How Do I Offer Potential Buyers A Test Drive
Once you’ve found a potential buyer, youll want to schedule a test drive. Let the buyer get a feel for how the car handles. Follow these tips below to create a safe test-drive experience.
- Screen buyers – Thoroughly vet potential buyers before scheduling a test drive. Speak to the person on the phone and ask them screening questions, such as whether or not they have financing lined up. Take questions from them as well to determine if theyre a serious buyer.
- Safety in numbers and visibility – Meet the potential buyer in a populated area. Never go on a test drive alone. Ask a friend to join you. Schedule the test drive during the day.
- Credentials – Check the buyer’s license and proof of insurance before they get behind the wheel.
The test drive is not the time to take payment but once completed, its appropriate to begin negotiating the price.
How To Sell A Car Quickly In 7 Simple Steps
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Turn your car into cash with minimum hassle by pricing it strategically, advertising it on the right site, and sorting the serious buyers from the tire kickers.
Heres how to remove the stress and maximize the cash when you sell your car privately, rather than trading it in to a dealer.
Advertising Tips And Tricks
Once youve decided to sell your car privately, its time to get the word out to the largest audience possible and sell a car online.
Websites like Kelly Blue Book and Autotrader offer information on how to sell a car online and advertising classifieds services that put your car in front of thousands of active shoppers in your area in a matter of minutes. The car ads also run nationally for those hard-to-find vehicles. With a detailed description and several good photos, you can stand out to the buyers who are interested in your car.
Selling your car online also allows you to field questions first, which will help you weed out any unlikely buyers and limit your time showing the car in person.
Learn about posting ads and costs now on KBB.com and Autotrader.com
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Heavy Diesel Commercial Motor Vehicles
Used heavy diesel commercial motor vehicles with a model year older than the current year require a valid emissions test pass when they are sold in order to transfer the ownership.
Applicable vehicles include transport trucks, pickup trucks, delivery vans, buses, tow trucks, dump trucks and cement trucks that have a registered gross weight of more than 4,500 kg and run on diesel fuel.
Payment Options To Complete The Transaction
When the buyer chooses your car and negotiations end, the next step is to determine the payment option to complete the transaction.
Touchless online payment options, such as Zelle, PayPal, or an old school cashiers check or money order remain the safest ways to collect payment. These payment options keep your bank information hidden and the buyer will pay you directly for the car. These methods help protect a seller against fraud.
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Different Ways To Sell A Car
When putting your car on the market, youll want to decide whether to trade it in at a dealership, sell it yourself or get an instant cash offer, such as the Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer. The value of your car will vary depending on which method you use. There are pros and cons to each option, such as the speed of sale, costs, and taxes.
Why Trade it in?
- No costs for listing and selling
- No texts, emails, or personal calls
- Potential to pay less sales tax on your new car
Why Sell it Yourself?
- Get paid more for your vehicle
- Save money because no dealer overhead costs
Why Use Instant Cash Offer?
- Quick and easy
- Can be redeemed immediately at a participating local dealer
- No obligations
To get a sense of what you can expect from any of these methods, compare the Kelley Blue Book Private Party Value and Trade-in Value. Then check out the Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer. The difference could also be the deciding factor.
Forms Needed For Special Circumstances
For the majority of car sales, the NRL and smog certification is sufficient. However, some situations call for extra documentation. If any of the following circumstances apply to you, complete the corresponding forms:
- Commercial vehicles: Form REG-4008
- Family member transfers: Form REG-256
- Error on your car title: Form REG-101
- Cars with lienholders: Form REG-166
- Missing license plate or sticker: Form REG-156
- Missing title: Form REG-227
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How To Sell A Car
Whether youre trading up to something newer, scaling down to something smaller, or youve had a change in lifestyle and transport needs, at some point youre likely to need to sell a car.
In most cases youll want to maximise your return on the car because youll be using the money to help buy its replacement, but you may simply want to get shot of it as quickly and conveniently as possible.
Either way, there are an increasing number of different ways to sell a car and a number of steps you can take to ensure that you get the best price for it.
Not sure what car to buy next? See which ones we recommend by taking a look at ourbest cars guide.
Selling To A Private Buyer
Youll often get the best price for your car if you sell to a private buyer who wants to own and drive the car. You may even be able to sell it for more than its wholesale value.
You also can sell without a title if you’re in a hurry. If the buyer trusts you, they can take the vehicle off your hands with the understanding that the title is not yet available. This is risky for the buyer because they may have trouble with vehicle registration or face repossession or stolen car suspicions by law enforcement. However, if the buyer is willing and you document everything, you may be able to hand over the keys, pay off the loan with the sales proceeds, and sign the title over after the lien is released by your lender.
Beware of fraud when selling to a private party. Accepting only cash is one way to guard against this scenario, but another option is to use a neutral intermediary to make sure the deal goes smoothly. Escrow services such as Escrow.com can facilitate a deal and protect both buyers and sellers. If the buyer doesn’t pay, you keep the title. If you don’t deliver the title and the vehicle, you don’t get the money. The key is to find a third party that is affordable, reputable, and easy to work with.
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Should I Sell My Car Privately
When you trade your car in to a dealer you might not get as much for the car as you would by selling it privately. Think of it as work work that you pay yourself for but only you can decide whether this work is worth the potential reward.
You will spend time and money reconditioning, detailing, preparing, listing and marketing the vehicle, not to mention communicating and meeting with potential buyers, and this work will likely earn you more money for your vehicle. If you chose to sell your car privately, a CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report will be a big help in justifying your asking price to any potential customers. Show them the vehicles condition and history and give them peace of mind that the vehicle is what you say it is, and that youre a trustworthy seller.
Take Advantage Of The Test Drive
Set up test drives with potential buyers in a safe, public place . Plan always to accompany them for the ride, and have a friend or family member join you, as an extra safety precaution. Take the opportunity to share what you know about the car and be ready to answer any questions they might have.
Also, try to get to know potential buyers better and understand what theyre looking for in a car. This can allow you to talk about the vehicles strengths and validate your asking price. But avoid trying to sell too hard, which can turn them off.
Some buyers may want to take the car to a mechanic for an inspection. This is a normal practice, but let the buyer pay the bill.
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How Do I Conduct A Secure Transaction
Transferring the title also calls for a secure environment. When youre ready to make the sale official, follow the below tips.
- Take payment inside the walls of a bank – The safest place to exchange payment is at the buyer’s bank. Do not agree to drive the potential buyer to another location, especially if its to pick up the payment.
- Trade the title for the payment – Don’t sign or hand over the vehicle title to the buyer until youve received the agreed-upon payment in full. If the payment is not cash, make sure the check or money order is legitimate, or wait for the Venmo payment to deposit in your checking account. If the buyer is paying with a check, go to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation website, FakeChecks.org, to verify it is not fraudulent.
Selling A Car To A Dealer
If you want another car straight away, then part exchanging with a dealer can seem like the easiest option.
Youll probably get less for it than through a private sale, but youll avoid the work and expense of advertising and dealing with enquiries, viewings and test drives.
Your cars part-exchange value will be a little more than the trade price youd get if you sold your car outright to a dealer.
But the dealer might not be prepared to negotiate over a part-exchange price.
If you dont want another car straight away, you might still be able to sell directly to the dealer. While this might be quick, youre unlikely to get the best price.
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How Do I Negotiate The Sale Of A Used Car
The first way to reduce price negotiations on a vehicle is to set an accurate price from the beginning. Then, keep your documentation in order be prepared with all the information you need to prove the value of your car. That way, if the buyer expresses any concern about the vehicles service history, odometer reading, recall or registration status or damage history, you have the CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report and the service records to prove the vehicle is worth the price that youre asking.
Why More Australians Choose Carsales To Sell Their Car
We can hide your personal number from buyers
To keep your personal number private, we can display a virtual phone number on your ad and have important buyer calls redirected to the number youve provided.
We provide valuation support to help you price your car to sell
See how your car compares to similar models on the market based on the sell price and odometer reading, helping you to price your car competitively.
We help you to build confidence with potential buyers
Be seen as a trusted seller and enhance your ad by adding a history snapshot. Give buyers peace of mind by providing detailed information about your car.
We send you regular updates on the performance of your ad
Weekly updates sent direct to your inbox with potential buyer interaction, tips to improve performance and more.
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Have The Paperwork Ready
As you begin the process, make sure you have the paperwork from when you bought this car. Check with your state to see what other documentation youll need. This can include:
- a bill of sale
- a title transfer form
- an odometer disclosure statement
In some cases, the bill of sale and associated paperwork must be completed by both parties in person at the department of motor vehicles . If thats the case where you live, plan accordingly once you find a buyer.
What Can Impact My Used Car Value
The value of a car depends on factors including its history, mileage and condition. Accident history impacts auto value, so make sure youre aware of everything thats happened in the vehicles lifetime, and be transparent about that information with the buyer. Did you know 61% of buyers are open to a car thats been in an accident? Being upfront with the information will help you build trust with the buyer, and give them the tools they need to make sure any damage has been properly repaired. A CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report is designed to build this transparency and can help you back up the information youve provided.
When looking to sell your car, keep in mind these factors, they can also impact the value of a vehicle:
- Colour
- Recent replacement of brakes, battery etc.
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Notice Of Sale Reporting Requirement
You must report the sale of your vehicle to the Department of Revenue.
Effective January 1, 2006, the seller of a motor vehicle, trailer, or all-terrain vehicle must report the sale within 30 days to the Department. Sellers, other than Missouri licensed dealers, must submit a completed Notice of Sale or Bill of Sale form to report the sale.
Give Your Car Curb Appeal
The best way to sell your car is to give it curb appeal. When a buyer shows up to see your car, you want them to take one look and say, It looks great!
You dont have to fix every little dent and scratch, but wash and vacuum the car and remove all the junk thats accumulated over the years. Giving it a professional detail is good for newer, more expensive used cars. But the higher the price, the longer it will take to sell the car, and the gleam of the detailing will wear off after a few weeks.
Pay particular attention to all the details a prospective buyer will see as he or she approaches the car, opens the door and slides into the drivers seat. You want that positive impact to continue as she sits in the car and, hopefully, picture it as her very own.
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Donate Your Old Car To Charity
If your old car isnt worth much or you havent got the time to arrange selling it, why not donate it to Charitycar
Theyll collect it free of charge and youll have the satisfaction of knowing your cars value is going to the charity of your choice.
You could also consider donating your car through Giveacar
If you donate your old car, it will either be sold at auction or scrapped.
Determine Your Payoff Amount
It’s a good idea to start out by checking with your lender for guidance and to find out exactly how much you owe. To make it official, get a payoff letter from your lender. This official document states the payoff amount, a date by which the amount is still accurate, and instructions for completing the payment, including acceptable forms of payment or where to wire the money. You may not know exactly when youre going to sell your vehicle, and interest charges will change the amount of your loan daily. Armed with all the details, you wont get caught by surprise.
Your payoff amount also includes interest you owe until the time you plan to pay off your loan and other unpaid fees. For this reason, it may not be the same as your current balance, which is the amount you currently owe on the car.
When contacting your lender, it’s also a good idea to ask if they have any suggestions for selling the car while the loan is in place. Your lender might even have a local office where you and the buyer can meet, which can make for a smoother transaction. Topics to ask about include potential prepayment penalties and the estimated processing time for receiving the title after the lien on the vehicle has been released. Specifics will be different depending on the state where you live.
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Private Or Dealer Sale
As described earlier, you can sell your car to a private party or you can choose to sell it to a dealer. While we recommend the former, selling to a dealer is simpler and easier: You contact the dealership, have them inspect your vehicle, and agree on a price. The range of dealers that would be interested in buying a used car includes brand-name car dealerships that sell new cars, independent used-car dealers , and companies that sell used cars online . But most dealers want relatively new cars they’re not interested in older, high-mileage vehicles. So even if you would rather follow this low-effort path to sell your vehicle, it might not be possible.
