Selling a car online is now simpler and safer than ever. There are plenty of online dealerships that provide a reliable means of selling your car quickly. Before giving you a price quote, they will ask you to provide some basic details and images. The simplicity has a cost. You cannot usually negotiate. However, there are numerous websites where you can advertise your car for private sale. You can proceed with either choice knowing that selling your car online is usually just as safe as selling it to a dealership.
Ways to Sell Your Car Online
You can sell your car online in one of two ways: by advertising it on a marketplace or through an online dealership. The first choice is comparable to physically visiting a dealership. You will provide information about your car and receive a quote, albeit a quote from an internet dealer is typically not negotiable. If you decide to post your car on an online marketplace like Kijiji or Facebook you’ll be selling the car privately. Selling privately may earn you more money, but it also requires more effort with posting and paperwork.
Online Dealers
Online dealers typically sell used cars to customers. They will purchase your vehicle directly from you in order to increase their inventory. You might not receive the best deal because they aren’t likely to haggle, but it is quick and convenient. Even though every dealer is different, they nonetheless have qualities that make them a practical choice for selling your car.
- Quick quote based on VIN and other vehicle details
- You have the option to trade in like at an in-person dealership
- The process can be done completely online
- No charge for them to come to pick up your car
- The offer is good for up to a week
- Receive a cheque or electronic transfer during pickup
Online Marketplaces for Private Sales
Online marketplaces are like the newspaper, as opposed to internet dealerships, you post an advertisement for your car with a description and images. Potential customers can shop your listing and set up a meeting via the marketplace if they’re interested in buying the car.
There are many online marketplaces, and the majority of them let you post your car for free. You might make more money with a private transaction like this, but you must be wary of fraud. Some buyers will write you a faulty check or create fake escrow accounts. Never transfer your title until you receive the money for the sale, and always be vigilant.
How to Figure Out the Value of Your Car
With your VIN, a brief summary of your vehicle, and images, the majority of internet dealers will provide you with a quote. To find the sale prices of comparable vehicles, there are tools online as well. These should help you figure out how much your car is worth and how much you can get for it when you sell it.
- Find the prices for similar cars. To find out how much your car is selling for, you can search on websites like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book by make, model, and year. You can also look at what other people are currently listing cars at by browsing online marketplaces.
- Submit your vehicle details to an online dealer. You can do this fairly quickly. By uploading images, the VIN, year, make, model and any other details about your car you should be able to get an estimate of much an online dealer would pay for it.
- Get several quotes. Instead of just going to one online dealership for a quote, go to several and see how much their quotes vary. Doing it this way, if you do decide to sell to an online dealer you can go to the one who quoted you the most money.
- Reach out to local dealers. You might be able to get a trade-in estimate from some of your local dealerships without having to visit the lot. By doing this, you'll have even more possibilities when it comes time to sell.
