When it comes to selling your used car for the most money there are several things to consider. Trading it in is not the best option so you’ll need to take care of all the details on your own. It can seem overwhelming but it really does not have to be.
Here’s a short guide to preparing your car for sale and how to get the most money out of it.
Make sure you read to the bottom. We produced a video that covers everything more in-depth!
Research the current value
This is probably the most important and why I listed it as the first step. You always ant to know and accurate value of your vehicle before listing it for sale. If you price it too low then you don’t get as much cash as you could.
If you price it too high then it could never sell or sit there in your driveway for months. I always suggest using Kelly Blue Book to value your ride. Make sure you have the VIN number and you’ll be all set.
Make it clean and shiny
Make sure to give the car a really good clean. Do it at home if you have the right cleaning products or take it to a detail shop if you don’t have the time.
It’s really important to make sure the car looks as clean as it can. With a clean ride you have a higher chance of selling and getting more money. People want to know that you took care of the car.
Take great photos
It seems like a simple task that everyone should do, but you would be surprised at how many car listings from private sellers have the worst photos. This is good news for you! If you just take the time to wash your car and take really good photos of it, then you will stand out from the rest.
Make sure you take pictures of the front, back, side, and each corner angle of the car. For interior shots make sure you get the dash, door panels, seats and shot of the gauge cluster showing the mileage of your car.
As a general rule the more pictures you include the better, and don’t try to hide anything. Be upfront, open and honest about the condition of your car.
Replace the tires
When people look at a used car, they want to buy it and drive it with little to no work needed. The condition of the tires can be a huge factor and negotiating point for the buyer. If your tires are worn out then I highly suggest buying new tires for it. They don’t have to be the most expensive, just something that is shiny and new.
Adding that new tire smell to your used car will help make the sale faster and increase the amount you can sell it for!
Set your asking price properly
Let face it, most people are going to lowball you or give you an offer way less than what you need or want for the car you’re selling. I suggest asking at least $1,000 or $2,000 more for your car than what you need depending on the value of your car. This way you have some room to negotiate. The newer your car is the higher your starting price should be.
Don’t trade or sell it to a dealer
This may be the easy route but it is also the best way to guarantee you get the least amount of money for your car. You can expect 10-20% less for your car than selling it private party. It may take a little more time but it’s totally worth it in the end.
Sell your car through FlipRide
Selling a car private party has always been tedious and complicated, until now.
When you sell a car using FlipRide, all of these annoying little details are taken care of for you. In minutes, not days. We take care of the title transfer, sale agreement contract, get the buyer a loan, and pay the seller. See how it works and get in the express lane.
Watch this!
I see you made it all the way to the bottom. Way to go! Check out this video we made that walks you through all of these steps in more detail.