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Tips on selling your car

Due to the semi-conductor chip shortage around the world, newly built vehicles deliveries are delayed. Pre-owned vehicles are hot in the market right now, making it the best time to sell your vehicle, whether privately or through a dealership. Here are some tips to help you maximize the value of your vehicle.

Clean

A clean vehicle, whether you clean by yourself or professionally done, will have an amazing impact on the sale of your car. It signifies that it has been taken care of and it will also look better in photos when you post them online. Removing trash and unnecessary clutter will improve the look of the interior tremendously.

Repairs

To appeal more to buyers, get your vehicle repaired if it needs them except if the cost is higher than what you are selling. Having an oil change, filter change and other maintenance work on your vehicle will have a profound effect on your sale.

Inspection

Including a car inspection with your vehicle will be more appealing than other vehicles that don’t have one. This inspection can shows the history, repairs and maintenance of your vehicle. This can help the buyer to build trust that you are not hiding anything on selling your vehicle. Carfax is one of the most popular inspection history for your vehicle or you can head to your nearest garage to get your vehicle inspected.

Listing

 There are a lot of channels to list your vehicle - Kijiji, Autotrader, Cargurus, and Facebook Marketplace, to name a few. You can use all of them or choose one or two that you are very familiar with and start from there. Highlighting some great features about your vehicle would entice buyers easily and create interest. You can do some research to obtain the features of the model of your vehicle or if you are still lucky to have the window sticker of your vehicle as it contains all the specific information you need to sell it. Make sure to fill in as many fields and as much information in your listing. Auto brochures is a website that shows all the brochures for almost any vehicle. Use great photos of your vehicle meaning – capture each angle of the exterior, well lit interior photos, and focus on the best highlights of your vehicles.

Pricing

It’s a good rule of thumb to research the price of the same model and trim of your vehicle. This will give you an idea of the selling price in the market so you don’t undersell yourself or overprice your vehicle to the point that it’s not generating any interest. Pricing your vehicle $1000-$2000 over average selling price will also give you some wiggle room to negotiate your vehicle to sell it on your desired price should the buyer haggle before buying it.

Communication & Testing

Make sure to answer all inquiries as quickly as possible. Possible buyers will want to schedule a test drive. During the test drive, make sure you can answer all their questions and be able to show all the features of your vehicles. If you are not comfortable to be by yourself during the test drive, try to invite a friend to oversee it with you. (Please follow Covid guidelines set by your local government)

Negotiating

It’s okay to say no to low ballers. Negotiating can be tough and requires a lot of patience. Also be weary of resellers or scammers. Buyers usually will offer a lower price and its okay to counter with a price that you are comfortable with.

Sale

When both parties come to an agreement of the price and method of payment, you, as seller can secure a deposit to cover all the paperwork and set a date of delivery. Make sure to fill up all the fields on the deed of sale which can be downloaded in the Alberta government website for free.  

After Sale

Once all payment is secured and the deed of sale is signed, inspect the whole car and remove all personal belongings before the new owner comes to pick your vehicle. Make sure as well to cancel or transfer the car registration and remove your sold vehicle from your insurance.