When it comes to selling your car, there are obvious benefits with going the car dealership route. Simply put the convenience is unmatched, the speed with which you can get your car sold being the biggest plus. Unlike listing your car and dealing with a number of private buyers and dealing with sale uncertainty, the car dealership massively simplifies things.
This of course cannot be without its drawbacks and the largest concern sellers often cite is the low price they receive for their troubles. That is unfortunately the lay of the land in car dealerships, but you can subvert this to a large extent with a few handy tricks. Here’s a few of our expert tips to get the best cash for cars deals.
Know The Value of Your Car
When we talk about selling old honda cars, perhaps the most important piece of advice anyone can offer you is to know the current value of your car. Figuring out how much your car is worth is the first step towards a successful sale. This gives you a head start on setting the most viable price for your vehicle and in the negotiations that follow. Going into the negotiation blind will almost always leave you short-changed.
A lot of factors determine how much your car will fetch – this obviously includes the current condition of the car. A car that has been damaged in an accident will in turn of course fetch you a much lower price. If you hold all the records and documentation on your car, know that it is proof of condition and a great bargaining chip. There are a number of websites that will help you understand the value of your car according to current market conditions. We would however suggest taking the trouble to do some of your own personal research especially localised to your area before approaching a dealer.
Quote Above Minimum Price
The thing about dealerships is that their automobile expertise enables them to excel at negotiations. Now that you have done your research you know the estimate of your car and the absolute minimum you are willing to go. You already know that selling to a dealership has its benefits in terms of the pure convenience it offers, so you are willing to forgo some of the profits for that service. However, not even comfort can make up for a poor bargain.
This is why it is essential for you to always quote at least 20-25% above that minimum rate. This allows for some bargaining room which is almost always bound to happen. Assessing your car helps you here, because you can reinstate all that your car has to offer. If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of bargaining, ensure you take someone with you who isn’t and don’t be afraid to walk away from the deal. If the dealership is lowballing and refuses to budge on their offer, there’s always a better deal available somewhere else and the better price might just be worth the trouble.
Consider Trading In
Now we understand that this might not always be an option but if you are getting rid of your car to make space for a new car, consider trading in. In terms of pure value for the transaction, you will always get the better end of this bargain when you choose to buy your new car from the dealership you are selling to.
This is especially applicable if you time the sale of your car right. For example, you may get a better deal on your sports car come November when the weather is warmer and dealerships are looking to fill their lots with speedsters to meet the consumer demand. While July is a pretty bad time to sell your car otherwise, if you are trading in you can make use of the many sales and offers that dealerships have during the period.
Know Where to Sell
As with buying cars, selling cars profitably depends on a number of different external factors. More often than not it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Location is important, for example your old convertible will obviously get a better price in certain parts of the city than the others. Similarly a family car is to get a fairer deal in a residential suburb rather than a beachside dealership. The buying trends of the region will have a large role to play in the price you can command.
You would also be better off selling your car to dealerships such as Sydney car buyer that trade in similar cars. The same would apply to the brand of car you are selling, especially when you have a year or more of warranty left, you will see that selling your car to the relevant dealership will get you a better price than expected.
Get Multiple Offers
When trying to make the best of your car sale, you don’t have to confine your search for the best price to one place. There is no harm in looking around and securing as many offers as you can. In our experience, each car dealership is different since they are dealing with different conditions like locality, brand value and current customer requirements.
If you’re willing to take the trouble to go around and do your bit, we can assure that you will see that there are differences in the price you are ultimately offered on the same car. This gives you leverage in terms of understanding your options, ultimately negotiating and finding the deal that serves you best. Handling a successful negotiation with a place that has as much car experience as a car dealership may seem intimidating at first. However, we believe with a little effort no one can stop you from getting a great offer on your car.