Car manufacturers and dealerships are constantly offering good deals to tempt you into selling your old faithful and buying a new car. Selling a used car can be a very easy process or it could one of the most frustrating things you will ever do; it all depends upon what actions you take. Here are 5 helpful tips for selling your used car quickly and for a good price.
Add pictures when listing your car for sale
The online used car market is incredibly competitive. With a massive amount of options to sort through, any adverts without a picture are often the first to get ignored. When you are listing your car for sale on any website, do include a few pictures of it. Generally, people want to see that the car is in relatively good nick and is devoid of any major scratches, bumps or dents. It also reassures them that they are not wasting their time running after a car that may have leather seats that are torn up and with stuffing popping out through the seams. Get your car cleaned and detailed before taking pictures.
Get the safety and emissions test done
One of the first things you will be asked about the car, if you haven’t listed it already, is if the vehicle has passed its safety and emission tests. Replying in the negative gives the potential buyer a bargaining chip that they can use to reduce the asking price. It may seem like a bit of a hassle, but getting the tests done yourself works out to be a lot cheaper than having to reduce the asking price of the vehicle.
Clean the car before test drives
When you have people coming over to take a look at the car and take it for a test drive, make sure the vehicle is as clean as humanly possible. No point putting up excellent pictures of your car online if people come around and find your car to be a pigsty. Remove all the garbage that has piled into your car over time. Not just the cabin, but the boot should also be free of any rubbish. Make sure there are no stains on the seats and that there is no odour from the seats or roof linings. If possible, get the inside of the car detailed beforehand. A good detailing job can keep the car interiors looking good for months.
Keep the pricing competitive
Perform some research before deciding on an asking price for your car. Find out what the average price is for a vehicle that is of the same make and model, same year of manufacturing and similar mileage. Price your car somewhere around that average price. If the price is too high, you will scare off potential buyers, who wouldn’t even bother negotiating over the price. Price it too low and people will think there is something wrong with your car.
Be ready to answer any questions about the vehicle
When people come to have a look at your car, they will have a lot of questions for you. Be prepared to answer any questions they may have about the vehicle’s performance or history. When asked about safety and emission testing, it is best to have the certificates on hand to show to the buyers. Similarly, also carry a report that shows the insurance record of the car; if your vehicle has never been in a collision, having this report gives you a big advantage.
Follow these 5 simple tips and you should have the old car off your hands in no time.
Author of this post Nick Birt; provides
car detailing supplies in Perth. He is a car lover and spends his spare time reading about different cars and their features. He also blogs about different car issues.