Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of holding out for the highest offer on your car. Whether you are facing an impending financial crisis, need a working car quickly, are moving or simply want to get the tedious process over with as soon as possible, getting rid of a car fast without losing money can seem nearly impossible. If your price is too high, you may not get any interest and your car could sit for weeks, but if you price it too low you are denying yourself valuable cash. The good news is that there are several tricks that can be done within just a few hours to give your car the very best chance of selling at a fair price.
First, you need to determine what your car is worth and the absolute lowest price you will take for it. To do this, check used car listings for your year and model, noting the quality of the cars being sold at different price points. When you have a general range of prices, it’s time to go outside and honestly assess your vehicle. Note the mileage, any repairs that need to be done, the quality of the interior, any dents and the quality of the paint. If your car is still fairly new and in good shape, the job of selling it will be much easier! If not, however, you may need to price it toward the lower end of the spectrum. Once you know about what you should get for it, figure out your absolute lowest selling point. You should set your initial price at least a few hundred dollars above this point, as most people expect some haggling when it comes to buying used cars.
Next, you need to make the car look like it’s worth buying. Clean out the interior of any junk or grime, preferably vacuuming it. Then give the car a good wash so that it will look its best for interested buyers. Try to take pictures while the car is still damp to make it appear extra glossy. If you are selling online, photos are very important. Include at least one with your ad, but preferably three or more to show off your car’s best angles. The text of your ad should be positive, but honest. List the good features of your car but don’t neglect to also mention any work that needs to be done, as uninformed buyers are likely to walk away from a car with obvious problems. Advertise your car in a variety of places for maximum exposure, and hopefully your phone will be ringing soon afterwards.
Once you have a potential purchaser, be polite and do your best to point out all of the good aspects of your car. Remember your lowest acceptable number and stick to it. If you have done your homework and set a fair price, you should be able to get more than your low point. It’s a good idea to know the location and hours of nearby notaries so that, once you’ve found your buyer, everything can be wrapped up quickly. You may be surprised to find that with these simple preparations your car can be sold in a day or less, leaving you with the cash you need and one less hassle to worry about.