Are You Trying To Get Cash For Cars In Wichita KS?
Originally posted on https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/cash-for-junk-cars-wichita-kansas/
If you live in Wichita, Kansas, then you know that it is a vibrant city that is the largest in the state and the 48th largest city in the United States. More than one-fourth of the 389,000 residents are between 25 and 44 years old and 45 to 64 years old.
In this city it is not unusual for an individual to own a car that is at least 10 years old or maybe even closer to 20. You may be starting to think about old reliable as a clunker that should be traded in for a newer used car, a brand new car, or sold privately to a person who is looking for fairly cheap transportation. Maybe you have asked a friend or two, “How do I sell my junk car for cash?”
Selling My Junk Car In Wichita, KS
How you peddle your car will probably depend on the condition it is in. You may have given up on trading it in on a used or new car at a dealership because its exterior is pitted and rusted and has a few dings on it. The odometer may also show major use. However, with a little work it still might entice someone enough that you can sell it privately.
Preparing your car for sale and then following the process of actually selling it can be a daunting undertaking. Here is what you face if you decide to find a buyer on your own.
Clean Up
You will need to spruce up the appearance of the car. That could involve a good washing of the exterior at the neighborhood car wash or on the driveway of your home, and then finishing the appearance with a waxing. Using heavy cleanser to clean stains off the carpet and seats. Spending a few dollars on replacement floor mats and perhaps a visit to a car paint shop for a quick and fairly inexpensive paint job to hide the pitting, rust, and scratches.
Maintenance
Next comes the maintenance work. If you have do-it-yourself skills, then you can save some coin. If not, then pay to have the maintenance done at the neighborhood gas station or Jiffy Lube. The work should include an oil change, wheel balancing and alignment, replacing the transmission and windshield wiper fluid, checking the belts and possibly tuning the car if necessary.
Evaluating The Value Of Your Car
Once the clean up and maintenance is done, then you need to take time to ascertain the value of your car. How much do you want to sell it for?
For this you will need to do a little research on the Internet. There are a number of websites that can assist you in determining a fair price for your car. They include Kelly Blue Book, National Appraisal Guide, and Autotrader. These sites have a value calculator you can use to discover the value of your car. Visit these websites, answer questions about your car and consider the results.
Documents You Need From The DMV
You need a series of documents from the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles to complete the sale of your car. This includes the car’s title, a bill of sale (Form TR-312), and Seller’s Notification of Sale (Form TR-216).
You should have received the title when you originally purchased the car. If you misplaced it, you will need to get a duplicate from the DMV.
Find A Buyer
There are a number of ways to alert buyers that you are offering your car. You can place an ad in the Wichita Eagle, Wichita Autotrader, or Craigslist. You can also visit the website of Kelly Blue Book. There is a used car section there where you can determine the value of your car and alert prospective buyers to contact you about purchasing it.
The ad should include:
- The car’s odometer mileage
- Its condition
- History of accidents or damage
- Upgrades or enhancements
- Recent repairs
- Vehicle Identification Number
- Number of owners
- Your phone number
You can save a little money if you create a “for sale” sign and leave it on your car when you park it.
Develop a sales pitch you can give to people you meet or friends who may need a used car. The pitch should be limited to reasons why someone would want the car including fuel economy and odometer mileage.
Hopefully, you will receive a lot of phone calls from people who want to buy your car. Screen the calls. Get the caller’s full name and tell him a little bit about the car. Engage him in conversation to determine if he is trustworthy. If you have doubts, then give him an excuse for not pursuing the sale.
Once you find the buyer, arrange to meet. In addition, check with your auto insurance provider to make certain that the prospective buyer can test-drive the car.
Meet The Buyer And Close The Sale
Have a friend or two accompany you to the meeting. Allow the buyer to inspect the vehicle and answer any questions he has about the car.
Suggest that the buyer take a test drive. Never let him or her do the drive alone. You and your friends should accompany him or her. The potential driver may ask if a professional mechanic can check out the car prior to the sale. Make sure you have pre-sale inspection information for this eventuality and be present as the mechanic examines the car.
Once the test-drive and a mechanic’s inspection has been concluded, negotiate on the final price with the potential buyer.
Once you and the buyer settle on the price, it’s time to close the sale.
- Fill out the bill of sale and the seller’s notification of sale.
- Sign over the title.
- Take the license plates.
- Receive payment
- Give the buyer the keys.
- Submit all forms and your plates to the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles.
If the buyer pays with a check, make certain that there are enough funds in the account to cover it. Don’t hand over the keys to the car until the check clears.
Finally, be certain to cancel the insurance on the sold car.
Sounds like a great big hassle, right? There are alternatives that can earn you money with less the hassle.
One alternative is to sell your car to a junkyard or auto salvage service. The buyer makes his money from scavenging the metal and parts.
Familiarize yourself with the scrapping laws in your area. If you don’t have the necessary paperwork in hand, the buyer could renege on the deal and charge you for the tow or transportation.
Monitor market trends on steel to determine if prices are going up or down at the time you plan to sell the car. If the price of steel is not advantageous, then wait if you can until it is.
Gather estimates from a number of junkyards and online sites and then consider them all before settling on the price.
Driving the car to the various junkyards may help when negotiating a price. It shows that the vehicle is in working order.
Negotiating is a strategy that should not be ignored. Consider what you have and the value of it to a junkyard or online business. For example, if your car’s model year is one in which finding usable parts is an issue, then the car has more value to the junkyard manager or online business. If the car has relatively low mileage, then the wear of the parts are not as extreme as they would be on a car that has recorded hundreds of thousands of miles. That is another selling point.
When making the rounds of potential buyers, be sure to get a hard quote locked in so you won’t be subject to a change when you deliver the car for purchase.
If your car is not drivable, then assure that the yard that buys it will pay for the tow. Make sure the buyer pays you in full before he tows or takes the car. This is essential because there are buyers that delay payment.
You can trade in the car when you buy a used or new car at a dealership. But you may not receive the amount of money you feel the car is worth. Still, the value the dealer assigns to it will be deducted from the price of the new or used car you are buying. So you may feel that this venture is worthwhile. In addition, by making the deal through the dealership you can avoid many of the hassles that can occur when you sell your car to a second party on your own.
Of course, there is a caveat. A salesperson would be inclined to lowball the value of your car if he knows you are desperate to sell it. Thus, you get less money for a trade of a new or used car or less cash for an outright sale.
A third alternative is to sell your junk car for cash to a cash car-buying establishment. One such business is Cash Cars Buyer. You avoid all the hassles you have to suffer through when selling to a private buyer. They will buy the car whether or not it is operational and whether or not you have a title.
Other benefits for selling your junk car to a cash car-buying business are that they offer junk car pick up, fast appraisals, and home inspections.
So, when you are wondering, “Who buys junk cars for cash near me,” consider all the options and then call Cash Cars Buyer or visit our website.