Like fall, spring is a traditional new-car season. But before most people can buy a shiny vehicle just off the production line, they must first sell the outmoded one sitting in their driveway. And that can be easier said than done. Not everyone is familiar with the subtleties of selling a car, truck or SUV. If you're not careful, it can be little more than an opportunity to lose an awful lot of money. Even seasoned pros make costly mistakes. Here are 10 things not to do if you want to get the most money from what you're selling, no matter the car or the circumstances.
Bing: Selling Your Car
No matter how friendly the salesperson or how much money you spend, one thing is for sure: The dealer will never give you what your used car is worth. Commercial resale margins for used cars are notoriously thin, and it's always in the dealer's best interest to lowball you, even if it decreases the chances of a sale. You'll almost always get more on the open market. The only exception is if you're fabulously wealthy and don't mind giving up thousands of dollars for the sake of convenience.
Read: MSN Autos Top Value Picks
It may sound obvious, but a clean car is easier to sell than a dirty one. The logic is simple: People like buying new things, and few people want someone else's lived-in, worn-out garbage. We're not just talking a simple wash and wax here, either. Go for the works: paint cleaning and polishing, interior shampooing, the works. If you do it yourself, it's free — that is, pure profit — and if you pay someone, it's rarely more than $100. Either way, presenting a clean car makes it easier to convince people that your vehicle is worth what you claim it is.
Read: Keeping Up Appearances
This one is a personal choice. Some people sell their cars with a laundry list of needs, while others fix everything under the sun before moving on. The key, however, is moderation. No one wants to buy a car and immediately send it to the mechanic, but you shouldn't go overboard. Err on the side of safety and driver enjoyment, but don't spend money on things few people will notice, like early filter replacements or unnecessary fluid flushes. When in doubt, ask your mechanic.
Read: Mechanic Mishaps
The old saw holds that the three most important words in real estate are location, location, location. In car sales, it's advertising, advertising, advertising. Take time composing your ad. Avoid listing in little-read places like your local newspaper's classified ads. If you're selling a special-interest model, seek out enthusiast forums, whether in print or on the Internet, and run picture-heavy listings. Build an online photo gallery and include the link with every ad. The key is remembering that somewhere out there, someone desperately wants your car. You may just have to work to find that buyer.
MSN Autos: Used Car Research Tools
These days, most private used-car sales take place on the Internet. The Internet is a visual medium, so it makes sense to cater to people's curiosity: Photograph your car thoroughly, and shoot more pictures than you think you need. If you don't have the camera skills to make your car look good, ask a friend who does. The goal here is to answer a potential buyer's questions before he sees the car in person, and to eliminate wasting everyone's time.
Bing Images: Used Cars