It’s not uncommon for people to feel emotionally attached to their car, some people are still maintaining and using the ones they bought 30 years ago. If you’re not used to selling your old cars or upgrading to new ones, the selling process can take a stressful toll on you.
On paper, it looks easier than it is but, in reality, you don’t just list it for sale online and expect the trade to be done after someone says that they’ll buy it. Prospective buyers will probably give you a hard time as they’ll check the car for any possible inconveniences that can be a dealbreaker for them.
The process of valuing your vehicle isn’t easy either because putting a price on a used one requires taking a lot of variables into consideration. You’ll also want to prepare your car to be at its peak shape, color, and state before putting it on display.
You don’t want to lose good money because your car looks like it just came out of a crash. To make things easier for you, we’ve created a brief guide that includes the most important things you need to consider before selling your used car.
Damaged/Non-Running Cars
If your car has been in a lot of misfortunate situations, you may find that repairing it is going to cost a lot of upfront money that you should probably invest somewhere else. You don’t have to leave your damaged or non-running vehicle in the garage to rust forever.
According to sellthecarusa.com, in America and other parts of the world, you can sell broken down cars to auto salvage establishments that can give you a fair price for it. Even if yours is too damaged to move, they’ll take care of the collection process from A to Z.
Trading it in
If you’re planning to buy a new car but you need to sell your old one first, you can think about trading it in with a car dealership.
The decision of exchanging the car shouldn’t be taken lightly because you’re bound to get a lower price than what the market is offering for your vehicle, not to mention that you’ll need to make sure that it’s at its tip-top shape because dealerships can shave off a lot of money for the smallest things. However, it’s worth noting that a lot of provinces can offer some lucrative tax cuts for trading in your car, which can sometimes make it worthwhile.
Market Research
Researching the prices of new cars is comparatively much easier than setting a price on your own. You’ll want to get an accurate estimate of how much similar cars get sold for. The dilemma sellers usually encounter is finding the perfect price. The best price is the one that guarantees that your old vehicle is sold as quickly as possible while ensuring you get a fair price for it.
Some seasons may affect the speed of selling certain types of cars. For example, convertibles and sports models are more commonly bought in the summer. Try to use online tools to find the average price of similar cars in your area to get an estimate that you can slightly adjust to your favor.
Paperwork
Selling a car isn’t like selling an old video game console. Unfortunately, it involves some paperwork that is required to be in order. The first piece of paper you should look for is the title, it proves your ownership of the vehicle and comes with the vehicle.
If you’ve lost the title, you need to issue a copy from your local DMV or else, you won’t be able to go on with the sale. If you took out a loan to pay for the car and you still haven’t paid it all off, you’ll need to accurately calculate the payoff amount so the buyer could take care of it. The title, bill of sale, fund source, transfer notification, and title transfer is required by most states to permit the sale.
Inspection Round
A lot of people sell their cars at a loss because they haven’t properly inspected and repaired it. You don’t need to go to a specific mechanic for the inspection but it’s best to go with the most trusted one.
Slight issues like body damage, broken headlights, or malfunctioning windows can be repaired cheaply, helping you avoid slashing the value of the car during the sale. Aside from fixing issues, you can add some upgrades founded on chandlerwindshield.com, which may be initially expensive but will net you the best price for your car. Replacing tires, floor mats, old paint, and other renovations will show the buyer that the vehicle has been already taken care of, removing the need to take it to a mechanic for a costly revamp.
Sale Platform
Thanks to technology, those who want to sell their used cars can do so without having to move around too much. Online marketplaces are not all the same. Some may require you to meet with strangers while others may automate the whole process without involving anybody else. If you take your time trying to find a buyer through an online marketplace, you can land yourself the best price in the market. If you don’t have the time to fish around for prospective buyers, you can always trade it in with a dealership.
If you choose to go with the classical route of showing prospective buyers your car in person, make sure you’re prepared to give them a test drive. Arrange the initial meeting at a safe spot like a coffee shop to show them the car up-close. Once you, and preferably a trusted friend, are in the vehicle with the prospective buyer, give them some time to get used to it and give them instructions if needed.
Whether you need quick cash for an emergency or you want to buy a new car, selling your used car will take some time if you want to get the best price for it. Checking the most important boxes on the list above will help you be confident during negotiations with potential buyers, guaranteeing that you will get a fair price. Once you’re ready to part with your old car, be sure to leave it in a fine state so that whoever buys it will appreciate it just like you used to.
