How to Easily Sell your Old Car in Mississauga
How to Easily Sell your Old Car in Mississauga
Posted on July 7, 2022
Out with the old and in with the new. Whenever you buy a new car, you have to do something with the old one. That means either trading in or selling it. With selling to dealerships now the best way to sell your old car, we examine how to get the best price for it.
Our Mississauga auto loans team outlines a few top used car selling tips to help you sell your old car.
Make minor repairs
Spending money on a car you’re about to sell may seem counterintuitive but it makes good sense. Think of it more as an investment rather than cost.
The less work a dealership has to do to prepare your car for resale, the more they will offer for it. As their costs are likely higher than yours, doing it yourself can actually make you money.
Repair any dings or scratches, have alloy wheels repaired, replace windshield wipers, have chips in the glass repaired and make sure your paintwork is on point.
Give the car a deep clean
A clean car always looks more attractive than a dirty car. It’s also more difficult to properly appraise a dirty car. Giving the car a good clean inside and out sets the scene nicely.
The appraiser doesn’t have to remove dirt to inspect the car, doesn’t have to hold their nose as they inspect the interior and will view your car much more positively as a result.
A clean car also indicates the car has been looked after. Especially if there are no minor repairs or scratches that need attention!
Collect all the paperwork
While it’s a little late now, if you have any work done to a car, you should always keep receipts. Those, along with the service record, tells the story of the car.
It shows the car has been looked after, regularly serviced and treated well during its lifetime. All can contribute to a higher offer as cars with service histories tend to sell for more.
You will definitely need the vehicle documents but any service documents or receipts for work carried out can all make a difference.
Put a price in your head
Now your car is ready to sell to a dealership, it’s time to come up with a realistic value. Use Kelley Blue Book, check eBay, Auto Trader and other car websites.
Check your exact make, model and trim and find comparable cars with similar mileage to get an idea of what they are selling for.
Remember that while dealerships offer more for old cars than ever before, they don’t offer market rate. They will have to mechanically prepare the car, which costs money.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
We tend to offer fair prices but you should always be prepared to negotiate fairly if you think it’s low.
Be prepared to justify your asking price by pointing to other examples at similar prices and outlining the benefits buying your car has over those advertised elsewhere.
Then work with the dealership to come up with a price you’re both happy with.
Now you can take the cash or use the money as a down payment on a new car!
If you're ready to sell your car in Southern Ontario, we'd love to buy it! simply fill in the form below to get started.
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