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.

The key to getting the best value is to avoid money-wasting mistakes. Many of these mistakes are easy to avoid and are surprisingly common.

Here are the seven most common blunders that used-car shoppers make:

1. Failing to Check the Model’s Reliability Record
   One advantage to buying a used car is that there has been enough time for consumer satisfaction surveys and repair records to have come in, unlike a brand-new, unproven model. Research the model’s ratings from Consumer Reports or another evaluation service. Above all, avoid the temptation to make an emotional decision because you see a cute car on the lot or a low price.
2. Ignoring the Car’s Maintenance History
   Car buyers previously had to take the owner’s word on maintenance history, but computer searches now make it easy to find a vehicle’s track record. CarFax and AutoCheck can give you extensive records on whether a vehicle has been rebuilt, in an accident and who previously owned it. The services also list a car’s complete maintenance history, even if the car was serviced by multiple shops.
3. Not Getting the Vehicle Inspected by an Independent Mechanic
   Before spending $75 to $100 on a mechanic, do some basic checks yourself. Look for oil leaks under the car, and make sure that power windows and locks work. Check for body rust, especially if you’re searching among Used Cars in Ohio, Michigan or other northern states.
4. Settling for a High Price
   Used car prices are almost always negotiable. Be prepared to go somewhere else if the owner or dealer insists on a price beyond what you’re willing to pay.
5. Letting the Dealer Devalue Your Trade-In
   Always negotiate the price of the car you wish to purchase before indicating that you have a trade-in. If the dealer doesn’t offer you enough for your trade-in, shop around for a better price.
6. Bad Financing Rates
   Before going to a used-car lot, go to your bank or credit union to get pre-approved for a rate. When the dealer offers a rate, make a counter-offer just as you would the car price. A common trick is for car salesmen to ask, “How much can you spend per month on a car payment?” Don’t fall for this trap because the dealer will simply extend the length of the loan.
7. Negotiating Add-ons
   Many people will haggle over the car’s cost but pay full price for an add-on. First find out what the add-on would cost if you purchased it elsewhere and negotiate the price accordingly.