The Most Secure Way to Sell Your Car
If you're thinking it's about time to sell your car, you may be wondering just where to start. With all the different options out there for selling a vehicle, deciding which direction to go can be overwhelming. Moving forward in a way that ensures the sale is secure and safe is paramount. There are a lot of ways to sell an old car, but your options boil down to two main categories: selling privately or to a dealership.
In general, private sales are high risk and high reward. If you know what you are doing, you can make more money selling privately––but if you don't know what you are doing, you risk getting scammed or worse. In contrast, selling to a dealership like Sherwood Nissan is simple, safe, and secure. When you visit us, we can handle the entire transaction promptly from the comfort of our welcoming showroom, and you are guaranteed to walk away with a check for the fair market value of your vehicle.
What You Need to Know About Private Sales
Selling a car privately means selling it to an individual rather than a licensed dealership. The sale will be fully handled by you, so you're in charge of marketing your vehicle, negotiating its price, and closing the sale (which includes handling the relevant paperwork). A private sale is likely to be far more time-consuming and stressful than selling to a dealership. There's also the very real potential for fraud, scams, and financial liability if something goes wrong with the sale.
Why would anyone choose this route? The allure of selling your car privately is that you can potentially enjoy a larger profit. Because you are handling everything yourself, you are cutting out the middleman and can get a bit more money for your vehicle. Whether that extra money is worth the extra time you will need to sell your car privately or the additional risks you assume by doing so is a question that only you can answer. However, most people who are not automotive experts prefer to sell to dealerships like ours.
If you're feeling confident in your ability to sell privately, there are a few steps you'll need to take before getting started. Getting the car inspected is a good place to begin. That way, you'll be aware of any issues it may have, so there won't be any surprises if a keen-eyed buyer notices them and pressures you for a lower price (or catches them after the sale and demands a refund). Getting an inspection also gives you the information you need to make an informed decision on what repairs and services you may want to have taken care of before the sale. Simple things like oil changes or brake replacements are fairly inexpensive and can boost your car's value.
You'll also want to be sure to clean the vehicle thoroughly, inside and out. Clean out any personal effects and get to dusting and polishing. A car that's all neat and tidy is going to make a good first impression, whereas one that looks like it was lived in can turn off potential buyers. A clean car will also photograph better, of course, and is likely to get more traffic online. If you aren't confident in your car-cleaning skills, professional detailing may be a necessary expense in a private sale.
Once you've got your vehicle in tip-top shape, it's time to decide where you want to sell it and what you want to list it for. There are plenty of options for listing a car online, like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace. Regardless of which platform you choose, you'll want to value your car to get an idea of what it's worth. CARFAX Canada and Kelley Blue Book are both good options for this, although they can only provide a ballpark figure rather than a real professional assessment of your individual vehicle. If you aren't thoroughly versed in the car market, this is where you risk asking too much or too little for your car, either delaying the sale or leaving money on the table.
The last component of selling your car privately is dealing with potential buyers. Most people will want to see the vehicle in person and test drive it before agreeing to buy, so you'll need to arrange to meet up with these people. Meeting strangers always poses a risk, so this step needs to be handled with care. A lot of buyers will also try to haggle with you over the price. If you aren't an automotive expert, a knowledgeable buyer may try to pull a fast one on you and convince you to sell the car for less than it is really worth.
The Advantages of Selling to a Dealership
If a private sale sounds like a lot of work, selling to a dealership, like our Nissan dealership in Sherwood Park, is the option for you. It's faster, easier, and more secure, plus it takes a lot of the busy work out of the equation. If you're looking to replace your vehicle right away, being able to trade in your car for a model off our lot is an even bigger convenience, as the money for your old car will go straight to the new one, and you won't be stuck without a car.
When you decide to sell to a dealership, the steps you have to take are significantly pared down. Cleaning out your vehicle and washing it is still a good idea, but it is optional since we will perform our own detailing after we buy it. You don't need to get the vehicle inspected as we will handle that as well, and our service center can perform any repairs that the car needs. When you're ready to visit our dealership, you'll only need to bring your car registration, personal identification, and—if you're still making car payments—the lender information for your loan.
Unlike selling privately, selling to a dealership doesn't require you to take photos, research selling platforms, or post listings for your car. You simply need to visit us, and we will take care of the rest. Another benefit of selling through a dealer is the added security. When selling privately, you're dealing with strangers, and you run the risk of interacting with someone trying to commit fraud or take advantage of you. Not to mention the risk involved in letting a stranger test drive your car. In contrast, we have been buying and selling vehicles for over 20 years and are well-known in the Edmonton area for our honesty and excellent customer service.
Out With the Old, in With the New
Selling an old car can be a headache, but it doesn't have to be. Opting to sell through a reputable dealership like ours pretty much guarantees a smooth experience. Although a private sale can be successful with some preparation and a little luck, it is a complicated process that opens you up to many financial, legal, and personal dangers. That is why we always recommend drivers looking to sell their cars should find a trustworthy dealership to work with. Ultimately, selling an old car means making room for a new one, and that's something we can get behind. Contact us at Sherwood Nissan today to get started.