Have an unused vehicle sitting in your driveway? Need to sell your car so you can purchase a new one? Selling a vehicle quickly is tricky but possible.
It’s important to attract buyers and keep them interested. Shoppers are looking for a great deal but also a quality vehicle. In the end, the condition of your car will make or break the sale.
But there are things you can do to make your vehicle more appealing to buyers like the experts from buy here pay here does at their lots. Check out this list of steps to prepare for and speed up your car sale.
1.Clean It Up
One of the most important things you can do to make your vehicle more appealing is to get it as close to spotless as possible. A shiny exterior and a fresh interior are important to car shoppers. You can either look for a reasonable detailer or put in the work yourself.
Getting out the gunk in between the window buttons and deep cleaning the carpets are a quick way to make a car more marketable. Make sure the interior smells clean and pleasant as any odor is an immediate turn off to a buyer. Shiny windows, polished chrome accents, and dustless dashboards all make a car a more promising purchase.
2. Repair Dents and Dings
From rogue shopping carts to getting bumped by other car doors, your vehicle has likely sustained some dents and dings. But no one wants to purchase a vehicle that looks banged up. Fixing these blemishes will make your car more buyer-friendly.
If you want to invest more in your vehicle to sell it for a premium, you can head to a body shop for dent removal. There are also several ways to fix minor body damage yourself. Address scratches with a buffing cloth or by purchasing a paint retouch kit.
3. Price It Right
Do your research and price your vehicle competitively. The first step is to find out your car’s value. You can then tweak your pricing slightly higher or lower, depending on how quickly you wish to sell or how much wiggle room you want for negotiating.
Kelley Blue Book is a widely known and reliable tool to determine the value of a vehicle. You can also search for similar cars in your area to see how they are priced. Is the value close to a common budget-breaking point like $10,000? Pricing your vehicle just below that can make it seem more reasonable to buyers.
4. Get an Inspection
Has your car been into the shop lately? You might want to get checked out. Unexpected problems or needed repairs could blow a sale. Honestly is the best policy when it comes to buyers as they are likely to get their own inspection performed.
How you choose to handle an issue depends on your priorities. If you want to sell quickly, regardless of price, you could knock the cost of the repair off your selling price. If you want to balance price and a fast sale, it may be worth it to get a minor repair done. A vehicle with fewer caveats will attract more buyers and allow you to list for a better profit.
Routine maintenance records say reliability to buyers. Have a record of the work you have done to keep the car in great condition. Getting the oil freshly changed and the tires rotated can be a low cost but an impactful selling point.
5. Market Your Vehicle
If you are selling your car independently, getting your listing out there can be a lot of work, but you’ll keep all of the profit. Many sellers opt to take their car to a used car dealership for a fast, easy sale. But these dealerships usually offer a lower purchasing price.
Selling your car individually will take some effort but will get you the most return. The trick to selling it quickly is advertising everywhere from web sites to newspaper ads. Use your social media accounts and local selling pages for word of mouth marketing. Park your vehicle at the local high school to pique the interest of students looking for a great deal.
Paying a nominal fee for an ad on a reputable car buying site will expose your listing and is more reputable than a site like CraigsList. Newspaper ads are inexpensive but have less reach as readership declines. You could also print a simple flyer with your car’s photo and details and post it on community boards.
If time is your top priority, a dealership may be your best bet. Just as if you were purchasing a vehicle, working with several dealerships gives you the most bargaining power. Use their offers to get the highest price.
6. Check the Carfax
Most potential buyers will pull a Carfax report on a vehicle they are serious about purchasing. This will alert them to any history of the car, like accidents and repairs. It will also give them a better picture of the value.
It’s a good idea to be proactive and pull a Carfax report on the vehicle you are selling. You don’t want to be caught off guard and lose trust from a buyer for not disclosing something included in the report. It would also be helpful to have time to dispute or correct any inaccurate information regarding your vehicle’s history.
7. Be Open to Negotiations
Sure, it would be ideal to get top dollar for your car. But if you’re in a time crunch, negotiating the price will help you complete a sale faster. The trick is making sure the deal is mutually beneficial.
Negotiating can be awkward. Be honest, not desperate, with potential buyers. Balance getting the deal done with making the profit you desire. Make sure you have a rock-bottom price in mind and don’t allow your negotiations to take you below that.
8. Conclusion
The appearance and history of your vehicle will impact how fast and for how much it is sold. So does the way you advertise and show your car. It’s helpful to do your research and prepare your vehicle for a seamless sale.
Selling your car is a waiting game for the right buyer to come along. But you can take steps to make the process quicker and easier. A little time and investment can pay off in the end. And it may earn you a little extra cash to invest in your next vehicle.
