From prepping your car to dealing with prospective buyers, you must always be careful and make the right decisions when selling your car so that you can get top dollar.
Want to get the best deal for your car? Below are important do’s and don’ts to remember:
DOs:
Gather important documents – Keep the car title, original sales documents, service history records, vehicle reports, and other paperwork handy. Before listing your car for sale, make sure to collect these documents and make copies and store them in a safe place for easy and convenient access.
Improve the condition of your car – Take your car to a mechanic for an assessment. If you have been hearing some clanking noises while driving or experiencing some other issues, you should get someone to look into what’s wrong and have it fixed as soon as possible. Whether minor or major, mechanical issues are a safety risk and can lower the value of your car.
Clean your car – Check the interior and remove all of your personal belongings. Get rid of any trash, too. Wipe the dashboard, seats, and mirrors. Vacuum and shampoo the carpets. Do not forget to get the exterior cleaned, too. Remove stickers and decals from the bumper or windshield. Fix cracks, chips, dents, and scratches on the doors, windows, and body. Replace the old lights, tires, brakes, door locks, and other parts if necessary.
Determine your car’s value – Decide on a realistic sales price. Your car still being able to run and looking shiny does not automatically mean you can sell it at a price that is close to the amount you bought it for. When determining the value of a car for sale, experts take into consideration several factors, such as the model, year, mileage, features, condition, and the current market price of similar vehicles. You can use an online car valuation tool to help you choose a realistic price for it.
Advertise – When creating an ad or listing for your car, you should learn and apply the right strategies to get the best results. Write a brief description that contains the most important details that car shoppers want to know right away such as the car’s model, year, make, mileage, and special features. Do not forget to mention the reason you are selling your car, such as because you want to buy a bigger one for your family or you are moving and cannot take it with you. You need to take good quality pictures of your car too. Show everyone what your car looks like in the interior, especially the dashboard, seats, tires, doors, trunk, and controls, and exterior, especially views of the front, sides, and back.
Find the best way to sell your car – Research where you can sell your car. There are actually a few options to consider depending on the amount of time and effort you can invest into it. So, for example, if you are in the San Diego or Riverside area and you want to get instant cash for your car, you have to find out what ‘Cash for Cars’ San Diego or Riverside companies exist. A quick online search of “instant cash for cars San Diego” or “instant cash for cars Riverside” should give you the information that you need about ‘Cash for Cars’ Riverside or San Diego businesses. You can also go to your car dealer and avail of a trade-in. Another option is to sell your car yourself by using online listing sites.
DON’Ts:
Skip the mechanic – It is never a good idea to ignore even the most minor mechanical issues that your car has if you want to sell it. Smart car shoppers know to verify and confirm that all parts of your car are working right before they buy it so you should be honest from the get-go. If you really don’t want to put any more money into your vehicle, you can always sell it as-is.
Overprice your car – It would be nice to get top dollar for your car but be careful about setting an unrealistic price. You have to avoid overestimating its value just because you think it looks great and drives okay. The right sales price should be determined by factoring in its condition as assessed by a professional and checking the market trends.
Disclose too much personal information – When creating a listing for your car for sale, be careful about the information that you share. A phone number or email address is usually sufficient. Avoid putting your address online and requesting people drive by to have a look. If anyone contacts you for a meet up or drive test, choose a safe and public spot and take a friend with you.
