So you have a car that you’ve decided you actually want to sell “private party”. Great! Let’s go over 5 tips to get the most money when selling my used car. Of course if you haven’t decided if it’s worth your time to actually sell the car, then check out our other article here “Should I sell my car or repair it”, to help you decide.
1. Evaluate your car’s value
You want to check the estimate value of your car. Let’s say you have a 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid. You can look on websites like Kelley Blue Book (KBB) to see the value of your car potentially.
- Focus on the “private party” listing and select the condition that best resembles your vehicle.
- Most cars typically fall under “good” condition unless they’ve been exceptionally maintained. Most aren’t perfect no matter how much money you’ve dumped into it previously.
Pro Tip:
Using “good” condition on KBB provides a realistic value range for most vehicles, so you’ll be safe with this approach.
2. Fix Mechanical Issues
Now that you have an idea of what a private party may pay for your Toyota Highlander, it’s time to take care of any lingering mechanical issues. That’s right. Remember that timing belt replacement that you have been putting off?
- You will take the car to a local repair shop to have them do a “pre purchase inspection”. They will give you a list of items that need to be repaired on the vehicle.
- You can choose which items off the list to fix based on the cost of repairs. I’m sure you don’t want to exceed the value of the car right?
Pro Tip:
Personally I use smaller independent shops for this. Typically you can get a decent price on the service and the needed repairs this way. You can also watch this video to see “How to Save Money on Car Repairs with Recalls in 3 Easy Steps“.
3. Clean and Detail Your Car
Now that the vehicle is all fixed up and running like a well oiled machine, it’s time to make that Toyota Highlander look like a million bucks lol. A clean car not only looks better but also sells faster!
- Give your vehicle a thorough interior and exterior cleaning.
- For the best results, I prefer to pay the professionals to detail cars because they can always get it much cleaner than I can lol. I buy cars for a living but I don’t clean them, so I stay in my lane
Pro Tip:
A shiny, well-maintained car attracts more buyers and may even increase the perceived value. People are more likely to buy a car that is shiny and smells super nice.
4. Have the Title Ready
The last thing you want to have happen is you have a buyer ready to scoop up your car, and you forgot to bring the title with you…oops!
- Ensure the vehicle title is ready and in hand before meeting potential buyers.
- If you’re in North Carolina, be sure you do the transaction during the day so you can get to a notary. The NC titles must be notarized when selling to a private party. This way things can go super smooth for you and them too.
Pro Tip:
If you must Schedule the transaction later in the evening, you can search for a mobile notary as well. They can come to you and handle the title notary part.
5. Sell Your Car
Now that the Toyota Highlander is smelling and looking like a million bucks, it’s time to “getter sold”!
- List your car for sale pretty much anywhere allowed: newspaper ad, online classified ads, fliers in your neighborhood, and word of mouth. Keep in mind, some of the listings may cost you a nominal fee to sell there.
- You can even drive around with a “for sale sign” on the car. Remember to put a contact phone number on your ad so that people can reach you if they’re interested.
Safety Tip:
When it’s time to meet up with them, just be sure to meet in a public place and be safe.
Bonus: When Selling Privately Isn’t an Option
By now you will just about have that Toyota Highlander sold! Keep in mind that these tips work great when your vehicle is in good operating condition. But if your vehicle isn’t in the best of shape, or you just don’t want to put the money or time into selling it to a private party, then we can help. Let The Junk Car Lady give you a FREE junk car quote for your vehicle in its current condition.
- No fixing…No Cleaning…No dealing with multiple strangers at your home
- Get cash for your vehicle in its current condition.
Get a FREE Gift plus FREE Junk Car Quote and let us handle the rest!