How to Prepare for Selling Your Car – Tips for Getting the Best Deal

So, you’ve decided that it is time to get rid of your old vehicle. Unfortunately, selling your car is not as simple as deciding to do so. After all, you’re selling the vehicle. It needs to be presentable. Knowing how to prepare your car for selling could be the difference between making a profit or getting shorted.

While Sell My Car Colorado does everything for you in regards to selling your old car, it is still critical to have your vehicle in the best possible condition when selling it to us (or anyone else).

Presentability is key!

1. You’ve Made Your Decision to Sell

Time for some self-promotion (surprise, I know).

Deciding to part with your used vehicle can be a painstaking decision. Once you have looked over the numbers and spoken with your mechanic about the torrential upkeep (or beat your head against the steering wheel of a broken-down car) it’s time to figure out how to sell it.

Working with unsavory dealerships or private buyers can be an arduous process. Firstly, it takes a significant amount of effort to meet with private buyers and be available to answer all of their questions. Furthermore, you never know if and when you’re actually going to sell the vehicle. 

Look, sometimes you need to sell your car ASAP. Sell My Car Colorado is here for you. With us, you can sell your car online today. We will offer you $100 more than the competition and pick up the vehicle free of charge. 

Regardless of where and how you sell your vehicle, you need to prepare it.

2. Get Your Paperwork to Prepare for Selling Your Car

Selling your car can end up being a hurricane-like process. If you post your car online or go through a website like Sell My Car Colorado, you may get an offer immediately. If you need the car gone, you’ll be scrambling to get everything together and ready.

As soon as you decide to sell your car, make sure to get all of the paperwork together. Documentation is always fun!

Most dealerships will do the documentation for you, but it is always helpful to have everything together just in case. What paperwork is necessary to sell your car depends on the state. In Colorado, you’ll need a bill of sale and the title.

Ultimately, get everything about the car ready to go. You’ll be thankful you have it rather than speeding to the DMV to get copies.

3. Meet With a Mechanic

Transparency is paramount in any transaction. The last thing a buyer wants is to purchase a car with problems without a heads-up.

Take your car to a mechanic before you put it up for sale. All in all, this does not mean that you have to get the car’s problems fixed, but you should at least mention them when describing the automobile. The buyer deserves to know what they’re getting into.

Getting a mechanic to list what repairs are needed can save the buyer time and make the transaction much, much smoother. 

Remember to keep track of value, though. Do not spend $300 on a cracked windshield if it only increases the car’s sale value by $50. It’s a fine line. Is the addition a selling point? New tires could increase the car’s value, but is it more than the tires themselves?

Furthermore, do not stress too much about the condition of the car. If it has a laundry list of problems, be transparent about them in the ad or negotiation. Someone will buy it, even if just for parts. In fact, Sell My Car Colorado will buy a vehicle in any condition, even if junk or scrap (shameless plug again).

4. Prepare Your Car Physically for Selling

Get your gloves on. This could get messy.

Your vehicle should be as spotless as possible before you try to sell it. Not only will this save the buyer time (which could result in an easier negotiation), but it will also improve the overall value of the car. After all, no one wants to purchase an item full of the previous owner’s trash. Ew.

Wash and Detail:

Detail the car before you post it or take it to a dealership. This cleaning includes both the inside and outside. If you’ve got some leftover wax, use it. Make sure the vehicle looks as close to new as possible. This extra effort will only pay off in the long run. Give it a little TLC.

Secondly, look under the hood, too. More often than not, a buyer will want to do a close inspection of the engine and other parts. Keep them looking fresh and presentable, too.

You can always take the vehicle to a professional detailer if applicable.

Clean Out Your Stuff:

You don’t want to lose your favorite sunglasses or random phone chargers. Check every nook and cranny of the vehicle before you sell it. Make sure that all of your personal items are out of it, especially insurance cards or service receipts. 

Ultimately, the car should be as clean as physically possible. Yes, an old car may have a few scratches, that’s only natural, hence the ‘as possible’.

5. Top-off Your Fluids

While not a necessity, making sure all of the upkeep of the car is exceptional will help it sell. Not only does it look like you put in the effort to make the vehicle sellable, but it also shows that the car has had solid maintenance throughout the time you’ve owned it. This effort will help convince the buyer they’re not buying a mistake.

Top-off oil, coolant and windshield wiper fluid. Replace any bad bulbs (unless too expensive for value).

6. Now Prepare for Selling Your Car

At this point, everything is ready. The vehicle is sparkling. You’re aware of its overall condition. You have the paperwork in hand.

How are you going to sell it?

Are you going to try and trade it in to a dealership? Are you going to post pictures of it on social media to advertise its sale? Maybe you want to sell it on the internet from the comfort of your home. Websites like Sell My Car Colorado will do everything for you. We will give you a market-value offer, pick up the car and pay you in cash.

If you’re interested in getting rid of your car quickly and effortlessly, give one of our specialized dealers a call. They will walk you through the whole process with transparency and honesty.