Getting Your Car Ready for Sale
Major auto dealers sell millions of dollars of used cars every month. They make their vehicles as clean, tidy, polished, and attractive as possible. Some call it “curb appeal.” It works!
Whether you are selling a luxury sedan or an old clunker: a clean and spiffed-up vehicle will sell quicker and for more money than one with halitosis – unwashed, grimy, and strewn with unwanted papers and moldy fast food containers. You want to seduce your potential buyer, not turn them off with a bad first impression. It’s worth the time and effort to do it right.
Be appropriate for the value and condition of your vehicle. For example, a quick wash and vacuum is probably all that is needed for a $1200 Ford Taurus. However, if you are selling an $8,000 Toyota Camry, you probably want to invest in a wax job and deeper cleaning from grille to trunk. For a Lexus or Escalade, even more tasteful care is needed.
No matter what you want to sell, do what is appropriate for your vehicle. Fronting the cash to have it detailed by a professional may pay for itself ? and even put money in your pocket. Basic services run from $15 to $50, and $100 to $300 for a full-service, professional detail job that will leave it sparkling inside and out. Don’t be shy with a professional detailer: request a price quote. Then call around for the best deal – with them, you are a buyer.
HELP! NOW!
Why go to all the work of taking photos of your car, writing a great ad, and posting it on sites like Craigslist, Kijiji, AutoTrader or Cars.com if it looks dingy when a buyer comes to look at it.
If you have other questions about:
- how to be safe on the test drive
- what form of payment is recommended (hint: don’t take personal checks)
- how to price your vehicle so you don’t leave money on the table
- how to complete the paperwork
See my new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW!
HELP! NOW! walk you through the NEW RULES for selling your vehicle online.
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L. James Johnson’s new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! New Rules for Selling Your Vehicle Online! is available for download at BayAreaCarGuy.com.
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