You may have had your car for a long time, and perhaps it's not quite operating the way it used to in its glory days. Maybe, too, your needs have changed and you now require something bigger, or even smaller to get around town. If you've taken good care of your vehicle over the years, you may find it could be useful for somebody else - student looking a first affordable car, a driver with a limited budget, or somebody who would prefer to pay cash for a car rather than finance. Whatever your reason for wanting to sell your car, it's important to remember a few things to do before you hand over the keys to somebody else.
1) Clean it up! Trust me, over time your car can become your personal storage closet...especially if you have kids. If you want to sell your car outright, it must look as spotless as possible inside and out. This means emptying the trunk and seats of all your personal items, checking all the map pockets, the ashtrays, and the glove compartment for the little things that you stow and forget. Use a vacuum on the floors and seats and clean up the dashboard and everything else, then get a good wash and wax at your local car wash. You should also make sure the oil is changed and things like tire pressure and windshield fluid is checked. When you present your car in the best possible state, you let the potential buyer know it's a good investment.
2) Have all the paperwork. You'll need proof of ownership and the car's history, if you bought it used yourself. While a buyer may be willing to look at a "for sale by owner" car, they may not necessarily take the owner's word as gold. If they have questions about repairs and replaced parts, be ready to have that information on hand and back it up.
3) Protect yourself. If you don't have experience in selling such a large item, make sure your interests are protected. Have a friend or relative experience in contracts or agreements go over with you everything you need to do to transfer ownership of the car to the buyer. If you worry about the buyer stiffing you on payment, work out a way to make sure that doesn't happen.
If you plan to buy a new car once the old one is sold, you can still consider making a trade-in instead of an outright sale. You may get more money toward a trade-in to help with your payments. Check the Blue Book value of your car as you ponder your options, but make sure the car is in top shape regardless of what you decide.
1) Clean it up! Trust me, over time your car can become your personal storage closet...especially if you have kids. If you want to sell your car outright, it must look as spotless as possible inside and out. This means emptying the trunk and seats of all your personal items, checking all the map pockets, the ashtrays, and the glove compartment for the little things that you stow and forget. Use a vacuum on the floors and seats and clean up the dashboard and everything else, then get a good wash and wax at your local car wash. You should also make sure the oil is changed and things like tire pressure and windshield fluid is checked. When you present your car in the best possible state, you let the potential buyer know it's a good investment.
2) Have all the paperwork. You'll need proof of ownership and the car's history, if you bought it used yourself. While a buyer may be willing to look at a "for sale by owner" car, they may not necessarily take the owner's word as gold. If they have questions about repairs and replaced parts, be ready to have that information on hand and back it up.
3) Protect yourself. If you don't have experience in selling such a large item, make sure your interests are protected. Have a friend or relative experience in contracts or agreements go over with you everything you need to do to transfer ownership of the car to the buyer. If you worry about the buyer stiffing you on payment, work out a way to make sure that doesn't happen.
If you plan to buy a new car once the old one is sold, you can still consider making a trade-in instead of an outright sale. You may get more money toward a trade-in to help with your payments. Check the Blue Book value of your car as you ponder your options, but make sure the car is in top shape regardless of what you decide.
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