How to Prepare Your Car for Sale
If you’re planning to sell your car privately, there are several ways to maximize its resale value and ensure you get a good price. Many owners choose to sell their vehicle themselves rather than trade it in at a dealership, but it’s important to understand all your options and the resale process.
In this blog, we’ll explain a few different ways to sell your car, how to determine a fair price, and when it makes sense to clean or repair your vehicle before you put it on the market.
Two Different Ways to Sell a Car
The two most common ways to sell a vehicle are to trade it in or sell it privately. Both options have their pros and cons, and the decision ultimately comes down to convenience and your understanding of your vehicle’s value.
Trading In Car vs Selling Privately
Why Trade In Your Car
Faster and usually more convenient
No listing or selling costs
No communication (texts, emails, messaging) from buyers
Why Sell Your Car Yourself
Direct negotiation with buyers in the market
Typically, you get more for your car or truck
No dealer overhead costs
Even if you decide to sell your car yourself, we recommend getting a trade-in quote from one or two reputable local dealers. This will give you a baseline price that may be useful in negotiation. Most car dealerships offer instant quotes online based on your vehicle make, model, year, mileage, and condition.
Read More: Buying a Used Car vs. a New Car
How to Sell a Car Privately
To get started, decide where you’ll promote your vehicle for sale, aside from tossing on a “For Sale” sign and parking it in the driveway. In Northern Michigan, this approach is actually very common - and successful - although you may deal with a lot of calls and texts from “tire kickers”, who may not be serious buyers.
Facebook Marketplace
To take listing your vehicle for sale a step further, Facebook Marketplace has all but supplanted Craigslist as the local used car marketplace. Be sure to include several pictures of the vehicle’s exterior, interior, engine compartment, dash, and tires, and carefully detail its make, model, year, and mileage.
Automotive Listings
There are dozens of dedicated automotive online marketplaces, including Autotrader, Carvana, and Kelley Blue Book. Some of these offer paid promotion to ensure your vehicle is seen, as well as the option to offer secure test drives and local inspection. Today, many of these sites also handle payments and title transfers, so everything goes smoothly.
Gather Your Documentation
Once your car is listed and you’re getting offers, it’s time to get your paperwork in order.
What Documents Do You Need to Sell a Car?
You’ll need the following paperwork to sell your car and complete the transaction.
Car title
Service history, if available
Original sales paperwork, if available
Vehicle history, such as CarFax or documentation from your dealer
The more information you have to offer prospective buyers, the less back-and-forth is required during the sales process, and the more confident buyers will be about their purchase.
How to Prepare Your Car to Sell It
Some things are worth fixing before selling your car - some aren’t. Addressing mechanical and aesthetic issues can increase your car’s value, but you need to know which offers the best return on investment.
Most Effective Ways to Increase the Value of Your Car When Selling It
Start by getting it cleaned up! A professional car detailer makes your car's interior look new. Shop around for a good price and consider waiting for deals or promotions. You can always detail your car yourself with a little time and patience.
Interior Tips to Sell a Car
Remove all personal items (maybe leave the fuzzy dice)
Clean all hard surfaces, including the dashboard and console
Eliminate odors in your vehicle
What to Repair Before Selling Your Car
You should schedule a quick inspection with your favorite auto garage to determine whether any mechanical repairs should be completed before listing your vehicle. We’ll let you know what makes sense to fix before listing, and give you a detailed list to help buyers know exactly what they’re looking at.
It’s almost always worth:
Repairing dents and dings
Replacing burned-out headlights and tailights (and cabin lights)
Checking the brakes and replacing pads and/or calipers if they’re worn down
How to Choose the Right Car Sales Price
You might love your car, but the only price that matters is the one buyers are willing to pay. Be realistic about your vehicle’s sales price by compiling valuations from experts.
Pricing a Used Car
Ask a mechanic (that’s us) for a fair price. We’ll give you a price range when you drop it off for an inspection.
Check Kelley Blue Book. KBB and other sites offer valuation tools for a quick quote. This is important to do in any case, but it will let you know what most buyers expect to pay.
Check local listings. Look at similar vehicles for sale at dealerships or on Facebook Marketplace to find a reasonable, local price range for your area.
Selling Your Car Safely
Once you have a buyer, be smart to protect yourself, your vehicle, and your money.
Always meet in a safe, public area
Bring a friend or family member with you
Use a third-party escrow service
Use electronic payments whenever possible
Understand Michigan’s title transfer process
Remove your license plate before handing over the keys
Selling Your Car Yourself Is Smart
Selling privately typically nets 15%-30% more than trading it in at the dealer, but you will need to put in a little work to make it happen. If you’re looking to sell your used car in Traverse City, start at Garfield Auto. We’ll inspect your vehicle, determine which repairs make sense, and offer a price range to help you list your car confidently. Ready to get started? Get in touch to schedule an appointment today!