NBXs.org

Posts Tagged ‘sell a car’

What is my car value?
This is the first question that comes to mind when it comes to selling a car – how much should I ask? What I can get for my car? To get an idea of the price range you can check.

NOTE: The real car value may vary slightly from the one found in the sources above. The real car value depends on many factors, such as the car’s mechanical condition, the car’s installed options, the time of the year, gas prices, the market conditions etc. There is no guarantee that you will be able to sell your car for the suggested price. For example, it’s very difficult to sell one of those gas guzzlers when the gas prices are high.
You also can check in your area to see what other people are asking for the same model cars. It’s reasonable to set a slightly higher price if your car is well maintained, if you are the only owner and if you have all the service and maintenance records. A clean history report also can help. The best strategy is to set the asking price a bit higher and if there are no real offers, then gradually lower the price.

Should I sell it privately or trade it in to a dealer?
If you intend to buy a new (or a ‘new’ used) vehicle – the simplest thing to do is to trade in your vehicle. “Trade-in” means you swap your old car at the dealer’s for the new one and pay the difference in price. The advantage about a trade-in is that in most cases, you pay taxes only on the amount of the difference. the disadvantage is that the dealer will offer you less than what you would be able to get selling it privately. This is the way dealers make a living.
Even if you don’t want to buy another car, but want to get rid of your old vehicle fast, selling it to a dealer may save you a lot of time. You can offer your vehicle to different dealers or used car lots and sell it to the one who will offer you the best price.
You can get a higher price selling it privately, especially if you prepare your car and make it more attractive. However you have to be careful, people are different: some of the potential buyers may bother you for weeks asking to have your car inspected here and there, constantly complaining about the price and disparaging your vehicle. Others may give you a deposit right after a quick look at the car and the deal is done. You are lucky if you get this kind of buyer.

NOTE: Many jurisdictions may have laws if you fail to disclose vehicle problems that you are aware of to a buyer. You may be found guilty of fraud and be held liable for the cost of all vehicle repairs the new owner incurs. You should check the laws with the department of motor vehicles in the state or province where you live. One of my readers had a similar situation.

Sooner or later we start thinking about selling our car. Maybe it starts having too many problems; maybe you just want to have something new. Where should you start? How much should you sell your car for? What is the value of my car? Where should you advertise? – In this article I’ll try to answer these and some other common questions, that a person who is selling a car might have.

When should I sell my car?
Any car or truck will reach a point when it will start ‘falling apart’ or will require more and more repairs. It’s good idea to get rid of your vehicle before it reaches that point while it still has some value in it. How do you know when your car will start falling apart? One of the things you can do is to ask your mechanic what to expect from your car (or truck) in the near future – he (she) should be able to tell you what kind of mechanical shape your car is in. You should mention any changes that you notice in the way your car runs – for example, a puff of blue smoke at startup or the transmission not engaging right away on a cold morning, or corrosion starting to appear here and there – these are the kind of early signs that could tell your mechanic about future problems with your car or truck.
Another thing to remember is that it’s more difficult to sell a car after a certain mileage or age (e.g. 100,000 miles).