Value for Your Vehicle: How to Privately Sell a Vehicle
Globally, approximately 74 million to 78 million cars are bought each year. While many people are looking for ways to drive less and walk more, cars are an essential part of being able to exist and travel in this world.
Because so many cars are bought each year, you can imagine how many are also sold. While you may automatically think of a dealership when it comes to selling cars, this is not the only option.
Learning how to privately sell a vehicle can be much more lucrative than selling to a dealer. Before you can get started, though, there are some things you should know.
Read on to learn more.
Discover Your Car’s Value
If you are selling a vehicle privately, you want to ensure that you receive a fair offer. The only way to do so is by conducting some research to discover what your car is worth.
Kelley Blue Book is the most trusted site that helps to determine what your car is worth today. Here, you can enter your car’s current condition and any important history, especially if there was any flooding or collisions.
This will help you set an asking price, so you know you are not overcharging and will receive what is owed.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Now that you know your car’s worth, it’s time to clean your vehicle up. Wash up the exterior, and vacuum and wipe down the interior. Remove any trash and any personal items you have, such as CDs, lip balm, and receipts.
If your vehicle needs repairs, determine if you will fix them before creating a listing, or if you will disclose them. This will come down to how fast you want the car to be sold.
Places like cashautosalvage.com will buy your car no matter what condition it is in, so you don’t have to worry about this part as much. However, they don’t usually pay the highest price, so if you’re looking for a significant profit, you may want to do the repairs.
Choose Where to Sell It
Now it’s time to take pictures and list your ad.
If you want to sell your car online, you can create a listing on many websites, such as Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. With these, you’ll be able to reach a wide audience of private buyers. Social media is another excellent way to get your ad out there.
For more in-person ways to sell a car, if you live on a busy street, you may also be able to put a “for sale” sign on the car for passersby to see.
Gather Paperwork
Because you are choosing to sell a vehicle privately, you must gather your paperwork ahead of time. The vehicle’s title, maintenance history, and bill of sale will all be your responsibility.
Be prepared to take a trip to the DMV to make the sale official. You will most likely also need to take off and keep the vehicle’s original license plates.
Your Guide on How to Privately Sell a Vehicle
There are many different ways to sell a car, and learning how to privately sell a vehicle is very wise. Going to the dealer is not always the best option, and the more you know, the more you can control.
Remember, do your research and stay organized. You are the seller, so it’s up to you to get the best offer.
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