How To Sell An Old Car
Assess Your Old Car: Begin by evaluating the condition of your old car. Consider factors such as its make, model, year, mileage, and overall condition. Be realistic about its value and determine a reasonable asking price.
Research the Market: Understand the market for old cars, including current demand and pricing trends. Take into account similar models and their selling prices to set a competitive yet fair asking price for your old car.
Clean and Present Your Car: Before listing your old car, give it a thorough cleaning inside and out. This will enhance its appeal and make it more attractive to potential buyers. Take high-quality photos that highlight its best features to create eye-catching advertisements.
Advertise Strategically: Create compelling advertisements to reach potential buyers. Utilize online platforms, social media, and local classifieds to maximize exposure. Include relevant details such as the make, model, year, mileage, and condition. Be as truthful about your car's state as possible, for example: if your car is non-running or if parts are missing.
Respond to Inquiries: Promptly respond to inquiries from interested buyers. Provide accurate information about your old car, its condition, maintenance history, and any unique selling points. Be transparent and honest to build trust with potential buyers.
Negotiate and Close the Sale: Once you find a serious buyer, be open to negotiating the price. Consider the current market value and any repairs or maintenance required. Agree on a fair price that satisfies both parties. Ensure all necessary paperwork, such as the title transfer, is completed correctly to finalize the sale.
Choose a Trusted Buyer: To simplify the process and receive fair market prices, consider selling your old car to a reputable company that specializes in buying old cars. Look for a company that offers cash for old cars and provides free towing services. This way, you can sell your old car quickly, conveniently, and without any additional expenses.
By following these steps, you can successfully sell your old car and receive cash for it. Remember, choosing a reliable buyer that offers fair market prices and free towing services can make the process even more seamless. Get started on selling your old car today and turn it into cash effortlessly.
When Should You Let Go Of Your Old Car?
Deciding exactly when you should let go of your old faithful can be an intimidating prospect. If you part ways with it too early, you could put yourself in a bad position. On the flip side, waiting too late on the sale of an old car could actually be a threat to your safety.
A few reasons to get rid of your old car include:
Really high mileage.
It’s just sitting in your garage.
Non-running and needs too many repairs.
Really High Mileage - Your old car is absolutely past the 60,000 mile mark and has most likely surpassed 100,000 miles. Overcoming the 100K mile mark often means repairs become increasingly more expensive and your vehicle’s value takes a sharp downward turn.
Just Sitting In The Garage - A car that’s been sitting for an extended period of time is likely to develop its fair share of issues. These issues range from rust, to defective batteries, to pests turning that old car into their new home.
Non-Running And Needs Repair - An old car that doesn’t run and requires hefty repairs to get it back to being roadworthy is ripe for letting go. Attempting to fix it would only be sinking money into a vehicle that wouldn’t gain any additional value from being repaired.
Our expert evaluators can help you get an accurate estimate for your car's value, FAST!
How To Sell An Old Car For Cash
When you’ve finally decided to get rid of your old car, you’ve got a few different options for how to go about it:
How to Get The Most Cash for Old Cars Near Me
Scrap Your Old Car - You can sell your old car to a junkyard or scrapyard for its worth in scrap metal. The average payout for a scrap car is $150-$300, but understand that the value can change if the place where the metal is processed is far away from you.
Part It Out - If you’re looking to maximize the profit from your old car, then breaking your car down and selling its individual parts is an option. If you’ve got a car with reusable components, then you can double or triple your revenue.
Keep in mind, parting requires time, space, and expertise to dismantle a car without damaging the very parts you intend to sell. Furthermore, you typically get more money when you sell a very old car completely intact.
Ultimately, you have to decide if parting out your old car is worth the hassles.
Trade It In - Just because your car is old, doesn’t mean you can’t trade it in to a dealership. A dealership will absolutely accept your old car as a trade-in. Keep in mind that dealerships specialize in selling cars that are roadworthy.
Depending on your old car's condition, you may not get much and likely won't be cash but rather credit to use on a new car at that dealership.
Selling It - You can always sell your old car to a private buyer, especially if it’s a make and model that is attractive to prospective buyers. You can get a pretty penny for a car like that, but you’ll have to wait around to find the perfect buyer for your old roadster.
Where Can I Sell My Old Car For Cash Today?
When figuring out how to sell your old car fast, you’re likely to consider two things: speed and profit. With that in mind, here are the most common options for the best place to sell an older, used car:
Junkyards — When looking for places that buy old cars near you, old car junkyards are the common choice. They will accept vehicles in virtually any condition. They purchase them quickly, but they make their profit by buying low and reselling the usable parts.
Dealerships — Any dealership that accepts cars “as is” is one who buys old cars. However, dealerships usually won’t trade old vehicles for cash. The money offered is likely credit to be applied to buying another vehicle from them.
Also, they specialize in roadworthy cars, so if your old car is one that can’t run, then it is likely to get lowballed.
Private Buyers — Private buyers aren’t restricted by pricing or any condition constraints. If your old used vehicle is a model that is popular and in demand, someone will want it. Finding that person, however, can be a massive hassle; vetting serious candidates and haggling being chief amongst the most annoying portions of the process.
Online Dealerships — Companies like CarMax and Carvana have taken advantage of the internet and made selling old cars online a possibility.
Keep in mind, these places still specialize in cars that can be resold quickly. An old car isn’t their ideal purchase, so they won’t be paying top dollar for it.
In all these situations though, you will likely get a low offer. If you still owe any money on your vehicle, your goal should be to sell it for as much as possible so you can pay off your remaining loan faster.
While other avenues may not offer top dollar for your old car, CarBrain can offer you an instant fair market quote online in a matter of seconds. Our quotes are guaranteed for seven days, so you have time to think it over before completing the sale.
Additionally, there are no fees whatsoever for using our service and no last-minute haggling or negotiations.
Listing Your Vehicle: Things To Think About
When selling a car privately, money is often the only thing we think about. While profits taken home at the end of the day are a critical part of a private sale, there is so much surrounding the sale of your car that might impact the profits taken home that it’s worth taking note of:
Transportation - That old, broken-down car that’s been sitting in your driveway for so long it’s started growing roots? Whether you want to sell it whole or part it out, it’s going to require a tow from your driveway to its final resting place.
Paperwork - Unfortunately, everything regarding selling your car requires some paperwork done in order to make sure it's legally transferred from your possession: Title transfers, vehicle history report, bill of sale, etc.
These necessary papers come at a cost and that bites into profits.
Validity - Finding a junkyard that will take your car off your hands is already a hassle in and of itself. Ensuring that the junkyard won’t try to get over on you is another beast completely.
Selling an old car has its pitfalls that aren’t really thought about by the average person. To avoid these traps, use CarBrain.com to get that old car off your hands!
In Short - Here's How to Sell Your Old Car
CarBrain is the ideal “final home” for vehicles near the end of their road-life. Our top-tier customer service representatives make the entire process as easy as 1-2-3:
Get your free quote! Simply enter some basic information about your car on our website and you’ll receive a free and guaranteed quote within 90 seconds.
Towing is always free, so you’ll never have to worry about hidden or additional fees taking away from the profits you take home.
Schedule your pickup within 24-48 hours! If you’re happy with your quote, you’ll be able to schedule your vehicle retrieval with one of our partners within your area. They’re trusted to come to you at a time that works best for you.
Complete your sale! After a quick inspection and transferring of your title, you’ll receive the amount you were quoted, no haggling or fuss. Your vehicle is taken off your hands and money is put in them!
Contact CarBrain today and watch from the comfort of your home as we buy your old car!
