Sell a Vehicle Online

Selling your vehicle privately online is generally a better option than going to a dealership, because you will get a better price, and is preferable to placing an ad in the newspaper, because you will reach a larger pool of buyers. With a little time and effort, you can maximize your vehicle’s selling power and this article is aimed at helping you to set up your online sale in a way that impresses buyers while also protecting you.

Steps

Getting Ready to Sell

1. Find your title documents. Your title proves your ownership, as well as your right to transfer it. If you bought your vehicle outright from a dealer or private seller, you should have the title in your possession. But if you purchased your vehicle through a loan, the bank may have your title and you’ll need to contact them to find out whether, and on what terms, they will release it to you.
   • If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having lost your title, you will need to apply to the relevant government authority in your region or country for a replacement.
2. If you purchased your vehicle commercially, find the sales receipt. If your vehicle was purchased at a dealership or other commercial retailer, you should have received a sales receipt when you bought it. If it is also covered by an ongoing service warranty connected to your purchase, then having the original sales receipt is doubly useful.
3. Find or obtain any required clearance certificates. Several jurisdictions around the world require that vehicles, especially those past a certain age, are periodically tested to meet emissions or road worthiness standards. You will need to check with the relevant government authority in your region or country to see what, if any, such clearances are required and how they may be obtained if yours have expired.
   • In North America and Western Europe, garages and auto body shops are authorized to charge for and perform such tests and issue the relevant clearances when required. If you fail a required test, you will need to have maintenance work done on your vehicle to ensure that it can pass the test the next time around.
4. Collect all available maintenance receipts and reports. Whether you’re the kind of diligent person who regularly takes their vehicle in for periodic maintenance, or if you’ve recently had parts replaced, having receipts and reports for as much maintenance work as possible is a great way to impress potential buyers. It shows that your vehicle has been well looked after and that you’ve added value to it.
5. Perform pre-sale maintenance relative to your vehicle’s condition. You’ll need to make sure that your vehicle is at its mechanical and cosmetic best if you want it to have appeal and, unless your vehicle has been looked after exceptionally well, this will probably involve some expense.
   • At the very least, have your vehicle washed and vacuumed, either at home or at a professional car wash.
   • The condition of your lights, windshield, brakes, tires, paintwork, upholstery, and bumpers, not to mention vital elements like oil and the engine, will all affect a buyer’s attitude.
   • As with all other maintenance work, keep copies of all receipts and reports to show buyers.

Marketing Your Vehicle

1. Research your market. Now that you’ve got your vehicle and its documents in order, you need to check your mileage and get a sense of how much a vehicle like yours is currently worth. In the United States, online guides such as KBB.com and Edmunds.com have user-friendly menus that will help you locate your vehicle and give you a price range based on its age, mileage, and other valuation criteria applied to used vehicles. Form an idea of your lowest price and your asking price.
   • Experts recommend that you set your asking price somewhere between 97% and 102% of the recommended price but it may help to set it somewhat higher so that you can meet lower offers without losing out.
2. Take attractive photos of your vehicle. When selling online, appealing images of your vehicle are essential to drawing buyers in but photos that are either too dark, low quality, or insufficient in number can seriously harm your sale. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, position your vehicle in a well-lit, uncrowded, space and shoot at least 40-50 photos of it with a good quality camera as you walk around it.
   • The best place to shoot is in an open space like a beach, park, sports facility, or car park, without many other vehicles or objects in the background.
   • The ideal time of day to shoot is either shortly after sunrise, or shortly before sunset, when the sun is up but its light is not overly harsh. Avoid shooting in the dark, even with a flash.
   • Try to use a relatively recent smartphone or digital camera. Avoid using older phones as these produce grainy pictures of low resolution.
   • Take photos of the interior and exterior from different angles with doors, including the trunk and hood, both open and closed.
   • Don’t be afraid to photograph scratches and other imperfections. These show honesty and help build trust with potential buyers.
   • Photographing the odometer helps confirm your stated mileage.
3. Write an effective title and description for your ad. Keep the title concise and specific, including the make, model, mileage, and price, along with any keywords that describe optional extras or features that buyers might be typing in when they run their searches. Keep the description to a 8-10 sentence paragraph, starting with your vehicle’s best-selling features, such as its mileage, ongoing warranty, or fuel efficiency.
   • Make your description personal and relatable by talking about why you bought it, how you’ve enjoyed it, why you’re selling it and why, despite its age, it would be a great buy because its been taken care of well and is looking for a new home.
   • Spend at least an hour writing your description and proofread it when you’re done.
   • Save your description offline, in a document file on your computer, so you can edit and proofread it easily.
4. Choose online venues and list your vehicle for sale. This will depend on where you live. In North America and parts of Europe, websites AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, eBay and Craigslist are popular, the last of these being completely free.
   • Be clear about your asking price and acceptable mode of payment.
   • Be sure to include a phone number or email address, depending on your communications preferences.
   • Upload the maximum number of photos allowable and host more on another site such as Flickr.com if you have several that can’t be accommodated.
   • On websites like Craigslist, you may need to relist your ad every few days, especially if you don’t get many responses, since it will be below more recent ads on the site and new buyers might not see it.

Entertaining Buyers and Closing the Deal

1. Screen potential buyers and make viewing appointments. Once buyers start to contact you, confirm that they understand the terms of payment. Make appointments for meeting and viewing at a public place only with buyers who seem genuine and serious.
   • When screening buyers, talk over the phone even if initial contact was through email. Ask about the buyer’s needs and the reasons for them being interested in your vehicle. Also ask if they have any questions for you. This interview-style screening process should be polite and friendly and not like an interrogation! But it will give you a sense of whether a buyer is serious and genuine or not.
2. Meet potential buyers and go for a test drive. At your meeting point in a public place, greet the buyer. Give them a walk-around tour of the vehicle and introduce them to it without rushing them. Have your paperwork handy and be prepared to answer questions. If they want to take it further, get in the vehicle for a test drive with them.
   • Use the drive to get to know the buyer and also to put them at ease with you. If they feel good about you, it will help them feel good about the sale.
   • They might bring a companion and you should consider taking one along too. It is beneficial to have a second opinion and this also provides both parties with security.
   • Under no circumstances should you let the buyer go off for a test drive without you, or a known associate, in the vehicle.
   • Avoid discussing the price before or during the test drive or inspection.
3. Close the deal. If the buyer is satisfied, negotiate the selling price. Remind the buyer of your asking price and see if they will agree to it but also keep your lowest price in mind. If the buyer cannot come close to your lowest price, or you have other buyers in the picture and would prefer to hold out for your asking price, feel free to decline and move on. Otherwise, if you’re satisfied, be prepared to sell on the spot and complete the paperwork. Depending on where you live, this may involve signing over the title and completing a Bill of Sale.
   • You will need to judge what your options are when negotiating. If you have time on your side, are in touch with other buyers, and your vehicle is in high demand, you will have considerably more latitude than if you need to get rid of your vehicle urgently and have not had many calls.
   • Don’t hand over the keys until all the paperwork is complete and you have copies of everything.

Tips

• Getting your paperwork together at the start will simplify and improve your selling experience. Not only does having your paperwork in hand help you accurately identify your vehicle’s model, including any optional features that distinguish it from the base model, it reassures potential buyers that what you say about it is backed up by documents.[1]
• Many serious buyers want assurance that a vehicle has been inspected by a mechanic or service center before they commit to buy. Since this inspection is optional, interested buyers are normally expected to pay for it if they want it. But you can instantly boost your vehicle’s value from the start if you’ve had a recent inspection done, or if you pay for a new inspection yourself, thereby reassuring buyers that there are no unknowns.
• Certain times of year are better for selling vehicles than others. For example, in the United States, the February-April period, when tax refunds are issued, puts a lot of extra disposable income into people’s hands. Spring and summer are better for photographing vehicles and going on test drives than rainy or cold weather.
• Dress well when meeting buyers. The way you present yourself says something about the way you are likely to have taken care of your vehicle.

Warnings

• Beware of scammers who target online vehicle sales. Always ignore requests to deal with buyers abroad, those requesting wire transfers, or those who do not wish to see the vehicle.
• If dealing with a transfer instrument such as a check issued by the buyer’s bank, accompany the buyer to their bank and oversee the execution of the instrument.
• Conduct all meetings and drives with buyers during the daytime in public places.

Related Articles

• Buy and Sell Cars for Profit

References

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