How to Sell a Car

So, you want to sell your beloved car and you are looking for the best ways to be rid of it?
Well, this is my selection of the favourite methods.

1. Sell it yourself with a classified ad
AutoTrader, your local paper or an online ad with CarOnlineFree.com for example, are best if you want to try and sell your car yourself. Be prepared for time wasters, joy riders and dreamers and idiots.

As you are selling directly to Jo Public, the price you could get will be considerably higher than selling to a dealer. Today’s canny buyer will be clued up on your car and will be looking for even the smallest of defects. You can be sure that they will find something and that he or she will point this out to you as negotiation ammunition. This is normal.

Know the price you are going to ask is right by checking out similar vehicles to yours which are currently offered for sale first. Allow for mileage, condition etc. Rarely will a buyer offer full price, they always want a bit off, so be prepared. Remember, if there are serious defects, which the buyer discovers later, they could demand their money back or you could even be sued, so be honest about the car you are selling.

2. Trade your car
If your aim is to buy another car, try looking for what you want at the regular sales outlets and if you find something suitable, see as to how much the dealer who is selling it will offer you for your old car as part exchange. Rarely will they be interested in your car if the one you want to buy is cheaper, but you never know.
Most dealers bump their prices up to allow for part exchanges, but if you are trading in a gas guzzler against an economical vehicle, be prepared for a kick in the teeth, metaphorically speaking, as the price offered will be really low.
Good thing about selling this way is that the dealer will be trading the car from you “as is” and will not expect any guarantee, so there are no come backs.

3. Take your car to a car auction
This is quite a good way of getting rid of your car and the auction company should be able to help advise you a guide selling price. There will be commission of around 10% to be deducted from the hammer price, but once sold, you’ll have your money within 7 days or so.
You can offer your car with or without a description. The latter attracts less money, but means if there are defects, there is no come back on you. If you sell with a description, any defects must be divulged. The buyer has a couple of hours after they purchase the car to make sure all is as described, but if you sell this way, you should get a higher price.
Normally sales are to the motor trade, but sometimes if there are a couple of retail punters who want your car, you can get a very good price.

4. Sell through eBay or other online auction
This is really no different to selling through AutoTrader or a classified ad, except you could get a much higher price than you expected as you are not working to a fixed price, but an auction price. Highest bidder wins. You are also offering your vehicle to a much wider range of potential buyers.
Selling through an online auction could be the first place to try selling. Good photos are essential, as is a truthful and honest good description. You can fix a reserve price. Ensure that you answer any email questions as soon as you get them. Ensure that this correspondence is visible to all visitors to the page where your car is featured.

5. Sell to a dealer, without a part ex
If you check out your local press, there are always wanted adverts for cars from dealers. Give them a call, because there may be one out there who has a waiting customer and they may be willing to pay a little more for your car. This could see you waving good bye to your car in a very short space of time, perfect if you need some loot like yesterday.

Finally
If you are selling in your own home town, at the same time that you advertise, you’ll probably notice that there are may be half a dozen or so similar cars advertised. To get the potential clients to call you first your car needs to be the best all round, lowest mileage, best specification, nicest color etc etc.

Do not put your client off by not cleaning or preparing the car thoroughly before they see it. This is so off putting when someone comes to look at a car and you’ll almost certainly loose the sale. Ensure that the car is as close to 100% as possible. A clean and well presented car looks a well maintained and cared for car.