5 tips that will help you sell your car sooner

Frustrated with your car taking too long to sell? Or are you put off by the car selling process to begin with?

To sell your car quickly and for a good price is tricky, but there are ways you can do it. Here are loans.com.au’s top 5 tips for selling your car sooner.

1. Get the car serviced

One of the most important ways to increase a car’s sale value is to ensure it has been regularly serviced, and the same can be said for selling it quickly. Car buyers are generally more likely to purchase a vehicle that has a consistent record of being serviced, as this would indicate it’s in good working order. If you haven’t had it serviced in a while, get that done before you put it on the market. This could cost a few hundred dollars.

As well as a service, you might also get a bit more for your car if you pay a detailer or panel beater to clear out any scratches, chips and dents it might have. But if you can’t afford one of these, having a recently-serviced car in working order (with a record of service) will encourage potential buyers that it's trustworthy to drive.

2. Have the car fully cleaned

If the way the car runs is important to buyers, then the way it looks is definitely a big factor. Having the car looking and smelling nice is a surefire way to boost interest. After all, what car would you rather buy: a beat-up looking bomb or a shiny new-looking model? The same is true for the inside, as dirt and rubbish all over the floor, as well as a bad smell, can put people off.

It’s pretty easy to clean the car yourself. You just need to wash the outside with water and car wash detergent and take a vacuum to the inside, remembering to get inside every little nook and cranny. If you aren’t confident in your car washing skills, however, then take it to a car wash. Manned car washes can clean both the inside and outside, and for different prices they can wax and polish it for you too.

For the price of a hundred to a few hundred dollars, you could sell your car for more and more quickly.

3. Take good photos

These days anyone with a smartphone can be a half-decent photographer but don’t just whip your phone out and take a couple of photos in your garage. Take the time to create some high-quality shots of your pride and joy, including lots of different angles of the car in good lighting showing off its best features.

You should also take interior shots of the car, which can be a little harder to do, but images of things like the odometer, dashboard and seats can further reinforce a car’s quality, as can shots of the engine and tire treads. Buyers will be more likely to purchase a car that looks good, and the more photos they have the more proof they’ll have that it’s right for them.

4. Set a realistic price and achievable deadlines

While you should try and get as much for your car as you can, setting a price too high can prevent you from selling the car altogether, while being too pessimistic with your price can lead to getting ripped off.

There are a number of sites you can use to value your car, like car-buying service OnlineAuto.com.au, which can give an estimation for trade-ins free of charge and can even buy the car off you, paying you instantly.

Alternatively, you can compare your car to similar models listed for sale on used car websites or in dealerships. It can be hard to get an accurate gauge of the true value of your car, so getting professional insights can help get a better deal. If you set a price a little bit above what you think it’s worth, you can leave yourself a bit of extra negotiating room.

You should also set yourself a deadline to sell the car, as this will make you be proactive in listing the car for sale and arranging inspections with potential buyers. If you don’t set yourself a sale date, you could end up being lazy in your efforts to get rid of it.

5. Use multiple different sales methods

There are several different ways you can sell a car:

• You could sell it on specialised car selling websites, like Car Sales

• You could sell it via online marketplaces like Gumtree

• You can sell cars privately via local advertising (this can also be done online using the sites above)

• You can sell the car to a dealership

• You can sell it to a car buying service

• You can sell it via auction

The more of these you use the greater your chance of attracting a range of qualified buyers. Each different method has its advantages. Selling the car online privately can get you a higher price, but you could also fail to attract a buyer or could even fall victim to a scam. Selling to a dealer on the other hand is more likely to end up in a sale, but could lower the final amount by a fair bit.

Whichever method you use, having your car in the best condition possible and having as much detail about it on-hand for buyers will definitely help speed the process up, and could fetch you a few extra dollars as well.

Get a cheap car loan for your next car

To buy your next car after finally selling this one, come to loans.com.au for a low-rate, low-fee car loan. Our highly competitive loans can help you save hundreds off the cost of your loan, and you can apply quickly and easily by speaking to one of our friendly loan specialists today.

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