Individuals often sell their vehicles when purchasing a new car. The benefit to selling your own car is you often get more money then trading it in to a dealer. But to successfully sell your vehicle, you need a pricing and marketing strategy that will get your car sold quickly and reduce holding costs. Here's how to sell used cars.
Step 1
Decide how much you will ask for your vehicle. The most popular valuation tool is Kelly Blue Book. It offers free car valuations online when you enter the make, model and year of your vehicle. Be prepared to provide information such as vehicle condition, mileage and extra features.
Step 2
Create an advertising plan for selling your car. More traditional methods for selling your car are hanging a sign in the window, posting information on local community boards and placing an ad in your community paper. You also have Internet options available to you such as purchasing an ad with online companies like Cars Direct or Car Soup. Furthermore, you should always put a listing on Craig's List because this is a free method of advertising.
Step 3
Before showing your used car to potential buyers, make sure it's spotless. If any items in the vehicle are broken, get them fixed. Buyers are looking for any reason to negotiate down your price, so it's important to make sure your car is in the best condition. Wash and wax your vehicle, steam clean the carpets, empty all items from the vehicle and clean tires and rims.
Step 4
Park your vehicle in high-traffic areas to generate interest. Make sure your sign is large and easy to read.
Step 5
Understand your state's process on transferring the title. You can find this information and printable forms at your state Department of Motor Vehicles' Website. Also, make sure to charge the seller any applicable sales tax to protect you both from tax issues.
Skill: Moderate
Ingredients:
- Pen
- Paper
Tip: Be particular about the types of payment you will receive. To protect yourself from theft, allow buyers to pay only in cashier's check or cash. Taking a personal check is very risky.
Warning: Never allow a potential buyer to test drive a vehicle alone. This is a tactic auto thieves use to steal your vehicle.
Keyword: sell used cars
