Whether you’re upgrading to a newer model or just trying to clean out the garage for some extra cash, selling a used car yourself is a great way to put a little more cash in your pocket. While you could spend years learning how to professionally sell cars, with a few key points and a couple of free weekends, you can easily do it yourself. The experience might even help you save a bit of money if you decide to buy a used car for your next trip or as a fun side project.
Check used vehicle prices
This is a fairly easy step, but the key is to be thorough. Don’t just look at book value, take a look at your local newspaper and other classifieds, or look at auction sites online to see what people are actually willing to pay. You might be surprised, rare cars, like the Toyota Supra of the late nineties, regularly sell for much more than their book value, more common cars, like the Ford Taurus of the late nineties, are often sold. sell for less. When you know what buyers are willing to pay, you can set your order lower for a quick sale or set a higher price that is still realistic.
Make small repairs
Over the years, many little things can go wrong with even the best cars, and many more with the cheap ones. When you first bought the car, you were quick to fix any little blemishes, still taking pride in owning it. Once you’ve gotten used to the car and newer models start to appear, it will be easier to let go of the little things, but leaving the little problems unattended can cost you hundreds when selling your used car, or even ruin the deal altogether. Used car buyers tend to be well informed and have probably seen a few other cars already, give no reason not to buy your used car.
The other mistake used car dealers are often guilty of is over-repair. For example, a new paint job will certainly make any used car look like new, but at a cost of $ 1,500 or more, you’re unlikely to get that money back. Also, avoid the temptation to use cheap “patch fixes” to keep the car running when it needs a serious repair – the last thing you need is an angry buyer coming back threatening legal action. Many used car buyers are mechanics or auto collectors who consider doing repairs a hobby and don’t mind buying a troubled used car for a small cut in price.
Wash and vacuum
If you’ve been regularly cleaning, washing, and maintaining your used car, congratulations, your hard work and discipline will soon pay off. If you’ve been too busy to wash your car every few weeks, now is the time to start. While it may not be economical to get a new paint job for your used car, a good wash and wax can work wonders. Not only does car wax act as a protective barrier between car paint and the elements, but its clear gloss, similar to clear coat, makes faded paint look almost new.
Next is the interior of the car, remember that when the potential buyer sits in a used car, they are going to imagine what it will be like to drive it every day, and no one wants to imagine driving every day in a dusty used car full of water bottles and fast food. wrappers. If you only have five minutes, the two most important things are taking out the trash or personal items, selling the car and not your old CD collection, and vacuuming. If you have more time, use a window cleaner on the glass, while you can use it on the dash and other interior items if you’re in a hurry, but the best practice is to use a custom-made car interior cleaner, available in cars. partial store and convenience stores.
Try Free Used Car Classifieds
There are many great ways to sell your used car online or in print, but unless you’re selling a rare or hard-to-find car, it’s best to list your used car on a free classified ad service. Even if it doesn’t sell, you will at least have an idea of how interested potential buyers are, what features they want, and how much they are willing to pay.
Know the ups and downs of your used car
The key to an easy negotiation is being prepared for any questions about your used car before they arise. Your research on car pricing should have yielded information on common problems with your used car make / model. However, most of these issues are typically found only on older models, as all “bugs” have been resolved on the newer ones. In many cases, a well-informed user because the buyer will already expect these problems and if they have a particular model that they have been specifically looking for, they can overlook those problems entirely. For any other problem with your used because the best policy is to be informed. If you decided not to fix something yourself, have a good repair shop give you an estimate of the repair cost. This way, when the trouble spot comes up in the discussion, you won’t have to discount the price more than necessary. Also, remember to keep things on a positive note, have a list of additional features or recent repairs and updates. That way, every time the buyer mentions a problem, after explaining it, you can redirect their attention to some positive aspect of your used car.
Some final tips
Obviously there is a lot to keep track of when selling a used car yourself and it is all important, however there are also a few little things worth remembering. First and foremost: have a way back. If you run into a potential buyer on the other side of town, ask a friend to join you or wait for them to call you. If possible, try to show the car closer to where you live, ideally you could walk home. Second, remember to bring the car title, if you don’t keep it in the glove compartment, and a pen to sign it. Lastly, bring a screwdriver, usually a flat head, to remove the license plate, unless you want to pay other people’s traffic tickets. And remember to relax, you are selling a used car, not negotiating international finance, and there is no reason to put up with rude or aggressive buyers.
