Most car owners want the highest possible price when it comes time to sell their vehicles. Understandably, your car has been a significant investment. You want to make sure you get the best price. When selling your car, you shouldn’t just focus on the cost. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, so getting yourself into a dangerous situation is easy. These tips will help you keep yourself safe while selling your car.
Meet in a Public Place
Once you have contacted a buyer, ensure that you meet up in a well-lit and populated area. Parking lots at grocery stores in the middle of the afternoon work well and reduces the chance of violent theft. Most scammers will not attempt to seize your car by force. It would help if you never allowed a buyer to come to your house; it is not worth allowing a potential criminal to take your vehicle and return it.
Do Not Accept Checks
To get a car, scammers will often give a bad check. Tell buyers you will only accept cash. There are several ways to ensure you get your money if this limits your buyers. To verify funds, call a trusted bank before you hand over keys. Or tell a buyer that the funds will be deposited, and they’ll give the keys to the buyer when cleared funds. Is this a sign that the check is fraudulent? Offer to pay more for the car than you are asking. Ask yourself this question: “Who would purchase my car for less than its true value?” Chances are, they’re trying to scam you.
Test Drives
It is normal and expected for potential buyers to request a test drive of your vehicle before purchasing it. This allows the scammer to steal your vehicle. Always bring a friend along and take the car for a test drive. You should also request their driver’s license and keep a scanned copy. You can also scan their public records to see if they have a criminal history. This will let you know if a test drive would be a good idea.
Find out the value of your car.
Private buyers may try to negotiate with you about the vehicle’s price, telling you bald-faced lies about how much your car is worth. Private buyers may also bring a mechanic to inspect the vehicle. This mechanic might tell you that the car is not worth the price you thought it was. Use a car valuation tool such as Kelley Blue Book to avoid this and have the car checked out by a trusted mechanic. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarifications and walk into negotiations knowing the offer’s value.
Use a Car Buying Service
This may have you thinking, “How can I find someone to buy my car without putting me in danger?”. You might decide to skip the middleman and sell your car directly to an online buyer. An online agency will provide you with an instant quote and pick up your vehicle once you accept. Although you won’t make as much as you would with a private sale of your car, you will save yourself the hassle and vulnerability that going it alone can cause. You can also sell it in a matter of hours, whereas private sales may require you to spend months screening potential buyers and deciding whether or not they will follow through.
You can get the most from selling your car without putting yourself at risk. These tips will help you make the most of your car sale experience.
Test Drives
It is normal and expected for potential buyers to request a test drive of your vehicle before purchasing it. This allows the scammer to steal your vehicle. Always bring a friend along and take the car for a test drive. You should also request their driver’s license and keep a scanned copy. You can also scan their public records to see if they have a criminal history. This will let you know if a test drive would be a good idea.
Find out the value of your car.
Private buyers may try to negotiate with you about the vehicle’s price, telling you bald-faced lies that your car is worth less than you realize. Private buyers may also bring a mechanic to inspect the vehicle. This mechanic might tell you that the car isn’t worth the price you thought it was. Use a car valuation tool such as Kelley Blue Book to avoid this and have the car checked out by a trusted mechanic. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarifications and walk into negotiations knowing the offer’s value.
Use a Car Buying Service
This may have you thinking, “How can I find someone to buy my car without putting me in danger?”. You might decide to skip the middleman and sell your car directly to an online buyer. An online agency will provide you with an instant quote and pick up your vehicle once you accept. Although you won’t make as much as you would with a private sale of your car, you will save yourself the hassle and vulnerability that going it alone can cause. You can also sell it in a matter of hours, whereas private sales may require you to spend months screening potential buyers and deciding whether or not they will follow through.
You can get the most from selling your car without putting yourself at risk. These tips will help you make the most of your car sale experience.
