Cheap Used Cars - The Cheapest Car Forum

Joseph Coaler from JosephCoaler.com wrote 10 simple tips to getting the most money when you selling your used car. They are simple suggestions for getting the most value out of your vehicle. Some take a little time, some a little money and some both. You can incorporate as many as you like, whichever ones you prefer, but by putting a little thought into it before you place your used car ad, you can significantly increase your return here they are:

1. Turn the radio off so it doesn't blast when the prospective buyer turns on the car.
Let them turn it on and tune in their favorite station, thus making them feel it's "their car".

2. Make sure your used car is clean inside and out.
A clean car indicates responsibility and care for the car, suggesting in the potential buyer's mind that the owner also probably maintained the car well. Also, it just looks more appealing to your potential buyer.

3. Compare prices of other used cars that are the same make as yours.
Check the maket value on Kelley Blue Book or other service. You can also check used car dealers for competitive pricing.

4. Sell your used car privately, not to a used or new car dealer.
It takes a bit more time and energy, but you will make a lot more money on your vehicle that way.

5. Change the oil before selling.
One thing almost every buyer does when considering a used car is to check the oil. When they see clean, full oil, they feel the owner of the used car was responsible in its maintenance. Of course, don't ever add or replace any fluids to mask a problem. (See number 10.)

6. Make sure the tires are properly inflated.
As with the oil, it shows owner care. Also, during a test drive, it will make the ride smoother and more responsive.

7. Properly inflate the spare tire.
If the potential buyer checks the spare and it's flat, they will assume that it's defective or damaged or that you haven't cared for anything else in the car.

8. Air out your used car.
If the weather allows, open all the windows or doors and let the air freshen up the inside. Stale, musty or foul smells in a car are an immediate turn off. Be careful with scented fresheners or sprays, though. Too much could also make your potential buyer think you're masking something.

9. Fill the gas tank.
If someone sees a full tank of gas, they assume the car has a lot of miles left in it. If the tank is on empty, they think the poor, sad used car is on its last leg.

10. Be honest.
This seems obvious, but is very important. When the prospective buyer asks you a question about the car, tell them the truth. This will help them trust you, letting them know the price you're asking for your used car is a fair one.

The above tips don't require too much time nor money, but there are several more things you can do to increase the value of your used car before you put it up for sale if the value of your car is high. Consider getting new tires, rotating the tires or having them aligned. You can also pay to have dents or scratches repaired, tears and stains in upholstery fixed and other improvements that may cost money. Before you invest in imporvements of these kinds, however, you will have to decide if the money invested will increase the final sales price enough so you don't take a loss. If your used car is fifteen years old with 150,000 miles on it, these repairs probably are not wise, but if it's only two years old with 30,000 miles, they could be well worth it.

Another great 21 tips when selling your used car can be:

1. Knowing the market
If you want to know if your car is easy to sell or if you will have to lower your price and look for additional ways to sell it, the first step is to browse through other online car ads. For instance, you can filter the ads by the year and trim level of your car, and see how many similar cars are currently on the market. You might want to start looking for similar cars by searching MECarz used cars classifieds collection.

2. Pricing your car properly
One of the most common issues about selling a used car is how much to ask. A high price will discourage potential buyers, whereas a low price means money unnecessarily thrown away. Unfortunately, you won’t find any standard prices for used cars, as they will vary from one region to another and can also be affected by discounts on new cars. However, your price should reflect the mileage and overall condition of your car, demand for your model, reliability history and your area. Compare your cars to other cars posted at mecarz.com would be a good start.

3. Taking the time to detail your car
If a potential buyer sees your car as being dirty inside and out, he is very likely to assume that you didn’t take care of your car in all ways. You should at least have the car detailed, including vacuuming the carpets, cleaning the windows, waxing and armoring the seats. You want your car to look as good as possible and simply because it’s not brand new, it does not mean it shouldn’t feel cool to the potential buyer.

4. Repairing the rust
If the rust has made a hole in the metal, you will need a patch kit to make the repair. After any holes have been fixed, you should sand the body putty so it is smooth and blends with the rest of the case. Then sand all the rust spots with fine sand paper until all the spots are gone and the metal is shiny and smooth.

Then get some touchup paint and lightly paint the areas that have been sanded, if you’re using spray, make sure to mask off the surrounding areas.

5. Improving tire appearance
You can improve the appearance of old tires by painting them with tire black, a special paint that will not dry out the rubber. You can also find paint for the whitewall section of the tires, too.

6. Replacing wheel covers
Another important aspect is the appearance of the wheel covers. If yours are badly damaged you can easily replace them with some fancier ones for no more than $10.

7. Cleaning the medal parts
All metal parts that covered by paint should be cleaned. You should clean the metal wheels with a magnesium or aluminum cleaner using a stiff brush. Then use some metal or chrome cleaner to polish the mirrors, body side moldings, wheel covers, bumpers, and all other exterior metal.

If the bumpers are filled with rust that cannot be taken off with metal cleaner, you can try using some steel wool, but it may dent the bumpers. Finally, you should clean all the glass and the plastic on the outside using a glass polish. Then, check all the lights and broken lenses and replace any burned out bulbs.

8. Improving the paint
If your car is couple of years old, you should have it thoroughly cleaned with polishing/rubbing compound. These very mild abrasive special cleaners remove a minute top layer of paint and restore the original shine. When you’re all done, you should give it a good waxing. If your car has a vinyl top, you should clean it with a vinyl cleaner.

9. Cleaning the interior
The first step is to start with the dashboard and the other non-fabric interior components. You should avoid using strong solvents because the covers of some of the instruments are made of plastic and it may become cloudy. You can use a pipe cleaner on the tighter areas like radio buttons or the heating controls.

You should wash the fabric upholstery and sow any tears by using standard sewing supplies. You can brighten the Vinyl with special cleaner and leather with some saddle soaping. Finally, you should have the whole car, including the trunk, thoroughly vacuumed and the carpets cleaned up if they are spotted or dirty.

10. Cleaning the engine
Cleaning the engine can simply be done by using a special cleaner that removes grease, oil and dirt, which makes the engine look so disgusting.

11. Removing aftermarket modifications
If your car has any modifications that weren’t done by its manufacturer, you should remove those and replace them with the factory parts. If potential buyers see these changes, they may assume that the car has taken too many joy rides.

12. Creating smart ads
When creating the “For sale” signs or writing the ad for the local paper, you have chance to say how eager you are to sell the car. The “Asking price” reveals that you are willing to negotiate. Think about what you are putting out to prospective buyers and write your ad accordingly.

13. Advertising your car
Usually, people put their ads in newspapers, but online ads are becoming more and more popular. However, you should also consider posting a “For sale” sign on the car window. Also, think of unusual places to put ads and you will get results.

14. Choosing how to sell the car
Depending on how fast you want to sell the car and how much money you want, you have two ways to sell your car: wholesale or directly to buyers. If you close the deal online, make sure to use a site with a money back guarantee, in case your car does not sell in a certain time-period.

15. Showing your car
Remember that when you’re selling your car, prospective buyers will also be checking you out. So, leave a good impression and make buyers feel comfortable and try to answer all their questions openly.

16. Posting “For sale” signs
They are a definite must. You never know when the right person will be coming along and want to buy your car. Write them as clearly and complete as possible.

17. Planning test drives
Choose a certain route that will give buyers the chance to feel the car out in several different conditions. Always let buyers to drive the car, as they need to feel like they already own the car.

18. Showing the AutoCheck report
You should put the buyer’s mind at ease by giving them a copy of an AutoCheck Report on, which will reveal significant information, including the fact that your mileage has not been rolled back.

19. Negotiations
Used auto sold fastSet the minimum price you are willing to settle for, before even starting the negotiations. Always establish the price a little higher than you plan to accept, to make the buyer feel like they made a great deal.

20. Honesty is good
One of the most common questions is “why are you selling?”, so be prepared with a good honest answer. An answer like: “my family has grown and I need a larger car” is definitely better than: “it keeps breaking down and I’m sick of it”. However, be honest and tell the buyer that you have set the price to account for any problems and that your price is fair.

21. Finalizing the deal
When you’re selling your used car, an important issue is to limit your liability. If the new owner drives away in the car and there is an accident, you don’t want to be responsible for that. One last thing, contact your insurance agent and cancel your policy on the car or, if it’s the case, transfer the coverage to your new car.

Source: http://usedcartips.mecarz.com/sell-used ... d-car.html

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