How to Sell Used Car
Let's get your car sold sooner, not later!

Let an expert lay out essential tips on how to sell a used car to help you get your vehicle sold quickly and for top dollar. Most sellers fail to consider the buyer's perspective. 

By putting yourself in the buyer's shoes, you gain a clearer understanding of how to meet their expectations—which translates to more money in your pocket and less time wasted. The competition is fierce, and unless you take steps to separate your car from the crowd, you risk being stuck holding onto it longer than you want.

The Over-Simplification of Selling a Used Car

Whether you are selling yourself, your home, or your car, most people don't understand the different steps of the process. Many people make the casual assumption that you simply take some pictures, post the ad, and your car is sold —not so! 

You not only need to accept the multiple steps, but you need to maximize your efforts with each step.

• Add curb appeal.
• Write compelling ad to get the calls coming in.
• Make the sale!

"Most people grossly underestimate just how much presentation really is king."

Tips on How to Sell Used Car: Presentation is KING!

When you are trying to figure out how to sell a used car, remember a fundamental rule: presentation is king. It is the exact same strategy used when staging a house to sell, or dressing your best when heading out on a first date.

Yet, when it comes to selling our own vehicles, we frequently overlook this critical phase of the process. Just as you wouldn't show up to a first date looking disheveled, you should never present your used car to a prospective buyer without making sure it looks its absolute best.

But with that said, you need to remember the driving force behind every automotive purchase: emotion.

Successfully navigating how to sell a used car requires you to understand human psychology. As buyers—yourself included—we always buy with emotion and justify with intellect later. That is why sparking an immediate, positive emotional response from the moment a buyer lays eyes on your vehicle is the single most important step in the entire process.

Specific Steps to Selling a Used Car:

Not everyone reading this will be as committed to this process as the next person.

For this reason I have broken down the process to help you get that car sold based on your desire and dedication to get the most money for your car as possible.

Simply choose which plan works best for you and your world.

The Bare Minimum:

• Wash car. (see my car washing page for specifics)
• Remove ANY and ALL of your personal belongings. (remember areas like glove box, door compartments, center console compartment, the suitcase in the trunk with the dead body stuffed in it, etc., etc.)
• A very thorough vacuum job to the interior. (see my choice of top rated shop vacs)
• Remove any window stickers/bumper stickers. (we are trying to take a car that was used by you and one that is likely "personalized" by you, and make it more generic in behalf of the potential new owner)
• Clean windows inside and out. (you can see my professional clean car window tips)
• Dress tires (who doesn't like tires that are clean and dressed?!)
  

I Really Want To Sell My Used Car: (add the following after you have completed the list from above)

• Clay bar your car after you have washed it. (see clay bar car for exact tips)
• Wax your car after claying it. (see best auto waxes)
  
• Clean wheels. (see wheel cleaning)
• Clean tires and dress them. (see tire cleaners and dressing)
  

I Really Have To Sell My Used Car: (add the following after you have completed the list from above)

• Steam clean or degrease your engine.
• Use some rubbing compound or aggressive polish to buff off any bumper scuffs, door ding marks, misc. markings on your paint. (either do this before you wax, or touch up with your wax after doing this additional step.)
• Have a professional paintless dent remover remove all those annoying dings in the sides of your car.
• Get some touch-up paint and fill in the major chips on the front end of your car-you will think this is pointless and tedious work, but trust me on this, it will make an overall difference when you stand back.
• Use a mixture of Simple Green and water, along with a scrub brush to scrub the the cars interior. (all the door panels, carpeting, floor mats, and even your leather if you have it. Yes, Simple Green is safe for all those materials.)
• Use "Fabreze" fabric freshener liberally in the inside of your car; nobody wants a car to smell like the last person that owned it. Get the Fabreze brand freshener that has the antimicrobial ingredients in it. They make different versions, so read the label.
• If your seat or seats are really bad, consider some "cheap" seat covers.
• If your dash has some major cracks, buy a dash cover.

Overview of How to Sell Used Car Tips Report

Remember, we are talking about emotion, and your ultimate goal is to create undeniable curb appeal. Never underestimate what investing a little time and effort into your vehicle can achieve. Once you see how far proper care and attention go, you might even rekindle the romance you once had with your car!

In the professional world, many clients hire me to completely detail their vehicles before putting a used car on the market. They gladly invest $250 to $350 to secure that vital curb appeal prior to listing.

Do not skip any of these steps. When combined, they create a dramatic leap in presentation value that buyers can instantly perceive.

Once you have put in the work, make sure to actively showcase your efforts when prospective buyers arrive:

• Showcase the clean engine bay to prove mechanical care.
• Let them feel your smooth, freshly waxed paint.
• Communicate the care and devotion you have poured into the vehicle.

Ultimately, your goal is to help them become emotionally invested and redirect that feeling onto the car you are selling. This is the exact principle behind modern marketing and advertising—and now, you are using it to get your car sold.

Sincerely,

Darren Priest