How to Sell Your Car Fast

HOW TO SELL YOUR CAR FAST

Selling your car fast and for the price you want can seem daunting at first but it does not have to be. In ten easy steps I will walk you through the entire process. From market research to prepping the car for viewing. From how to post your ad and safely interacting with buyers to sitting back and knowing you made a fair sale for both the buyer and yourself. Selling your car can be a rewarding experience, after all it is a win-win situation.

The first and arguably most important step is to know the market. Is your car in demand right now? Selling steady? Or is the market slow for your make and year? There are a few factors that may influence the demand of a vehicle. For example a well priced family car will sell very well right now due to the economy and unsteady gas prices, because of their modest pricing and dependability despite the fact that they are rather unexciting. The sales of some cars such as convertibles and sports cars are seasonal, spring brings out those car buyers along with the blooms and the birds. Classic Model cars can be slow to sell but can surprise you with their value if you can wait for the right buyer. Before you post your car check out other ads. You can check on line, a good site is desperateseller.co.uk. You simply type in the make, model, and year of your car and that will give you an idea of what cars like yours are selling for. Be sure to notice the condition and location of the cars like yours, these things matter. The better shape your car is in and the less miles it has the more a buyer will be willing to pay for the vehicle. Knowing the market for your vehicle is a valuable asset for a seller. You can find out exactly how much money to post it for, where to post it at and what time of year your car sells the best. All these things will help you to get your car out there at the right place for the right price at the right time.

The second step in getting that car off your hands is pricing. It is very important to price your car creatively. Not to high because the phone won’t ring and not to low because you won’t get what you need for it or people will wonder what is wrong with the vehicle and not bother calling at all. Now that you have done your homework, you should have a basic idea of the value of your car. As you decide on a price you will want to consider what you have in mind and add about a thousand to that number so the buyer can talk you down and you will still get what you want for it. We all know about car lot psychology, how they price every thing ending with 999.99 like 14,999.99 as though we don’t realize that we are actually paying 15,000 for the car. Although it is apparent that the .99 trick works on consumers because a product that won’t sell at 20 will at 19.99-go figure. I don’t recommend using the 99.99 trick as you price your car though. It is quit transparent and can make the buyer wary. Go for a nice round number like 8,500 or 7,750. A side note on the 99.99 thing, some buyers only shop in certain price ranges so sometimes it might be wise to use the ploy, so your car will fall into the lower price range due to the penny less. It still seems a bit seedy to me though so use it with much thought and deliberation.

This next tip is self evident: Make your car as pretty, shiny and as new looking as you possibly can. Don’t just wash it, do every single thing that you can to bring it back to like new quality. When the buyer sees it for the first time you want him to have a ‘wow’ moment. When he first slides into that seat the car should look awesome, feel smooth, and smell great. The buyers mind will be made up in the first few moments so you best be sure make them count. Wash, wax, and detail every inch of the car. If you don’t have time to do it your self then pay for the service, it is not that expensive and you can consider it an investment because the better your car looks the more likely you are to sell it fast . Don’t overlook anything. Do the obvious like throwing away any junk on the floor and cleaning out the ashtray and glove box. Then remember the less obvious spots like polishing the dash and steering wheel, and cleaning the interior and exterior of the windows, polishing the tires with gloss and wiping the dust off the wheel alloys. You can fix exterior cosmetic dents, dings and scraps yourself with products readily available where car accessories are sold. It is better for your wallet to do that little bit of work than to sell it ‘as is’. By making it perfectly clean you are offering them a blank canvas and when they go on that test drive they will already see it as their own car instead of as yours-this is a very good thing. Also don’t forget to spray a few spritz of ‘new car smell’ air freshener. You can pick up a can where ever car accessories are sold as well. Try to look at the car through the eyes of the buyer and act accordingly. Is there a little dent in the fender that you don’t notice any more? A prospective buyer will notice it and it will put them off the car or bring down your price this is an unnecessary pitfall when it is so easy to fix yourself. Do you smoke? A prospective buyer who does not smoke will certainly be put off by a car that reeks of cigarettes even though you may not notice the smell at all any more. Try to notice all the little things you overlook as the owner. Be sure that the oil has been recently changed and get it serviced professionally. After it is serviced get a service report on your car’s condition from the mechanic. This can sway an unsure buyer in your direction, because you are giving the buyer a bit of security in the dependability of the vehicle. A website that offers car check reports is GlassGuide.com.au to give your buyer that additional boost of confidence in his decision.

Now you know what your car is worth, how much you want to sell it for and it should be spotless at this point. The next step is deciding where to post it for sale. Welcome to the twenty-first century! You could go through the expensive newspaper routine and not reach as many potential buyers but you should be aware that there are many on line resources that are statistically proven to get results for the private seller, and they are much less expensive than an ad in the paper. More and more people are doing their car shopping on line each year as it is an easy way to comparison shop and find that perfect car with out driving all over town. So by posting on the web you are able to reach many more potential buyers. According to Marketing Weekly, 73% of people now buy and sell cars on line. That’s nearly three quarters of the people in the UK that now search and sell cars on line. The days of expensive advertising in your local paper or magazine appear to be coming to an end , not a moment to soon! There is also the option of a dealer trade but you will always get significantly less than the true value of your car that way plus this only works if your buying a new car. And of course there is the ‘For Sale’ Sign posted in the window of the car but that only reaches a small percentage of what a posting on line would and it is an eyesore in your front yard. An on line sale may seem less straight forward, but it is often significantly more profitable. There are many websites designed specifically for selling your car on line. Such as DesperateSeller.co.uk which offers many of the best car selling websites available and brings them all together, when you post your car on DesperateSeller.co.uk your car will be on all the top car selling website within minutes. Just click the “sell your car” folder on the top of the screen, and fill in the appropriate information. It’s that easy!

At this point you have decided where you are going to post your car and now is the time to actually write the ad. When posting your car as keep it simple and to the point, don’t patronize the reader. Tell the buyers the truth. The correct wording will keep you busy on the phones with potential sales. Keep in mind that each word counts when writing an ad. So be sure to use the right ones. You should always include the price (remember to go around a thousand over what you will accept), the year, make, model, color, condition, and mileage. Then add the fun stuff such as stereo systems, global positioning systems, and other popular options. Try to avoid those well worn cliches like “Only used to take Grandma to the Dr.” or “Gently driven by old lady” It patronizes the buyer. Be sure to list the exact model and year, those things count a lot. Post a color photograph as well, actually seeing the vehicle will bring in a lot more potential sales. So be sure to keep it short, honest, and relevant. Don’t exaggerate and avoid abbreviations as they are often overlooked or misunderstood. With these simple ad writing tips your car ad will be profitable and move your vehicle quickly.

Next comes the time to actually show your car. This is the part where you need to take a few precautions to ensure your own safety, after all your inviting a perfect stranger to your home. It is important to ‘trust your gut’ when talking to potential buyers on the phone. There is nothing wrong with screening your buyers, simply to weed out the people who actually come to your door. As you initially talk to a potential buyer on the phone screen them, if they seem unreasonable or suspicious then tell them the car is no longer available. If something goes wrong in the showing or test drive as they sometimes can, you want a reasonable buyer. Trust your own intuition before inviting a stranger to your home. Alternatively you could meet them at their home or at a shopping center in between. You will need to meet each potential buyer after you screen them and earn their trust. Dress nice and be open and honest. It may be a business transaction but don’t forget to be friendly and casual. They will be judging you as well as the car, after all you were the main driver and your personality says a lot about how well the car was cared for. Make sure the buyer is comfortable with you. Such a large purchase can be intimidating. Then when it comes time to test drive there are a few simple tips to ensure that things run smoothly and safely as well. First off always ride with the potential buyer, simply get in the passenger seat and hand him the keys. This should be a non issue, after all who would let a stranger just drive off with their car? Before you leave though, let someone know what your doing and when to expect your return. This for your own safety. Also for safety meet only in the daytime, this will give the buyer plenty of time and light to throughly inspect the car. Make sure the driver has third party insurance or change your own policy temporarily to cover the test drives throughout the selling process. View the buyer’s license and make note of the number. Let the buyer know before hand that any speeding tickets incurred during the test drive are his responsibility. The test drive should run about thirty minutes and through a variety of roads so the driver can get a real feel for the car. Don’t try to cut it short, for the buyer may wonder what your hiding. Some buyers will want their own mechanic to look over the car. This is not an unreasonable request but follow your intuition about whether or not you can trust him. If you have an inspection report from your mechanic it may put their worries at ease. At this point you should be able to tell a little something about his character. If they are incredulous and ask questions like, “What’s really wrong with it?” Simply refer them back to your mechanics report and give them another opportunity to overlook the car. This is a situation that both parties can potentially benefit and it does not have to be at all negative.

Now is the time to practice the delicate art of negotiating. If the person wants the car after the test drive then they will likely make you an offer of a number quite a bit lower than your asking price. Then you can offer them a number only slightly less than the asking price. You can barter back and forth till you come up with a number somewhere between what they offered and you want. Then you can both walk away feeling like you got a fair deal. If they are uncomfortable with direct negotiating, then they will likely hedge by saying something like, ‘I like the car but…’ then lapse into an uncomfortable silence or ‘It’s nice but the price it to high…’ at this point you can ask them what they are willing to pay you, or give them an offer that is under the original asking price but still acceptable for you and see if they take it. They may ask you ‘Will you accept…’ This is a good thing they are giving you a number less than what they are willing to pay and bluffing to convince you that is their top price. It is a good idea to not take the first low offer you are given as you will probably have more opportunities to sell your car at a better price for you. Alternatively if after several tries no one is willing to pay your asking price it may be time to go down a bit. Negotiating is not an argument though. It is simply a way to find a number that you both can be happy with. If the buyer’s offer is too low then you can simply stick to your guns and let him leave, if he really wants the car he may return the next day and if not then at least you did not settle for less than you could get.

Now for the fruits of your labor: The Payment. Here are some steps to protect yourself from theft and fraud: First, Take a deposit and make it clear to the buyer that it is non-refundable. That way the buyer will be less likely to pull out and if he does you don’t have to pay out of pocket to re-advertise. Second, keep your car until you get your full payment and the check or bank draft clears in the bank. Let the buyer know up front that you will be doing this to avoid contention. Third, prepare two copies of the written sales agreement, include on this the make and model, registration and vin numbers, year of the car, mileage known to be genuine (if not or if you have no way to find out then state ‘mileage not verified’, sales price and amount paid, buyers and name and address, your name and address, and a note that the vehicle is sold as seen. Also remember to cancel or transfer your insurance. Before the new owner drives away do one last check for anything you may have overlooked during the detailed cleaning. Who knows what long lost treasures from years past you might find hidden in a dark corner under the seats?

Now your almost done! Just make sure you transfer all the documentation affiliated with the car to the new owner. It is required to inform the DVLA of the sale by filling in the form on your car’s V5C document. If your car is listed with a security register(such as the RetainaGroup) you must inform them of the sale, too. The forms you need should be in the car’s documentation, if not look on the car window for the number to call. You should also call any company providing a warranty on the car – either a manufacturer or an independent – to inform it of the new owner’s details. Now that you have the paperwork completed you can be confident that your deal is finished.

After the sale, you can have peace of mind because you know you did everything correctly. You were honest about the condition of your car and you were complete and timely in your paperwork. Sit back and relax knowing you did your part in a win-win situation, some one now has a reliable new car and you now have some cash in the bank. Pat your self on the back for a job well done from the beginning research to the last signature. The benefits for the buyer and seller make selling your car smooth and profitable. Following these simple steps and tips can make the whole process run faster and end up more lucrative for you due to proper research and preparation.