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How to Sell a Car Privately? 7 Steps
If you’re thinking of selling your car, you might as well be wondering how to sell a car privately. Here are the seven steps you’ll need to check to sell your car to a private buyer.
Collect Your Paperwork
Selling a car is a transaction that involves paperwork. So, the first step, which is basically part of the preparation process, is getting the necessary paperwork ready.
The paperwork you’ll need include:
- Car title
- Bill of sale
- Vehicle history report
The car title is the most important document you’ll need to sell your car privately. The document shows that you own the car and are legally allowed to sell it. You’ll get your car title if you’ve paid for the car in full. Otherwise, the car title will be with the bank or lienholder.
If the title is not in your possession, you should get in touch with the bank or lienholder to negotiate a payoff amount and associated terms and conditions.
You should also contact your local DMV to get a bill of sale and find out the other documents required. You could access these documents online.
For your vehicle history report, use platforms such as AutoCheck and CarFax.
Set an Asking Price
KBB Summary
- Provides an Instant Cash Offer and purchases your car within a day
- Helps to determine your car’s value if you want to sell it privately
- It’s free to use the KBB valuation tool
- No obligations – you can use the KBB valuation tool and sell your car privately
After you get the required paperwork, it’s time to set an asking price. You should set an asking price based on the current car value. Find out the current value using reputable resources such as Kelley Blue Book.
Find the value of similar cars and set your asking price around the figure. Also, compare your price to that of similar ads.
Prepare Your Car to Appeal to Buyers
This step is focused on making your car more appealing to prospective buyers. You don’t need to do extensive changes or repairs because it will increase your asking price and discourage buyers.
Simply clean the car completely, empty the trunk, and focus on minimal repairs and changes. Focus on areas that the buyer will easily see and be interested in.
Create a Captivating Ad on eBay Motors
eBay Motors Summary
- Sell 20+ types of vehicle and car parts
- Low listing fees starting from just $19
- List a car for sale in under 10 minutes
- 2 selling options – fixed price or auction
Now is the time to create an ad and get buyers rolling in. Create your ad like a pro with pictures that highlight the best features of the car.
Pro tip: Pay attention to the lighting and angles of the car too. Sunset lighting does magic for all kinds of pictures, including those for car ads. Take pictures from multiple angles. You can move the car around to get the angles right.
The ad photos should highlight parts of your car such as:
- Truck
- Driver’s seat
- Engine
- Back seats
- Odometer
eBay Motors is one of the best platforms to post your car ad as it’s a global platform that solely focuses on selling cars.
Remember to keep the title and body of the ad full of interesting and necessary details. Avoid repetition and stuffing the ad with generic information.
Screen Potential Buyers
Buyers are bound to start trooping in after you post the ad. You’ll get both genuine and fake feedback. Screening out the fake feedback will help you save time.
Since you’ll be sharing the details on public platforms, getting a separate email and a Google Voice phone number for creating the ad could make sense. That way, you can let all the calls go to voicemail and screen to determine those to get back to.
Pro tip: Screen out people that are looking to buy the car at the cheapest rate and flip it. Such callers will reply generically and will want to bargain even if you already set a low price.
After you identify the genuine callers, get back to them and discuss more details, and further screen them before moving forward with the process.
Organize a Test Drive
Having identified the genuine callers and further screened them, organize a test drive where you show the interested buyer your car.
Be sure to meet up in a safe and open location. Allow the interested buyer to take the car for a test. You could tag along since the buyer probably doesn’t know the area. And could need help navigating it.
Simply help with the directions as you tag along and answer any questions without trying to oversell the car.
Subsequently, if the prospective buyer wants a technician to inspect the car, give them the required access, while they pay the bill.
Close the Deal
Now that you have gone through the extensive process of valuing, getting the paperwork ready, listing the car, screening potential buyers, and discussing with the final buyer, you’re ready to close the deal.
At this point, the buyer will ask for negotiations. Negotiate carefully and be clear throughout the process to avoid any misunderstandings. Also, confirm the payment method: is the buyer is paying with cash or a check?
If the title is still with the lienholder, they would be included in the process to set off the debt.
After the payment details are settled, sign the title, give the buyer the bill of sale, and finish the required paperwork that applies in your locality.
Alternative Ways to Sell Your Car
Selling a car privately has its pros and cons. The pros include the possibility of getting a better deal while the cons include the associated delay of the whole sales process.
If you’re looking for a way to sell your car quickly, you should consider cash-for-cars companies. These companies visit your driveway within 48 hours after you accept their deal and pay you upon taking your car away.
Selling a car privately can be achieved by transacting with individuals after listing the ad. You can also skip the tedious associated paperwork with car-buying companies like Peddle and Wheelzy. With Wheelzy and Peddle, you sell your used car to an established company without the extra legalities. Both companies pay in cash and check and have mentioned impressive track records over time.
Sell It to Peddle
Peddle Summary
- Buys used, damaged or junk car nationwide
- Get instant quote on (855) 925 4302
- Free towing within 48 hours after offer
- Receive payment upon car collection
Peddle buys all kinds of used cars in a straightforward process that could take just 48 hours.
You can sell your car to Peddle in no time by sending the details of your car and getting a cash offer almost immediately. Let’s now unpack the entire process as simple clear steps.
Step 1: Reach out to the company
Get in touch with Peddle over the phone to provide your car details. You can also share the details through an online form available on the website. The details you will be required to provide include the make, model, location, and VIN,
Step 2: Receive an instant offer
After you share the car details, Peddle sends an instant offer, that is the money you are being offered for the car. You are given seven days to consider the list and decide. At this point, you can reject the offer without any obligation to the company.
Step 3: Schedule a pickup
On accepting the offer, schedule a free pickup with the team. Choose a time and location that works for your schedule. If your paperwork isn’t ready, you should consider it when scheduling the pickup
Step 4: Get paid after the pickup
The Peddle team arrives according to the schedule for the free pickup. The team that picks up the car will quickly inspect the car and confirm that the details you earlier provided.
After the details are confirmed, you get a check for the instant offer, and the team will be on their way with your car.
Peddle pays with cash or check, and payments are efficient and straightforward.
Recent Peddle Offers
| Model | Year | Mileage | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota (Camry) | 2011 | 150,000 | $2,225 |
| Volvo (S40) | 2001 | 37000 | $430 |
| Mercedes-Benz (560) | 1991 | 92000 | $1,930 |
| BMW (528) | 2008 | 126,000 | $1,140 |
| Kia (Forte) | 2010 | 145,000 | $635 |
| Honda (CR-V) | 2011 | 67000 | $2,930 |
| Ford (Explorer Sport Trac) | 2004 | 145,000 | $1,170 |
| Oldsmobile (Alero) | 2004 | 162,000 | $400 |
| Audi (A6) | 2006 | 106,000 | $530 |
Sell It to Wheelzy
Wheelzy Summary
- Wheelzy stores are open 7 days a week
- Get offer in minutes – (855) 510-1108
- Free towing of your car from your location
- Instant payment via cash or check
Wheelzy works just like Peddle, offering an instant offer and paying cash for used and damaged cars. Let’s see the steps of selling a car to Wheelzy.
Step 1: Send car details
Send car details over the phone or by completing and submitting the online form from the website. The details you will be required to make available include the make, model, VIN, and location.
Step 2: Receive offer
You receive an instant offer shortly after sending in the required details. Wheelzy gives you 7 days to review the offer and decide accordingly.
Step 3: Schedule pickup
Like Peddle, Wheelzy picks up the vehicle for free. You simply need to schedule a pickup according to your availability
Also, give yourself enough time to get all required paperwork ready, if not yet available.
Step 4: Receive payment after car inspection
The towing team will inspect the car against the features you initially shared. If all is good, you receive the payment before the car is taken away from you.
Wheelzy buys cars to keep the process straightforward and effective.
Both Wheelzy and Peddle serve similar purposes, to eliminate stress from the process of selling your car. The process of selling to both companies does not need extensive paperwork.
Recent Wheelzy Offers
| Model | Year | Mileage | Condition | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai (Tucson) | 2006 | 200,000 | Doesn’t start | 400 |
| Mercury (Sable Sedan) | 2003 | 150,000 | Doesn’t start | 225 |
| Mercedes-Benz (C) | 2001 | 150,000 | Starts | 222 |
| Ford (Edge) | 2010 | 200,000 | Doesn’t start | 1200 |
| Ford (Flex) | 2009 | 150,000 | Starts | 1000 |
| Lexus (RX) | 2002 | 300,000 | Doesn’t start | 750 |
| Chevrolet (Cobalt Sedan) | 2007 | 200,000 | Doesn’t start | 200 |
| Toyota (Corolla) | 2003 | 250,000 | Drives | 555 |
| BMW (528) | 2008 | 250,000 | Drives | 1487 |
