Ever since we discovered we’re expecting baby number three I’ve been joking that the ‘only’ thing we need to buy is a new car. Well, the joke’s on me.

I (naively) thought we could simply upgrade our existing car to an estate version to fit three car seats, but it turns out the majority of estate cars don’t fit three car seats in the back. So a people carrier it is.

Top tips when selling your family car

Misery Guts is not impressed. (He muttered something about middle age starting here and his mid-life crisis snapping at his back tyre when we discovered an estate was a definite no-no).

So we’re currently in the process of trading in our old car for a bigger one, which begs the question: is it better to sell your car yourself or find a vehicle buying company?

Top tips when selling your family car

The upside of selling a car yourself is that you might make more money, but the downside is you might face experienced buyers who offer you a much lower price than the market value of your car. You might also have to deal with low offers from people who aren’t really interested in buying a car, but are more interested in testing the waters (something I’ve learnt through bitter experience when selling bangers in my 20s) or, if you’re really unlucky, you might face scammers.

On the other hand, if you sell your vehicle to a car buying company you can not only get quick cash for cars but also enjoy the numerous benefits of working with a car dealer. Such as:

1. You save a great deal of time

If you’ve already got a lot on your plate and time is in short supply working with a car buying company is the best option. It is much more convenient to drop your car off at a dealership instead of meeting tens of potential buyers. In fact, you could save up to 50 hours of time depending on the number of people interested in buying your car who turn down your offer.

2. It’s a simple & straightforward process

With a car buying company, the selling process is a breeze. All you need to do is to tell them about your car details, book an appointment, pay them a visit and shake on the deal. You will get your payment as soon as the deal is sealed.

3. You get finance

If you owe more than your car is worth and you still want to sell the vehicle, you will never be able to find a buyer for it. The good news is that if you are underwater (ie you owe more money than the vehicle is worth, like us), there are companies who can help you by refinancing your car. You can buy a used car from them and improve your finance option.

We’ve gone with option number three and will soon be the owners of a 7 seater people carrier with plenty of room for the new baby.

Needless to say, once again, Misery Guts is not impressed.

Have you had to upgrade your car for a bigger one to make room for a growing family? Were you happy about it, or was it against your will?

This post was written in collaboration with Mediabuzzer.