10 tips to sell your used car successfully

You want to sell your car. Your family has grown, you want to buy another car, you do not do so many kilometers or your used car has many years already. The reason is not the important thing, the important thing is to recover as much as possible of the initial outlay made on your purchase. Selling a car is a complex task involving many factors, and is not taught in schools. We are going to offer you 10 tips to sell your used car quickly , efficiently and comfortably.

Best 10 tips to sell your used car successfully

#1) Establish a sensible price

The first thing you should do is test the second hand market of your car . A good way to do it is to look for your car in the multitude of webs of second hand of the market. Look for cars with the same engine, similar age and mileage to get an idea of ​​the price range in which the car moves . The target price of your used car also depends on its status, and what you can offer in its sale. Let’s take a practical example, which is how things look best. I want to sell a Nissan 350Z.

A search reveals that their prices range between 9,000 euros and 15,000 euros for models of about 10 years of age. The higher the mileage, the lower the price, and it is clear that more will be paid for a car that has all the revisions sealed in the manual. The mechanical modifications – think high – performance spark plugs and new tires – negative or positive impact on its value form and the condition of the tires or paint. Decide what your price is, and value the haste you have in selling your car accordingly.

It is also possible to use online appraisal tools – free – to know the approximate price of your car. A dealer or a sale can also price the car, but do not forget that they take into account your piece of cake: your business model is to buy cheap and sell more expensive.

#2) Should I allow negotiation on the price?

A simple “urgent sale” in the car ad gives a clear signal to the prospective buyer: the price is very negotiable and the seller will accept low offers because he is “desperate”. It is important to decide if you admit negotiation in your price . A non-negotiable price is less attractive to the buyer, and we all prefer to receive even a small discount on the purchase price. However, a non-negotiable price can also be a good indicator of a fair price and transparency of the seller.

#3) Prepare the used car for sale and do not be stingy

Before showing a car to anyone, you must prepare it for sale. Do not be stingy : hand it over with the last IT, with good tires and a recent oil change. It does not hurt a general check in a trustworthy workshop . Think how the buyer will do it, opt for a car whose initial expenses are low, a car that does not have to take to the workshop as soon as you buy it and receive a four-figure invoice. Give yourself some money to put the car on point, and you will recover the investment.

It is important to show the car clean, and show that it has been well treated during your use. Pay a thorough cleaning of interior and exterior, or do it yourself . Your buyer will appreciate it, and your pocket also. Gather all the documentation of the car, and provide invoices of the latest work in the workshop that the car has received. Show that you have worried about the car and have treated it well. Should I wash the engine? You do not have to be clean, do a review but keep some of the usual dirt that usually accumulates.

#4) Where do I post the ad? Do I go to a professional?

Excellent question As an individual , it is best to publish the advertisement in the usual portals of second-hand car sales on the Internet . Annunciations is currently the portal with the highest traffic and ad volume, despite its outdated interface and design.  A sale between individuals will leave you more money in general, but do not rule out going to a professional. Especially in complicated sales cars, if you need money urgently or do not want to complicate your life.

#5) Write a suitable ad

If you want to take the bull by the horns, you should write a good ad for your car. It should not be too short or too extensive, and the most important thing is that it hardly leaves doubts to the possible buyer . It is not worth only with that of “very careful, always in the garage”. Talk about the mileage, tell what oil you have put, talk about the deal you have given the car and tell a little about the dynamics of the car: is it comfortable or sporty? How is the engine response? Engage the reader , that reader may be the one who ends up paying you several thousand euros.

Do not forget to include in the advertisement the reason for the sale of the car, give a signal to the buyer of honesty and transparency, either because you have become too small or because you have simply been infatuated with a new car. He mentions the existence of invoices, the time he has left to pass the IT and the most recent works , such as for example that you have changed the tires 5,000 kilometers ago or that he has the last revision passed a couple of months ago at the dealership. Again, think like the buyer.

#6) Better an image than 1,000 words: make beautiful photos of the used car

Many ads pecan of just having pictures or having very poor quality photos. It is not necessary to have a professional camera to make some decent photos of the car, having a Smartphone is enough. You must include photos of each side of the car, the front and the back. A picture of the interior and another photo of the seats. The buyer wants to know in what state the car is , and if you find surprises – of a negative cut – when it comes to seeing the car, the most possible thing is that it takes a good piss, and do not buy it.

Includes photos of the engine, the IT vignette or unique details of your car . If you have modifications or elements that you think increase their value, do not cut yourself in teaching them: your newly changed tires, the bar of turrets that you have installed or those tires that have been so well polished. Take the photos in a well-lit place, daytime and without distractions. No need to hire a professional photographer and a studio, a large and empty parking is more than enough to not divert attention from the car.

Do not do the pictures with the car parked among other cars on the street, or burned with the flash because you have done them in the garage. If you have the sealed revision book, take a picture. If you have two or three car keys, take a picture. If it’s a classic and you keep both manual and original documents, take a picture. Put a little effort on your part , and always remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. Are not you tired of seeing ads with bad photos or do not teach what you want to see?

#7) Honestly answer the buyer’s questions

You have already met with a potential buyer in a public place, and you have already seen the car. It’s time for your question time. You must respond honestly and with clear answers to the buyer . The buyer can ask you the most varied questions, from the use you have given the car to much more specific details, such as the brand of oil you use. The questions give the buyer information about the car’s level of care and your knowledge of the car. Be honest , and if you do not know an answer, admit it.

#8) Allow me to test the car, accept mechanical test

There is nothing that pushes back a buyer more than a refusal to perform a mechanical test on the car. The simple negative implies that you are hiding some defect, and so should be interpreted by the buyer. Agree between them a workshop at a time that suits you. If you are an honest seller and you know the mechanical state of your used car, a mechanical test should not worry you in the least. Once again, it demonstrates transparency and an informed buyer, the best type of buyer.

#9) Do not hide information about the used car: be transparent

Honesty when selling a car is important. Let’s imagine that the car you are selling has traces of antifreeze in the oil, sign of imminent butt failure: a joke that generates invoices of several thousand dollars. The buyer must deliver the car to the buyer without hidden defects, charges or encumbrances . If the buyer detects irregularities, he has up to 6 months to file a lawsuit against the buyer, who may have to take over the repairs or buy the car.

All the more reason to deliver a car in good condition and be completely open with the faults that the vehicle may have. The buyer has no right to complain about failures or breakdowns known in advance. In addition, if the buyer is wise – as I hope you are – will make you sign a simple contract of sale between individuals in which it is explicit that you deliver the car without hidden defects, charges or encumbrances. As the saying goes, a liar falls before a lame man. Be honest and there will be no problems.

#10) Remove the ad when the used car is sold

Deference to other buyers. You have already sold your car, so do not forget to remove the ad from the platforms where you have posted it. You will avoid wasting time to other people and you will avoid making them waste your time, you will have to answer phone calls or emails saying “I’m sorry, it’s already sold”. The effort to delete the ads is much smaller in comparison. We will all appreciate it. That said, good luck in selling your car!

Finally, in Spain, the used car market is benefiting from economic difficulties. Families delay the purchase of a new car and opt for the second-hand market as a substitute. A study conducted in 2018 showed that the previous year, the demand for used vehicles exceeded the offer by 12%, and sales figures for 2018 have returned to be very positive, with a market growth of 6.5%. Drivers are still interested in used car, as evidenced by the fact that 74% of the vehicles transferred in 2018 were more than five years old. If you are on the other side, among those who want to get something out of their old tourism, this is a guide for doing things in the best possible way: ten steps to sell used car correctly.