As soon as you’ve made the decision to sell your car, it often feels like you can’t offload it fast enough. With so many car-selling avenues to explore, it’s tough to know which one you should travel. And while there is no right or wrong answer, you do need to determine your priorities when it comes to selling your car. Are you looking to make the most profit possible? How much time can you commit to the car-selling process? Do you need the most convenient, fastest option available? A quick, but honest consideration of these questions should help you find your direction. Just like shopping for a car is no longer the nightmare it used to be in antiquated dealerships, selling your car needn’t be a headache either. Check out which of the following routes looks like your best car selling journey…and enjoy a tale or two from the trenches while you’re at it.
Time is On Your Side
If you have an abundance of free time, whether you’re unemployed, retired, or work from home, you might be inclined to sell your car privately. This involves listing your vehicle on one of the top car selling websites, and maybe even positioning it somewhere on your property with a prominent “For Sale” sign. Who knows? Someone passing by might not even know he’s in the market for a used car, until he spots yours. Leverage cyber-space and your own living space for the best of both worlds when it comes to selling your car privately. A good rule of thumb is to have all paperwork, like your title and maintenance records, available for potential customers to review. Of course, a thorough cleaning of the car’s interior and exterior is always a good idea.
Dealer Takes All
Maybe you don’t have all the time in the world to spend selling your car. In that case, your local dealership might be worth exploring. Keep in mind, you’ll likely be presented with a lower offer than you might have priced your car for private sale. If you want to trade-in your vehicle for something newer, the offer might prove enough for an upgrade. Take a close look at what, if anything, you still owe on the vehicle before you approach a sales associate at your local dealership.
The Convenience of CarMax
Granted, CarMax is a used car dealership chain, with locations all over the country. Like your local dealership, you might be disappointed by your written offer from CarMax. But, then again, you might be pleasantly surprised. Either way, you’ll have time to think about the offer before committing to it. It’s a no-pressure way to see what your car might fetch you, without having to rush into a hasty deal. Moreover, if you do sell your car to CarMax, you’re under no obligation to purchase your new car from that lot.
Mixed Company
Heard a few unflattering rumors about CarMax? Not quite confident you can trust your transaction with a big-box style, chain dealership? We get it. And, like all businesses, you’ll encounter a mixed bag of reviews from various consumers. For a little levity, and some on-the-ground insight into what it’s like to do business with CarMax, you should check out auto-enthusiast, Doug DeMuro, over at Jalopnik. See what goes down when he attempts to sell his hummer, not to mention his Ferrari, to CarMax…
