Steps to Prepare For The Sale of Your Car
Once you know how you’ll proceed with the sale of your vehicle (private, dealership, car buyer service) here’s what you’ll need to prepare.
The Paperwork
- Certificate of Title – simply called the title or the pink slip
- DMV transfer of ownership forms
- Financial information for your car loan – call your lender and see what may be required for your situation
- Vehicle History Report – It’s best to have your own copy of this to compare with what a dealer might be showing you.
Cleaning & Minor Repairs for the Vehicle
- Clean the exterior and interior of the car. Give it that “curb appeal.” Don’t forget to clear the trunk to show the potential buyer the full space available.
- Fix broken tail lights, fuses and other minor repairs. Don’t go overboard, only simple repairs
- Fill all fluids – you’ll want to avoid scenarios where wipers don’t respond or a service light turns on for an easily preventable cause
- Inspection by a trusted mechanic – Know the actual condition of your car, you’ll want to avoid surprises when selling.
Advertise, Negotiate, Close the Sale
- Invest your time and energy into the advertising efforts mentioned here for private sales, including photos and listings of your vehicle, meeting with potential buyers and beyond.
- Be prepared to negotiate to get the very best sale value possible for your car. Knowing the value of your vehicle is of utmost importannce to you!
- Complete the transfer of funds and vehicle – Don’t forget the DMV paperwork, to account for sales tax, and use recommended payment methods conducted at a financial institution for private sales.
- Hand off your keys!
Have questions? Give our team at TCB a call today at (310) 692-8080 to get your important questions answered!
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