1. How can I list a part or vehicle for sale on SpareSeekers?
For parts, visit the "List a Part or Vehicle" page on our website. For complete vehicles, use the relevant sell page for cars or vans. Sign in to your account and fill in the details including condition, price, and photos. If you're on a Trader or Dealer plan and listing parts, you can also set a quantity of up to 10 identical units in one listing. Your listing will go live on the platform once submitted.
2. How can I find a specific car part or vehicle?
Use the search bar at the top of the website. For parts, search by make, model, and part type (e.g. "AUDI A3 2010 Front Bumper"). For complete vehicles, browse the Cars or Vans sections and use the filters to narrow results by body type, mileage, condition, and more.
3. Can I trust the sellers on SpareSeekers?
SpareSeekers is a classified ads platform connecting buyers and sellers directly. We do not verify sellers or guarantee the accuracy of listings. We recommend always reviewing the listing carefully, asking the seller questions before committing, inspecting parts or vehicles in person before paying, and using our messaging system to keep a record of all communications.
4. Do I need an account to buy or sell parts or vehicles?
You need an account to list parts or vehicles, track your own listings, and use our messaging system to contact buyers or sellers. Browsing listings is free and does not require an account. All actual transactions — payment, collection, and delivery — are arranged directly between buyer and seller, not through your account.
5. What should I do if I have a problem with a purchase?
Contact the seller first to try to resolve the issue directly. SpareSeekers operates as a classified ads platform and is not involved in transactions between buyers and sellers. We cannot process refunds or mediate disputes. If you have concerns about a listing violating our terms, email us at [email protected].
6. Can I sell a complete car or van on SpareSeekers?
Yes. SpareSeekers supports listings for both parts and complete vehicles. You can list a full car or van alongside or instead of individual parts, all under the same subscription. Use the Cars or Vans sell pages to create a vehicle listing with full details including mileage, MOT, condition, and registration.
7. What checks should I do before buying a vehicle?
Always carry out proper due diligence before purchasing any vehicle:
- Run a full HPI check to verify there is no outstanding finance, the vehicle has not been stolen, and it has no write-off history
- Verify MOT status independently at gov.uk/check-mot-history using the reg plate
- Check the V5C logbook matches the seller details and the vehicle
- Inspect the vehicle in person before making any payment
- Never transfer full payment before completing all checks
SpareSeekers does not verify mileage, MOT status, ownership, outstanding finance, or accident history on vehicle listings. This is the buyer's responsibility.
8. How does the credit system work?
SpareSeekers uses a simple credit system. Each plan includes a monthly credit allowance:
- Private Seller: 20 credits/month — £19.99
- Trader: 50 credits/month — £39.99
- Dealer: 100 credits/month — £64.99
Parts listings cost 1 credit each — including bulk listings of up to 10 units, which still cost a single credit. Vehicle listings cost 5 credits each. Credits reset monthly on your billing date.
9. What happens to my credit counter when I upgrade plans?
When you upgrade your plan (e.g. Private Seller to Trader), your credit counter is preserved — it does NOT reset. If you've used 20/20 credits on Private Seller plan, upgrading to Trader gives you 20/50 (30 remaining). Your counter only resets on your monthly billing anniversary, not when you upgrade.
10. Can I list more than one of the same part?
Yes, on Trader and Dealer plans. When listing a part you can set a quantity of up to 10 identical units in a single listing, so you don't need to create a separate listing for each one.
- Parts only — vehicle listings are always for a single vehicle
- One listing costs 1 credit no matter how many units it contains
- The listing shows a 📦 badge with how many units are left (e.g. "3/10")
- As each unit sells the count drops, and the listing stays live until the last one goes
- Every unit must be the same part in the same condition, and you must actually have them all in stock
The part category is locked once a multi-unit listing is created, because your sales records are tied to it. If you need a different category, create a new listing. Single-unit listings can still be edited freely.
11. How do I mark something as sold, and can I undo it?
On any listing you can mark it — or an individual unit of a multi-unit listing — as sold. This is purely for your own record-keeping. It updates how many units are left and adds to the sales report in your account.
- Marking a unit sold reduces the remaining count. When the last unit sells, the listing closes
- Use "Undo Sale" to put a unit back in stock if a buyer returns it or you marked it by mistake
- Undo Sale also removes that unit from your sales report
- No credit is used or returned when you mark something sold, or when you undo it
Sales reports show counts and categories only — never prices, because we never see what anything sold for. They're a convenience feature, not accounting or tax records, so keep your own books separately.
12. How do payments work on SpareSeekers?
SpareSeekers is a classified ads platform — we do not process payments between buyers and sellers. When you find a part or vehicle you want, you contact the seller directly and arrange payment between yourselves (cash on collection, bank transfer, PayPal, etc.). You only pay SpareSeekers for your monthly subscription to list parts and vehicles — we never take commission or fees on your sales.
13. Am I buying from a business or private seller?
Both types of sellers are on SpareSeekers — private individuals selling their own parts or vehicles, and business sellers such as car breakers and salvage yards. Your consumer rights differ depending on who you buy from. Business sellers must comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015, giving you stronger protection including 30-day returns. Private sellers offer more limited rights. Check the seller's profile to see their seller type before purchasing.
14. Do I need to pay tax on parts or vehicles I sell?
It depends. If you're occasionally selling your own unwanted parts or a personal vehicle, this is usually not taxable. If you earn over £1,000 per year from all self-employment or trading activities, or if you're buying items to resell as a business, you must declare this income to HMRC. SpareSeekers does not report your earnings to HMRC — we are a classified ads platform, we do not process payments, and we hold no record of what any item sold for. Any sales figures in your account are counts you entered yourself with no price attached, and are not tax records. You are responsible for declaring any taxable income yourself, and for keeping your own records. See gov.uk/self-assessment for guidance.
15. How do I collect or receive parts or vehicles?
Collection and delivery is arranged directly between buyer and seller. Common options include collecting in person, posting or couriering parts, or local delivery if the seller offers it. For vehicles this is typically in-person collection. You negotiate and agree on the method when you contact the seller through our messaging system.
16. What if I receive a faulty or wrong part?
Contact the seller first to try to resolve it. Your rights depend on whether you bought from a business or private seller. If buying from a business, you have Consumer Rights Act 2015 protection including 30-day returns. If from a private seller, your rights are more limited. SpareSeekers is not involved in transactions and cannot refund you or mediate disputes — this is between you and the seller. If the issue cannot be resolved, you may need to use the small claims court.
17. I think I've been scammed. What can I do?
SpareSeekers can't recover money for you or force anyone to refund you — we're not part of the transaction and never hold the payment. But depending on how you paid, you may have protection:
- Bank transfer: report it to your bank straight away. UK banks must reimburse victims of authorised push payment fraud up to £85,000, and must decide within five business days
- Credit card: for purchases between £100 and £30,000 your card issuer may be jointly liable under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act
- Debit card: ask your bank about chargeback — time limits apply, so act quickly
- Report fraud to Action Fraud, or Police Scotland if you're in Scotland. Report stolen parts or vehicles to the police on 101
- For anything unresolved, you may be able to claim through the small claims court
Being deliberately deceived is fraud. A part that turned out faulty, or a seller who's gone quiet, is a civil dispute — banks won't reimburse that, but the small claims route is still open. Either way, please also report the listing to us so we can review it.
18. Can I report unsafe, stolen, or prohibited listings?
Yes. If you see a listing for stolen parts or vehicles, counterfeit items, or anything that appears dangerous or prohibited under our Terms & Conditions, report it immediately to [email protected]. We will review reports at our discretion and may remove listings or suspend accounts where our terms have been violated. We may also report to Trading Standards or police where appropriate.
19. How do I delete my account?
You can delete your account from your account dashboard, or by emailing [email protected]. Your account stays active for 30 days after requesting deletion, during which you can cancel the request. After 30 days your account is permanently anonymised and you'll lose access to your sales reports. Note that billing records are retained for 7 years as required by UK tax law even after account deletion.