Selling Your Car Online: 6 Foolproof Tips

In these series of blogs, we’ve shared some insightful tips for how to lease a vehicle with favorable terms and we also dived deeper into the mistakes you can easily avoid during the leasing process. This time, we’re going to cover how to sell your car online so you can get more money for it to put toward another vehicle. The process isn’t a difficult one, but it does require some research and planning. Here’s how to do it.

Find out how much it’s worth.

Selling a vehicle privately, as opposed to trading it in to a dealership, usually equates to more money in your pocket. But first, you have to determine how much your vehicle is worth. You can use resources such as Kelley Blue Book or Auto Trader to get an accurate estimate. Simply type in your vehicle’s make, model, condition, and features and submit the form.

Prepare the paperwork.

There’s a lot of necessary paperwork involved in selling a car. So, rather than wait until someone is interested and makes an offer, prepare the paperwork now. Here are the basics to have on hand:

• Title – You and the new owner need to sign the title to change ownership.
• Bill of sale – A bill of sale is used to document the terms and conditions in the event of a dispute, and can release you of certain liabilities, states the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• Release of liability – This form will keep you from being liable for any damages incurred after the vehicle is sold. Without it, there could be a dispute over accidents or other events that occur before the vehicle is registered under the new owner.
• Warranty documentation.
• Repair and maintenance records.

Get it detailed.

You want to show off your vehicle in its best condition. Get the car detailed by a professional. If you choose to do it yourself, wash and wax the exterior, vacuum the interior and trunk, wash the rims, wipe tires with cleaning solution, wash the windows and get rid of anything that belongs to you before showing it.

Take pictures.

Take pictures in great lighting and include every angle and inch of the vehicle. If there’s a ding or a scratch, don’t attempt to hide it. Be transparent in your sales ad so that you only attract interested buyers.

Create an ad.

According to the DMV, include at least the following information in any ad you post on a classified service.

• Asking price.
  • Be sure to include if the price is firm, OBO (“or best offer”), or a quick sale.
• Mileage.
• Condition of the vehicle.
• Any history of accidents or damage.
• Modifications or upgrades that have been made.
• Recent repairs.
• VIN number. This will help the buyer order a vehicle history report (VHR) for the vehicle.
• Number of owners.

Screen buyers.

Once people start contacting you about the vehicle, let him or her know the acceptable forms of payment and notify them that the full amount is due that day if they want the vehicle. Be sure to get the person’s full name, payment information, and paperwork squared away before handing over the keys.

About Byrnes Agency

At Byrnes Agency, we offer auto insurance solutions that can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you have an old classic car or a brand-new model, we have the right coverage for you. To learn more about our products, contact us today at one of our two locations.

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Dayville Office

Phone: (860) 774-8549
394 Lake Rd
Dayville, CT 06241
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

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Norwich Office

Phone: (860) 886-5498
6 Consumers Avenue
Norwich, CT 06360
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm