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Use the Kelley Blue Book to get an idea of average resale values, and check listings in local newspapers and online (at sites like Craigslist) to get a more accurate estimate for your area. Once you have a price range in mind, closely evaluate your own vehicle. Does it have dents, scrapes, or cracks anywhere? Do all the components work properly? Knock money off the asking price for each thing wrong, and add money for any desirable premium features (such as nice new tires) you can find. Sometimes a heavily modified car is worth more money; sometimes it's not. It's hard not to ask for more when you've put in hundreds or thousands of dollars installing better speakers, racing seats, and a body kit, but there's also consumer demand to consider. Not as many people want a modded car as want a regular, production model car. Don't forget to check mileage, too. Cars with high mileage for their age tend to sell for significantly less money than those with few miles. Remove all personal effects and trash from the car (including the trunk), and thoroughly vacuum it out. Wash and wax it, shine the front and rear dashes with Armor-All or a similar glossing product, and polish the tires, hubcaps, and chrome from bumper to bumper. In short, make your car look as clean and presentable as possible. If you want to, you can purchase paper floor inserts (the kind auto shops use when they're working on your car) to keep the floor free of dirt. It's probably not necessary unless you expect that a lot of people will be showing up to check your car out. Don't forget to thoroughly clean the steering wheel, which has oil from your hands all over it. At the very least, buy a For Sale sign and display it prominently in the front or rear window with the price and a phone number visible. Park your car somewhere the sign will be seen by a lot of people who might be interested. Most people also put an ad on Craigslist and/or in local newspapers. If posting your ad to Craigslist, don't neglect to add photographs. They cost nothing and make your car much more likely to sell. Use your ad(s) to list all the features of the car, such as transmission type, options, color, and trim. This is easy online; it requires some inventive abbreviating for a newspaper ad. Be honest and upfront about any problems with the vehicle, too, but don't make it sound like a lemon if it's not. Try to keep the tone positive. If you don't have a public place to park your car, park it on the street in front of your home. This way, people will still be able to notice it quickly and test-drive it without feeling like they're trespassing. Add some money (at least a few hundred; up to a couple thousand for a newer car) to whatever you'd like to actually get out of the sale, and then let the customer haggle you down to that price point. That way, you're getting closer to the amount you want, and the person who buys your car is satisfied by getting a better deal on the car than what was advertised. Consider using the letters OBO ("or best offer") in your listing to demonstrate that you're willing to haggle. If you add things like "price firm" or "no lowball offers" to your listing, you'll probably get fewer responses. Yes, some people will offer you a ridiculously low sum, but you don't have to take them up on their offers, and dealing with a few jokers is a small price to pay for massively increased interest in your car. Allow your customers to have a copy of the VIN number so they can run a vehicle history report to check for past accidents, or run one yourself and show them a copy of the report to prove that you aren't lying about the car's history. The associated fees aren't very high. You can also allow customers to take the vehicle to their mechanic to have it checked out just be sure that they're trustworthy. Have your own mechanic prepare a report you can show your customers, if you'd prefer not to take a chance on letting them drive away with the car. Carfax is another service that offers vehicle history reports. Some people prefer to be able to read a Carfax report before buying, especially in the case of later-model used cars. Depending on the value of your car, it may be worth it to have a Carfax report for it on hand. If there's anything negative you know about the car that didn't come up in the vehicle reports, be upfront about that, too. Buyers appreciate an honest seller. Once a price has been agreed upon and the customer is ready to buy, complete the transaction by following the car selling rules for your state's DMV. These vary from state to state, so it's best to look up the DMV offices for your home state and learn the specific steps and paperwork required that way. One thing you'll typically always have to do is sign the back of the title and give it to the buyer. There may also be small fees attached. Have everything prepared in advance you don't have to scramble during the actual sale. Don't forget to keep a clear and detailed record of your transaction. Write down every piece of information that could possibly be of any importance later. You might also want to get the buyer's signature on a piece of paper saying he or she bought the car, just to be safe.
Find out what your car's worth. Prepare your car for sale. Market your car. Keep the price high. Be transparent. Sell the car.