You have a car to sell and the potential seller wants to test drive your vehicle. Should you let that buyer do such? Let’s examine letting someone test drive a car!
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
Now you have decided to sell your vehicle privately, advertised it, got a few calls, and even have the roadworthy certificate. Several potential buyers seem as if they mean business with one potential buyer wanting to test drive the car. Test driving a car is perfectly normal and almost encouraged. You certainly want your potential buyer, to turn into a serious buyer who later forks over the cash for your car. Check out a few things you should handle that ensure your safety, wellbeing, and transparency as a vehicle seller.
Practice Great Etiquette – Letting Someone Test Drive A Car
Once you decide to sell your car, you want to look at it as a lifestyle instead of just a machine that gets someone from “point a to point b”. Think of your vehicle as an item that helps to solve someone else’s issues. You also want to be polite to your potential buyers- as well as courteous, and honest. Not only will these traits help you to sell your car, but you will certainly avoid any legal issues in the future, if folks feel as if you were misleading them. While you want to be polite, you certainly don’t want to put up with any bullying or harassment from potential buyers. You don’t deserve threats-so if someone is acting inappropriately, then move on and if need be- report their behavior to your police department.
Clean Your Car!
Never underestimate the power of a complete car cleaning. No one wants to climb into car that smells of dirty socks, mold or even musty odors. So, take the time to clean and freshen that inside. Be sure to vacuum the car mats, car floor and seats. Grab some deodorizing spray and open those car doors so that the car can receive fresh air. Next, take the time to wash, wax and even lightly detail the exterior. Pay attention to the wheels and rims of your car. Even if your car has some dents or damage that you didn’t get repaired, your test drive will go far in the minds of many- if your car is clean. Are you a smoker and you smoke in your car? Then make every effort to remove as much of the smoke smell as you possibly can. Lots of buyers are put off by smokers and those who smoke in a car. Sometimes, a smoke-filled car can be a deal- breaker. Don’t forget to remove bulky items such as baby car seats, or infant seats. If the potential buyer asks if the back of the car can support a child seat, then just say yes and ask if they would like to see a car seat in it. Then, you can place yours back in there. Initially, you want the potential buyer to see as much of the interior and exterior as possible.
Call Your Insurance Company – Letting Someone Test Drive A Car
Before that test drive your car, you may want to give your car insurance company a call. You want to find out from your insurance provider, if you are covered in the event of a collision or an accident, with another driver behind your car’s wheel. Letting someone test drive your car is a good idea, but you want to have as many safety measures and protections in place before doing so. Some car insurance companies allow customers can make a claim should a perspective car buyer drives the vehicle and then has an accident during the test drive of the vehicle for the purpose of selling it. But the insured person has to take the time to list the driver on the policy, and accompany the potential driver during the test drive.
Joining the Buyer for The Ride
Joining your potential buyer for the test drive of your car is as much about vehicle insurance coverage as it is about just plain common sense. While you certainly wouldn’t hand over the keys to your car to stranger, you certainly would not want the potential buyer to just go “joy riding” in your car alone. Regardless of how desperate you are to sell your vehicle, you STILL want to accompany the potential buyer on the test drive. Also, if you have a family member or a friend who can join you all, ask him or her to do so. The more the merrier and safer!
Get Those Driver’s License Details – Letting Someone Test Drive A Car
Anyone who wants to test drive your car, should have a valid and current driver’s license, with the correct address displayed on the license. If the potential buyer doesn’t, then there should be no test drive that’s happening. You want to politely ask that the driver offer his or her license to you, so that you can write down all information on the license. You may be able to snap a photo of it on your smart phone. And you may even want to snap a photo of the person who is test driving your car as well. There should be no unlicensed drivers in your car. Not only is this illegal, but you may not be insured should that test driver get into an accident. Just use caution and intuition. You want to ensure that the person who is on the driver’s license matches the person standing in front of you, requesting a test drive. Check out the photo on the license, and look very carefully at the expiration date of the license, confirming all information.
Have Gas in the Car
Don’t forget to gas up your car. No, you don’t have fill it up to the full line, but a nice amount of fuel is ideal before the test drive. Who has time to stop at a gas station, while trying to sell a car? Fueling your car before the test drive will show the potential buyer that you are a serious seller.
Plan A Route – Letting Someone Test Drive A Car
Once you are in the car with the potential buyer who wants to drive your car, you want to take the time to plan a route. Is your buyer asking to go on the freeway? Then you certainly don’t want to go during rush hour. Perhaps your potential buyer just wants to go driving in your neighborhood. Present a few routes and times to the buyer, and come to an agreement. Having a route is a great idea. You will save time, energy and money on fuel.
Enjoy and Answer Questions!
Finally, enjoy the fact that someone is interested in buying your car. Answer the questions that the potential buyer has about your car in an honest way. Just because something is a bit blemished or not up to par, doesn’t mean that you won’t make the sale. Sometimes, the buyer is just about sold on the car, but the test drive allows him or her to validate the purchase. So be easy, be honest, be polite, and provide the best test drive possible to buyers!