Selling a vehicle isn’t always as easy as we first think. There are a lot of different methods that can be used to sell a vehicle and with each of these different methods comes different possible outcomes. Some of these outcomes involve the successful sale of the vehicle while others involve nothing but problems and headaches. The difference, of course, is in which method is used and how we go about using it.

How Things Have Changed

Before people began selling their vehicles online, it was typically straight forward. We would simply drive on over to the used car lot to get an offer, place a for “sale sign” in the window of the vehicle, or place an ad in the local paper’s classified section. One of these methods would usually end up working but it usually took much more time than anyone wanted to wait. Then the World Wide Web entered the picture and changed the way we buy and sell everyday items, including our vehicles.

The Internet is, by far, the most effective method used to sell vehicles today and for very good reason. When you place an ad in the local classifieds, or place a “for sale” sign in the window of a vehicle, the possibility of a final sale is limited by the number of individuals that actually become aware of the sale to begin with. To put it plainly, when more people are aware that a vehicle is available for purchase, the possibility of it being sold increases exponentially.

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The Internet isn’t called the World Wide Web for nothing. When you place an ad on the Internet to sell a vehicle, it’s ability to be viewed is only limited by the number of people with the ability to use a computer to get online. Now the “for sale” ad that was once limited to the local community is available for viewing by those in the entire state, country, and world.

While the ad being viewable by the entire world wouldn’t make much of a difference, when selling a vehicle, it being viewable by the entire state as well as surrounding states would. You’d be surprised at just how far people are willing to travel to take advantage of a great deal on a good vehicle. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to find people willing to travel from several states away just to pick up a vehicle that they purchased online.

Sell a Car Online

So now the question becomes how do we successfully sell a vehicle online and get cash for it? The answer to that question is actually much easier than you might think. There are a number of great websites that offer assistance with the sale of used vehicles. Most of these websites are geared towards individuals who want to personally sell their vehicle without having to deal with a middle man. Finding, and using, these sites is the best way to sell your vehicle for cash.

In most cases, you will be able to do enough research online to make a decision on whether or not that particular site will work for you. As a last resort, you can always enter the site name along with the word “reviews” into the search bar to bring up customer reviews on the success or failure of their attempts when using the website. The main thing to keep in mind is that, when it comes to the Internet, there are always other options. You never have to feel rushed into using one particular website if you are not comfortable with it.

Sell Your Car to a Dealer

One thing to consider is selling your car to a local used car dealer. Your car should be in good shape and not a junker because put yourself in the dealer’s shoes – they are going to have to try to sell it, so there should be some demand for a vehicle that they want to buy.

If you do sell a car to a dealer, just know that you won’t get very much for it. Again, they have to fix it up and then market it (advertise it) and sell it. They have to pay for the electricity at their lot. They have to pay a salesman. They have a lot of expenses. If you think your car is worth $5000, then only expect to get maybe $2500 to $2700 for it at the most.

This might not be the best option but if you need some quick cash for your car, then it’s one of the few options you have. To really get the most for your car, you’re going to want to sell it on your own. It’ll take more time and more work on your part but you’ll walk away with more cash than if you sold it to a dealer.

Scrap Your Car

Another option you have is to just junk your car and get cash for it. You can sell your junk car for cash if you want if you take it to a junk yard or place where scrap metal is bought. You won’t get a lot for it but if you need cash in your pocket, this is definitely an option.

Donate Your Car

Yet one more thing to mention is donating your car to charity. No, you don’t walk away with cash but you will walk away with a receipt and that receipt is good to show that you made a donation to a charity and you can use this as a deduction on your taxes (a write off). Make sure the charity is registered as a non-profit organization or else you won’t be able to deduct it.

Selling a Used Vehicle

Conclusion

The great thing now is that it’s much easier to sell a car than it used to be. When I was a kid, all there was were classified ads in the newspaper, hanging up signs at grocery stores and used car dealers. Today, you can do all of that AND also sell your car online. People don’t even have to leave their homes and they can find your car either on their computer or smart phone. That’s amazing if you think about it!

But to get some quick cash for your car, just posting it on Craig’s List might not be enough. It might not work fast enough. Sure, that’s a good place to start and you might try it for one weekend but if you need money faster, then we’d suggest going to a car dealer or scrap yard. Those are your best options.

If you have any comments or questions about this article, please leave them below and we’ll do our best to answer them. Please also be sure to like and share this article in your social media!

When a vehicle costs more to maintain than it is worth, it is time to consider getting it out of your garage. Even though the book value may be minimal, the scrap metal price often makes it worth selling. There are multiple options to consider when you are ready to part with your junk. A phone call or two is all it should take to get an eyesore out of your yard and some cash in your hand.

Scrap Metal Recyclers

These businesses pay by the pound for all metal including cars and trucks. If you are able to bring it to them they will weigh the car and pay you the current metal price. The price can vary greatly day to day so if you are looking for the best price, you can call ahead to see what they are currently paying.

If you have no way to get the vehicle to them, most can come out and tow the vehicle away for you. When you choose this option, they will often quote you a price for the vehicle and pay when they arrive to retrieve it. You may make less than if you took it directly to the yard yourself, however you save on the time and cost of towing.

Garages

Most car service garages have a need for quality used parts at a reasonable price. Purchasing scrap vehicles is a method for them to attain parts. If you have a vehicle with some useable parts, you may find a garage willing to pay you for the car. Usually these are smaller, owner operated facilities, rather than dealer garages. They usually will pay only a minimal amount but most garages that are interested will tow away the vehicle themselves.

The downside is that you might spend a lot of time calling around to see who might be interested in taking your car. You might think the more rare your car, the better but that might not be true. If a car is rare, they might not use the parts quickly, which means they will hang around a while. If selling to a garage, the more common the car, the better.

Salvage Yards/Used Parts Dealers

Businesses who deal in used tires and parts are always on the lookout for reasonable sources for more parts. The price they offer will depend on the vehicle itself as well as how many parts are reusable. You may also need to have the vehicle towed to them.

Individual Scrappers

Many people today make a living from gathering scrap metal. You will only receive part of the value of the vehicle from them because they will still need to be able to also make a profit from the sale as well. This is a great option if you are not near a scrap yard and would have to pay to tow it somewhere. Finding these people might take some time or you could be lucky and have one fairly close to you. Ask around.

Classifieds or Auction

Even if your car has no value to you, there may well be someone out there trying to find parts for their own vehicle like yours. If your car is the same make and model as theirs, they will happily purchase yours for spare parts on their own car. It saves them money from buying retail or from a used parts dealer and they can scrap whatever is left when they are finished.

Post your junk car in an online classifieds website under the appropriate category. Craig’s List works well. Be sure to clearly state that what you’re selling is a car for parts or salvage. State that it does not run. This way, it’s clear and you won’t get the wrong kinds of people interested in your car. Someone might think they’re getting a really good deal on a running car when it doesn’t run.

Another good option is eBay. I’ve bought parts off of eBay for my MR2, which is a rare car. If your car is rare, then you can make some good cash just selling parts online – at auctions. You will have to remove the part and take good, clear pictures of it. People will want to know if the part works or not. If it doesn’t, then what are you doing selling it?

Fire/Rescue Departments

Fire departments are often looking for vehicles to use as training for accident recoveries. Some will have a budget that enables them to pay a small amount for the vehicle, others will give you a donation form for you to use it as a tax deduction. Either way you will be free of your junk and you will know it is going to a good cause.

Conclusion

The most profitable way to sell is typically through a scrap metal recycler. However, if your car is lightweight, yet has many parts that are still good for reuse, parting it out may earn you a higher profit. It’ll just take more time and you will have to do more work.

It is sensible to check several options and go with the one which offers you the best deal. If you are mechanically proficient, you may find a combination sale works best. You can remove the viable parts and resell them to a parts dealer and then sell the vehicle for scrap once it is stripped. You could make some good money doing this, actually.

Keep in mind you will need to have a title or proof of ownership to dispose of any vehicle and most states will require notification when a vehicle has been scrapped.

But if you don’t want to trade in for a new car, a car dealer might just give you cash on the spot. This article will review this topic completely and we’ll do our best to give you the best advice.

Understand the Dealer

Before you get your hopes up about getting top dollar for your car from a dealer, you should understand the dealer’s situation first. Put yourself in their shoes for a minute.

Unlike you, the used car dealer has what is called “overhead.” That means they have more expenses to pay for. They have to pay for their property, which is usually in a prime location – either in the form of rent/lease or a mortgage on the buildings and land. They also have to pay employees to drive cars around the lot, clean cars, fix cars, answer phones, clean the building and sell the cars. They have to pay for advertising either on billboards, TV or radio and even the Internet (their website and online advertising). They have things like insurance (for their employees, the building, the lot, etc.) and then they probably have an electric bill that’s higher than yours since they have a bigger building and a lot of lights on their car lot. And then there are probably a number of expenses that I’ve not even listed here.

After all that, do you think that they’re going to give you the same amount of money for your car that they could sell it for? No way. They’ll probably give you about half. They have to make enough money on the car where they pay for their expenses and then also make some money extra to invest in their business.

Would you buy an item from someone and then spend a lot of your own time and money only to sell it for the same price and not make anything for your effort? Do you work for your employer for free? Of course not. They’re running a business and there’s no reason to run a business if it’s not going to end up being profitable and making money. It’s not a charity.

Probably Not a Good Idea

If you had an extra car and really needed cash quickly, then selling a car to a dealer for cash might make sense. Except for that situation, it’s really not a good idea. You can make more money on a car if you try to sell it yourself privately.

You can use tools like Craig’s List to help you sell your car. We also have a lot of article here on this website with tips on how to sell your car quickly and for the most money. Sure, doing that will take more time, but for how much more you can make, selling it yourself makes a lot more sense.

How the Process Works

If you were to sell a car to a dealer, you should know how the process works.

First, you will need to drive the car to the dealer. You can’t do it over the phone or over email or anything. they will need to physically see the vehicle, inspect it and test drive it.

Second, they will do their appraisal and then give you an offer. They usually give you something like 7 days to accept the offer but maybe less. If you don’t do it right on the spot and come back later, they might need to inspect the vehicle again to make sure nothing has changed. Some places might require you to either accept or decline their offer right there so that they don’t have to re-inspect the vehicle.

The appraisal might take 30-45 minutes of your time as they need to thoroughly go over the vehicle.

Tips on taking the car to the dealer:

• Make sure the title is clean – meaning, paid off / no loan. If it’s paid off, make sure the title is in order.
• Even if you owe money on it, you can still most likely get cash for the car. Call the bank or lien holder and get the 15-day payoff amount, which would be the amount you would pay to get it completely paid off.
• Make sure the car is clean and looking its best.
• Make sure the fluids have been topped off.
• The car should smell good.
• Shine the tires and wheels.
• Clean the windows.
• If you have any stickers or junky accessories on the car, remove them.
• Point out any recent maintenance (although, they’ll figure it out in the appraisal)

Try to get more than one appraisal before making your decision. Sure, spending 45 minutes per dealership will take time, but you could make a few hundred more, so that time is worth it. You also get peace of mind knowing that you did your homework and found the best deal.

Selling a Car at CarMax

One place that people seem to give good reviews about is CarMax. They have dealers in a lot of major cities and I think they’re the only national used car dealer there is just selling used cars. I don’t have personal experience with them but my brother bought an SUV from them. He was really happy with the salespeople and he said how it was low pressure and honest.

If you have any experience with selling a used car to CarMax or a review, please leave your comments in at the end of this article – we’d like to hear from you.

Trade in Your Car for a New One

Along with trying to get cash for your car, you can always consider trading in your vehicle. Think about what I just wrote above, though. When you trade your car in, the dealer still has to cover all their expenses and make some money. The difference with a trade is that the dealer can play with the numbers and make it seem like you’re getting a deal.

Here’s a quick example:

Let’s say you have a good Toyota Camry that you want to trade in. The Kelly Blue Book on it says it’s worth $7000 if you sold it on your own. Let’s say this is also the price that the dealer might sell the car at to one of their customers. Half of that value is $3500 and it might be what you get if you sold it to them for cash.

The car you’re looking at is a used Honda Accord. It’s worth $12,000. They’re willing to sell it as low as $11,000 and still make money on it. If you walked up with cash, you could get it for that price.

Now if they buy your car for $3500 cash, they’ll make $3500 on it, right?

If they give you $3500 off the price of the Accord, then they make $4500 on it because they made the $3500 plus the $1000 you could have gotten if you had cash. What they do, though, is tell you that they will give you $4500 for the Camry.

That’s just a rough numbers example to give you an idea on how playing with numbers can work. It’s actually a little more complex than that.

Pros and Cons to Selling Your Car Privately

• When you sell your car yourself, you’ll make more money than what a dealer would give you.
• Trading in or selling a car to a dealer is usually a same day transaction (quick).
• Selling a vehicle privately will take more time and effort:
  • You have to clean and prep the vehicle
  • You might need to get things fixed on the vehicle
  • You have to do advertising / place ads online and around town
  • You have to answer questions about the car from many callers or people emailing you
  • You have to be available to show the car
  • You have to do some paperwork in order to transfer ownership of the car

After writing that, it really seems like selling or trading in a car to a dealer makes the most sense but it actually doesn’t. The amount of money you get selling it yourself is worth it. If it’s $2000 more and all the work above takes 10 hours of your time, then you’ve just valued your time at $200 per hour, right? Now doesn’t that make more sense?

What do Dealers do With the Cars They Give Cash for?

Most of them will sell the car wholesale or at an auction. This means that they’ll get even less than retail price – which is the price they’d get selling it on their lot to someone. At auctions, the cars end up at other dealers – usually the smaller ones.

Some will keep the cars they buy on their lot for a while before putting the car in an auction to sell to other dealers.

This is a little off topic, but when I bought my used BMW (which you see pictures of here on this website), the car had been on the lot for almost 90 days and it was just about to go to auction. The dealer took one more chance to sell the car by knocking the price down to the same amount they thought they’d get for the car if it went to auction. By doing this, they get to avoid auction fees and the hassle of getting the car to the auction. I know this website is mostly about selling a car but there’s a bonus tip about buying a car.

Conclusion

Selling a car to a dealership is an option you have. It’ll be quick and you’ll get cash. On the other hand, selling a car privately by yourself will get you more money for your car even though it’ll take time and some work.

One thought… if you happen to have a friend or relative or someone you know that needs some money, then you might consider asking them to sell your car for you if you don’t have the time or don’t want to do it. Promise them 10-20% of the price or something like that. They’ll do all the work and you’ll just show up to do the final paperwork when there’s a buyer that has already put some money down to hold it. This might not work for a lot of people but it might be something you’d be interested in. Talk to some friends and see if they would want to do that.

If you have any other thoughts or comments, please leave them below and we can maybe get a conversation going here about this topic. Please also share this article online so that others can benefit from it.

Pricing Your Car or Truck

You have to price your vehicle so that it will sell. If it’s priced too high, you won’t have many interested buyers. If it’s priced too low, then you’ve missed out on some money you could have made. People might think their car is worth more than it really is and end up pricing it too high. One way to test this is start with a higher price and see if there are any takers. The downside is that people might be watching what you’re selling the car for and know that you had to reduce the price if they’ve seen your car for sale a while.

The best thing to do is some simple research. You’ll find out what the market price is and what you should try to sell it for.

Step 1: Gather Up Information About Your Vehicle

This might sound simple and like something you don’t need to do but if you skip this step, it could cost you hundreds or thousands.

Here is the information you should collect – write it down or write it up in a Word document (which is what I would suggest since you will use this information later for creating ads):

• Vehicle Make (example: Ford)
• Vehicle Model (example: Focus)
• Year (example: 2009)
• Trim Type / Style (example: sedan, coupe, hatchback, convertible)
• Options
• Mileage
• Color (interior and exterior)
• Transmission Type (example: manual or automatic)
• Engine Size (example: 4 cylinder, 2.0 liter)
• Drive Train (example: front wheel, rear wheel, all wheel, 4 wheel drive)
• Condition
• VIN Number
• Remainder of Factory Warranty
• Fuel Type (gasoline, diesel, hybrid, electric)

Vehicle Options

This is important. When the car was purchased, it might not have been all stock – meaning, it might have had some upgrades right off the factory floor. You or another previous owner might have had some upgrades done as well. Even if your car does just have the stock options, it’s good to list those.

Here are some options you should list:

• air conditioning / multi-zone air conditioning
• stereo / CD / MP3 / cassette / satellite
• entertainment system (DVD and video screens)
• sunroof / mooonroof
• cruise control
• fog lights
• air bags
• power windows
• power locks
• keyless entry
• power mirrors
• intermittent wipers / rain sensing wipers
• read window wiper
• automatic climate control
• heater mirrors
• security system
• tinted windows
• leather seats
• factory GPS / navigation
• power seats / memory seats
• heated seats
• heated steering wheel
• rear window defroster
• dual / performance exhaust
• auto-dimming rear view mirror
• alloy wheels
• xenon lights (high intensity lights)
• auto headlights on/off
• delay off headlights
• daytime running lights
• bluetooth connectivity
• fold down seats
• reclining seats / passenger adjustable seats
• anti-lock brakes
• rear camera
• traction control
• coin holder
• vanity mirrors
• child safety locks
• 3-point rear seatbelts
• beverage holders
• power outlets
• outside temperature gauge
• compass
• remote start
• low pressure tire warning
• touch screen display
• rear spoiler
• reading lights
• emergency communication system
• leather shift knob
• illuminated entry
• garage door tranmitter
• sunglasses storage
• occupant sensing airbag
• door storage bins
• pedal memory
• roof rack
• towing hitch
• run flat tires
• split folding rear seats
• steering wheel mounted audio controls
• tilt steering wheel
• trip computer
• push button start
• panic alarm
• overhead console

I’ve listed about all the possible options possible so that you can make sure you’re listed all that pertain to your vehicle in your ad. These options will help determine the price as well, so don’t forget any.

If you have the original window sticker, that will help, too.

Make sure to list any aftermarket upgrades you’ve done like the stereo or wheels.

Condition

Figure out what condition your vehicle is in. Here is where you might want to consider either finding missing parts, replacing seats, floor mats (a cheap fix) as well as fixing any mechanical issues.

Cars with good tires and brakes always command a higher price. If your car needs this work, consider getting it done as you’ll fetch more for the vehicle and that increase in price will (should) cover the money you invest in the vehicle. Plus, it takes these things out of the equation so that they can’t be negotiated on later – in fact, you can use them to your advantage and justify the price you’re asking.

People want a safe car, so do make sure the brakes, tires and steering are in good to great (new) condition.

Step 2: Do Some Research

Next, now that you have all your information together, you can look up what a fair price is for your vehicle. You’ll do this on some websites:

Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) – Get an estimate on what your car is worth if you plan to sell it yourself. Enter the year, make and model of your car along with the current mileage. You will be asked for your ZIP code as well so that the price is for your area.

You will get the values listed for your car in excellent, very good, good and fair conditions.

NADA Guides (nadaguides.com) – This website works about the same way. You’ll enter your ZIP code, then the make, year and model.

With this website, you’ll also get values for the car in different conditions: clean retail, clean trade-in, average trade-in, rough trade-in.

Step 3: Compare and Set a Price

Take the two estimates that you have and you should have a good idea of what your car should sell for. You’ll want to add in a little more for any upgrades you’ve done, any recent work you’ve had done to the car and a little extra for some haggle room.

You can also go onto car websites like AutoTrader and eBay Motors and look up your car’s make, model and year and see what cars are listed at or what auctions have sold. You can even watch a few auctions at eBay and see what those cars end up selling for.

Conclusion

If you’ve followed what I wrote here, you should now have a good idea of a price you should set for your vehicle along with a Word document listing basic information about your car and options. You can now decide if you indeed want to sell your car or maybe you’ll decide to hold onto it for a little while.

When going for a new car or a new used car, you’ll want to look at how much that car is going to cost you in terms of a monthly payment, insurance, fuel and repairs. See if it makes sense to sell your car now or not. Newer cars should have less in repairs and better gas mileage but having a monthly payment (loan) is probably more than what you’re going to save.

If you plan on selling, then check out more articles on this website showing you more things you can do to prepare your car for selling.

Thanks for reading this post. If you have some comments or questions, please leave them below. Please also share this great article with other people that you know.

If you have a car that you want or need to get rid of, you have some options. Donating the car to charity is one option. You may want to get cash for your car to help pay for some bills or have some spending money. There are places/companies that want to buy your junk car and they will pay you cash.

This article gives you information on how to get money for your car with some tips to help you get the most for it.

Sell my Car Quickly

If you’re looking for fast cash for your car, just know that you’re not going to get as much for it as if you were to have a higher price and wait for the right buyer. To sell it quickly, you’ll have to price it lower or accept a lower price. You’re not so much in the driver’s seat on the deal because you’ll need to accept whatever offer you can get right away.

Better Than Towing

A great benefit of having a company give you cash for your car or a donation is that they will come and pick it up for free. This surely beats you having to pay someone to come pick it up / tow it. Even if you don’t get that much for it, at least you didn’t have to pay to get your car towed away to a junk yard.

Why Will Someone Buy Your Junk Car?

To get paid cash for your car, there obviously has to be some value in that old car you have just sitting there or why would someone pay for it?

Junk vehicles (even ones that don’t start or run) are good for a number of things. They can be torn apart for parts, which can then be sold online or to junkyards. Also, there are materials in the car that are worth something. The price of steel keeps increasing as well as other metals, so those parts get melted down and used again.

In a way, when you sell your car, you’re recycling it so that the metal can be used again in another vehicle. It’s a very “green” thing to do as we renew the resources here on Earth.

What Kind of Cars Will They Buy?

Since the buyer is looking for what materials are in the car, it does not need to start or be in running condition. Because of this, many types of cars are acceptable:

• From model year 2001 or older – some will take cars newer than that
• Cars with 150,000 miles or more
• Cars/trucks that run
• Cars/trucks that don’t run
• Damaged vehicles
• Vehicles with a salvage title

When you go to a website or company that could take your car off your hands, they might want to know of few things about the car in order to get an instant quote, like:

• Are the tires inflated? They need to know this in order to know if the car can be towed. The tires don’t have to be good ones but it’ll help you if the car can roll. If the steering works, that’ll help, too.
• Is the car running and drivable? Along with some tires on it, if the car can be driven, it might help you get a better price since it’ll be easier to move.
• The mileage. They will, of course, want to know the make, model, year and mileage on the vehicle.
• The shape of the exterior. They need to know if the car is in tact or if there are things like doors and bumpers missing. They will want to know if there are dents in the car or rust because if they can resell a fender or something, it’s worth more.
• Are the lights in tact?
• Is there fire or flood damage?
• Is the interior in decent shape?

If there are some special things with your car (accessories, etc.), then see if there’s a way to contact whomever is getting you a quote and mention those items. Doing this might increase the value of your vehicle.

Car Title Issues?

If you don’t have a title for your car (lost, stolen), then you might run into some issues. The ownership of the car, even if it’s a junker, will have to be cleared up with the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state. Most places that will pay you for your car will take care of this for you but be aware that it’s a potential roadblock that might come up.

It is best if you do have your car title and that it’s clear – which means there’s no lien on it from a bank. The title should be in your name. If you don’t have a car title like this, then just explain what happened.

Before You Get Quotes

One important thing to mention is that with minimal work, you might be able to get a little extra cash for your car than you thought. If you car has some nice parts on it, then you should consider putting them on eBay for a few weeks. Parts like alloy wheels, lights, interior parts, stereo systems and other parts in good shape can easily be taken off and sold on eBay. I’ve bought a number of parts for cars I’ve owned there.

It works because many junkyards (for some odd reason) haven’t yet thought to put all their available parts online. Also, I think some of them just use eBay to sell parts rather than set up a website full of good car parts because eBay has such a good audience for vehicle parts.

Something like a rear tail light can get you $40 or $50 or more. People are looking for tail lights because they tend to get broken in accidents or by hitting posts or angry girlfriends. Tail lights need to be in good working condition and not cracked by law, so they’re a hot item.

Even right now, I’m thinking about a few car parts I have in my garage that I replaced/upgraded from my Acura that I could sell on eBay and make some money with. They’re just sitting there and they’re worth cash!

Check Your Car’s Value

You can get quotes from places that want your car for junk but also knowing what your car might go for in your area is good to know. Find the value or your car online with websites like Kelly Blue Book or Edmund’s and make sure you rate the car in poor condition or the lowest possible condition.

Don’t expect to get the full value of your car from a junk car buyer. This is important to note. They might give you half or even less. They have to put some work into the car either by tearing it apart and finding buyers or other work. They have employees to pay and other overhead costs like their building, tow trucks and so on. Even so, it’s good to have some kind of car appraisal in your mind as you get quotes and offers.

Get Multiple Offers Before You Sell

Don’t just settle for one quote. Shop your junk car around and find out the best price (the most money) you can get for your junk car or truck. There are places in your local area that can give you quotes on the phone. If you can’t find one, then there are a lot of websites that will do this. They will do the work of finding a place in your area that will end up taking the car.

So shop it around online. Just a few more minutes of doing this can get you hundreds more, so it’s definitely worth the time.

Do Some Research on Who You Sell the Car to

Make sure that whomever you’re selling your car to will give you cash (not a check) and that they have good testimonials and reviews. You simply just need to only accept cash. It’s cleaner. If you get a check and it doesn’t clear, the company has already left with your car, so it might be hard to track them down.

Look for reviews online of the company. Do a search with the company name + “review” and see what you get. There are a lot of websites that post reviews of businesses (like Yelp) and you can see what other people have said. The company website make look nice but they could actually have terrible reviews, so don’t just trust their website.

You can also check with the Better Business Bureau and find out what reviews are there or what kind of rating that business has.

A little research can save you money and headaches, so don’t skip this step!

Conclusion

Having a company looking for junk cars give you cash for your car will most likely get you less money than if you have a good working car that you sell locally in the newspaper or online. If you do sell your car to a junk car company, then you save yourself a bit of work trying to clean or fix up the car and try to sell it yourself. It’s definitely a lot quicker and in many cases, might definitely be worth it going this route.

I hope this article helped you a bit. Be sure to share this with your friends and then leave some comments if you think something I missed.

If you are looking to sell your car, you may face some challenges. There are many factors which determine the price of a used car. If you are planning to sell a used car yourself, you need to consider all these factors and take action where needed.

When you plan to sell your car, take some time to review the following tips. These tips will help you make the most out of your deal. You will be able to extract more value on your car. Some of these tips require a bit of money, while others require a bit of time. However, if you use these tips while selling your car, you will be assured of a great deal. You will be able to significantly increase the car’s selling price.

Mechanical Issues

If there are any mechanical issues with your car, buyers may be scared away. You need to fix all the mechanical issues if you can. Even if you don’t want to fix mechanical issues, at least talk to a mechanic so that you can tell the buyer about an estimated cost when selling your car.

Tune Up and Inspection

Before selling your car, take it to a garage for a thorough inspection. This will let you know about the condition of lights, tires and brakes. Everything should be working and in good condition if you want a high price. Ask the mechanic to change the oil and inflate tires properly.

Vehicle History Report

Usually, buyers tend to get a report from CARFAX or other similar services If your buyer gets a report and you don’t have one, any issue listed on the report may come as a surprise to you. Even if your car is in good condition, there still may be some issues that may scare away buyers. Get a report, read it and ask the reporting company to fix any errors if there are any.

Detailing the Car

Almost every buyer loves a clean interior. In fact, one of the things that a buyer hates most in a car is smelly or dirty interior. Thus, detailing your car should top your priority list.

A full detail including cleaning cup holders, they engine bay, doing stain removal, wax, tire shine and carpet cleaning is extremely important. You should ask the car detailer to remove window and bumper stickers. Also ask him to remove any sticky residue. Seat conditioning is also very important as it makes your seats look brand new.

Don’t forget to have the carpets steam cleaned and put in a light air freshener. Smelling is a strong sense and you don’t want it smelling bad. If the car smells too strong of perfumes, that might turn people off, wondering what you’re hiding.

Cleaning

In case you park the car outside, it is important to rinse it off every week before each scheduled showing. If you are still using your car, it is important to keep the interior clean. Cleaning your car regularly gives the impression it was kept in good condition.

Mention Everything

Always mention everything about the car / be honest. While posting an ad, you should mention the make, year, model, condition, features, mileage and any kind of history that a buyer may want to know. For instance, if your car was involved in an accident, you should disclose some details about the accident and repairs that were made. You should also tell the buyer about any long-term effects. Usually, mechanical issues, accidents or cosmetic issues don’t kill a deal. However, misleading facts and dishonesty may.

Extensive Listing

List your car extensively on online forums and websites. There are even some specific websites which help buyers find used cars. Extensive listings will ensure maximum exposure and you will be able to get many options to choose from.

Prompt Response

Whenever a potential buyer calls or emails, you should respond promptly. It is important to respond within minutes or within the hour if at all possible. Buyers tend to look at numerous options at the same time. Usually, the first to return a call is able to make a sale.

Take Lots of Good Photographs

You should take multiple photographs of the car. Take shots from all angles and sides. You should photograph everything including the wheels, exterior and interior. This will help you for marketing purposes. You should also photograph all the features like the sunroof, navigation screen, satellite radio and DVD player. Take pictures of each tire as well as the engine.

Go to a place near by that looks good. If you can get the car on some nice grass or else an expensive looking place, then the car will look better. Of course, be careful and ask permission if necessary. Sometimes a local park will work or by a river, lake or ocean might be nice, too.

Make sure the lighting is good and that you don’t have a glare in the lens. Partly cloudy days work good for car photographs because if you catch the sun the right way, you can have blue skies in the background and no glare from the sun on the car.

Look through all the pictures you’ve taken and then decide on the best ones to put in your advertisements.

Pricing Your Car

Again, do your research and know what the car should sell for. See what other cars of your make, model, year and mileage have sold for. Have a price in mind of how low you will go and then stick to it. Go up about $500 or so from your bottom price so that you have some room to negotiate with buyers.

Conclusion

All the tips mentioned in this article don’t require too much money or time. However, they will significantly increase the value of your car. Always use these tips to make the most out of your car sale and get the most cash for your car.

If you have more great car selling tips, please leave them in the comments. Feel free to share this article with your friends.

Below are helpful tips on how to sell your car yourself for the most cash.

Selling Your Vehicle

You shouldn’t make your car look like something you’ve gotten tired of, something you are just too eager to let go. Even if that is the case, the impression you should give when selling your car is that of someone who is so much attached to it, and who values it very much. This kind of attitude will make potential buyers think that you’ve always taken great care of your car, even if it has suffered some few accidents, poor maintenance and numerous dents.

1. Make Your Car Look Great

Think about your car like a bride being led away to her bridal home. She must be well coiffed, embroidered with pearls, and made to reveal the best of her beauty. You should not bring your car to the market in bad shape, looking dirty and with noticeable scratches and dents. This should not surprise you; people will want to buy clean and attractive cars. You’ll not get much for your car if it looks like something picked from the junkyard.

Always remember how you felt the very moment you made up your mind to buy the car you are about to sell and work hard to create that feeling in your prospective buyers by cleaning your car, replacing old parts, and improving the paint. In short, make it shiny.

2. Think like a Car Dealer: Detail and Service Your Car

Car dealers can make the most of old cars that look useless and completely worn out. The secret to their success is common knowledge today: they have cars detailed. Spending $100 bucks to service your car will bring great rewards when you finally sell it.

Car detailers improve the paint, remove scratches, shampoo carpets, remove grease from the engine and replace floor mats. With the proper detailing, you can make your car look brand new and attractive.

Some repairs you’ll need to do to improve the overall rating of your car will include changing tires, fixing the locks that do not work well and fixing dents.

3. Prepare the Necessary Paperwork for Your Car

This may not seem very necessary, but it can be one of the major elements to think about when selling a car. By presenting maintenance papers, you’ll put the buyer’s mind at ease.

After polishing up your car, and getting it ready for the market, you should, like a valiant soldier showing off his brass buttons on an army uniform, prepare to present good papers.

Buyers will also trust you more when they see your CARFAX Vehicle History Report and service records.

4. Be Smart About the Entire Transaction

Where you sell your car can determine how much you get for it. Before deciding where to sell the car, it is important to work out its real value.

You may have done a lot of research on car sales and have greatly improved the condition of your car, but buyers will have done their research,too. Buyers have an idea of the market price of cars like yours. By being realistic, you’ll come off more convincing, whether you’re selling to a dealer or to an individual. Make sure you give a reasonable price for your car.

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of selling your car in a dealer trade-in and decide accordingly; the price will certainly be lower than what you can get if you sell the car to an individual.

5. Advertise Your Car

After improving the condition and general appearance of your car, you should get the best advertising for it. The Internet offers free avenues for advertising and you can reach out to a good number of interested buyers. Get the best photos of your car and create free ads on sites like Craig’s List. Post photos on your Facebook profile and announce on social media platforms that you’re selling your car. This way, you’ll reach out to many potential buyers.

If you use a good advertising strategy, you’ll definitely receive many calls, which gives you the opportunity to take the highest bid for the car.

Conclusion

Some people may feel rushed to sell their car and lose out on hundreds of dollars that they could have received if they would have taken some time to get the car ready to sell. Spending a couple weeknights improving your car will fetch you more for it when you post it on Craig’s List Saturday morning.

We hope this article provided you with some good tips to get you the most cash for your car. If we missed something, please leave a comment for us. Please also share this article and pass it on to others.