Selling Old Cars: Sales and Marketing Tips

Selling old cars can be difficult. Selling any car by yourself can be time consuming and a bit frustrating.

Trade It In
If you are buying a new car to replace the old one, it might be best to just trade the old vehicle in. While you will probably make less than if you sold it yourself, the time and hassle that you save will often be well worth it. Haggle a bit over the trade-in offer and then move on to a new vehicle.

Sell It Yourself
If you are intent on selling your vehicle yourself, there are a few things that you can do to make it more marketable. Here are few tips.

• Clean it thoroughly. Appearance is the first thing that people will notice, so make sure that the inside is spotless. Vacuum the vehicle well and remove all trash and unnecessary clutter. Wipe down all the surfaces and clean the windows inside and out. Keep the outside as clean as possible and run it through a car wash before a showing.
• Fix it up. If possible, fix any minor body or paint damage. Any minor mechanical problems should be dealt with as well.
• Be honest. When writing your ad and fielding inquires, always be honest about problems with the vehicle. You are legally responsible for this vehicle and any misleading statements that you make could come back to you as a lawsuit so always be honest about the vehicle.
• Set a price. Research your vehicle's value carefully. Check sites like Kbb.com to get a price range. Search other sites such as AutoTrader.com and CarSoup to get an idea of what other people are asking for similar vehicles. Be realistic about what your car is worth and set the price accordingly. If you are hoping for a quick sale, price it under the market.
• Advertise. Advertise on as many sites as you can. Look for free sites or ones that have low fees. Auto Trader is quite popular as is Autobytel. Run an ad in your local newspaper and their website. Newspapers will often have a separate category for vehicles under $3000, so if your price falls in that category advertise there.
• Answer information requests. When people start emailing or calling, be sure to respond as quickly as possible. Don't lose a sale because you didn't return a call in a timely manner.
• Be willing to negotiate. Prospective buyers almost always intend to talk to you down. If you want to get rid of your car in a hurry, be open to negotiation. Don't let someone completely rip you off, but try not to be too firm, either. After all, you're trying to make someone an offer they can't refuse.