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With all the ways to sell a car these days, it can take a lot of work to know how to deal with your used ride. First and foremost, take quality photos of your vehicle. These can make or break a sale.
List It on a Reputable Site
Selling your car online can often net you a higher sale price than trading it in with a dealer, but it requires more legwork. Writing a detailed description and including lots of photos is important, as well as being transparent about the condition of your vehicle. It would help if you also did a thorough background check on buyers and met them in public places. The best website to sell car online Washington can be a good choice for reaching local audiences. They can help you avoid scams and find a buyer who’ll pay a fair price. However, some sellers prefer to go old-fashioned and put a “for sale” sign on their car and park it somewhere public with a phone number in the window. This approach can be less risky than an online transaction and may make you feel more comfortable shipping a car long distances. It can also lead to a quick deal and more money in your pocket.
Get a Quote
Whether you’re selling your car to a dealer or another private party, it’s important to know what it’s worth. There are a few free and easy tools that can help. Take lots of photos, including some from the interior. They also recommend depersonalizing the vehicle by removing all add-ons like bumper stickers. It’s also helpful to clean it thoroughly and take photos in a neutral location, such as a parking lot or the garage. Many sites allowing you to sell your car for cash or finance offer a quote service, saving you time and hassle.
Schedule a Test Drive
Test drive. It’s where you can use all your senses to evaluate a vehicle, from how it sounds when you accelerate to the smell and sound of its exhaust. Most dealerships have a pre-planned route that minimizes left turns across traffic and highlights the car’s strengths, but if you ask, they’ll let you expand the path to include winding country roads or even a stretch of highway to see how it performs at higher speeds. You should also test the car on rough road conditions, such as speed bumps and broken pavement, to see how it feels on a jarring ride. Once the test drive is complete, take some time to compare your impressions of each car while they’re fresh in your mind. If any problems are identified, it’s important to have a professional inspect them before you commit to buying.
Negotiate
Haggling is not always easy, but if you’re confident in your research and are ready to be firm, it can go very smoothly. Know your bottom-line price, and don’t let a salesperson distract you from that. Focus on the total out-the-door cost, including fees like doc fees and title transfer taxes. Dealers often try adding extra vehicle costs to increase their profit. These may include tire protection plans, anti-theft protection, infotainment upgrades, VIN etching, etc. Be sure to ask about these add-ons before you make a final decision. When negotiating with a dealership, come prepared with price reports from the websites you’ve used and other pricing information. Also, be ready to walk away if they disagree with your maximum price. It will help keep the negotiations positive and stress-free. Be sure to ask the dealership about additional fees like doc and title transfer taxes, which are required by law in many states.