How To Get the Most Money When Selling Your Car

Are you planning on selling your car and worried if you will be able to get the top price for it? It can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you get the most money for your car and not get ripped off. Follow our six easy steps and you might just get more money than you thought possible.

Calculate Your Car's Value
Your first order of business is to figure out the market value of your car. You can’t just make up a number, you actually have to do some research to see how much similar cars to your are currently selling for. Things like year, mileage, make, model, and condition are the biggest factors that determine your vehicle's value. Other factors that affect the price is things like crash history and number of previous owners.

Don’t forget any additional options your car has or aftermarket additions also drive up the price. A great way to determine the value is to visit the Kelley Blue Book website and get an estimated value there. There are also many companies that offer cash for cars and some of them have websites where you can enter your car’s details and get an offer from them.

Organize the Paperwork
Get all your paperwork together and organize it. Any service records and vehicle history reports will definitely add a layer of transparency to potential buyers. It will make them more confident when they see you have nothing to hide. Service records are proof that your car was maintained and any issues it had were addressed.

Organize all the records you have in a chronological order, from oil changes to engine rebuilds. Getting a vehicle history report is going to cost you some money, but it’s a good investment that will guarantee a faster sale. Another good idea is a pre-purchase inspection to see if there are any issues you weren’t aware of.

Clean Every Single Inch
Cars in great condition are always worth more, so it’s always a good idea to clean your car inside and out. Even if you don’t mind odd smells and dirty carpets, those imperfections can lower your car’s value and scare off potential buyers. You can use simple household items to clean your car so there’s no excuse for you not to do it.

You can use simple household cleaning items and a new coat of wax is a great way to make your paint shine. Clean both sides of the windows and fill in the scratches. Making your car look spotless is a sure way to get more money for it.

Snap Some High-Quality Photos
Pictures of you car are the first thing a potential buyer will see, and they are the biggest factor in his decision to come and check out your car further. So it’s essential to make sure you have detailed, high-quality photos that show off all angles of the car. You don’t need a professional camera, your phone cam will do just fine.

After cleaning your car, find a nice place where you can take pictures. Early evenings or overcast days are best since cameras have a hard time dealing with the harsh glare from direct sunlight. The more photos you take, the better, and don’t forget to get good shots of the interior.

Write Up a Great and Detailed Post
You know your car better than anyone. So when you go to write your sales listing, explain what makes the car great and why someone should buy it. Whether it’s reliability, comfort, or fuel economy, all cars have traits that will appeal to someone else. Write about the features that you enjoyed the most, something that a person who’s never driven your car wouldn’t realize.

Besides your description, evey car post needs to always have the year, make, model, odometer reading, asking price, an your contact info. It’s also much better to be upfront about any problems you car might have. Listing all of your car’s issues just adds to the transparency and will give the potential buyer confidence.

Negotiate Like a Pro
So you created and amazing post and now someone wants to come and take a look at your car. Before showing your car to anybody, first decide on the lowest price you’re willing to accept. That way you will save time when someone offers you less than what you want. Once you come up with your minimum price, list your car with a price that’s slightly higher, to leave room for negotiating. Also figure out if you would be interested in a trade.

Wrap Up
Make sure you always meet potential buyers during the day, in a public place, and bring a friend to help you out. There are even police stations with “safe exchange zone” for people conducting online commerce. Before letting anyone take your car for a test drive, ask them to leave a collateral before handing over your keys. Always bring your bill of sale, title, and other documentation so that you can seal the deal quickly.