Wouldn't you like to get more for your old wheels?
Tips for Creating Online Ads when Selling Your Car
Post quality photos. The picture you take of your car is the
first and possibly only thing a potential buyer will see. Make
sure you:
- Photograph your car in daylight. Photos taken at night tend
to make people think you're hiding visible defects.
- Avoid reflections and shadows from the sun and trees.
- Photograph your car from the corner of the front bumper.
This angle gives a good view of the entire car.
- Park your car against a flattering backdrop. People look at
the entire photo, not just the car, so take your car to an
empty, clean parking lot if necessary.
- Ensure your car is clean and neat in appearance. Getting a
$4 car wash before you take the photo can make a big
difference.
- Post multiple photos, which showcase any special features
about your car.
Create interest with your ad details. The average shopper sees
up to 5,000 marketing messages a day. Make sure yours stands
out with the right details, and put the most important ones up
front. Consider giving some of the following details:
- Appeal to a buyer's lifestyle. For example, describe a van
as a "great family car," an economy car as a "great commuter
car," and a truck as a "dependable work truck."
- Use key phrases that typically signal you've taken care of
your car, like "one owner" and "maintenance records
available." But be honest.
- Mention any non-standard modifications and improvements,
such as stereo, speakers and specialty wheels.
- List any recent replacements, like new tires or battery.
Research the prices on similar cars so you'll know the value
of your car when you advertise it for sale. It's important to
price your car realistically, because buyers will certainly be
doing their research. Remember:
- Price it too high, and buyers may not even look at your
listing. Price it too low and buyers may think the low price
means there's something wrong with the car.
- Make sure you set a price within a realistic range. Set your
price toward the lower end of the range if you're looking for
a quicker sale or toward the higher end of the range if time
is less important than getting the most money from the car.
Pricing too far out of that range in either direction may mean
you don't sell it at all.
Tips for Preparing Your Car for Sale
Get your car's appearance in great shape. Appearance is
everything. That means you should thoroughly clean your car
inside and out before having a potential buyer look at it.
Your car might run perfectly and be in excellent mechanical
condition, but you may turn off some buyers if your car has a
dirty exterior, odd smells or a back seat crowded with old
newspapers, animal crackers and other junk. Here's a laundry
list of things you can do to improve your car's appearance:
- Wash, wax and vacuum your car.
- Wipe down the dashboard and other surfaces.
- Gloss up the tires and polish the wheels.
- Clean all glass inside and out, including mirrors.
- Clean out any junk from inside your car and the trunk.
- Replace any burnt-out lights or fuses.
- Top off the fluids.
Fix any small items that might reduce your car's value in a
buyer's eye. In addition to cleaning up your car's appearance,
consider any other maintenance issues that may need fixing. Is
a brake light or headlamp out? Are the floor mats worn? Are
there nicks or chips in the paint? Most of these items cost
very little to repair, but from a buyer's perspective, even
these little things can be enough to try and negotiate the
price down.
Gather your car's repair records. Smart car shoppers want to
know how well maintained your vehicle is and will ask for
maintenance records. Being able to prove your car has had
regular maintenance and that any potentially big ticket
repairs or upgrades (new tires, new brakes, etc.) have already
been made may allow you to command top dollar. Consider
putting these records in a binder for easy review or scan them
into an electronic form for easy sharing with potential buyers
via email (just be sure to black out or otherwise obscure your
address, credit card number and other sensitive information
that may be on these documents).
Courtesy of AutoTrader.com
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