Posted on 06/02/2016 8:46:20 AM PDT by Jagermonster
Hey Fellow Freepers –
I’m getting ready to sell my car, and planning to sell private party. I’ve never done this before (First car traded in, second car totaled . . . ) so I’m hoping to tap the wisdom of the Freeperverse on how best to go about doing it.
I have a few questions, in no particular order:
(1) Is it better to go with a craigslist ad, or to use one of the paid auto listing services like Autotrader or Cars.com?
(2) Where do you look, and what do you look for when you shop for used cars?
(3) Is it better to spend some money for minor repairs, or just sell it in its current condition? (It’s about due for new brake pads, and has some small dents.)
(4) How important is having the vehicle maintenance history available? (I hadn’t ever planned to sell it, so I didn’t keep good records, even though I have had regular oil changes and recommended maintenance done).
(5) How do you all handle meetups with potential buyers and test drives?
(6) I know it is important to have the car clean, but how clean is clean enough? Do I need to go whole hog with stuff like a wipe down of the engine compartment and armor-all on the door seals, etc., or is a good wash and wax, with a vacuum and scrub of the interior sufficient?
I’d appreciate anything you all would care to share about these questions, or other general advice, comments, or stories about about selling a car to a private party.
Thanks!
I can’t answer all your questions...but I wouldn’t pay to list it anywhere, in this day and age. Craigslist should work well.
A lot depends on the mileage and the brand/model of car.
Check Kelly Blue Book for resale demand/value.
If it’s that ‘76 AMC Pacer parked in your driveway, don’t bother with the detailing.
You haven’t been in the United States of America for very long, have you?
Tell the government so they don’t slap you with tolls when the next guy drives on the turnpike....
Find a body shop or detail shop and have a professional wax/polish job done. For $100, you’ll get an extra $500...
I love my brothers 76 AMC Pacer, Great touring car. If you go on a driving sight seeing tour you want this car.
There are pages at Ebay on how to sell your car there.
It’s a 6 year old Honda. I think there’s probably good demand for that.
It is important to say what kind of car, what year and how many miles. Without that info it is hard to give advice. Some cars have a specialized market, like Mustangs or convertibles or diesel engines. Knowing that adds to what your Freepers can tell you. Also, investigate what your model is selling for by searching online.
In general, the car should be as clean as possible. Don’t do any repairs that do not show. If the brakes work, don’t touch them. I use Craigslist. Start with make, model, year and price. I won’t even glance at an ad that leaves that out. Next, mileage and condition. If it has 120k miles and the interior has a few minor rips and tears, provide that information with relevant pictures. Put all the positives first but do not skip over the negatives. If it has been smoked in, say so. You don’t want somebody driving two hours to see a car only to find out you left out relevant details, like there was a dead body in the trunk in a hot parking lot for two weeks and even your dog won’t go near it.
I use CL, cleaner the better especially the engine, have all maintenance paperwork, lots of photos, advertise for top edmonds.com price for negotiating room, have them come to you and leave their car for a test drive, I usually let them just take it by themselves for a test drive. Fresh oil change is a good idea, if you have crappy tires you can get some decent tread cheap at most tire stores.
It’s almost as good as one of those 60s 23-window VW Wagons, or the Olds Vista Cruisers. Except in the FL summers, when the AC unit couldn’t keep up cooling the interior, it was worse than a sauna. The 60-2 unit worked better: 60mph, 2 windows down.
I’ve sold cars easily on Craigslist. Having maintenance records helps. Everyone asks about them. People will ask about recalls. Print out a Carfax report ahead of time. Have the title ready, and do a cash deal. Worst part is riding while some bozo test drives your car. I always carry when doing Craigslist deals. Buying or selling. Never had an issue.
Use that information to make decisions about what to clean and fix. To me, someone who says they ‘just had the brakes done’ means ‘there are other problems, but I did this thing which you won't qualify for any warranty to have fixed in the future.’ You spending money to sell your car makes me far more curious as to what you didn't fix and what I will have to in the near future.
I'm assuming that there's problems with the vehicle, hence why you're not hitting up your social media to sell it to a friend for their kids to have as a first car. If that's not the case, why not do that first? Or check with the mechanic who has been servicing the car - see if they know someone who's interested in buying it. Your own social media is likely the quickest and safest method to sell a reliable vehicle.
Marcus Lemonis of TV fame (The Profit) was a partner of this group.
Bkmrk.
Never have a potential buyer come to your home.
Meet them in a public place with a lot of people around and security cams (gas station, bank parking lot, outside police station).
If you can, take picture of their car/ marker plate in case they try to rob you.
Payment in cash or certified bank check only. Do all the paperwork & money transfer inside a secure location, preferably inside your bank. Never agree to a wire transfer, third party check, or foreign banks.
Deal with local buyers, or surrounding towns. Avoid buyers from big cities unless you are very sure they are legit. At the first hint of BS scammers end all communication. Make them send you their cell # before any meeting.
Bring a friend to all meetings to test drive car or negotiate. This way you have a witness, never go alone.
If the dents are minor and the paint isn't damaged, consider paintless dent repair. They can do wonders with door dings and the like. I had a nasty door ding that was taken out and you couldn't tell anything had ever been done to it.
Probably is a good market for them.
You could probably get it detailed for $100-125, and that would help increase the resale.
I drive a pristine 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee ‘Laredo’ (405k), and prefer the older vehicles. I’ve had numerous people ask if I want to sell it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.