Are you having trouble deciding whether to sell your car because you still owe money on it? There are a few things you can try and choices you have.

How to Privately Sell a Car That is Financed

A lot of people think that Carmax is a good and easy way to sell your car because they are all over the nation, and can give you fairly good terms when you want to sell your car. When you have the problem that you owe more than the car is worth however, the choices are not so easy, and it might be worth it to keep your car a little longer to find the best deal.

A dealer is probably the best option in that case. You can still sell it outright, but you will owe something on the balance.

Some people think this is a better option than trading for another car that you still owe more money on. It really depends on how comfortable you are with owing money on your car. Most people buy their cars with the debt still outstanding on their old car, and the dealer would make you what is called a ‘rollover’ loan.

You may find a private buyer at Carmax, and in such a case the company will pay your lien-holder and the individual can buy the car from Carmax. But this depends again on whether you owe more than the car is worth.

Selling it With a Loan

It’s easier to sell a car after you have paid it off. But under some conditions it may be necessary to sell it while you still owe some money on it.

It looks as if the best way to solve such a conundrum is to open an escrow account so that the buyer’s money will be safe, while the owner can sell the car to the bank or lender in order to pay off the loan. This isn’t quite so simple as it seems.

A Turn Off for Buyers?

It may turn potential buyers off if they find out that there’s an outstanding loan on the car. It means they’re going to have to jump through some hoops with you in order to close the sale and get the clear title transferred to them.

Other buyers may see it as an opportunity to get a lower price. They’ll gladly jump through the necessary hoops with you but they’ll want a lower price to pay for the car. Maybe it’s not a big deal – just know that they may ask for a lower price since there’s a loan out still.

Try to Pay it Off

If it all possible, try to pay of the car first. If you can maybe borrow money from someone or use some other money, then it might be a good choice to first pay it off. In doing so, you’ll attract more buyers for it and that means you can get a better price and sell it more quickly.

Then, once you have your successful sale, pay back the money that you borrowed to pay off the car. You’ll then be a bit ahead financially than if you tried to sell a car with a loan and had buyers talk you down in price because of the loan being there on the vehicle.

Other Options You May Have

One of the easier methods however, is to get the book value of your car and once you have found a prospective buyer, you can both sign a bill of sale, with the stipulation that the new owner will pay the outstanding bill or pay you until the balance is paid. In this event you must keep copies of all transactions so that there will be no question of who is paying what.

One more way to make the transaction is to find a private party that wants your car, and make an appointment with your lender. Then you both go to the lender or bank at the same time and have them help you with the paper work.

Your current lender is really the first place you should start however because they get asked questions like this all the time. When you do this through your local lending institution, they are happier as well. Before you start to sell the car, find out it’s worth, and check out all the options you have including searching the Internet. You may find it easier than you thought.

One more option to yet think about is to just wait and not sell the vehicle now. If you can pay it off in 6 months, then do you best to do that instead. Sometimes the best thing to do financially is to just wait and not make a move.

More Advice on Selling a Car With a Loan

The Sale of the Vehicle

If there’s a loan on it or not, remember all the other things you need to do to have a successful sale. You should clean the car, get some things fixed, take good photographs, write good ads, advertise the car both offline and online and then take the calls that come in and answer questions. Doing all these things will help you get more money for your vehicle.

You’ll have to put some effort in if you want to make some money or make enough money on the sale to pay off the loan and be free of that burden.

Conclusion

Again, it’s trick to sell a car when there’s money still owed on it because it’s not technically your property to sell. The bank or lender still legally owns all or part of it. In order to transfer the title of the vehicle to another person, the title must be clear – which means there can be no other lien holders, or in other words, no loan out on the car. It must be free and clear to sell it.

Here’s another great article we have here about this topic, which I invite you to read:

How to Sell a Car Privately When it is Financed

You’ll find more information and great tips there.

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There are a lot of variables to making the decision of selling a vehicle. What are the pros and cons to waiting? What are the pros and cons to selling now? Hopefully this article can help you with your decision making process.

Why Oh Why?

First question you need to ask yourself is, why do I want to sell my car? Is it an extra car that you just don’t use much anymore? Did your transportation needs change and you are wondering if you can do without? If it’s the former than there are several things to consider. One would be maintenance, even if you rarely use the vehicle you should still maintain it for when you do end up selling it. Things like keeping it clean and making sure it’s still in good working order are important but because you aren’t using this car regularly those costs probably won’t add up as much. There’s less wear and tear and it’s not like you have to pay for gas as often as you would with a car that is used daily. You will, however, have to continue to pay insurance for it, so if that is a cost that you feel adds up then that is certainly a consideration.

As to the latter, then there are some additional considerations. One being, are you still actively paying off the car? If you have found other transportation means that you feel are adequate to your needs then having to pay probably hundreds of dollars a month, plus gas, plus insurance, plus other variables such as tolls or parking depending on where you live, then all of that can add up to quite the sum. While with bus fees in most cities, for instance, might cost you a $100 to $200 a month, depending on usage. If you have already paid off this vehicle well then the other fees associated with having a car day-to-day can still be more than using the bus or other transportation means.

By understanding why you feel the need to sell your vehicle you better understand the urgency of the situation. Another factor to consider is the market itself.

How is the Car Economy?

Since the recession began, the demand for vehicles has dropped because a lot of people have decided they cannot afford making such a large purchase. While there are differences in the used car market vs the new car market, it is important to acknowledge that demand for any type of car is currently weak and this affects all types of vehicles across the board.

A Buyer’s Market or Seller’s Market?

One might also call this time a buyer’s market because for those that can or need to buy a new vehicle they have a lot more power and options than they would in a healthier market, thus potentially making it more difficult for someone trying to sell.

On the other hand, there were a lot of older cars that were scrapped during the “Cash for Clunkers” government program and that means there are fewer older cars available – which there is always a demand for.

What is Your Car Worth?

One more aspect to examine would be the depreciation of your vehicle. Calculate how much you could potentially get for your car now and in a year or two. This is especially important if you still owe money on your car. If you are in the lucky spot of being able to get more for your vehicle than you owe, then it would almost be silly not to make the attempt at selling it.

The first thing you’ll want to do is find out how much you owe. Call your bank or lender and get the payoff amount. They will tell you what that is and then how long that amount is good for – like maybe 2 weeks or 30 days. It’s the amount you’d have to bring in to completely pay off the vehicle.

If you don’t owe anything on your car, then go to the next step…

The next thing to do is figure out how much you can get for your car. There are websites like Kelly Blue Book and others that will help you estimate what your car might be worth. Another good place to look is eBay Motors. We explain how to do this in another, good article here on this website:

What Should I Sell My Car For?

Are You Attached to Your Car?

Another thing to understand is that even for the most practical, logical, and/or pragmatic person, selling your vehicle might become somewhat emotionally difficult — it’s not uncommon for people to become attached to their vehicles. Not only is it a big purchase, but a lot of people spend time researching for one that fits not only their needs but also their style, there is a lot to get attached to.

Sell it Yourself or With a Dealer?

Finally, one last consideration would be if you plan on selling to a dealership or privately; the former will probably mean getting less for your vehicle but the latter will most certainly take longer to sell. Ideally, you want your car to sell quickly and get a lot for it. Sure, that’s ideal but it might not happen. It’ll depend on things like your market, the economy, the time of year and your vehicle. Going with a dealer might be the best option for you, so definitely think and consider it. You can even talk to a few dealers and get some offers.

Conclusion

Ultimately, you will have to make the decision if you want to sell your car or wait. If you’re not sure, then you can always put it out there for sale with a higher price and see if you get any interest. I’ve done that… I got it ready, advertised it and put a high price on it. I didn’t get any takers then but at least I knew that I didn’t miss out on anything – meaning, a buyer that really wanted it for about any price. You might get lucky and find such a person but to get in that situation, you have to make the decision to sell your car or not.

If you just can’t afford your car right now, then put it up for sale and at get at least what you owe on it. When you get rid of your car, you won’t have expenses like fuel, insurance, repairs and cleaning (car washes, etc.). You’ll save money. You can always save up or choose to finance a car later when things get better.

Thanks for stopping by and reading this article. We hope you share it with others. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments area below and we’ll be sure to answer your question.

Can I Sell a Financed Car?

First of all, yes – you can privately sell a car that is still financed. You can sell it yourself or trade it in at a dealer but you’ll get more for the vehicle when you sell it yourself (that’s sort of the point of this whole website – helping you sell your car quickly and get the most for it by doing it yourself).

The main thing you need to know is that you have to call your bank (or wherever it’s financed) and ask for the payoff amount. This is the amount you would have to pay in order to get rid of the loan and have the car just in your name.

Along with that, you’ll need to notify anyone coming to see the vehicle that the title is not clear and that there’s still a loan on the car. Be sure to tell them that you know the payoff amount. They’ll ask what that is and it’s fine to tell them. It just can’t be for more than you’re asking – you’d essentially be “underwater” with your vehicle loan-wise if this is the case.

Underwater With a Car Loan

Being underwater with your car loan means you owe more on the car than it’s worth. This is a problem if you want to sell the car. Your best option here is to wait or find the money to pay down the loan more so that you’re not underwater with it. You should ask yourself if you really need to get a different car or if you can wait.

I was in this situation once – I traded in a car that I owed money on and got a new car. The dealer and bank then rolled what I owed on the old car into the new loan. I look back and don’t know why they did that. It seems that today, banks would be less likely to do that.

One option is to try to sell the car, get the most you can for it and then take out a personal loan or home equity loan to cover the difference. You might even be able to take a loan out on your 401k or retirement plan but that’s not a good idea and it should be avoided if possible.

One more option might be to get a different loan on the vehicle if you have good credit. Maybe you can get a lower interest rate or extend the payments over another year or so and then you’d have a lower monthly payment. Often, these loans don’t take effect for 45 days, so you’d also be able to skip a payment, which might also help you.

Selling Your Car That You Own On

Let’s go through the complete process on how to sell a car that is not paid off so that you do it right and don’t run into problems. Know that you’ll have to do a little bit of extra work but if you really want to sell the car, you probably can. One important thing is to make sure potential buyers that come by to look at the car feel comfortable. If they ask you what you owe or what the payoff is and you don’t even know, they’ll probably leave.

1. Call your lender and find out what the payoff is. They’ll tell you how long that amount is good for. It might be a week or 15 days or 30 days.
2. Find out how much your car is worth and then price it properly.
3. Clean your vehicle and get it ready to sell. Take good pictures, write up good ads and get the word out (online and offline).
4. Make sure you have all the necessary paperwork ready for when people show up. You’ll need the title (with the lien note on it), a bill of sale document and any other paperwork that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in your state requires (smog test, etc.).

What to do When the Sale Happens

When you have agreed on a price with a buyer, you’ll need to get the title in their name. To do that, you will first have to go to your lender (bank) with your check or cash from the buyer and then have the loan paid off. The complicated thing here is that if you have a personal check, the bank might want to wait for the check to clear and this will delay things. If possible, get cash or a bank check. The bank check can be made out to you or your bank.

Your lender might be able to give you a lien release right then or it might take a few days. When you get it, you’ll need to go to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and get a clean title that does not show a lien on the vehicle. Once you have that, you can sign the vehicle’s title over to the new owner, like normal.

The buyer might want to go to the bank with you. If this is the case, then that’s fine. Plan a time where you can both do it together. Maybe call your bank ahead of time and ask what the best time is to do that and who you should talk to – just to ensure that everything goes smoothly. If you get in there during their busiest time, you’ll have to wait and let’s face it, that’s just awkward being there with someone you don’t know.

What Not to Do

Probably the worst thing you can do is not tell the buyer that the vehicle isn’t paid off. If you take their money and then tell them that you have to first go to your bank, they might not be happy. Be honest and tell them.

More Tips

If you want more tips and advice, I have another article here on this website that you should read:

How to Sell a Car Privately When it is Financed

Conclusion

Know that it is possible to sell a vehicle that is not paid off. It’s more work but it can be done. Your best bet is to find a way to first pay it off so that you don’t have to deal with all this extra work. You’ll also attract more buyers when the car title is clear as they know they won’t have to also work a little more to get the vehicle – it’s just a lot cleaner and easier this way.

Do everything you can to make the sale hassle free. Think of what questions someone might ask about the loan and have answers ready. Get the payoff and talk to your bank and see if they’ll work with you on your loan – just let them know what situation you’re in and they might even have some ideas that you haven’t thought of.

Thanks for stopping by the website and reading this article. If you have comments that might help someone, please leave them below. Please do share this article with others you know if you think this article is valuable and would help them.

Knowing these facts and knowing the best ways to sell your car online in a fast and efficient manner can help you to get the most for your car in the shortest amount of time. In this short but informative article, we show you how to quickly sell your used car online.

Detailed Research Information

Perhaps the most well known online resource for selling a used car is AutoTrader.com. This popular website has evolved from the old hard copy edition that we all grew up with years ago into a huge central online marketplace for buying and selling vehicles. Other comprehensive websites that offer similar services include Edmunds.com and Kelly Blue Book located online at KBB.com. These sites are steeped in detailed research information that helps buyers and sellers determine the fair value of a used as well as a new car. In addition, these sites provide well-written reviews and even videos that show a vehicle in action.

Online Video of Your Car

Video tours of a used vehicle offer an outstanding way to provide potential buyers with an up-close and personal look at your vehicle. To quickly sell your used vehicle online always consider including an online video of your car. People can view the video at home on their computer or even on their smart phone and get a really good idea of what your car is like.

If you don’t provide a video, then potential buyers may move on to the next ad that does have a video – passing you right by.

Vehicle History Reports

Another useful strategy that can bolster your chances of having a successful sale is to provide buyers with a CARFAX data sheet available through CARFAX.com. This is a great way to show your potential buyers that your car has not been in an accident and that the title and other vital vehicle information is in order.

If your car has been in an accident then still get the report. Knowing this and letting the buyer know about it shows that you’re not trying to hide anything.

While getting this report may cost the seller of a used car a few dollars, it greatly increases the trust factor that is conveyed to potential buyers.

Free Used Price Calculators

Always try to set a fair and competitive price for your used vehicle to increase the likelihood that your car will sell quickly. The best way to zero in on the most accurate and competitive price for your used car is to simply use Edmunds or Kelly Blue Book.

Both of these excellent online resources offer free used price calculators that take into account many variables regarding your car. These variables include accessories, overall condition, mileage and the year of the automobile.

A Successful Sale in Little to No Time at All

Another excellent resource that is completely free is Craig’s List. This highly traveled website can be used to supplement your paid postings on AutoTrader.com and Edmunds for example. Taking this approach to selling your used car can have you heading to the bank with cash or a check in hand as a result of a successful sale in little to no time at all.

Selling online is a powerful and highly effective way to sell almost anything today. Taking advantage of this online medium means having a huge exposure that was previously not possible in the days prior to the Internet. The Internet is an obvious game changer in so many aspects of our life and when it comes to selling a used car this is equally true.

Take Good Photos of Your Vehicle

Knowing how to quickly sell your used car online simply means following these easy tips. It is also important to take good photos of your vehicle as a way to provide potential buyers with several outside and inside angles.

Take photos in good lighting and at the proper distance to ensure that your ad gets noticed online. Take pictures of everything – the exterior, front seats, back seats, under the hood, the tires and the trunk.

Other Ideas for You

Other less known ways to sell a used vehicle online include working with a local car consignment business. These companies normally have an online presence that is extensive and typically viewed by a large number of people searching for a used car.

Conclusion

With an accurate price in hand and a CARFAX report, selling a car quickly online should be fairly easy. To increase your chances of selling your car, consider posting to more than one website.

Selling a used car is easier today than in the past and because the used car market is so incredibly hot, right now is the best time to sell your used car online.

1. Clean Your Car Thoroughly

First impressions count more than any other. Remember if your car is an absolute mess it gives an indication to the potential buyers that you didn’t pay much attention to maintaining your car in other more important ways in the past. The outside is more vital than the inside so do your best to pay attention to details. Consider having the car cleaned up professionally if you must.

2. Research the Right Price

Knowing how much money you should be aiming for is much easier when you research the Blue Book value of your car and sensibly judge its condition. Otherwise you are flying blind and someone who did their homework could fast talk money out of your pocket!

3. Make Minor Repairs

Do you have a window that leaks or other minor repair that is both quick and inexpensive to take care of? Handle it and you greatly boost your chances to get more for your used car. The benefit of your doing this is mainly a psychological one, but it works well. Trust me. Not being lazy about minor repairs is a tip not to ignore. You could earn extra hundreds by paying attention to these types of details.

4. The Smell Counts, Too

You might be surprised at how your call smelling a bit “off” compared to having a new car smell can affect your final selling price. People will be in the car, checking it out and feel that something is not quite right. They might notice a smell or maybe not but smell is one of our senses and it’s connected with emotion, so you want to make sure you have this one covered.

Even if a two dollar air freshener resulted in a extra twenty in your hand it’s nothing, but a great investment isn’t it? An air freshener is the least you can do. To go the extra step, have the car’s upholstery and carpets steam cleaned – either by yourself or at a local car wash.

All these things add up in the end!

5. Use the Web to Your Advantage

Craig’s List is a obvious great choice to put the good word out about your used car being for sale. It’s free after all. Another free resource is social media. Facebook and twitter can let your friends and family know you have a car for sale. A few shares later and your ca may be sold minus any hardcore negotiations at all. Don’t forget to include lots of quality photos!

6. Write Good Ad Copy (or Have Someone Write it for You)

Yes, selling your used car makes you, at least for the moment, a sales person. Sales go much easier when following up good marketing, which is exactly what your ads are – marketing your used car. The better wrote your ad ultimately the more you will get for your car. And quicker too.

7. Gather Your Maintenance Records

If you have well documented maintenance records they could earn you a good deal more on your car’s final sale price. These papers offer hard credible evidence you have taken good care of your car over the years. Some experts estimate this could mean even as much as an extra ten percent tacked on to your selling price! Keep good records, they pay off in more ways than one.

8. Negotiate Like a Boss

Negotiating prices can be both an art and science. Now it may not pay for you to read one of the many books on the subject or listen to an audio course, but why not hit Google and get some tips on how to best haggle about your final sale price? I bet even reading a good page or two will pay off in the end.

Conclusion

All in all if you pay attention to these little (and not so little) details you are nearly guaranteed to walk away better off from your used car sale than if you rushed in blind and unprepared. After all you’d like every extra dollar you can get to go towards your new car wouldn’t you? I certainly value every penny in that situation.

Best of luck selling your used car. Did I miss one of your favorite tips? Let me know I would love to hear them! Leave them in the comments area below. Please also share this article.

Selling a car might seem easy but if you want to get the most money for it, make sure the car is at its best. Think about what used car dealers do to sell their cars. You’re competing with them and since you’re playing the same game, you need to be in their league.

Putting in just a bit of time and a little money, you’ll get that amount back and more. It’s really smart to prepare your car well. People are trying to imagine themselves in the car when they come to see it, so do your best to make that car look like something they want to buy.

When it comes to selling, you want to provide good service. Be available and look presentable when people come. Respect their time and thank them for coming out to look at your vehicle.

Ok, on with the list…

Bookmark this page and share it with others!

Selling Your Car Checklist

Not in any particular order:

1. Wash and detail clean your car – inside and out.
2. Get all of your personal belonging out of the car.
3. Do an oil change.
4. Replace the air filter.
5. Check the fluid levels.
6. Inflate the tires properly.
7. Fix minor problems to the interior.
8. Buy new floor mats.
9. Steam clean the upholstery and carpets.
10. Buy an air freshener.
11. Touch up paint.
12. Clean your headlights so they’re not foggy anymore.
13. Clean the trunk.
14. Wipe down parts under the hood.
15. Clean the windows – inside and out.
16. Remove all bumper stickers and window stickers.
17. Wax and shine your car.
18. Have a complete inspection done by a mechanic.
19. Make sure the car is safe – tires and brakes should be good.
20. Make sure the title is clean and in your name.
21. Advertise it in as many places as possible – online and offline.
22. Consider donating the car to charity.
23. Shine the tires and wheels.
24. Don’t let people test drive the car alone – go with them.
25. Get a copy (or take a picture with your phone) of the driver’s license of anyone who comes and wants a test drive.
26. Order a vehicle history report (CARFAX, etc.)
27. Print up a sell sheet for your car to hand out.
28. Make a one-page website for your car to help with online advertising.
29. Promote your car on Facebook and Twitter.
30. If you were the only owner, mention that when people come to see it.
31. When people come, casually mention that you’ve been getting lots of calls (if you have been).
32. Set an attractive sell price.
33. Get any annoying things fixed.
34. Post a “For Sale” sign on the car with a phone number and price.
35. Screen people by phone first before they come over.
36. Look presentable when people come to see the vehicle.
37. Don’t give an answer to the question, “What is the lowest amount you will take?”
38. Remember to cancel your insurance after you sell the car.
39. Get all your car’s maintenance records together and show that folder to people.
40. Post nice ads with great pictures of the vehicle.
41. Do research and know the value of your car. See what similar cars in your area are going for.
42. Don’t rush people who come to see it.
43. Don’t back out of a deal on just $50 if you have no other interested buyers.
44. Under promise and over deliver.
45. Get to know your buyers a little – ask where they are from, what they do, etc. Try to connect with them a little if you can.
46. Don’t show the car at night when it’s dark or in the rain or snow.
47. Mention all the features of the car in your ads.
48. Mention recent repairs in your ad.
49. Smile!
50. List your car on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Be available those times.
51. Only take cash for payment.
52. Make sure a deposit holds the car for 24-48 hours or less – no more than that.
53. Make sure the stereo if off so that it doesn’t turn on when people get in to test drive it.
54. Watch out for Craig’s List scams.
55. Respond to all calls you get – return phone calls promptly.

Print this list and then cross off items as you complete them. Doing this will help ensure you have a car sale that goes smoothly and one that gets you the most money for your vehicle.

Some Video Help and Advice

Here’s a good video on how to sell your car privately yourself:

If we missed anything, please mention it below… and again, please share this article.

It’s all about advertising sometimes, isn’t it? You’re going to need some great photos of your car in order to sell it online or offline. Don’t worry, it’s not too difficult to do.

Here are some great tips to help you take good photos of your car that you’re going to sell in order to help you get more interest in your vehicle and hopefully to help it sell faster. I will go over where to take photos, how to take care of lighting, what equipment you need and what angles to use so that the photos of your car do all the selling for you!

Prep the Car

This goes without saying but what the heck… if you haven’t done it yet, clean and wash your car. Get it detailed or detail it yourself. You need your car looking its best for when people see it anyway, so you should get it ready now so that you have excellent photos.

What Kind of Camera to Use

With cameras, the better lenses they have, the better they will be. Camera today are digital, so the components inside have to be good, too. The cool thing is that a lot of basic cameras today take some really great photos. Most have automatic settings and do a lot of the work for you. I have an iPhone 4s and it takes some amazing pictures sometimes. Just find the best camera you can and use it. Use one you have or maybe borrow one from a friend. Try to do better than a cell phone camera if at all possible.

I have 3 cameras: an iPhone 4s, a Canon Powershot A530 and a Canon EOS Rebel XS (digital SLR). My best camera is obviously the Canon digital SLR but for pictures of a car, any one of these cameras would do. In fact, I shot the video for one car I sold just using the iPhone. It did a nice job.

It’s All About Location, Location, Location!

You want to find a place that makes your car look good. It has to be somewhere without a lot of people (you don’t really want people in the shot) and it has to be a place you have access to. Some good locations I’ve found are:

• Local county parks
• Buildings downtown
• Business parks
• Next to a river, lake or ocean

The ideal place to shoot pictures of a car would inside, in a studio where you have perfect lighting and a variety of backgrounds to choose from. Most people don’t have access to that, however. You’ll have to do the best you can with what you have access to but just take a drive around and you’ll find some nice places.

Here are three that I took. Notice the background and areas that I chose:

The Acura RSX at a County Park

This was taken in October, so the trees were losing leaves but I did the best I could. The car still ended up looking nice because it was sitting on the grass, which you don’t see too often.

The MR2 at a Business Park

In this shot, the car is on a nice looking road, which is still pretty new. It’s kind of a nice business park, so the trees and grass in the background were kept up well.

The MR2 at the Capitol

I took this one at the State Capitol Building in Madison, WI. The shots here were good because it kind of looks like the car is in a VIP area or something. It was actually easy to get to and I just drove it up, kept it running and took some pictures. It took less than 5 minutes.

Background

Be mindful of what is in the background of your photos. You can be concentrating on the foreground area so much that you might miss something distracting sitting there in the background.

Make sure there’s also no clutter in the background or foreground – or even inside the car. Remove all your personal stuff from it… you’re not selling that stuff, right? It’ll just look junky with those things in it.

Good Lighting – Where is the Sun?

You definitely want good lighting. The best results you’ll get will be when the sun is behind you. Cloudy days are nice because you get some good, nice, even lighting but the sun adds brightness to everything, which looks good, too. Ideally, you’d want a partly cloudy day and you’d take pictures when there’s a cloud over the car, blocking the sun but still some blue sky in the background.

I hardly ever use a flash. It makes everything look flat unless you have a 3-point lighting system (or better) set up. With just one light source (the flash on your camera), you lose depth. I would suggest going without the flash. You eliminate some glare this way, too.

Look at the settings on your camera and make sure they’re set to outdoor photos. Get to know your camera for sure.

Take lots of pictures if you’re shooting digitally (I don’t know of anyone who isn’t now) because you can always delete the ones you don’t like. Remember to view the photos you’ve taken so that you can right away retake photos that did not turn out right.

Remember to hold the camera still, too. This way, your photos won’t be blurry. Using a tripod is a great idea. They’re actually relatively cheap – you can get a decent one for $20 and then you’ll have one to always use in the future.

Framing

Framing is super important. You really don’t want to put the car right, smack in the middle of the photo. You want it taking up 2/3rds of the photo… imagine splitting the area you’re shooting into three sections. You want the car taking up two of them almost completely and then have it less in the last third section. Doing this will draw people into the photo!

One more thing… and I can almost say this is obvious but I’ve done it a number of times, so I know it’s an easy thing to mess up – make sure the entire car is in the photo when you’re taking photos of the entire car. You don’t want the rear bumper cut off or the front cut off. Take steps back and forward to try different things.

Angles, Angles, Angles!

Try all kinds of angles. My favorite angle is from down low. This is where children are and how they view the world and it’s actually amazing to look at things from that angle sometimes. Things look so big and grandiose.

With each shot you take, shoot it from up high, medium and from down low. This way, you’ll have plenty of pictures to choose from.

I prefer taking a picture from down low. It makes the subject of the photo (your car) look bigger. I think this is why children seem so amazed sometimes – everything from a low angle looks really grand. It’s a neat, little photography trick that you should definitely consider as you take photos.

To prove my point, here are two photos – one from normal (standing) height and then one from a low angle:

The second one is from a lower angle and the car just looks bigger and better, right?

Another Tip – Turning the Wheels

Here’s a tip that you might not think about when you’re shooting but might realize later once you get home and look at your photos – which way the wheels are facing. You want them pointed so that you can see the wheel as you take the photo… or aiming toward you, not away. The photo above has the wheels facing the wrong way. Here’s one where you can see them better:

What to Take Pictures of – Your Shot List

You basically want to cover the entire car with the photos that you take. Here’s a shot list that I use when I go out to take pictures:

• Front – all angles
• Read – all angles
• Tires – one good picture of each tire. Show the tread on the tires and condition of the wheels.
• Interior
  • Driver’s door open, getting into the car.
  • Dashboard – farther back.
  • Dashboard – closer up.
  • Dashboard – odometer.
  • Center console and shifter.
  • Stereo
  • Dashboard – from front passenger side.
  • Back seats – from front passenger side.
  • Sunroof
• Trunk area.
• Under the hood.
• Front grille area.
• Front with the lights on – all lights.
• Front with the lights on – just parking lights.
• Rear with the lights on.

Did I miss anything? That should be the whole car. If your car has any upgrades or anything special, show it. Do another scan around the car, looking through the lens and see if you can take any extra pictures.

Proof Your Photos as You Shoot

As you’re taking photos of your car, it’s important to remember to look at them and make sure they’re good before you end your photo session. Look over the photos in the camera and make sure they don’t look blurry or that there’s something on the lens or that you have the settings wrong on the camera – stuff like that. If possible, bring a laptop computer with you or a tablet which lets you view the photos on a bigger screen. This way, you can proof them good and know if you need to retake any photos.

Once you get home and look at them, it’s too late – you might have to go out and shoot again. Try to avoid that.

Preparing Your Photos

You’re home now and you’re looking at the photos you took on your computer. Next, you’ll want to choose the best ones and then maybe do a little formatting of them. To format photos, you’ll need some image editing software. Something like Photoshop is what the professionals use. There’s a free one called Gimp that’s comparable to Photoshop. Your computer might have Microsoft Photo Editor (Windows) or Preview (Mac) installed on it, which should work fine.

With the ones I want to use, I usually size them down to be 800 pixels wide. This way, they’re easy enough to upload onto used car listing websites. An image that’s 800 pixels wide is going to be plenty big on a computer monitor and show enough detail about the car.

As you’re resizing them, check the sharpness and adjust that. Don’t use it too much but just a little so that the photos look nice and clear. Don’t play with the colors or other settings too much unless you really need to correct something. Too many filters or changes to the image won’t make the car look like how it really is. This is one place you definitely do not want to use Instagram.

Conclusion

You should now have a nice set of photos to use to advertise your vehicle. It wasn’t too difficult, really. You just needed to know which pictures you needed to take, where to take them, how to take them (lighting, angles) and then you re-sized them and got them ready to use. Pretty simple, right?

If you think I missed any important tips for taking good photos of a car, please leave them below. If you could also share this article with your friends, that would be great, too.

Selling a vehicle privately instead of at a used car lot has its benefits. You are likely to get more money by selling your vehicle privately rather than trading it to a car dealer. However, there are several important factors to be considered before putting your car up for sale. With the right set of knowledge, you will be able to easily set a fair price for the car and avoid scammers who tend to prey on used-car sellers.

In order to avoid any hassles, you should know these 12 things about selling your car yourself.

1. Value

Before you put the vehicle up for sale, you have to establish its true value. This is the only way you are going to set the fairest asking price. There are online sources that can assist you to quickly find out the car’s value based on its model, make, and condition. Here are some good online sources:

• Kelly Blue Book
• Edmunds
• NADA Guides

It is also important to note that vehicle prices can vary by city and state. You can also look at websites of used-car dealers in your area to see how much your vehicle would go for. If you overprice the vehicle, you will be greatly disadvantaged because you won’t attract any buyers.

2. Fix and Clean the Car

When it comes to sales, the first impression can either make or break you. The car has to be in good physical condition to attract more buyers. Even if the vehicle is in good mechanical shape, prospective buyers can be turned off if it has a dirty interior or muddy body. Detail the car and make sure any mechanical issues have been repaired.

3. Paperwork

Make sure you have gathered all the necessary paperwork you will need before you begin the sale. These usually include warranty information (if there is still any coverage) and the title (if your car loan is completely paid off). Having this paperwork beforehand will make finalizing the sales much quicker and efficient.

Make sure your car’s title is clear – which means it’s not showing a lien holder. Sometimes what happens is, your bank will give you something stating that the car is paid for but you still have to pass that on to your state’s Motor Vehicle Department so that it can show it as paid off on the car’s title.

4. Collect Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Records

Collect all the maintenance records – this is everything from oil changes to tires, to brakes to whatever. These records will help potential buyers feel at ease because they know the vehicle was well cared for. You can also buy a vehicle history report then print out recent price estimations. Maintenance records can also be used to answer a potential buyer’s questions and concerns about the car’s condition.

5. Look out for Scammers

There are several private car sale related scams. One solid way of avoiding scams is to request picture identification from any potential buyers. If a buyer refuses to provide ID, then there is a high chance you are dealing with a scammer it someone will ill intent.

If you advertise your car on Craig’s List, then be especially careful of who contacts you. You might get people saying they need the car and will buy it without seeing it. If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. Be smart.

6. Advertising is Important

Slapping a “for sale” sticker at the rear window simply does not cut it. You have to increase your chances of selling your vehicle by making sure you have fully utilized car-buying websites and free online classifieds.

Look for free advertising options and exhaust them before you start paying for any ads. Also use social media to spread the word about your vehicle. When creating an online ad, make sure you include a lot photos of the vehicle’s exterior and interior.

7. Be Willing to Compromise

More often than not, buyers tend to offer a few hundred dollars less than the initial asking price. You can pad the asking price a bit, while remaining fair and competitive. You have to be willing to knock off a couple hundred dollars.

8. Deal with the DMV

Every state DMV has their own set of requirements; however, a general requirement is that you have to provide a clear title and that the car must be loan free. You have to document the sale to the DMV. There are some states that require a smog test for vehicles past a certain year. The odometer reading has to be verified before a sale.

Check to make sure everything is in order with the laws in your area if you want a successful car sale without problems.

9. Time Frame

Believe it or not, some times of the year are much better for selling vehicles than others. For example, most people are not interested in purchasing a car around or during the holidays because their focus is on other expenses such as holiday parties and gifts. A good time to put your car up for sale would be tax refund season. This is a time when people have extra cash to spend on huge purchases like vehicles.

10. Avoid Sharing Personal Information

There are some people who target private car sellers in order to attain their personal info and use it to commit identity theft or property damage or theft. Avoid this risk by clearing all personal info from the car such as registration and insurance information that can be linked back to you. Also meet potential buyers away from your residence.

11. Limit Test Drives

Never allow more than one test driver in the car at any given time. Every potential buyer must provide a valid driver’s license and ID before going for a test drive. Lastly, never allow a potential buyer to drive the vehicle alone.

12. Verify the Payment in Full

Don’t surrender possession of the car till the car payment has fully been made and verified. If possible, do not accept any personal checks. Let every potential buyer know that the preferred mode of payment is cash, cashier’s check or money order.

Conclusion

If you’ve never sold a used car by yourself, then do good research or maybe you have a friend that has done it and would be willing to help you. If something doesn’t feel right in your gut, then trust your gut and say no. You don’t want to learn something the hard way.

If you have any comments on the tips we have here, please leave them below. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends!

Prepare the Car for Sale

Wash the Car

You obviously want to get it washed and cleaned. Take it to a car wash where they have people wiping it off and cleaning the inside. This will cost you $20 for their top of the line wash. Consider getting some extra detailing done, too. They can usually do it quickly or else you can leave the car there and go do some shopping near by.

I even found a guy that detailed my car for $100 and he power washed the engine compartment, too. Wow, did that make the car look new! To do that, they disconnected the battery and then ran a power washer over everything. They let it completely dry and then reconnected the battery. Finish it off with some Armour All on the main parts and hoses and wow does that make a difference. Anyone looking over a car is going to pop the hood. If they do that and see things looking really good, that will make them feel better about buying the car. They’ll know the car was well taken care of. Car dealers do it – so should you.

Make sure the wheels look amazing. Get some wheel cleaner and apply tire wax. This is a must!

The interior should also have some Armour All applied to it so that it looks sharp. Clean all the windows, both sides, with window cleaner. Do it twice if you have to so that there are no streaks.

Clean the Carpets

If you have light colored carpets, get all the stains out. There’s some really good foaming carpet cleaning spray that I use (and love – it works great) and it’s called Tuff Stuff (about $5 a bottle at Amazon). You spray it on, then wait a minute and then I use a scrub brush on the area and carpet stains come right out. I use it on my home carpets and it works great in the car. Stains you think would never come out just come right out.

Also consider getting the carpets and upholstery steam cleaned. This will deep clean everything which will also help with our next point…

Is There a Smell?

Sometimes, if you’re used to your own car, you might not notice a smell. Ask someone else to smell your car. If there is an odor, then you can do a few things. First, think about getting it steam cleaned, like we mentioned. Second, try carpet cleaner that you vacuum up (baking soda based). Third, use some air freshener like Febreeze in the car. Don’t use too much or it’ll be too obvious that you’re trying to cover something up.

Worst case, you have some mold or mildew. If your car is a convertible and if the top leaks or if it has been wet, then you might need to pull up the carpet and have it totally cleaned out.

Remember, all the little tricks and tips that we mention here are small investments that will help you get more for your used car. Sometimes taking a hour to do something will net your a few hundred dollars, which is like getting paid a few hundred bucks an hour!

Body Work

How does the car’s exterior look? Are there any rust spots? I had one on a car that I was trying to sell and I found a guy with a body shop near by that fixed it really cheap. It was like $300 and now I can post that the car has no rust showing. That’s just one less thing someone can use to bring down the price when they’re looking at the car. You can also keep emphasizing that there is no rust on the painted part of the car and that it’s clean – doing this will prevent people from going too far down in price when it does come time to talk money.

Get an Oil Change / Do Fixes

The picky buyer is going to poke around under the hood or even ask if they can take the car to a local shop and have it checked out (at their expense). You don’t want old, dirty oil in it. All fluids should be topped off and looking good. Take care of any leaks.

Maybe there’s something that needs to be fixed – like the brakes for example. Spending $75 or $100 might net you much more than that plus it’s something you can say just got done, which the buyer will like.

Get New Tires Put On

Speaking of fixes, one popular thing to do is get new tires. Putting on a set of budget tires can really add value to the car. If someone is buying the car for their teenage driver, then new tires on the car will be a huge selling point. Again, it’s just one more thing that the buyer can’t use against you.

Price Your Used Car

Now that your automobile is clean and looking its best, it’s time to figure out what price to sell it for.

Free and Clear Title

What works best is if the car is clear – which means you don’t owe anything on it. You want a title that’s free and clear so that you don’t have to first take the buyer’s money to the bank and pay it off. That’s too much of a hassle for people and you’ll get very few people interested in the car and, because of that, you’ll get less for the car.

Search Online

Go to places like Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) and see what the car is worth. Also, check out used car websites and try to find cars like yours (in the same condition, etc.) and see what they are selling for.

You should know all the features of your car. It doesn’t hurt to take a pen and pad of paper and go out to your car and write them all down.

Add Some Wiggle Room

When it comes time to haggle, you’ll lose a little right away. Add a few hundred in so that you are able to slide down on the price a little and let the buyer feel like they’re winning a little.

Also, here’s a good tip… take whatever price you want to sell your car for and subtract $5 from it. For example, if you are selling it for $5800, then set the price at $5795. It looks more attractive that way.

Take Pictures of Your Car

You’re going to want to sell your car online and maybe in a newspaper or print ads, so you will need some good pictures of it.

Find a Good Location

What’s around your car in the picture will help make the car look better, too. Find either a park where you can park your car on the grass for a brief period of time or else what I like to do is head over to a nice business park and find a nice building and parking lot there – like on a Sunday when nobody is around.

Weather and Lighting

A sunny day is good. Your pictures will look nice. With a somewhat cloudy day, you’ll get even lighting, which can also be a good thing. Do not take pictures going into the sun. Have the sun behind you always. You shouldn’t need a flash on your camera if you’re outside and there’s good lighting. The flash can reflect off of windows and ruin your shot sometimes – which is why you have to be careful about taking pictures inside the car. When doing that (and if you need a flash), do not aim the camera at windows but aim it downward or away from windows.

What to Take Pictures of

Here are some important things to make sure you take pictures of:

• The front, back and sides of the car.
• The interior – including the seats, dashboard, instrument console and radio.
• All four wheels. Try to show how much tread is left on each tire, too.
• The trunk.
• Under the hood.

I usually try to include a shot of the car from the front but from a low angle. You might have to be on the ground for it (which is why a park with a grassy area works well). Doing this makes the car look more “grand” and more special. Don’t just stand there and take a picture, move your body.

To get a good shot, move the car. Get in, move a little, take more pictures. When you get back home, you’ll pick out the best ones, so take a lot of pictures.

I also like to take one kind of funny picture and then decide later if I want to use it. For example, one with everything open – all the doors, the sunroof, the hood, trunk… everything.

Write Up The Specifications and a Good Description

Get out your list of features and write them down. Open a Word document and list them with bullet points. Don’t forget these items:

• Mileage
• VIN Number (it’s ok to post this online)
• State if the title is clear.
• Kind of transmission (automatic or manual)
• Any recent work you’ve had done – this will tell the new buyer that they won’t have to take care of these things for a while.

Then, what I like to do is be creative and write a good description. Include why you are getting rid of it. Maybe you just got another car or want to get a new car. Maybe you just need the money. Maybe you can’t store the car anywhere. List a good reason so that this doubt is removed from people’s minds.

Tell people what they will enjoy the most about the car. Maybe it’s the sunroof or the all wheel drive in the winter. Come up with at least 3 things and list the benefits of each one. Be emotional about it – meaning, say that the sunroof is great on sunny afternoons when you’re leaving work for the weekend and you feel nice and free with it open. Attach an emotion to each feature. This helps to create desire for the vehicle, which will help you get more for it because emotion very often over powers reason and logic.

Go Sell It!

Now that you have the car clean, the description and everything together, go sell the car. There are a number of places where you can get free car ads online. Here is that list:

• Craig’s List
• AOL Autos
• Cars for Sale.com

Craig’s List Scam

Craig’s List is great but watch out for scammers. I’ve seen these emails come in. Someone claims that they will pay your price plus $100 but they can’t see the car because they’re on a ship or something. Don’t fall for that. They won’t ever come see the car or send someone to pick it up. They want you to pay via PayPal and they’ll generate a fake email to send you and maybe pay you too much and have you refund them – something like that. Again, be smart and be careful!

Sell the Car Locally!

Put an ad in your local paper. Go to the supermarket and see what free car magazines are near the door. See about putting ads in those publications (I find some of those to be too expensive).

Put up Flyers!

You already have information about the car in a Word document. Add one of your pictures and print up flyers. Do them in color because they’re only about $0.50 a copy. Check it over for grammar and spelling errors (have someone else do it if you can’t). Put them up at grocery stores if they have a place for ads.

Also, some auto parts stores will have a place in their store for cars ads. I think this is so smart of them. They know that people selling their cars are going to need car parts and car cleaning items, which brings people into the store. Also, people will return there to buy parts and things once they have a car. Auto parts stores aren’t selling cars either, so you’re not competing with them. I don’t know why every one of these stores doesn’t have a board like this. If they don’t, then suggest it to the manager.

Park it Somewhere There’s a Lot of Traffic

No, don’t park it on the side of the highway. Find a busy street and park it on a corner (street parking) with a for sale sign on it. Don’t leave it there overnight or else you’ll invite thieves to break into it. Also, if you do want to park it at a store or business, get the permission of the store first. They probably don’t want their lot turned into a used car lot… or maybe they do!

You should have a for sale sign on the car at all times, too. If you’re driving it around, people will see it. Have the amount you’re selling it for along with your phone number in large letters so that it can easily be read.

Include Your Contact Info

Make sure you’ve included a way for people to contact you. List your email or phone number. I don’t like my cell number being out there, so what I did was get a free phone number at Google Voice that forwards any calls to my cell. That way, when the car is sold, you can shut down that number or not have it forward to you any more.

Build a Small Website for Your Car

This works well if you have a car that’s a little different like a sports car, an exotic, a classic or just something different. You might actually have a national audience for your car if it’s rare enough.

When I was selling my Toyota MR2, I realized it fell into this category and I bought a domain name and set up a simple website called MR2ForSale.com. It was a name that people could easily remember and it’s something that could get searched on if someone out of my area was looking for that kind of car.

You might also consider selling your car on eBay if you want to get rid of it quickly.

When Buyers Call or Arrive

When you start getting calls, here are a few tips.

First, it’s good to keep a list of people. When someone calls, make sure to get their name at least. Write down when they called, too. Just keep a small log for your reference. If you can get their phone number, then write that down, too.

Second, make sure they’re serious and just don’t want to waste your time looking or test driving a car – especially if it’s a nice or rare car. Be polite about it.

Third, pick a time and place that’s convenient. Maybe you don’t want people coming to your house – or maybe you do. I don’t really mind but I can understand how, in today’s world, someone might not want that.

As they’re looking over the car, make sure you’re pointing things out and telling them the benefits. Answer all their questions. If you have a folder full of receipts of things you’ve had fixed, then have that in the car. Buyer will like to see that it was taken care of.

Haggling Over the Price

Your ad already stated the price, so there’s no need for you to start lower than that. Stick to your price. They will most likely start lower. If it’s too low, then don’t even counter it. I like watching the shows like “Pawn Stars” or “American Pickers” and you can watch how they (the pros) do it. You can learn quite a bit. You should already have some wiggle room in your price, so you can come down a little.

The Final Sale

Before you have people come to see it, you should have everything ready. Here’s what you should have:

• The title along with any lien releases. Put this in an envelope (not sealed, of course) with the VIN number of the car printed on the outside of it. Make it look like you know what you’re doing.
• A “Bill of Sale” document. Have two of these printed out. These state that you have sold the car to the buyer without any warranty, etc. These are the terms of the sale. One is for your records and one is for them. Both of your should sign each one.
• Only accept cash or a bank check. Do not take personal checks. If you do take personal checks, then do not release the car to them until it has cleared. If they don’t like that, then they can go to their bank, get cash and come back.
• Give them all the keys, the manual and anything else that goes with the car.
• Shake their hand, look them in the eyes and smile.

Used Car Bill of Sale

Sample Used Car Bill of Sale Document / Form

If you’re looking for a “Bill of Sale” document / template, then we have a whole article here about a used car Bill of Sale document that you should read. Make sure you do. There, I have one you can download. You are welcome to it but know that I’m not an attorney and make no guarantee that this document is legally sound.

There are websites that can help you create and print a bill of sale document. I’d suggest using one of those.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this long article. We tried to be thorough and give you lots of tips. We will keep updating this page with new tips as we get them, so please bookmark this page. Also, tell your friends on Facebook or other places that you like this article.

Got More Tips?

If you have more tips that we didn’t include, then please leave them in the comments below. Please share this article.

Good luck selling your car!

A second hand car is known to be considerably cheaper than a new one – even so, you can still get a nice price provided that you take into account the following 10 great tips for selling your used car yourself:

1. Have All the Papers Ready

The first thing you need to do before you move on to advertising your car is to have it inspected and get all the warranties and maintenance records. Buyers will probably ask for the car’s papers and service records, so make sure you have all of them prepared. If the buyer sees they are up-to-date and you have them organized properly, he will surely trust you more.

2. Pay Extra Attention to the Ad

One of the parts of selling your car all by yourself is that you will have to take care of every detail, including advertising – even so, the benefit is that you will get all the money and you do not have to split it with a car dealer. Having said that, it is essential to design a great, attractive ad that will make your vehicle stand out from the rest of the ads.

If you want to advertise your car in the local newspaper, then take several professional photos (including the interior, exterior, engine and all the important parts) and write a specific, customer-oriented ad. On the other hand, if you plan to advertise it online then make a video ad as well – videos are far more appealing than plain text, so make sure you point out your car’s qualities!

3. Advertise on a Budget

Now that you have designed the ad and you have taken the pictures, the key is to never stick to just one advertising place. Sell your car online and make good use of specialized online marketplaces (Facebook, Twitter or Craig’s List are also extremely useful), but don’t limit yourself just to that. Post signs and posters wherever you can, and you can even put a “For Sale” poster on your car’s windshield, so that others will see it when you drive your car around town.

Be inventive, customers love original ideas!

4. Offer a Test Drive and Be Flexible

Most, if not all the prospects will ask for a test drive of your car, and that is perfectly normal – in the end, they must know what they will buy. Only discuss the price after the test drive and always be flexible, especially if you are on a really tight schedule and you can’t afford asking for a small fortune on your vehicle. If you want to sell it quickly and effortlessly, then being flexible in terms of price is certainly the key.

5. Know Your Car’s Pros and Cons

If you plan to sell your car, then the chances are that there are some minor flaws that can impact its price. This is why it is vital to be aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of your car, before your potential customer points them out for you! Is the windshield slightly cracked, or is there a problem with the trunk? Find the problems and address them – if you can’t, at least hide them effectively.

6. Put Yourself in the Shoes of Your Buyer

This is the easiest and most objective way to see if you’re selling your car the right way. Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer and pretend you are interested in buying the vehicle for yourself. Be very careful and pay attention to the tires, the switches, controls, scratches, the wipers, the sound system, the lights and everything.

To take this a step further, ask a friend or neighbor to take a look at the car as if they were a buyer. They can give you some valuable feedback and they might ask some questions that a buyer might ask. This will help you prepare for when you actually have a buyer in front of you.

7. Find the Right Time to Sell Your Car

Believe it or not, there is such thing as the wrong time to sell your car. Buying a vehicle is a serious, long-term investment – don’t sell it during winter or bad weather, as the unfavorable weather conditions don’t allow your car to shine and show its full potential.

Also, another great tip is to avoid selling your car if you are short on money, since you may be tempted to sell it for a very low price.

8. Don’t Be Too Harsh on the Buyer

This is actually one of the most common mistakes people do when they try to sell their car – don’t be too judgmental and don’t laugh at your buyer if he can’t drive properly or if they try to negotiate badly. In the end, it’s their right to see if they can get a better price for the vehicle.

If a buyer is interested in your car and has the money, that’s all that matters!

9. Know the Market, Know Your Car

Knowing the market is vital if you want to get the best price for your car’s value. If the price is too high, it will scare off buyers right before they even get a chance to look at it. Is your car a hot commodity at the moment, or is it just an inexpensive transportation option? If you own a convertible or a sports car, then you should know that these cars are seasonal and they should be sold in spring/summer.

Trucks and vans are the most sought-after and they have competitive prices, while collector cars usually take longer to sell but they are a great deal and have an unexpected value for a genuine collector.

See what other cars like yours have sold for recently. You can look on eBay Motors and look for cars that were just recently sold.

10. Give Your Car the Ultimate Makeover

Wash the car, vacuum it, remove dings and scrapes, get rid of all the clutter in your car, clean the brakes and clean the windows, both on the inside and on the outside. Also, don’t forget to empty the ashtray and you can even opt for a low-cost repair that will address all these issues for a low price.

Even going to a local place that does car detailing might be worth it. If you pay $50 for a good wash and detail, you might get hundreds more for the car because of how good it looks. Car dealers know this and it’s something you should take advantage of.

Conclusion

You might not have sold a car before in your life but it’s not too difficult. Don’t be scared by it but be smart about selling your used car yourself. Find out all your can. We have other great articles on our website that might help you, so browse through some more of them.

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