5 Things to Consider Before You Sell Your Car

Selling a car might seem like reasonably hassle-free venture but that rarely happens. So, if you thought you are going to snap a couple of photos, put the ad on the web, and get away with a pile of cash, you’ll see that’s not really the case. Well, unless you stumble on an incredibly poorly informed buyer. The thing is, there are no poorly informed buyers anymore. We are living in the world of information. Buyers have upped their game and you need to do the same. Here a couple of things you should know if you don’t want to end up holding the short end of the stick.

You need to get all the papers in place

No serious buyer will even take into consideration buying your car if you are not able to provide the title, so make sure you have one before you enter the negotiations. If you lost the title, try going to the local Department of Transport office and to see if you can get a copy. Other important documents you should gather are a bill of sale, warranty documents, maintenance records, etc. The more papers you manage to gather, the better job you will do in proving the vehicle’s reliability.

Research the car

First, take the car to a professional inspection. If you don’t do it, the buyer will. This way, at least, you’ll learn if your vehicle has any problems and see if they can be resolved. Second, try to learn as much as you can about the specific model you are selling. Things like average consumption, common issues, the price of the major repairs, outstanding recalls, and so on. Knowing these quirks will not only help you to find your way out of the storm of unpleasant questions you’ll be faced with, but it will also allow you to improve your pitch and asses the vehicle’s value in a much better way.

You need to master the numbers

Speaking of, you should really nail the pricing, and in order to do so, you will need to do extensive market research to see how your four-wheeler currently compares to its cousins. When you’re done, you’ll be able to see if there’s room for some small investments that can increase your car’s value, but try not to go overboard. If the necessary repairs are too expensive (e.g. bodywork) it would be a better idea to get a written estimate on the price to have a solid counterargument against the buyers that will try to deprecate the car.

Don’t rule out the third party

Would it better to simply sell my car online through some kind of brokership, or try to pursue a better price on my own? A hard question often asked by car sellers, with no easy answer in sight. Both options have their pros and cons. But before you make the final decision, try to assess your car’s consumption, maintenance and upkeep costs, and the time and resources you will need to spend until you finally manage the sell the car. If your vehicle is past its prime, these costs can drain whatever money you’re trying to make.

Your car needs to look desirable

Whichever path you eventually choose to take, you need to be aware that your car needs to look like it just came off the assembly line. So, give it a good wash, replace the old mats, vacuum the interior (don’t skip the trunk), and finish the cleaning with a good wax job. If you want to get a higher price for your vehicle, it could be very useful to research which colour is going to be popular the following year and to take advantage of it. Now, try to make as many pictures from all possible angles, both interior and exterior. Buyers will want to do thorough research – give them a reason to spend some time on your ad. Blurry, poorly lit, and poorly framed photos will make most of them pass you over before you even get a fighting chance.