{"id":272,"date":"2018-06-22T08:11:57","date_gmt":"2018-06-22T08:11:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theusautorepair.com\/Auto-Repair-Help\/?p=272"},"modified":"2018-06-16T08:12:36","modified_gmt":"2018-06-16T08:12:36","slug":"7-costly-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-a-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theusautorepair.com\/Auto-Repair-Help\/272\/7-costly-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-a-car\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Selling a Car"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The volume of used cars sold from the year 2000 thru 2015 has averaged over <a title=\"Amount of used cars sold between 2000 and 2015\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/used-car-sales-figures-3308387\">40 million per year<\/a> across the United States. That figure is telling of the fact that many see a lot more value in purchasing a car used over new.<\/p>\n<p>When selling a used vehicle, sellers may be wondering how to go about it in a way that maximizes the value they&#8217;ll get.<\/p>\n<p>To help ensure the best outcome, below is a list of costly mistakes sellers should avoid when selling a car.<\/p>\n<h2>1) Not Having a Complete Online Description<\/h2>\n<p>When selling a car directly to a buyer, sellers will likely be using an online platform to showcase their vehicle. It&#8217;s important when doing this that sellers have a complete description of the most important aspects of their vehicle available.<\/p>\n<p>Having a complete description will not only get sellers more offers quickly, but it will also increase the likelihood that offers will be from legitimate people.<\/p>\n<p>Always include the following in a car&#8217;s online description:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Vehicle condition<\/li>\n<li>Accident history<\/li>\n<li>Number of owners<\/li>\n<li>Mileage<\/li>\n<li>Recent work performed on the vehicle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The above bullet points are the primary building blocks of a car description that will maximize your sales leads.<\/p>\n<h2>2) Not Reasonably Optimizing the Vehicle&#8217;s Condition<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s usually not worth it to have a car undergo costly repairs prior to selling unless it&#8217;s a classic vehicle. It is worth it to give a car a good wash.<\/p>\n<p>Getting a car into its best reasonable condition can cost sellers next to nothing. Doing it can dramatically increase the amount a private buyer is willing to pay though. Therefore, it&#8217;s best sellers don&#8217;t skip out on giving their car<a title=\"Tips on how to hand wash your car the right way\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theusautorepair.com\/Auto-Repair-Help\/45\/how-to-wash-your-car-by-hand\/\"> a thorough cleaning<\/a> prior to selling.<\/p>\n<h2>3) Not Showing off Service Records<\/h2>\n<p>If a seller has been diligent about scheduled maintenance, they&#8217;re in the minority. This is absolutely something that should be shown off to prospective buyers.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing that service has been maintained on a vehicle will instill extra confidence in a buyer, both private and dealership, and they&#8217;ll likely pay more.<\/p>\n<h2>4) Not Protecting Themselves Against Fraud<\/h2>\n<p>When selling a car to a private buyer, fraud is a possibility. Sellers can reduce this risk by taking simple precautions.<\/p>\n<p>For starters, always meet buyers in a public place. Also, never accept payment methods that can later be rescinded such as a private check.<\/p>\n<h2>5) Not Knowing Their Car&#8217;s Value<\/h2>\n<p>When selling a vehicle, sellers should know roughly what their car&#8217;s value is. This information can be found through services like<a title=\"Find out your vehicle's value\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kbb.com\/\"> Kelly Blue Book<\/a> and True Car.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing the value of a vehicle prior to selling can help manage seller&#8217;s expectations. It can also protect them from getting low-balled by buyers.<\/p>\n<h2>6) Taking the First Offer<\/h2>\n<p>If a seller is planning on reselling a car to a dealership, it&#8217;s worth shopping around multiple offers. Many times a seller will find that one dealership is willing to pay thousands more than another.<\/p>\n<p>This potential makes talking to 2-3 parties well worth their time.<\/p>\n<h2>7) Not Reviewing Their Sales Contract<\/h2>\n<p>Once a seller has agreed to sell to a used dealer, they&#8217;ll need to sign a contract. Sellers should read this closely to see if they&#8217;re getting what was verbally agreed upon.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the day, all that matters is the sales contract. Ensuring it reflects expectations can save sellers from getting taken advantage of.<\/p>\n<h2>Wrapping up Costly Mistakes When Selling a Car<\/h2>\n<p>Selling a vehicle can be a tricky process that requires a lot of attention to ensure the best outcome. Putting into practice the tips above as a seller will help to create conditions in which sellers can maximize their profit when selling a car.<\/p>\n<p>For more tips and information on vehicles, check out the <a title=\"The US Auto Repair Blog\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theusautorepair.com\/Auto-Repair-Help\/\">US Auto Repair blog<\/a>. Also, if you&#8217;re in need of mechanical services, find an excellent mechanic near you through US Auto Repair&#8217;s verified directory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you selling a car privately or to a dealer? Watch out for a few pitfalls that could cost you some money on the sale. Take account of these five mistakes when selling a car. <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theusautorepair.com\/Auto-Repair-Help\/272\/7-costly-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-a-car\/\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[35,34,33],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.2.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>7 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Selling a Car | TheUSAutoRepair.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you selling a car privately or to a dealer? Watch out for a few pitfalls that could cost you some money on the sale. 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