Top Tips For Selling a Car

Selling a car may sound simple but people are often reluctant to buy a vehicle from someone they don’t know. And while most car dealerships are professional and reputable, sadly there are people who, like TV character Arthur Daley, often run car dealerships that could be described as ‘dodgy’!

Unless someone knows you personally, they have to put a lot of good faith in your honest presentation of the value and condition of the car. So, what can you do to ensure that you sell your car quickly?

The things that you can do to help speed up the process include open disclosure of the history and condition of the car since you have owned it. You can also purchase a vehicle history report similar to what a used car dealer may provide. This lets the buyer know whether the car has been significantly damaged in accidents, how many owners it has had (a sign of potential problems), whether there’s any outstanding finance on it and any other issues that might affect the buyer’s comfort.

Present your car to its advantage

While attempting to be honest, you must also do everything you can to present your car in the best light. This is a simple marketing principle that used car dealerships follow. Make your vehicle look its best by:

Washing your car
Touching up paint or wax
Changing tyres or other worn parts
Repairing any minor issues
Detailing the interior etc.

Eye appeal is buy appeal and many people buy cars based on emotions, so aesthetics are important.

Pricing

Price your car fairly. Resources such as the Parkers Used Car Guide allow you to more or less accurately put a value on your vehicle.

You could also get an estimate on the value of your car from a well-known dealer who may do so for free or a small price. This helps reinforce your price if it is fair. Remember, though, that most people expect to pay a little less from a private seller than they would with a dealership.

Where to sell

The next step is to figure out how to sell your car and where to list it.

Placing your vehicle in a prime location with lots of traffic is a good approach to selling a car. Many people put window writing or signage on their car and leave it so that it gets seen while they are out and about whether driving to work, doing the shopping, or if their car is on the driveway.
You could also place a classified ad in the local newspaper and trade magazines such as AutoTrader with your contact information and details of the car.
Many people use online resources to market their car to a larger audience. eBay and other listing and auctions services help you to potentially expand the market of potential buyers.

Though it’s not necessarily a common service, you might also consider sharing information about car insurance with prospective buyers. As most buyers want to know all of the costs involved in buying a car, telling them what car insurance group the vehicle is in can be helpful.

In review, try to remember these key points when selling a car: