Should you sell your car privately?
Selling your car directly to a buyer can be an excellent way to get top-dollar. We've done it lots of times.
Well, Ray has. Tom, however, has never sold a car.
Why? Well…when the time has come for him to part with his cars, they don't even cast a shadow.
Here are our tips for determining whether a private sale is right for you and, if it is, how to set about getting it done without a hitch-and getting top dollar along the way.
Tom and Ray Magliozzi
Click and Clack,
the Tappet Brothers
P.S: We'd like to hear from you, too!
Be sure to add your two cents in
our on-going discussion Tips for
Selling Your Car, below.
Is a Private Sale Right for You?
Before you set about selling your car, you have to first ask yourself one question: is a private sale right for me?
Selling a car takes time, involves a certain amount of hassle,
and some risk-including personal risk.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do you have the time to thoroughly clean the car, check and top off fluids, collect all repair records, and, possibly, take it to a mechanic to be checked out?
2. Are you willing to take the risk in terms of time, money, hassle-and the possibility that the car might not sell or you might get scammed-for the prospect of a better sale price?
3. Are you comfortable having strangers come to your house or place of work? Are you comfortable going on test drives with strangers, or asking them to wait, until your weight-lifter boyfriend, Thor, can come join you?
4. Are you comfortable having strangers come to your house or place of work? Are you comfortable going on test drives with strangers, or asking them to wait, until your weight-lifter boyfriend, Thor, can come join you?
5. Are you prepared for accepting the legal liability that comes with selling a car? In many states, if a recently sold used car doesn't pass inspection, the seller may be financially liable.
If you answered "Yes" to all five questions then it's time to prepare your car for that big sale! Start here >>
If you answered "No" to any of these questions, stop here. It's not worth it for you to sell your car privately. In that case, here are a few options for you to part with your car.
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dmayer
This was pretty handy-- I just used a bunch of the info here to sell my old Subie!
alisonbt
I was a single gal at the time I sold my Volvo - this info gave me the knowledge and confidence I needed to do it on my own.
the emperor
1 Most people get all sentimental about their old cars and ask way way too much for them. A while ago I was looking at this car from a guy that was a 98 Volvo S70 in good condition, bluebook put it at $2500 for "excellent", but he was asking $5000, just because he had taken such good care of it. I didn't buy it.
Stang
My daughter and son-in-law are about to sell two cars as they get ready to move from the Bay Area to Tokyo. They're wondering whether it would be better to put the cars on the market in December or January. Anybody got any ideas?
juke
.i would like to know how to sell a car that i am still paying on i find that i just can't afford any more, illness and husband passing, i might have a possible buyer.