Even if it is not the right time to sell your car because you need money, those who do it are not few. And the reasons are different around the end of the year: money is needed for the Holidays, winter is approaching and another car is required, over a month it gets older with one year, they got bored of their car and they want to buy another one and so on. Statistically speaking, the end of the year is the period with the most used car sales. But those who manage to receive the asking price are few. How do they do it?
Contents
1. The decision to sell the car
You must only get the car for sale when you are 100% determined that you want to get rid of it. The reasons belong to you, but the most common is the one related to the need for money. Many people give up their expensive car that keeps a large amount of money locked, to buy a cheaper car, and with the difference to take a vacation.
But some sell their car because they want to buy another car, others with sports cars or convertibles want to sell them because the season has passed, and those with luxury cars are selling them because they are going to buy another new car. Whether it is the need for urgent money or the purchase of another model, in all situations the reason is the need for money. So, you have to make sure you need the money, but also what you want to do with them to start selling the car.
2. Preparing the car for sale
If you have an expensive car, it’s ok to do interior and exterior detailing. The problem with this operation is that it costs about $ 200. Which is not worth a car for several thousand dollars. But if you sell a limousine of tens of thousands of dollars, it is good to restore the brilliance of a new car, as it was in the factory with professional detailing. If you sell a fairly cheap middle-class car, an inside-outside wash is all you need. An extremely important element, much more important than the scratches on the outside, is the look of the upholstery.
It is normal for a car that runs daily through the crowd to have scratches. This does not mean that the owner did not take care of it. But if a customer sees a dirty interior, with greasy stains, coffee, cigarette burns, it means that the driver was not interested in taking care of it. So, if you somehow have dirty upholstery, do a professional cleaning. And, in addition to all the cleaning, try to solve the minor defects: light bulbs, lights on board, scratches, interior noise, etc. The first impression is important and can drive the client away.
3. The technical state
A used car, even with a few miles, will never be perfect, because it is not new, removed from the factory doors. It is normal to have signs of wear and slight defects. But here I refer to the global technical state and major flaws. You will never sell a car, even at a lower price, if it releases white smoke on the exhaust, if it has a worn clutch, if you hear noises or beats in the engine if you feel the smell of fuel, if you have problems with the steering, and so on.
No one tells you to change all the pieces with new ones, but everything visible or heard must be resolved. You can not embarrass yourself with a car that transmits to the potential buyer that the car has enough defects to convince him not to buy, for example. When you do the road test together, the car must transmit confidence: to start quickly, the engine must sound smooth. The rest of the details that will come to light in case of service inspection are small details that can not be serious.
4. Pictures from the car ad
Know that most times, the picture sells the car, not the description. So you have to pay a little more attention to this aspect. With the car clean, both on the outside and inside, you have to take some pictures. Depending on the website profile, you will have at your disposal several pictures to publish in your sale ad.
You need to take pictures of the car on both sides, to make it clear that it has not suffered any damage. One side-front and one side-back picture are sufficient for the car exterior.
An inside picture, in which to see its condition, especially the steering wheel and the seats, this is required. The pictures with the engine are not necessary because they do not convey anything to the buyer nor do they show any defects, such as leaks or any strange noises. But if you are allowed to publish more photos, it is good to do the exterior in detail, on each side, along the car body, in front, in the back, on the rims and tires. A moving picture is welcome and is a good visual indicator for the buyer to know what the future looks like on the road. An essential element to remember: never cover the registration plates in pictures, because you will chase away serious buyers who think you have something to hide.
5. Price and small details
The price of your car can be set in two ways: if you need urgent money or if you do not rush to sell the car.
If you need money fast, then you need to research on the internet for other similar cars like yours, see the engine details and year of manufacture, this will give you a lot of details. If you want to sell the car fast, put it at a lower price than the cheapest similar car. If you do not rush to sell it, then ask an average price until a customer that is interested in your car make and model will find it.
The rule for car ads is simple: drop the price with 100 $ if in 2 weeks you see that no one calls you. This means that the price is a bit high. Besides the price that you will ask according to what you need, you should not forget the small details that make the difference: whether or not it has new tires, if it has an extra set of winter tires, if it has a service book, what defects it has, what endowments it has, if it has paid taxes and so on. Write on a sheet absolutely all the details about your car before posting the ad, to make sure you don’t forget them.
Remember that if your car is in a condition, it will be worth more than the average price, especially if the car you want to sell has a service history book this is key to selling the car faster.
Unfortunately, an above-average mileage means that you will have to lower the asking price if you want people to take an interest in your car.
If you have a highly desirable model on the market, you will be able to sell it for a slightly higher price, because the enthusiasts of this car will be very interested.
In conclusion, if you want to sell your car faster do this:
- prepare your car for sale and make it presentable, especially the interior.
- Make sure it does not have major technical problems that will be seen in the first test.
- Take good pictures from as many angles, including the interior.
- Mention any minor details in the ad and set a price based on how fast you want to sell the car.
Aside from these aspects, it is better to be an honest person and mention the defects of the car, before a buyer discovers them during viewing. If you say on the phone that the car has never been hit, and when tested, the buyer sees that it has been cracked quite hard and repaired, you will lose the buyer without a doubt. Otherwise, it’s up to you and your car!