When you finally decide to sell your car, you get to put your mind to it and think about how to get the best price for your old, metal buddy. At this moment, we can name a hundred things you can do so that your selling goes as smoothly as possible. To make it much easier for you, we have decided to narrow the options so that you are focused solely on the essence. If you’re determined to complete this task without problems, you’ve come to the right place. We will make sure to provide you with tips that will enable you to get top dollars for your car without facing any radical problems along the way. So, without further ado, let’s get to the business.
Perform a Prepurchase Check Before the Buyer
Prospective and experienced car buyers with respectable mechanic knowledge will make sure to check your car before they decide to place the purchase. They will go to pick apart your car and lower the price as a result of the test by simply taking it to the local mechanic so that they make sure to be provided with all the necessary information. So, instead of them taking your car for the check, be proactive and conduct this check before selling the car. In case there is nothing off with your vehicle, you will have a good report from a professional mechanic under your belt. On the other hand, if there is something wrong with your vehicle, you can have it fixed and be prepared to explain it to the potential buyer. In any scenario, you will have the confidence to increase the price of your car, cover your investment, and make sure that the sale will go smoothly with minimal negotiation.
Clean Your Car As If It Is Your Wed Day
Your car needs to be cleaner than ever before, especially for the shooting. Add photos to present a clean and shiny car without any debris. The majority of people do not believe this, but it is proven that clean cars tend to be sold much faster and bring more money into your pocket. By taking everything into account, you will reach the conclusion that not all people want to get themselves a filthy car. Have you noticed that people do not even want to buy dirty cars from the lots? It is the reason why all cars on the lots are perfectly clean and shiny. When cleaning your car, you need to make sure that places like the steering wheel, glasses, seats, carpets, ashtrays, and dashboards are perfectly cleaned.
Be Realistic When It Comes to the Price
In order to be realistic with your sales, you should visit a couple of sites beforehand and collect the necessary information. You can start by exploring the sites that will provide you with information on how much you can actually get. However, if you own a junk car, calling a local junk car buyer to pick it up might be the best idea. Based on your region, you can sell junk cars for cash in Richmond, VA, or some other state, as they are willing to come and pick it up and even pay you cash for it. On the other hand, if your car is still with a penny, collecting information in Autotrader, eBay, AutoTempest, and others, you will have insight into the princes of other sellers. In reality, there is usually a great gap between the things that people are asking for and their true value. So, it would be smartest for you to set the price reasonably and in accordance with other people’s needs.
Handle the Test Drive Responsibly
It would be desirable for you to go on a test drive with the buyer. You should agree on the details beforehand. Details such as the route and durations should be previously discussed so that you have a chance to present them with the vehicle without wasting too much time. You should be careful tho; there is no need for them to take you to deserted places and subject your car to some of the worst roads in town, especially with the stranger behind the wheel. With the proper route, you will have a chance to show the potential buyer the real possibilities of your car without them facing any kind of surprises. You need to remember that your car should be tested out and exercised from time to time, so in case the buyer wants you to speed up and stop abruptly so that they can see the performance of the brakes, you should consider letting them process with caution so that there is no safety concern. A good test drive can surely raise the price.
Do Not Be Ashamed to Negotiate
You need to negotiate like a pro. Naturally, buyers will try to lower the price when buying a car and you need to make sure not to leave them enough space for it. Negotiating the price before the sale is a common and normal practice but is a rare occasion for you to ensure some extra funds for your car. You should try to avoid price negotiations until the test drive is over. In the States, just as in any other part of the world, you can expect the buyers to make a much lower bid for your car than the asking price. In some cases, these can be much lower, even dramatically lower. However, you should not be offended because the buyers are simply trying to save a bit. Hence, here are a couple of things to try:
- do not offer a lower price over email or text messages. After the test drive, the buyers can ask you for an even lower price.
- ask buyers how much they are comfortable paying. This leaves you enough room to make a reasonable price.
- if the buyer is asking the “would you accept..” question, then they have already considered the amount of money they want to pay. But, based on the practice, they usually offer much less than the asking price. So, make sure you use all of the strong points of your vehicle to offer the best price possible.
Selling a car is not an easy task and will certainly take you some time, however, for the greater good. With these smart tips, you will be able to negotiate and raise the price of your car a bit so that you get paid an extra dollar for it.
