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How To Sell Your Used Car For Top Dollar

Find Out How To Sell Car Fast Using Online Car Listing

How To Sell Your Used Car For Top Dollar

To sell car fast is now attainable mainly due to the internet. I sometimes see cars for sale on a seller’s driveway for many, many weeks. The reason is there’s simply not enough eyeballs. Putting your car on the driveway minimizes your car’s chances of getting sold. That simply is not the best way in selling your car fast. It’s hard to sell car quickly that way but remains the only option for some people who don’t know that they can sell used car online for maximum profit and exposure.

Advertising the car in a newspaper classified ads is also a much slower way sell your car. Reason: not enough exposure. Also, you have to pay more money and without the certainty the your car will sell.

Set a competitive price

A good place to start is determining the market value of your car. Check out its used-car values by going to Web2Carz.com or eBay! , where you will find out competitive pricing in your local market. Find out in your area to see what used cars similar to yours are being sold for.

If you’re open to negotiation, determine the least amount you will accept. Based on that amount, you may want to create some cushion in your price—$500 is a good minimum.

Remember, buyers are looking at the same online pricing guides, so if your price is close to or lower than the price they found, your car could be that much more appealing and you can sell car fast.

Once you set your price, consider using the proper ad lingo to make your point:

Inserting “or best offer” (OBO) or “asking price” signals you’ll consider an offer lower than the stated price. You may get more responses. Stating your price is “firm” signals that you’re sticking to your price.

Get your car ready

Appearance is everything to sell car fast. That means you should thoroughly clean your car, inside and out. And consider taking care of any minor maintenance issues.

Here’s a laundry list of things you can do to improve your car’s appearance:

  • Wash, wax and vacuum your car.
  • Wipe down the dashboard and other surfaces.
  • Gloss up the tires and polish the wheels.
  • Clean all glass inside and out, including mirrors.
  • Clean out any junk from inside your car and the trunk.
  • Replace any burnt lights or fuses.
  • Top off the fluids.

Gather your car’s records

Smart car shoppers want to know how well maintained your vehicle is and will ask for maintenance records. A presentable maintenance log with all of your receipts, especially oil changes, can help you sell car fast.

Consider collecting the receipts you have and creating a maintenance log. If you know you had something done but can’t find the receipt, log it anyway. Warranty receipts are especially important. If you’ve recently replaced your tires or battery, present the warranty to the buyer.

Purchase a vehicle history report

You can put buyers at ease by showing a copy of your car’s Vehicle History Report. In the end, you can sell car fast to prospective buyer by assurance that a report brings.

One of the biggest fears of used-car buyers is unwittingly buying a car that has been in a wreck. A vehicle history report reveals if a car was ever wrecked, whether the odometer was rolled back and other costly problems.

Presenting your maintenance records and a clean vehicle history report instills confidence in buyers—it could make the sale! Vehicle history report just makes it easier to sell car fast.

Post quality photos

Although photos are not required for listing your car online, they will help you sell car fast. You have a far greater chance of buyers clicking on your Search Results Listing if you have photos. In fact, 85% of buyers look for listings with photos in their initial search.

You don’t need to have a digital camera to post photos. Just take your traditional film to your local photo-processing lab and ask for a photo CD. You can easily upload photos from the CD to your ad. Or, you can turn your prints into digital pictures with a scanner.

Before you point and shoot, remember these guidelines:

Photograph your car in daylight. Avoid reflections and shadows from the sun and trees. Photograph your car at a front-side angle to achieve a good view of the entire car. Park your car against a flattering backdrop. Make sure your car is clean and neat in appearance. If you post multiple photos, photograph the interior and any special features about your car, such as specialty tires and wheels.

Give details buyers will respond to and aid you to sell car fast

Another benefit of advertising online is providing a complete description of your car. You get to give buyers those extra details that grab their attention and increase the chances to sell car fast.

In your ad, you will list your car’s basic details and options installed. With that important information already out of the way, you can focus on making your description enticing. To sell car fast, make your car enticing to buyers.

Consider giving some of the following details:

Appeal to a buyer’s lifestyle. Ex. Van—”great family car,” economy car—”excellent gas mileage makes it a great commuter car,” truck—”a dependable work truck.” Use key phrases that typically signal you’ve taken care of your car, like “one owner,” “kept in garage” and “maintenance records available.” But do be honest! Mention any non-standard modifications and improvements, such as stereo, speakers and specialty wheels. List any recent replacements, like new tires or battery.

Be prepared to field inquiries

Once you place your ad, be ready to answer questions. Keep a list of basic facts about your car near the phone and computer. Print out the online sources that show your car’s market value. Those precautions will help you sell car fast.

Buyers are making a big decision, so try to answer every question honestly and openly. You’ll save yourself time instead of making unnecessary appointments.

Make appointments for a specific time, rather than allowing a buyer to show “sometime after work.” It increases the chances of the buyer making it, and it doesn’t waste your time. If you feel uncomfortable with a buyer coming to your house, arrange to meet in a populated, well-lit area. Sometimes you need to be creative but also careful to sell car fast.

More sell car fast tips

How do I close the deal? You’ve done your homework. Now it’s time to sell your car fast. With a little preparation and patience, you should do just fine.

Show your car to interested buyers

Once you make an appointment, a buyer will most likely want to take your car for a spin.

Before the test-drive, remember to:

  • Ask to see a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance.
  • Let the buyer drive, but you navigate.
  • Have a planned route in mind that allows the buyer to experience different driving conditions.
  • If a buyer is very interested and wants you to hold the car, ask for a deposit and specify that it’s only for a certain amount of time. Also, some buyers may want to have the car inspected by their mechanic. This is a reasonable request, but it’s up to you how you want to handle it.

Negotiate a fair price

By now, you know what your car is worth, and you know what you’re willing to accept. To sell car fast, prepare yourself with possible responses when a buyer begins to negotiate. For example:

If a buyer mentions a scratch or ding, say it’s normal wear and tear and that it’s accounted for in the depreciated market value. If a buyer makes an offer lower than your asking price, counter offer. Never seem too eager to lower your price. And don’t budge beyond your minimum. If a buyer shows you a mechanic’s receipt for repairs needed on your car, take a look at the repairs. If they’re warranted, consider reducing the price based on the amount needed for the repairs. If you advertised that your car is being sold “as is,” then simply refer to your ad. Consider all this to be able to sell car fast.

Finalize the sale

Once you settle on a price, accept only cash or a cashier’s check before you sign over the title. And make sure the check has cleared at the issuing bank. Be suspicious of any buyers who offer a complicated payment arrangement that involves overpayment with a refund. In general, be aware of the different signs of fraud. Read our Common-Sense Advice for Sellers before you sell your car. To sell car fast is your aim but be wary.

You should have a bill of sale ready for both parties. A bill of sale is a sales receipt that shows transfer of ownership to the buyer and contains both parties’ contact information, details about the car, the agreed upon sell price and the odometer reading. To find a bill of sale, your state motor vehicle website should offer a detailed form. If not, try an office supply store for a generic form that you can add to if needed.

Also, check with your state motor vehicle website to find out what the requirements are to transfer the title to the new owner. Generally, you will have to sign and date the title before turning it over to the buyer. Notifying your local motor vehicle office of the transaction and ensuring the title is correctly transferred will prevent you from being liable for any accidents.

If you still owe money on the car and a lending institution is holding the title, you can finish the sale with the buyer at the offices of the lender. Once you have the money and the loan has been paid off, sign the title to the buyer.

If the bank is out of state, you can go with the buyer to the motor vehicle office and get a temporary operating permit based on the bill of sale. Once you pay off the balance of the loan with the money from your car sale, you’ll receive the title. Sign it over to the new owner and the transaction is complete.

One last thing—don’t forget to cancel or transfer your insurance policy to your new car.

There you go, all the info that you need to sell car fast to any prospective buyer. Sometimes, selling car fast is more art than science.

Good luck!!!