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Getting the most out of selling your used car
Though selling your used car privately will be a little more work than trading it in, the following tips can make it easier to sell your car. + Clean your car, both inside and out. While you might have grown to accept those stains on the floor or backseat, prospective buyers don't want to purchase a vehicle that's dirty. Cleaning the interior is especially valuable, as buyers will assume that if you took care of your car's interior, you likely took care of everything under the hood as well. Clean the dashboard, empty out the glove compartment, shampoo the carpets and seats and even clean out the trunk to make the interior look as clean as possible. To clean the exterior, wash and wax the car regularly until it's sold. If it's been awhile since the last potential buyer came to look at the vehicle, make sure you take it to the car wash for a cleaning if you have a buyer coming over. Most car washes will offer a package known as "the works," where the entire vehicle, interior, exterior, tires and even under the car is cleaned. Take advantage of this package. + Do your homework. Nothing wastes more time when trying to sell a car than asking for too much money. While you don't want to lowball your vehicle, you also don't want to ask for the moon. Regardless of the vehicle's condition, buyers will pass if they feel your asking price is too high. Research your car's value through options such as Kelley Blue Book. If you're honest in the assessment of your vehicle, you should get an accurate estimate of what you can charge or expect to get for the car. With so many different financing options now available, more and more buyers are opting for newer vehicles, which means you need to establish a price for your vehicle that will allow it to compete against dealers. + Put your car out there. While Internet used vehicle search engines advertise they can sell your car quickly, you're likely better off choosing the local newspaper. Larger Web sites typically have huge database of vehicles available within a given area, making it harder for your car to stand out. The classifieds in your local newspaper provide a much smaller sample, allowing your car to stand out more and connect to buyers that you know are in your area. + Be ready to sell. If you have prospective buyers coming over, make sure you have the title on hand in case they're ready to buy. The last thing you want is a buyer to change his mind because you weren't prepared. In addition, get a vehicle history report and offer a copy to any prospective buyers. This will let them know you have nothing to hide. + If need be, allow them to take it to their mechanic. This can be difficult situation to handle, but if a buyer insists on taking the vehicle to his or her mechanic, go along with them. Depending on the value of your car, it can be a substantial investment on the buyer's part, and it's perfectly understandable for the buyer to ask for second opinion on the vehicle's condition. If you appear as though this is out of the question, the buyer could assume you're not trustworthy and walk away.
+ Protect yourself. Finally, once you've sold the vehicle, cancel the insurance for that car to protect yourself from any accidents that might occur. Also, make sure it's known the car is being sold "as is" to avoid any problems down the road. If you must, include in the sale that the car was sold "as is" and have each party sign.
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