When you decide to sell your car, there’s a likelihood that you would want the selling process to be as quick and smooth as possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re not desperate or pressed for time, you just don’t want a drawn-out process. It is quite common for people hoping to sell their cars to make mistakes in the buildup to this event. In fact, it is one of the reasons why sales don’t go as smoothly as they should. This article will talk about some of the mistakes that you shouldn’t make.

1. Not Knowing Your Car’s Value

The prices of cars can wildly fluctuate due to differing economic conditions and government policies. Before giving your car a price tag, make sure that you conduct market research to know the price of your car at the time of intended sale. Normally, you’ll see different listed prices. One of them is the value you would expect if you trade in your car towards the buying of a different car. Another price is what you should expect to see at retail. These prices will provide you with a ballpark idea of what to expect, but you might also want to check some car sales websites like Craigslist. This will give you a more informed idea of the prices of similar cars to yours. You should always remember that asking prices and selling prices are not the same.

2. Spending a Fortune on Repairs

You’ve likely encountered some of those home refurbishing videos where a token is spent on a home’s renovation which then leads to a significant increase in the value of that home. You may feel like doing the same thing to your car to increase its value, but the fact is that it’s not going to work out the same way. This is because making significant changes to your car will ensure that you can ask for a higher price upon sale, but it certainly won’t cover all that you spent during the repairs. This is an instance where it is advisable that you just tell the buyer everything that is wrong with the car. You could even go as far as getting an estimate from a reputable mechanic that will detail the cost of the repair work needed to make the car function optimally.

3. Taking the First Offer

This is not advice to outrightly reject your first offer. When your car is listed, there is every chance that you will get an offer that is below the price you listed. Ensure that you’re not tempted by the first offer as there’s a chance that you could get a higher bid. For example, if I want to sell my Mercedes Benz, I certainly won’t accept the first offer I get as I would want to see if I could get more for it. That’s why it is important to conduct market research so that if you’re going for that, you won’t lose money. However, there are situations when the first offer is the best, that’s why you shouldn’t reject the first offer before you consider others.

4. Advertizing with Poor Photos

Smartphones today have improved in camera and picture quality, so there’s no excuse for you to take or post pictures that are of low quality.

You can search for car advertisements that catch your fancy and attempt to replicate the way those photos were taken. These kinds of pictures are well-lit, sharp, and devoid of distracting backgrounds.

You should avoid taking photos at midday and in places with uneven lighting. Take photos of the car from each side and include pictures showing the seats. This will ensure that prospective buyers can have an extensive look at all parts of the car. You shouldn’t make use of photo editing tools in the hope of hiding damage to the car. If a potential buyer comes across this deception during their inspection, they will likely lose trust in you.

5. Being Bullied by Potential Buyers

The market of used cars is stacked with shoppers or buyers looking for great deals. Some of them are even willing to bully anyone to get a deal they like. In case a buyer decides to pressure you into accepting their offer, you should seriously consider walking away. It is advisable that you take a friend or loved one with you when meeting a prospective buyer. They will be there to offer some sort of protection in case of physical danger.

You’re in the right if you tell an aggressive buyer to stop communicating with you. You can also block them when they keep trying to contact you. It’s always good to be polite, but you necessarily don’t have to do business with anyone that makes you or your family feel intimidated or unsafe.

6. When You Have a Buyer

Once you finally get a buyer, you should consider a few things:

• Meet up in a crowded place. Ensure you don’t meet up in a private place since you don’t know if this person is a criminal that wants to steal your car or rob you.
• If you’re making a transaction, you shouldn’t do it in a secluded place. You both should go to the bank to complete the transaction.
• It is very risky to give out too much information. Basic information is alright, but you should be wary of giving out too much of your personal info.