Sell Your Used Car without Getting Ripped Off
There are a number of ways to sell your car. It can be difficult to know where to start, but not impossible.
Contents
Steps
- Know your car! There are a few ways to find out what your car is worth. Places such as Kelly Blue Book (KBB) or Edmunds will give you a range of what values you can get for the car either selling to a dealer, or going through a private party
- Choose a method that gives you what you want! Your preferred choice for selling a car can be thought of in three dimensions.
- Figure out what the maximum amount of money you can make on the car is. Although online databases can help, you'll need to know just how much information from other dealers you can safely get for the car to see just how much the car will be worth when sold.
- Try and figure out how well the process is to sell your car. Would you want a process that is simple or contentious or even one that is full of haggling and lots to deal with? That you'll have to make on your own.
- Try and figure out just how much knowledge you have about your current car you are selling.How much do I know about cars? If your knowledge of cars is limited, getting the best price and having a convenient process is usually trade-off.
- Trade-in your car at a dealer.This is relatively straight-forward but the price will most likely be very low. Although there are some third-party websites that can help you take your car through sales, there are others out there (like Craigslist) that can maximize the car's value but you'll probably see multiple people and have to coordinate a lot of communication before concluding the sale - so be on the lookout for your best deal possible.
- Sell your car at your own private residence. Put it on your lawn with a sign describing what the car is - some of it's good features and wait. Though you might get less money, this will be less of a struggle to sell the car and not get ripped off. You'll still need to do the research, but you'll be able to be less likely to make a mistake and still get it off your hands.
Tips
- The more information you have on your car (mileage, option package, VIN number) the more accurate your estimate will be.
Related Articles
- Keep from Getting Ripped off on a Used Car
- Sell Your Car Privately
- Buy a Used Car Off Craigslist
- Sell a Car on Craigslist
