How to sell a car at a dealership is a question most car owners ask if they want to sell their vehicles. This is because they know that selling a car can be such a pain and time-consuming. Knowing how to sell a car at a dealership can help you understand how the process works and if it is really a better option in selling your car.
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If you want to know more about it, here is our guide that aims to help you understand the process of how to sell a car at a dealership.
How to Sell a Car at a Dealership: How does selling your car to a dealership work?
Sometimes you have to let go of your car if it doesn’t serve its purpose anymore or no longer suffice your needs. Maybe your family got bigger and you need a bigger car. Or maybe you need something more sturdy fitting for your adventurous lifestyle. Whatever the reason may be, there will come a point that you will become the seller of your car.
Selling a car can be difficult and will require a lot of your time. There are lots of options you can use to sell your car. You can sell it privately, sell your car for parts, sell it to a cars for cash company or to the dealership.
Selling your car at a dealership means that you don’t have to worry about looking for potential buyers or handling their inquiries. So you ask, how to sell a car at a dealership? How does it work? Here’s how.
- Know your car’s value.
First things first, know your vehicle’s value. You need to know how much it’s worth and how much you are selling it for so you can negotiate for a price. You have to be honest about it. Base its value on your car’s mileage, age, make, model, and equipment. Assess your car’s overall condition.
You can also check online for used cars similar to yours and check how much they are being sold. Keep in mind that the value can vary depending on the vehicle’s overall condition. Dents, missing parts, and other flaws can affect its total value.
- Pick a dealership.
Pick a dealership that is trusted and reputable. Check their websites for their clients’ reviews and ratings. If you have time, you can check each one, inquire, compare, and find the best offer. Pick the one that best suits your needs.
- Visit the dealership.
You can go to the dealership that you have chosen. If they know that you are there to sell your car, you will be assisted by a sales agent or someone who is in charge of the used car sales. Technically, this part is the first step on how to sell a car at a dealership. But of course, to get the most out of it, you need to do some preparations first.
While you are at the dealership, you will also be asked if you want to sell your car as a trade-in for a new car. If you are buying a new car, this is a good option since you will receive more money on paper compared to selling it for cash.
- Vehicle appraisal.
Once you meet the salesperson in charge, they will proceed to get your information and the details of your car. They will get your car’s vehicle identification number, run it through a vehicle history database to check if it has any damages or if it has been in on any accident.
Someone from the dealership will inspect your car thoroughly. They will check the car’s overall condition. Its tires, brakes, mechanical parts, and fluid – if it has been properly maintained. A test drive is sometimes done too to check how it runs. Don’t worry though, your car will be in good hands and it is just part of the process of how to sell a car at a dealership.
- Accept the offer.
If you like what is being offered by the dealership, of course, you accept the offer! It is the most awaited part of the process!
If somehow you think you are not getting enough cash for your car, you can try to negotiate. But keep in mind that the offer you receive depends on a lot of factors. If the dealership has lots of cars available on their lot similar to yours, then the offer won’t be that much. Or maybe your car needs some repairs or it has some missing parts.
- Close the deal.
Once you accept the offer and everything has been settled, the paperwork will start. If your documents are complete, you can leave the dealership as soon as the deal is done with the payment on hand. This then concludes the process of how to sell a car at a dealership.
How to Sell a Car at a Dealership: What are the things you need to prepare?
Knowing how to sell a car at a dealership and how it works can help you in many ways. But there are also some things that you need to prepare to make sure that you get a great offer from the dealership of your choice.
- Run through its vehicle history report.
You might know your car very well but there are times when our memory just fails us when we need it the most. Before you sell your car, try to run its vehicle history report and see for yourself if your car is really healthy as you think it is. There’s no harm in doing it – especially if you are not the first owner of your car.
- If your car needs some repairs, do it!
Repairing your car before you sell it can help you get a decent offer. Cars sold with problems will get a lesser offer since it decreases its value. Fixing it only works if the repairs needed in your car are minor ones like small scratches, tiny dents, or burned-out lightbulbs.
If your car needs major repairs or part replacements, it might be impractical to fix it and then sell it at a dealership. You might not get back the money you spent on the major repairs. You better sell your car to a company that buys used cars regardless of their conditions.
- Clean it up!
You need to make your car look presentable if you want to get a decent offer from a dealership. If you show up there with a car that looks like it wasn’t maintained properly, chances are you’re going to get a low offer or appraisal. You better get those hands to work, wash your car, vacuum the interior, and make sure everything is sparkly clean.
How to Sell a Car at a Dealership: Is it worth selling your car to a dealership?
Now you have an idea of how to sell a car at a dealership and what are things you need to prepare. It can be a process but is it worth selling your car to a dealership? To help you answer that, here are some of the advantages of selling your car at a dealership.
- The process is simple and easy.
The process of selling a car at a dealership is easy compared to selling the car yourself. You pick a dealership, have your vehicle appraised, accept an offer, close the deal, and get paid. You don’t have to work on advertisements, finding potential buyers, negotiating, and answering inquiries.
- It’s less hassle.
Knowing how to sell a car at a dealership not only lets you save a lot of time compared to selling your car to a third party but also saves you from doing all the paperwork yourself. Car dealerships are experts at what they do and they will do all the paperwork for you. From the title transfer to the bill of sale and other important documents.
- It’s private.
Sometimes, you just don’t like to deal with a lot of people. If you opt to sell your car yourself, you have no choice but to be friendly to the potential buyers and handle everything until the car gets sold. But if you choose to sell your car at a dealership, you only get to transact with one of their sales agents from start to finish.
- Trade-ins.
If you avail of the dealership’s offer of a car trade-in, it can lessen the amount you have to pay or take out for financing for a new car. You will also get to save money on taxes.
How to Sell a Car at a Dealership: Final Word
Now you know how to sell a car at a dealership and all about its process. If you have a car and you want to sell it, selling it at a dealership is a good option. Its process is simple, easy, and fast – if you pick the right dealership. It is always recommended to explore your options first and pick the best one that delivers what you need.
For any cars that you want to sell or dispose of, cars that might be too damaged to sell to a dealer, Cash Cars Buyer will buy it from you! All you have to do is give us a call or visit our homepage!