9 Tips For Finding The Top Offer For Selling Your Old Car
As much as our cars mean to us we can’t keep them forever. Eventually, newer models come along and holding onto outdated vehicles becomes impractical. Rather than scrapping or giving your old car away sell it and use the money to buy a new one or just save it.
Unless you have experience in the auto trade, however, selling your car is likely something you’ll need a little help with. Don’t worry though because this post has you covered. Here are nine tips you can use on getting the best offer for your old car:
Scrapping Your Car
While in this post’s introduction mention was made to the fact that you do not necessarily have to scrap your car if you no longer want it, it is an option. The process of how to junk a car in Wisconsin is no different from how it is in Wyoming. As long as you have your car’s registration papers and find a licensed junkyard you can take it there and get rid of it on the same day. Generally, junkyards pay a fixed fee for cars scrapped in them regardless of make or model. You may get more for your car if it is a newer model, however.
Listing It Online
If you have no interest at all in scrapping your car and only getting a few hundred dollars for it then you can list it for sale online. There are a lot of different sites you can use to sell your car. It does need to be noted that the majority of these take a small commission from each sale that’s made through them. Unless you factor this into the final sale value of your car you could end up making less than you thought you would.
Selling to Friends
An easy way of getting rid of an old car is to sell it to your friends. If in the past any of your friends have expressed an interest in your car then approach them and let them know you are willing to sell it. It should be noted that when selling cars to friends, it is usually expected that the price will be lowered. If you are unable to come down on price or simply do not want to then do not attempt to sell to your loved ones. More than anyone else, loved ones will drive down the price and get a good deal from you.
Consider Social Media
The use of social media is more popular in society today than it ever has been. It isn’t just something that’s used by teenagers and influencers to communicate however; social media is also used by people to sell things. Most large platforms give users the opportunity to list things on their marketplaces. Selling on social media can be a good way to advertise your car without paying for a top-spot listing on an e-commerce platform or paying a commission to a car resale site.
Improving Car’s Appearance
Getting the best deal for your car could be as simple as improving its appearance. A lot of people have a lazy attitude toward selling their cars; unless your car is in pristine condition nobody’s going to pay more than its market value. If you want a good price for it then you must first take time to improve its appearance which you can do by bumping out any dents, painting over scratches, and repairing any exterior flaws or faults there are.
Upgrading the Interior
Your vehicle’s interior is something else that you should consider upgrading. While interior aesthetics are not as important as external ones, they are still taken into consideration by most buyers when they are deciding on a price to offer. If your car’s interior looks tired and distressed then why not work on it for a while to improve its aesthetic value? At the very least you should repair interior damage and try and add a few new features in like a radio. If you are not experienced enough in mechanics to work on your car’s interior hire a mechanic to do the work for you.
Adding New Features
Adding new features to your car’s interior can be tricky for people with no experience in mechanics but there are an almost endless number of guides online to follow so there is no real excuse for such individuals to not be able to perform work themselves. Adding new features to your car’s interior can increase its value significantly, making it more attractive to buyers. New features also make it easier for you to hike up the price beyond the car’s true market value. If the features are good enough buyers will not bat an eyelid when it comes to paying more.
Realising True Value
Before you can list your car for sale you need to realize its true value. An old beaten-down car isn’t going to sell for the same price as a new version of the same car. The biggest mistake sellers make is overinflating the price of the cars they are selling. Trying to sell your vehicle for more than it’s worth is an effective way to deter buyers from even making enquiries. Take a look online at how much similar models are being sold for and then come up with a price that is realistic and achievable. In addition to looking at how many cars are currently selling online, take a look at what the latest models and versions of your car are retailing for.
Haggling With Buyers
When people do get in touch and make offers on your car, haggle with them. Haggling is the process of negotiating for a better price. Bear in mind that the vast majority of people who get in touch from car resale sites and social media are going to be expert hagglers. What this means is that if you are not good at haggling yourself, you will end up getting low offers made. A good way to avoid getting a price you are not happy with is to set the car’s price a little higher than what you actually want and haggle down to the amount you are happy taking. If you do not have experience in haggling or are not confident doing it ask a more confident relative or friend to help you.
Getting the best price for your car should be one of your main concerns. Under no circumstances should you sell it for anything less than you are comfortable taking. Some people have no idea what to do to maximize price when selling cars. Such individuals can benefit from taking the information given here into account.