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Whether you need the extra cash, are moving abroad or are looking to buy a new car, it might be time to sell your vehicle. A daunting time when you will have to set a price, advertise it and draw in potential buyers, it’s important that you’re prepared. But what steps should you take?

This brief guide will take you through the key stages and the top ways in which you can sell your car, to help make the process a little easier:

Set the price

When you’re set on selling your car, it’s time to sort the price out. You don’t want to undervalue or overvalue your car. So it’s a good idea that you do the following:

• Go online and see what similar models are being sold for.
• Type in key details about your car into a comparison website – this will also give you an indication of how much your car is worth. 

Decide how you want to sell it

If you’re looking for a quick and simple way to sell your car, there are a few main options that you can choose from. You can either sell it to a dealership, privately or trade it in. 

Whether you’re selling it to a dealership or privately, it’s vital that you have researched the steps and have everything in place before starting the sales process.

Consider getting a vehicle inspection

Once you’ve seen how much similar models are going for, consider getting a vehicle inspection and gather the vital paperwork for your vehicle. Cars which are the most appealing to buyers are those that have recently been tested by mechanics.

Within the folder of paperwork, you’ll want details of the vehicle’s service, along with registration history and any work that’s been done on it throughout the years (some information of which you can get through the DMV). Although most buyers will purchase a vehicle history report before buying, it’s important to provide them with all of the key information initially. 

Clean, clean, clean 

Before taking any photos of your vehicle (if you plan to sell it online) it’s worth thoroughly cleaning it inside and out. Pay attention to the steering wheel, carpets, seats and dashboard. Without cleaning it, buyers might be reluctant to put an offer in. 

Alongside cleaning, if you want to get a higher price, you could also invest in paintwork or bodywork repair if need be. 

Create an enticing ad

You want to catch a buyer’s eye, and the way to do this is through an enticing advert. Promoting your vehicle along with the main details about it and a series of photos, you’ll be able to get the asking price. 

If you simply upload one image with little information about it, you’ll find that your ad is ignored. But if it’s effective, you’ll have multiple offers and requests to see it. 

Set up a test drive 

When you start to get potential buyers contacting you, it’s time to arrange test drives. A time when they can come and view the vehicle and take it out, it must be arranged in a safe manner – for example, at a public place such as the mall. 

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are the key steps you should take in order to sell your car. Of course, there are other methods you can choose to release money on your vehicle apart from selling it – i.e. through a Car Title Loan (click here) or through other vehicle equity schemes. 

At the end of the day, it’s your decision as to what to do. Just make sure that you’re prepared in advance and that you’re fully aware of each process before taking the leap! 

Key things to remember:

• Don’t sell a car that has outstanding finance.
• Keep any receipts of work you’ve done to the car over the years.
• Be honest when selling the vehicle.