This article serves as the ultimate guide for how to sell a car, truck, or SUV. It covers important formations to get the most money out of your car and fill it as quickly as possible.
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
So, you're ready now to sell your old car, probably to get some extra cash or to use the money towards your brand-new vehicle. Whatever the reason is, it's very important to do important homework before going blindly to the used car market, especially if you are an inexperienced car seller.
There are many questions you need to answer as you attempt to sell your car. You need to know how much to expect for your car and how you can maximize the offers. It is also important to understand which car selling methods provide you with the most cash and provide you with the fastest service.
Since the used car market is growing significantly, there is a very common car selling this scam that you might fall in. That's why it is also important and part of your job to familiarize yourself with these scams that we will cover in this article.
We will also include the most frequently asked questions from different customers about selling a car in general, and we will wrap up with top takeaways.
Should I sell my car or fix and keep it?
Before we dive into the details about selling a car, it is very important to step back and evaluate your situation and see if you really would like to sell your car.
For example, some people might be frustrated with dealing with complicated problems with their vehicles and want to get rid of them to buy a better one. On the other hand, other people might need extra cash to pay off a loan or something.
If you are in a situation where you are evaluating whether you need to get rid of your car or fix sets, you need to have a discussion.
As a rule of thumb pad base on automotive expert's opinions, if you notice that repair costs are geared up to cost you 75% or more from your vehicle's value, it might not be worth repairing it, and you should move forward with selling your car.
On the other hand, if repair costs are doable, it might be worth fixing the car and getting it running.
Keep in mind that there are other factors to consider as you are doing the evaluation, which includes:
- Are you looking to sell your car very fast?
- What is a reasonable number that you will accept for selling your car as is?
- If you repair your vehicle, it will increase the car's value so you can make good money with it?
By keeping these questions in mind, you can make an informed decision about whether it's the right time to sell this car or to repair it instead.
How much is my car worth?
Once you made your decision, it's time now to evaluate your card and has a number in the back of your head, so you know when you have a good deal versus when you're underpaid.
To do so, you have a couple of options:
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Kelley Blue Book instant cash offer
The most commonly used option is through the Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer calculator. Kelley Blue Book allows you to input basic information about your vehicle type, condition, mileage and provide you with a minimum and maximum value for your vehicle.
Keep in mind that Kelley Blue Book Does not consider any significant damages in your car, and it's your job to subtract the damage value from what Kelley Blue Book is telling you.
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Visit a professional mechanic
Another more accurate method is to have your vehicle evaluated by a professional mechanic. The mechanic can tell you where the major problems are and how much to expect for this car.
Some people find it a little expensive to have a mechanic perform the inspection, and sometimes this inspection might cost about half of the car's value which might not be worth it.
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Cash Cars Buyer instant offer Calculator
Another great option to get an accurate estimate about your car is through Cash Cars Buyer online tool.
In this tool, you can provide your vehicle's type and condition to get an instant offer that usually is generated within 30 seconds.
Cash Cars Buyer team is also willing to provide you with an offer verbally if you prefer to, and you can give them a call at 866-924-4608.
How much money can I get for my car?
This is one of the most challenging questions because it depends heavily on your vehicle type, condition, and some additional factors.
If your vehicle is unique and every buyer is unique with their policy and how much they'll pay for you.
Your job is to determine the right buyer who applied you with the most money for your car. That being said, there are some factors to consider that helps you expects how much to get for your car, including:
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Your car's type
The 1st and most important factor affecting how much you get for your car is your Vehicles make, model, and year.
Car buyers are usually looking for good vehicles with higher positions. Therefore, if you're owning a car that is known for producing very high-quality car parts, the potential buyer is willing to pay you much more than for any other vehicle
For example, buyers might be interested in Honda or Toyota's cars because they're known for their parts to last for a long time. Thus, whether you're selling your car to a dealership, private buyer come or even a junk car buyer, they will offer you much more than they offer for other vehicles.
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Your address
While it might sound surprising that your address affects your offers, but it is the case. For example, if there is a high demand for a certain vehicle type in your area, you'll find that dealerships or potential buyers are willing to pay you more than any other vehicles types.
This is because they will be looking for parts replacements, and no matter what your vehicle's condition, there will still be some value out of your car.
Thus, later as yourself with whether your vehicle has some high demand around your area or any other closer area your house.
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Your car's condition
Your car's condition is another major factor determining how much will get for this car. For example, you will get a much higher offer for selling an operable car than someone who is selling a completely damaged car in an accident or a flood.
When you have a good car, you will have many options for potential buyers to buy it, and it is your option to determine and accept any deal. However, if you're trying to sell a junk car, for example, you will have a limited number of buyers, and you will always be driven by how much they are willing to pay for this junk car.
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The price of scrap metal
This factor only affects people who are selling damaged or non-running cars. In general, it will be a junk car buyer company that is willing to purchase this type of vehicle, and if that's the case, you need to take a look at the current price of scrap metal around your area.
This is because junk car buyers are usually interested in the metal parts in your car, and the heavier car, the more they're willing to pay for you.
It is recommended that if you decided to go with junkyards to sell your car, you'd better sell any other approval components in your car separately and make money out of them because they will not pay for nonmetal parts.
Where can I get the most money for my car?
At the end of the day, when selling your car, you would like to get the most money out of it, right?
Did you know that some car selling methods will get you more money than others?
Yes, it all depends on your vehicle's condition because some of the potential buyers might not accept your car if it's completely damaged.
If you have a decent car with minor problems or few major problems that buyers might accept, then you have these options to get through the most money for your car:
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Word of mouth
There's nothing easier than selling your car to your family or friend who might be interested in owning your car.
The good thing about selling your car to a friend is that you don't have to worry about dealing with strangers, and the promise usually is made very fast. You don't also need to do any fancy updates or clean up your vehicle in detail because your friend already knows this car, and he has some trust in you to buy it.
The one drawback about selling your car to a front is that you must deal with all paperwork, especially if your friend doesn't have any experience with car selling or buying, which can be a hassle. Also, some people might find it uncomfortable to negotiate the price with a family member or friend.
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Online classified websites
Are you familiar with Craigslist? Have you ever heard about Carvana? Those are some of the online retailers that you might need to sell your card through.
There are plenty of online retailers out there, and people still ask us, are there any other car buyers besides CarMax?
Here are some of the top online websites that will get you the most money for your car:
Before you decide and choose your potential online retailer to sell your car, it is very important to familiarize yourself with their policy. For example, some of these websites might provide you with a free membership to cancel your car freely, but others require some fees either after selling the car or just signing up for their program.
Plus, an important question at this point is, “how and where can I sell my car online for free?”
Therefore, if your car will not get you the most money, you need to evaluate the situation and see whether it's worth registering for a website that will cost you a lot to sell a small vehicle that is completely damaged.
Also, private buyers through these websites are usually interested in buying a good running vehicle rather than a completely damaged car.
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Cash for cars programs
Cash for cars programs involved private junk car buyers who reach out to you and provide you with an instant offer. The nice thing about junk car buyers is that they provide you with an instant offer, and they granted your card no matter what.
For example, if you reached a Cash Cars Buyer, they were willing to pay you the top dollars for your car despite its type or condition. Cash Cars Buyer provides you with the top offer and provides you with free towing despite your living location around the states.
Where to sell my car fast?
No, if you're looking to sell your car as fast as possible, sorry can be different, and your options might change slightly.
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Word of mouth
Word of mouth is again one of the best ways to get your car read fast and safely. However, things might take a little bit of time if you're not familiar with the paperwork and what is needed in your state. Thus, to sell your car fast to a family member or friend, you need to do some homework upfront and make sure that you understand all necessary paperwork.
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Dealerships
One of the fastest ways to get rid of your car is to sell it to a dealership. Dealerships will buy it and finalize the paperwork sometimes on the spot.
The great thing about dealerships is that you don't have to worry about dealing with complicated paperwork because they know their regulations and understand what's needed in your state.
Also, if you're planning to buy another car from the same dealership, you don't have to deal with multiple parties simultaneously, which can get a little messy dealing with paperwork.
However, dealerships are known for not providing the top offers. Thus, if money is one of your top priorities, it might not be worth selling your car to a dealership because they usually pinpoint major problems in your car to reduce the offer significantly.
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Cash for cars programs
Also, cash for cars programs is a great option for people who would like to get rid of their cars fast. For example, Cash Cars Buyer is willing to move your car within one to three days. We also have options for same-day pickup if you are interested.
What is the common car selling scams?
By this point, you know where to go to evaluate your car, and you have some basic understanding of where to sell your car to meet your goals.
It is time now to answer the question of “how can I sell my car online without getting scammed?”
While it might sound straightforward and things are going to be very easy, there are very common cars selling scams that you need to be aware of, including:
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Payment methods
The easiest scam that multiple customers reported is dealing with payment methods. As most car experts suggest, it is very important to choose cash payments as much as possible.
Cash payments are not associated with any issues related to checks bouncing back from your bank account or issues with third-party payments.
As reported frequently, some scammers might ask you to put the payment in a third-party account. At the end of the day, that account belongs to them, and once they take the vehicle & the title, they just run away with the payments and the vehicle.
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Confirmed buyers
Another common type of scams is confirmed by the buyer's parents in this camp, one person might reach out to you and say that he has many potential buyers, and if you pay to say $500 fees, he can get you connected with them. These fees are refundable after finalizing the purchase.
There is no such thing as confirmed buyers, and it's never recommended no matter what. Don't be fooled with a high offer that they might provide you and never pay any fees beyond what the online retailer asks you.
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Requesting personal information
It is not normal for a buyer to ask you for your personal information. It should go the other way.
Never provides any personal information including your name, phone number, or Social Security number to any potential buyer no matter what
You never know where they're going to take this information and take advantage of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we would like to cover some of their most frequently asked questions related to “how to sell a car?” We gathered these questions from larger frames like Reddit, Quora, and other customers' questions sent directly to us.
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Should I cancel my auto insurance the same day that I sell my car?
Yes, one of the most important things to take care of after selling a car is to sell to cancel your auto insurance.
Who would like to pay for a vehicle that he doesn't own? Once you sign the title and transfer ownership, your vehicle no longer yours, and it belongs to someone else.
Did you know that your auto insurance will appreciate informing them that you sold the car?
Some of our customers mentioned that they got discounts for their future vehicles by letting their insurance company know that they sold the car.
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Can I sell my car with an expired DMV registration?
It depends on your state and the person to who you're selling the car to
For example, some online retailers require your vehicle registration as an important item to include for any transaction through their platform.
However, related to the car selling process, we advise you to get in touch with Cash Cars Buyer if they're willing to smoothly walk you through all necessary steps for this other car.
Even if you have a vehicle without a title, Cash Cars Buyer still accepts it and takes care of all necessary actions related to paperwork.
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Should I provide a Carfax report when selling my car?
Providing a Carfax report is not a requirement in any state. However, this report can help you sell your car fast and for the most money.
This is because when a potential lawyer sees that you are upfront with him and providing all potential information about your car clearly and transparently, he will get encouraged and put some trust in you and your vehicle.
The main takeaway points
As you noticed, selling your car requires some preparation and doing your homework.
Following the mentioned guidance, you can guarantee to sell your car fast, safe, and for the most money.
Understand your vehicle's value and put some numbers in the back of your head before moving any further in selling your car.
Evaluate your goals and make sure that you understand the most important items for you when selling your car. Are you looking for the most money only? Are you looking to sell your car fast only? Or you're probably looking for selling your car fast and pulls the most money.
If you're looking to sell your car fast and for the most money, and even if you don't have a title, we advise you to get in touch with Cash Cars Buyer who is guaranteed to buy your car and provide you the top dollars.
You can give us a call at 866-924-4608 or visit our home page and click on the free instant online offer. Our process is explained in detail in this link.