When it comes time to sell your car you have a few two basic options. You can either sell your car to a dealership (or trade it in when you get a new car), or you can sell it privately to another individual. Each one has its own benefits, so it’s up to you to decide which route you want to take. However, whether you decide to sell to a dealer or privately you’ll want to get as much for it as you can. With that in mind, here is how you can get more money in your next private car sale.
Fix Up Your Car
The most important step you can take is fixing up your car. The better condition your car is in, the more you will be able to sell it for. Fixing up your car means a few things. First, you’ll want to handle any major repairs, as long as the cost makes sense. Don’t spend thousands of dollars replacing the transmission if it won’t raise the value of your car by the same amount. Fix as many things as you can while staying within a budget for the best return on your investment.
You’ll also want to improve the appearance of your car. This means removing any dents or scratches on the outside of the car and cleaning up any messes on the inside of your car. You may also want to perform an odor removal if you had anything nasty spill inside or if you are a smoker. According Onsite Car Detailing in Park City UT, “A bad smell is one of the quickest ways to lose a sale. A simple odor removal by a car detailer can not only make your car more enjoyable to drive in the meantime, but also help make selling your car easier.”
Exterior car care is very important. If the first thing a person sees when looking at your car is a big scratch, or if the notice a funny odor coming from the car, they are likely to either walk away or offer to pay a lot less.
Take Great Pictures
Once your car is in as good of shape as you can get it, start taking some pictures. Pictures are likely the first thing a person will see when they come across your for sale signs, so you want them to be good. Take pictures of your car from attractive angles, hiding any major imperfections. Also, wash and wax your car right before the pictures so that it shines nicely. Take plenty of pictures of both the inside and outside to give potential buyers a good sense of what the car looks like.
Research Car Value
Before you start negotiating with buyers, you should have a good idea as to what your car is worth. Luckily, this is easy to do with online tools. Through a site like Kelley Blue Book, you can input information about your vehicle, including the year, mileage and condition, and it will give you a rough estimate for what your car is worth in your area. You can then use this number when starting off your negotiations and ensure you end up with something close.
Get the Word Out
To get the most for your car, you’ll want as many interested buyers as possible. This requires getting the word out about your car sale. There are a few ways you can do this. First, if you’re still driving the car, you can put up a “For Sale” sign in the window, essentially turning the car into a mobile billboard. Next, you can put up some advertisements around town. Print out some fliers with pictures and information about the car, along with your asking price.
Another way to advertise is through local newspapers. Some small print ads will cost you a little money, but they can also reach a lot of people, often making the investment worth it. Finally, post about your sale online. List your car on sites like Cars.com and on local forums. The more places you list your car, the more likely it is that you’ll find someone who is willing to pay your asking price.
Learn to Negotiate
Finally, it’s a good idea to learn some basic negotiation techniques. For one, don’t accept the first offer you receive. You need to know when to say “no” and when to accept a deal. Let buyers know you have other people interested, but don’t get pushy. Good negotiation is all about listening to the other person while staying strong with your own belief for what the car is worth.
Selling your car privately can often take some time, but you may get more for it than if you went to a dealership. It’s all about presenting your car as well as possible, getting people interested, and accepting the best deal. If you can learn to do these things, you should have no trouble getting more money in your private car sale.
