Guide To Selling Your Car - Get The Best Deal
By Billy G Cross
There are many options to consider when selling a car privately. This guide will help you explore those options and assist you throughout the whole process.
There are 4 main options when it comes to selling your car.
Private Sale
This option is probably the way to get the most for your vehicle, although it will more than likely be the most stressful way too. Be prepared to have a few potential buyers turn up and view your car, and usually haggle with you on price. If you can handle the pressure, then this type of sale will see a better return than most ways. Obviously you will not be pricing your vehicle at dealer prices, but then you are not offering the add-ons that dealers will usually have to provide.
1966 Chevy Caprice
Trading The Vehicle
The hassle free option in selling your vehicle will be to trade it to a used car dealer. You will be offered less than you would via the private sale, but you will be without the stress of it too. Take your car to a local dealer and ask them to evaluate the vehicle, you will usually be offered a quick sale at a lower cost, but then the dealer has to try and make a profit so its totally understandable.
Selling Via Auction
As with the Trading option, an auction sale can be hassle free, but as with the Trading option, you will more than likely see a smaller final value for your vehicle. Be prepared to have some potential buyers come and view the car, but you won't feel so pressured into getting a sale, as your car will hopefully be being watched by a number of future bidders.
Scrapping The Vehicle
If your vehicle has failed its MOT or has a serious mechanical problem, you may be considering scrapping it for its basic scrap metal value. Try and make sure that if this is your only option, that you are provided with evidence that the car has been scrapped. You may also consider breaking the car, selling different parts from your vehicle to buyers. Once again there are good auction sites where this method is quite popular.
Here is some advice on how to try and get the most for your car if selling it privately or to a trader.
Valuations
There are a number of valuation websites on the internet which will give you a good idea on what kind of price you should be looking for, for your car. Do a search on Google for Parkers Guide or WhatCar and you will be able to find a good guide on what to expect.
Do some research on similar cars for sale in the local press or in various magazines selling cars, even take a look at local dealers and the auction sites to get a general idea of what price to pitch your vehicle at.
Condition
Take in to consideration the age and the mileage of your vehicle, if it is an older model with less miles on, it may be worth the same as a newer model with higher miles.
The general condition of the vehicle is a good guide on how much to expect for your car, if the bodywork and the mechanics of the car are all in good order then you can expect to ask for a little more than an average condition model.
MOT
A vehicle with 12 months MOT will always be more appealing to a buyer than a car with less than a full MOT, if you are in a position to put your car through an MOT if it has less than 8 months on, then you will have more interest for sure.
Selling Points
If the vehicle you are selling is a high specification model of that particular make then make sure you are advertising the points. Things like Air Conditioning and Alloy Wheels will have a positive impact on your target audience.
Preparing your car for sale is a vitally important stage of the process, if you are to make a good impression on the potential buyers.
The phrase "first impressions last" comes to mind when first turning up to view a car for sale. Its a fact that scuffed, dented, paint chipped, untidy cars are not the biggest attraction for any buyers. Not only will having prepared your car have a positive effect on your potential buyers first impression but it will also enable to ask for that little bit more in price. Buyers would much rather spend a little extra on a car that looks like it has been taken care of and is in good shape.
Engine Bay
Have a look and top up all the levels under the bonnet, things like oil, anti-freeze & even the washer bottle, its the little touches like having topped up levels that give the impression that the car has been cared for and maintained.
Interior
Clean out those ashtrays if you are a smoker and hoover up those dog hairs if you are a dog owner, these are the 2 most off putting things to see in a used car. Spend a little time just tidying the inside of the car, a little polish here and there and a good vacuum will be pleasing on the eye of any buyers.
Tyres & Wheels
It is a well known saying to "tyre kick" and you can be sure that your potential buyer will check the wheels and tyres on your vehicle. A missing wheel trim can really have a negative effect on the look of any car, and tyres with low tread will also be a put off, the buyer is not going to be impressed if he has to go and spend more money on getting the car legal.
Find Out Your Papers
There is nothing more frustrating as a car seller, than when it comes to the point of filling out the logbook and showing the current MOT certificate, you can't find it. Make sure that before you instruct any potential buyers to come and view the car, that you have your docs in a handy easy to reach place.
The single most important factor in selling your vehicle, the advert.
This is the introduction to your car for all of the potential buyers and it needs to be as appealing as possible without sounding to over the top, wording an advert can be a fine art, and can result in a nice easy sale, but can also result in very little contact at all.
10 Must Have Things To Include In Your Advert
Year of vehicle manufacture and registration letter/number Make & Model Colour Condition Mileage Service History - if applicable Number of owners Price Contact Information Any Warranty Information - if applicable
When writing your advert for online, newspaper, magazine or any other publication, make sure to include those 10 important factors in your advert. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to an advert, there is nothing worse than turning up to a vehicle that has been advertised as immaculate but it turns out to be far from that.
The first contact you will usually have in the process of selling your vehicle will be over the phone, try and remain polite and answer all questions honestly without to much of a pause. Arrange a suitable time for your potential buyer to come and view the car, do not arrange for a time where you may have to rush the viewer as this will most certainly put them off. Serious buyers are likely to take their time in viewing and will not appreciate being rushed.
Never make an appointment for late in the evening and never make an appointment for a location other than a familiar location such as your home or a family/friends residence.
Buyer Arrival
As the buyer arrives, meet and greet them in a polite manner, ensure you do not appear desperate to sell your vehicle. It is a good idea to have all the doors unlocked and be on hand to open the bonnet when asked. At no point in time should you leave the car and the buyer with the keys unattended with the vehicle. Be on hand to start the engine and accompany on a test drive, but only when requested, also ensure that the buyer has the relevant insurance cover to drive your car. It is a good idea to leave the buyer to have a good look around the car alone (without the keys) to give them the opportunity to examine the car without fear of being watched over. They will feel more at ease and be more comfortable in making sure the car is exactly what they are after.
Test Drive
Usually the buyer will make a request to test drive the car. Ensure that you are in control of the situation of all times, never leave the keys unattended while you exit the car, as this is a prime opportunity for a thief to make off with your vehicle. The best advice whilst on the test drive is to remain quiet, let the buyer test the car, they would prefer to make their own decisions on the way the car feels than having you talking in their ear for the duration.
Sealing The Deal
Often the most nervous moment in the process is in discussing the deal. The advice here is to state the price that you are asking for the car, and await the response of the buyer. There is absolutely no point in offering a lower price than advertised prior to stating your original asking price, that will make you look either desperate or silly, and neither is good.
Have an idea in your mind of what your bottom price is, the lowest you are willing to accept, and wait for the buyer to come back with their response to the asking price. Rather than accepting the first offer from the buyer, and rather than dropping ?100 straight from your asking price, try and decrease your asking price in lower sums, like ?25. Do not be knocked down lower than your lowest price.
Remember all the positives on your vehicle, and use those to justify the asking price.
Note: Do not stop taking enquiries on your vehicle until you have received payment in full.
Ok, so you have found your buyer and agreed your price for the sale to go through. You are still at risk of being caught out by a fraudster or thief, so follow these tips and you should remain out of trouble.
As soon as the price is agreed, take a non-refundable deposit from the buyer, that way, if the buyer for any reason pulls out of the sale, your time will not have been wasted in its entirety.
You may hand over the keys when, and only when, the price has been paid in full for the car and the money is either in your hand or clearer in your bank account.
Write or type 2 sale agreements, one for you and one for the buyer, both should be signed and dated. On the agreement you should include:
Your name and address Buyer name and address Car details - make, model, VIN number, registration and mileage. Price details, including the word "paid" if paid, and also add confirmation that the vehicle is "sold as seen".
The final stage of this car selling process is to inform the necessary parties of the transfer of ownership.
Legally you must provide the DVLA with confirmation that the car has been transferred to a new owner. Fill out the V5c logbook while the buyer is still with you and ensure all the details are correct. Then post your logbook of to DVLA, Swansea.
If your vehicle is on a national security register, you must also inform them of the sale, and give the details of the new owner.
If the car is still under warranty, you will also need to inform the warranty provider with these details.
and that should be about it....
We hope our guide has helped you and we wish you all the best in selling your vehicle, wherever it may be.
This guide and a guide to buying a new or used car are also available on the new Tamworth Motors website, for all your local motoring needs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billy_G_Cross
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