How To Get The Most Money When You Sell Your Used Car

By Jim Johnson

Before you can buy another car, every car owner faces the decision of what to do with the one they already have. You really only have three choices. You can either sell it yourself, trade it in, or keep it. For most people trading the car in makes the most sense because it's so convenient and easy to do. The dealer even takes care of all the necessary paperwork, so all they have to do is sign on the dotted line, pick up the keys to their new car and drive away. However, you pay for that convenience by not getting as much money for the car you just traded in, as you would if you had sold it yourself. But if you are thinking "How can I sell my used car quickly?", this article is for you.

The first step in selling your used car is to determine it's realistic worth. Of course, everyone thinks that their own vehicle is worth a lot, but you need to get some cold hard facts before you start the selling process. There are two websites that can help with this. One is kbb.com and the other is nadaguides.com. You will probably find that each will give you a different figure for the value of your car, but if you average them together that should help you get a close approximation. Then if you look through some of the auto shopper journals that are found at convenience stores in your area, you can find similar vehicles to yours and see what the price range is for the equipment and miles that they have on them. All of this research will help you know for sure what your car is worth in your particular market, and setting the correct price will always help you sell more quickly.

Once you know how much you can sell your used car for, now is the time to get it ready for sale. Remember that a vehicle's appearance says a lot to the average buyer. A clean, shiny car just simply appears to be a better car than one that is dusty and dirty. Actually the appearance of the car has no real bearing on it's mechanics but the impression that is left in many people's minds often revolves more around a car's appearance than anything else. So either clean it yourself very thoroughly or even pay to have it professionally cleaned and buffed so that it shines and sparkles.

If the car requires major repairs, it's usually best not to do them yourself at this point as you most often will spend more money on the repair than you would lose on the sales price if you acknowledge the problem to each prospective buyer and let them handle it after the sale.

Now it's time to place your ad. It used to be that newspapers and auto shopper journals were your best bet for selling your car quickly, but these days the internet has become very important for many auto sellers too, especially private parties. So look through some of the major auto sales websites and choose one or two that you think people in your area would be familiar with, if you decide to use this form of advertising. A combination of both online and offline advertising often brings very good results quickly.

Once the ads are placed and the phone calls are coming in, try to arrange your schedule so the car is available during hours that will fit most people's schedule. Answer all questions honestly, but don't try to pressure anyone or seem like you are being too pushy as that will scare off more buyers than almost anything else. And be sure to only accept cash or a certified check. No personal checks for transactions this large.

So if you have been thinking "How can I sell my used car quickly?", these simple tips and suggestions can help get you started even if you have never sold a car before.

About the author:
Find out more about how to sell my car and sell my used car by visiting our Auto Review website.