5 Things To Know Before Selling Your Car On Craigslist

Are you in the market for a new car? Well, if you've looked around long enough and are still unable to find a trade-in that piques your interest, you may resort to selling your car and putting that money into a new car instead. While plenty of websites and dealerships exist, perhaps no marketplace or classifieds section is more widely known than Craigslist. A website where you can buy almost anything, Craiglist can be an ideal place to sell your car provided that you do it the right way. Here are five things that you should do in order to remain safe and get the best deal possible.

Get an estimate on your car's value

No matter how desperate you feel to get rid of your old car, it's important that you do not lose money unnecessarily because of an impulse sale. Take a look at advertisements for the same make and model car so that you can get an idea of the price range that your car might fall into. Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds are two places that can provide you with the fair market value of your car. You could also get the opinion of a qualified mechanic. Once you have an idea, make sure to list your car at a good price which is a little more than the minimal amount that you are prepared to accept as you may need to negotiate.

Set up an attractive ad

Because Craiglist has so many advertisements, you'll want to ensure that yours stands out from the pack. To start, make sure to take professional-looking photographs of your car that really emphasize its features, ensuring that you get both the interior and the exterior of your car from good angles that show as much as possible. The text in your ad is equally important. Make sure to list your car's make, model, and year in the ad's headline while writing a detailed description, including mileage, engine size, type of upholstery, and infotainment features. If there are any damages or issues, be upfront about them so that buyers gain the confidence to put their trust in you.

Gather your paperwork

Selling your car involves more than exchanging money with a potential buyer. Ultimately, you'll have to undergo a change of ownership while also validating the sale price. Make sure to locate your car title, vehicle service records, and original sale paperwork. Getting a vehicle history report or VIN check is also a good idea as potential buyers may want to inspect such documents.

Set up a meeting

Once prospective buyers take an interest in your ad, the time will come for them to inspect the car in person. Before the meeting, it's important to make sure that the car looks as good as possible. Wash both the interior and exterior of the car while making sure that none of your own possessions or trash are left in the vehicle. Still, you are not the only one who is up for interrogation during the meeting. In order to maintain your own safety and security, you may prefer to meet potential buyers in a public area such as a mall parking lot so as to keep your home address confidential. In addition, you are entitled to only meet with buyers who you feel comfortable with. Anybody who makes you feel uncomfortable is not someone that you should be dealing with.