Everyone loves getting a new car – it’s such an exciting event, and there is endless enjoyment in playing with all the new features. Financing a new car can be difficult, though…cars depreciate fast, so buying new means you pay a premium over a used car. Deciding which to buy is usually quite simple – if you can afford to buy new, and do plenty of miles, a new car is definately worth it.
Once you’ve decided to change your car, you need to sell your old one. Fortunately, plenty of people buy used cars, and if it is in good condition, it’ll usually be easy to sell.
Take the car to a dealer. If you can, go to the dealer who has maintained the car. If you have always used the ‘brand’ garage, such as going to an official BMW garage for your BMW, your car is likely to be worth more. Tell them you are considering changing your car, and ask for a quote. Do not accept the quote straight away, but write it down so you don’t forget it.
Check online. You could use a car price guide, such as Parkers Price Guide, or look on websites such as Autotrader to see the average selling price. Keep in mind any alterations – things such as alloy wheels or above standard accessories will increase the price of your car, whereas bas condition and dents will reduce it.
If the car is very old, and not worth much, you might be interested in finding out the scrap value of the car. For most cars, this will be a few hundred dollars, and you can remove parts such as seats to sell as spares.
Finally, advertise! Use local messageboards as well as car forums and auction sites to show the car, and the price you want for it. Ensure this is above the dealers price – your car is worth more then this. If you can’t attract the price you want, or you have a time limit to sell the car within, consider accepting the quote from the dealer, or the scrap quote, whichever is highest.
Remember to always be honest about the condition of the car, and its maintainence – court is expensive!