How to List Your Vehicle for Sale Online

Selling your car used to involve writing a “FOR SALE” on your back window and hoping someone interested would be driving behind you. Fortunately, in the internet age, you don’t have to drive around with a hope and a prayer to find a buyer.

Nowadays, you can list a car online and find potential buyers for your set of wheels. However, online car sales come with their own set of obstacles to navigate.

Let’s explore some helpful tips to help you list your car for sale online:

1. First, Choose Your Platform!

There are a multitude of platforms out there for you to list your car on. That said, depending on the type of vehicle you’ve got, some will serve you better than others.

If you’re looking to get a decade old, super-common set of wheels off your hands, then Facebook and Craigslist might be your best bets. They’re both free to list on and there are no fees associated with the vehicle after the sale. Be warned: Craigslist attracts less-than-savory individuals trying to scam people whenever they can.

Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader grant you a farther reach, while also protecting the process from scammers. eBay and Bring a Trailer attract higher value and unique cars and trucks with their auction style listings.

2. Know Your Car’s Value!

Knowing your car’s worth is necessary before listing it for sale. It helps you determine your asking price and the ballpark price range you’re going to operate in. Without knowing your vehicle’s worth, you open yourself up to either being severely low balled or asking for too much and having the listing (and your car) collect dust. Checking your car’s value on Kelley Blue Book will tell you how much the vehicle is worth on the private market, a dealer sale, or a trade-in.

3. A Repair Is Only Fair!

Put yourself in the shoes of someone buying a car — would you want to have to fix anything before you could (safely) get on the road? No, right? Then it’s only fair that you fix up anything that could be wrong with your wheels before you put them up for sale.

It’s imperative that you fix safety related issues, like bad brakes, faulty steering, and lighting components. Be prepared to take the vehicle to a mechanic at a serious buyer’s request!

4. Clean & Capture

Selling your car online is about presentation! Not a single person out there wants to look at a dirty car when they’re buying, so you shouldn’t present one. A vacuum and wiping down of the interior and a wash and wax on the exterior should suffice.

Can’t clean it yourself? No problem, your local car wash can take care of it for you. The forty bucks you spend getting your car detailed can be the difference between a couple hundred dollars on your final sale price.

After you’ve got your ride cleaned, take a ton of pictures. Online vehicle shoppers want to see your car from each and every angle. They want to see the inside, the outside, the front, the back, etc. Furthermore, they want to see these photos well lit; make sure your car isn’t beneath any shadow-casting trees or harsh sunlight. Place it against a solid background and start the photoshoot!

5. Don’t Forget Your VIN!

Transparency is key to getting your vehicle purchased online. Buyers want to know all the details, including the vehicle history report, upfront. Fortunately, including the Vehicle Identification Number (aka VIN) will give them access to the total scope of your car. It also shows them that you are a trustworthy seller!

Once you’ve posted your car, there are a few things you can do on the back-end. One of them is being prepared to answer any questions potential buyers will have about your vehicle. It might be a tad annoying, but a little patience could be the difference maker between your car finding a new, happy home and your car collecting dust in your garage.

When it comes to the actual exchange of money, there are two things to keep in mind: deposits and payment options. Ask for a deposit in order to cover your bases. The last thing you want to do is take your car off the listing because someone agrees to buy it, only for them to back out. A deposit of 50% of the final buying price should suffice in letting you know a buyer is “for real.”

Furthermore, if things like cars can be sold online, then they can be paid for online too. Be open to using electronic payment options like PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, and Zelle. Be aware of their payment limits ahead of time, just so you avoid any snafu at the time of transfer.

Car-Worth & Online Car Sales

If listing your car and dealing with people is a pain for you, Car-Worth is here! As an online platform that specializes in buying less-than-perfect cars, we do all the heavy lifting so that you don’t have to.

With just a few photos and a VIN number, our associate buyers can kick back a quote for your vehicle within 90 seconds. There’s zero obligation to accept and the quote is good for one entire week!

Should you accept, however, we can connect you with one of our local service providers. They can schedule a tow for the vehicle within 24-48 hours, completely free of charge. You don’t even have to get it repaired or cleaned ahead of time.

Once they arrive, there’s no haggling for a lower price. Whatever you were quoted is the amount you’ll receive right then and there. Car off your hands and money in them!

Contact Car-Worth today and get quick cash for your car!