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How to get the most for your used car
A little effort can make a big difference in how long it takes to sell a used car or truck and how much you can make on the deal.
These 6 smart moves can help you move your car as quickly as possible for the best possible price.
Smart move 1. Clean up your car or truck.
You only get one chance to make a first impression. You want it to be a good one.
"Its appearance is one of the first things people look at," said Mark Scott of AutoTrader.com. "It speaks to how well you took care of the car."
The outside is more important than the inside when you are getting the vehicle ready to sell. Use touch-up paint to fix small nicks and scratches before washing and waxing.
Remove all trash, then vacuum the seats and carpet. Don't forget the trunk. "If the upholstery is challenged, you might want to spend a couple of bucks on seat covers," Scott says.
It isn't necessary to spend more time and money than that, Scott adds. Big-ticket items like new tires may help a vehicle sell more quickly but usually won't bring a higher selling price.
Smart move 2. Ask the right price.
The Internet has made it easy to find out what any used car or truck is worth.
Just go to Edmunds.com or Kelley Blue Book.
Most buyers are going to do the same thing, and they'll expect your price to be within the range established by those Web sites.
If you put some effort into preparing your car or truck for sale, buyers are more likely to think it's in good or excellent condition and worthy of an above-average price.
Smart move 3. Include lots of photos with your ads.
You'll probably advertise your car or truck on Craigslist or other Web sites that offer want ads.
Photos sell cars and can make your car or truck stand out from all of the other ads competing for attention.
Indeed, buyers often ignore online ads that don't include at least a couple of shots of the vehicle up for sale. So put up as many as the site will allow.
Don't just shoot the photos in your driveway. Take the vehicle to a spot with an attractive background and photograph it from several angles.
Shoot the photos on a clear day and be sure to include images of the interior.
Smart move 4. Be creative with your ad writing.
This is marketing. You need to grab the reader's attention with the first line or two of your ad.
Emphasize the unique features that prompted you to buy it, or the attributes you've found that that make it particularly fun to drive or a great family car.
Save all of the mundane stuff found on most cars, such as power windows, automatic transmissions and air conditioning, for the end of the ad.
Smart move 5. Tout your maintenance records.
Put all repair bills in chronological order in a file folder, including receipts for routine maintenance like oil changes.
Put a line in your ad that says you have all of those records and offer to show the file to potential buyers as proof that the vehicle has been well cared for and there aren't any mechanical problems you haven't dealt with.
Smart move 6. Be available.
Make contacting you as fast and effortless as possible by answering the phone and immediately responding to emails.
Potential buyers may only try to reach you once before moving on to the next ad.
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