When the time comes to sell your used car, no one expects you to be an expert! That’s why it’s important to check out your options for selling your car as quickly and easily as possible, while at the same time maximizing your profit. One possible approach is to go to the pros! In this comprehensive Autozen guide, we will provide step-by-step insights on how to sell your car to a dealership.
Selling your Car to a Dealership: The Pros and Cons
All the different methods of selling your car have their advantages and disadvantages, but selling your car to a dealership is probably the easiest. Let’s compare the pros and cons!
Advantages of Selling Your Car to a Dealership
One of the best things about selling your car to a dealership is the speed at which you can close a deal and walk away with your cash. Used car dealers are always looking for more to sell, so as long as your car is in decent condition, they’re likely to want to add it to their inventory. You may be able to complete the whole transaction in one day!
Dealers are also professionals at handling the paperwork that goes along with transferring ownership of a car, thus saving you the trouble of dealing with it yourself. If you still have a lien on your car, they can also work with your loan company to pay it off as part of the transaction.
Finally, if you’re planning to buy another car, using your current vehicle as a trade-in might help you get a better deal on your new wheels.
Disadvantages of Selling Your Car to a Dealership
Selling your car to a dealership does have a couple of issues, however. Make sure you realize this before opting for this route.
Price is the big one. While prices for used cars have increased over the last few years, the dealer still has to make a profit when reselling your old car on their lot. That means that you can’t expect to get the same amount of cash from a dealership as when you sell your car privately. However, that extra money might not be worth it when you factor in the length of time that it can take to sell a car privately, as well as the extra work you have to take on as a private seller.
You may also feel intimidated by dealing with salespeople at a car lot. After all, they do this for a living, and you are very much an amateur. The best way to avoid feeling pressured into accepting a deal that you’re not happy with is by walking in with the knowledge you need to give you confidence.
Navigating the Process: Tips for Selling a Used Car to a Dealership
To get the optimum price for your car, follow these tips to make the selling process a success!
Do Your Research
The key to successful negotiation with salespeople at a dealership is knowing what your car is worth. Spend some time to lock this down before you walk into the showroom. Use online resources to help you get started. Dealership sites and platforms for private sellers, such as Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, and AutoTrader will let you search for similar makes and models to your car, and start to give you a range for how much your car could sell for in your local market. Online car value calculators are another good way to figure out what you can expect to get for your car.
Drive around to various used car lots and check out the available inventory. Pay close attention to the condition these used cars are in so that you can decide how much work you need to do before bringing your car in to sell. You can also gauge the quality of the various dealerships to help you choose which one to work with when it’s time to sell your car.
Gather Your Paperwork
If you’re selling to a dealership, you don’t need to have lots of documents. For instance, don’t bother getting a Carfax report, as the dealership will pull that for themselves. A safety certificate also isn’t necessary, as the dealership mechanics will give it a good inspection. However, be sure to have your vehicle registration with you, as that will be needed to transfer ownership. Service records are also a good idea, as it can prove that your car has been well-maintained.
Fix up Your Car
Remember, you’re going to be selling your car to a dealership, which will have its own mechanics. Any major repairs will cost the dealer a lot less than you would pay, and you’re not likely to make all that back in the selling price.
Instead, focus on making it as clean as possible, inside and out. Vacuum it, shampoo the upholstery, and polish any vinyl with a good protectant. Wash and wax the exterior until it shines. If you don’t have the equipment or location to do this properly, spend the money on professional detailing.
That’s really all you have to do to prepare for selling your car to a dealership! If you were selling your car privately, you’d have to continue on from there to take photos, create a listing, field inquiries from interested individuals, arrange test drives for serious buyers, negotiate a final price, and complete all the paperwork for transferring ownership. Once again, ask yourself if those additional hassles are worth the chance of a higher selling price. If not, selling directly to a dealership is probably the way to go.
Selling to a Dealership the Autozen Way
Depending on your location and the make and model year of your car, you may have another way to sell to a dealership, and one that’s even easier than the traditional method! Welcome to Autozen!
Autozen operates an online auction for select dealers from across Canada. If your car is eligible for inclusion in our sales, an Autozen expert will come to your home and give your car a detailed inspection and test drive. After taking photos, they will create a listing and add it to our next online auction. Once the bids are in, all you have to do is accept the best offer, and we come and take your car, with immediate payment in full. It’s quite simply the easiest way to sell your car to a dealership!
