHF 1,000 to 3,000 across brakes, exhaust and corrosion), or the serious enquiries dry up.
A word on seller liability too, because it's systematically underestimated. The "sold as seen" clause only covers what you genuinely didn't know. A known defect you kept quiet counts as intentional concealment — and there, a court will rule against you despite the clause. Put every known defect in writing in the contract; the free TCS template does the job well, and exists in English.
If your car is recent, in demand, inspected, and you have a few weeks: this is your route. Honestly.
Comparis, in passing
A frequent misunderstanding: Comparis doesn't buy or sell anything. It's a valuation tool — useful for knowing the market price before you commit. Check it first, take the number as a reference point, then do the actual selling elsewhere.
The TCS, for those who want a private sale without running it themselves
An interesting and little-known middle way. Your car goes through the TCS Occasion Test, which documents its condition neutrally; the TCS then publishes the listing on the major platforms — AutoScout24 first among them — and screens the buyers for you. You stay in control of the price and keep the car until it sells.
The cost: a commission of roughly 4 to 5 percent of the sale price, due only if the sale goes through. And one clear limit: the vehicle must be roadworthy. A car that no longer runs, or whose inspection has expired, falls outside the scheme.
AutoScout24, the big marketplace
Simply the most visited vehicle platform in the country. If reach is your priority, this is where your listing crosses the most buyers — private and trade alike. The listing costs money, good photos make a substantial difference, and what follows looks like a classic private sale: messages, viewings, negotiation. You're just better exposed.
Direct sale, when none of the above fits your situation
That leaves all the cases where the routes above work poorly. The inspection lapsed eight months ago. Third gear crunches. The odometer reads 230,000 km. You're relocating abroad in six weeks. Or you simply have no appetite for hosting strangers for two months.
This is where we come in. At HeyAuto: one valuation, one appointment wherever suits you, a price confirmed on the spot that doesn't move afterwards, payment the same day, and deregistration at the road traffic office handled for you. An inspection is never required, whatever the condition. For anyone leaving Switzerland, this matters more than it sounds — we regularly handle sales for people whose moving date is closer than any private sale could realistically conclude.
Should we say it plainly? On a nice recent car, we generally won't be the highest offer. The detailed arithmetic, franc against franc, is on our main page: an inspected, sought-after vehicle earns more privately, and we're happy to admit it. Our ground is everything else — cars with a past, tight deadlines, inheritances, departures.
In two words
| Criterion | Private sale | Comparis | TCS | AutoScout24 | Direct sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price achieved | Highest | valuation tool | high, minus 4–5% | high | medium, but firm |
| Timeline | 3 to 8 weeks | — | 2 to 6 weeks | 2 to 6 weeks | 24 to 72 hours |
| Inspection (MFK) needed | almost always | — | yes | almost always | never required |
| Your workload | everything | nothing | little | everything | one appointment |
Paperwork-wise, the list is short and applies to every route: vehicle registration document (Fahrzeugausweis), photo ID, the last inspection report if you still have it, the service booklet, and a written contract — even between friends.
To finish
There's no universal winner in this comparison — and be wary of articles that crown one. Look at your car, your calendar, your patience, and the route nearly picks itself. If you're still torn between two options, give us a call and describe the vehicle: we regularly end up recommending a private sale. It surprises people — but it makes for customers who come back with the next car.
