How to Sell Your Car

January 14, 2021

How to Sell Your Car

Selling a used car can feel daunting as there are many associated aspects. Whether you are selling your car privately or looking to sell to a dealer, Dick Hannah Dealerships has compiled this easy-to-follow guide to help you sell your vehicle fast.

Set an Asking Price

Before you can sell your car, you’ll need to know what it is worth. Kelley Blue Book is a reputable place to pinpoint private sale and trade-in values and will give you a reasonably priced starting point for selling your car. When setting your price, try to keep any emotion or attachment to the vehicle out of the equation — people tend to overprice a car because of their fond memories and that can make it harder to sell.

It is also helpful to have a pricing strategy in place if negotiations come up. Determine the lowest possible price you are willing to accept for your car and take into consideration how quickly you want or need, to sell as part of your strategy.

Gather the Necessary Paperwork

Once you’ve determined your asking price, gather the relevant paperwork to make the sale easier. First and foremost, no vehicle can be sold without a title. If you have a clear title, meaning you completely own the car, you should have it on hand. If you still make a monthly car payment but want to sell the vehicle or do a trade-in, ensure that you get the title from your car loan lender.

Other paperwork you should have includes:

Vehicle history report
Maintenance records
Warranty documentation
As-Is documentation
Odometer disclosure
Bill of Sale

Do a Deep Clean

A clean, clutter-free car will automatically catch the eye of potential buyers. You could consider taking the car to a professional detailer or put in some elbow grease yourself. Clear out all of your personal belongings, vacuum the entire car (don’t forget the trunk!), and spot-clean the seats and floor mats as needed. Dust the dash, clean out the cupholders, and give the windows a good wipe down.

vacuuming car

Clear Stored Information

Newer model vehicles tend to have electronic systems that can save and store select data. Your phone and stored numbers should be unlinked from the call system and any subscriptions you pay for, such as satellite radio or on-call roadside assistance, should be canceled and removed as well.

Create an Online Listing

Craigslist and Facebook are popular sites to list cars for sale. When you are creating an online listing, be truthful about the condition of the vehicle while still writing an engaging ad. Most importantly, you want to take nicely composed, high-quality photos from multiple angles so buyers can get a great idea of what the car is like.

taking picture of car

Some pictures you should take include:

Front, back, and both sides of the car
Driver and front passenger seat areas
Stereo
Main control panel
Odometer
Engine
Backseat
Dashboard while the car is on — shows that no services lights are on
Truck while open
Tires
Roof features — racks, sunroof, or moonroof
Bumper — if it has a towing hitch
Any additional features or upgrades that make your vehicle stand out

Since many people utilize online selling platforms, your car ad can quickly move down the ranks. After two or three days, take the ad down and repost it so that it features on the first page again.

Selling to a Dealer

You may want to sell your used car to a dealership as part of their trade-in system. Many states offer a sales tax deal where you only have to pay the sales tax on the difference between a new car and the trade-in value of your used vehicle. So whether you want to sell your car in California, our great state of Washington, or almost any other state in the country, this can be a great option to help you sell your used car, purchase a new one, and save some money on sales tax.

Here at Dick Hannah Dealerships, we offer a high-quality and competitive trade-in program so you can get an appraisal quickly and conveniently.

receiving check

Start the Process

When you are ready to sell your used car and want to sell it fast, follow these simple, comprehensive steps to get the job done. Don’t want to handle the stress on your own? Contact Dick Hannah Dealerships to discuss your trade-in options today.