7 Tips to Help You Sell Your Car

1. Know your car value.
You can't sell your car if you don't know how much it's worth. You could either overprice or underprice and look like a fool either way. To find out how much you can sell your car for, refer to the NADA guides or Kelly Blue Book. You can also use other resources that list the sale of the same model car as you have such as newspaper ads, classifieds, online sites and auctions.

But... the information you'll find won't necessarily give you an accurate figure of your car's re-sale value. Many factors affect a car's price such as its condition, modifications, market demand, season and even current gas prices. However, you can use the suggested prices you find from different resources as reference.

You can also sell the car at a reasonably higher price if you are its first owner, it's in excellent condition and it has a blemish-free history report. It will also help if you kept all its service records because those are some of the first things buyers will usually ask to see.

2. Prepare your car.
Your car has to look attractive to potential buyers. Clean the interior, wash and wax the exterior. Make sure the trunk is empty and vacuumed and the windows are clear. The engine oil will be checked, so make sure to change it. Maintain the ideal tire pressure and make the maintenance record and registration certificates available.

3. Find out about the paperwork.
Your car will change hands and so will the documents. Check with your local Vehicle Registration Authority about the required paperwork because requirements vary from state to state. It's best to find out about it now so you'll be ready when the time comes.

4. Decide where to sell your car.
You can sell your car privately, which will usually fetch you a higher price provided your car is in good condition, but you'll have to deal with every buyer that comes along. You could be putting your car out in your front yard for weeks and having it examined by different buyers who will be asking you a lot of questions.