Fundamentals for selling your own car

by Graeme Sprigge Selling your car can be one of life's frustrating experiences. It can also be done with great success. Like any subject - if you know how to go about it it's easy. Here are some dos and don'ts that will make your car selling experience more profitable and enjoyable. 1. Research Your mission to sell your car always starts with research. If you've had it for some time the price could have changed significantly. You need to bring yourself up to speed with the current market for your vehicle. This is the key to developing a realistic selling price. Many people sell their cars too cheaply or try to sell them for too much and are disappointed. 2. Have a plan The least stressful way of selling your car is to have plan. It doesn't have to be long and involved but it does need to be in the right sequence. It's like moving houses - you pack things away, call the removalist and then unpack them in your new house. If you call the removalist before you've packed there is bedlam. 3. Put Yourself In The Buyer's Shoes If you can imagine yourself in the shoes of the buyer then you will understand how to present your car. It is amazing how many people try to sell a dirty car. They may succeed but the ultimate test is the final price. 4. Don't Mislead The Buyer Even though it may be tempting to disguise faults, there are very good reasons why you should not. You will have a difficult time selling it if you are hiding something major and will have fixed attention on the sale thereafter. If you want to sleep well at night, be upfront. Cars get old and things go wrong with them - it's a fact of life. I have always found that being upfront was better, including financially. It's one of those funny things - you seem to lose a few hundred on the car but you gain it somewhere else. There are many buyers who will buy a vehicle with faults because they have the expertise and inclination to fix it. This may seem controversial but having sold many cars I can attest that it is the way to go.