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How Not to Sell Your Car - The 7
Deadly Sins
Deadly Sin
1 -- Not doing research
This is
the actual source of much of the difficulty with selling your own car.
Research is the reason the car dealer has the advantage. He knows his
business. The private seller usually has little to do with car prices
until they want to sell their car. The main benefit of research is
that you will know a realistic price that you can charge for your
vehicle. This means that you will most likely sell it more quickly and
easily. A dealer sets his price by charging whatever the market will
bear. Proper research will allow you to quickly estimate the market
for your vehicle in a private sale.
Deadly
Sin 2 -- Listening to unfounded advice
This
follows on a little bit from No. 1. There's often financial pressure
at the time of selling a car - which leads others around the seller to
give their opinions as to the price or the desperation to sell. It is
often given with the best intentions. If someone is giving you advice
as to the value of your car you shouldn't necessarily ignore it but it
is best to do your own assessment. If you do your own quality research
you will find that you are less likely to be concerned about
doomsayers.
Deadly
Sin 3 -- Not preparing your car for sale
It is
amazing, but some people will try to sell a car with a full ashtray of
cigarette butts. At the very minimum you should vacuum the car and
give it a wash. If you really want to maximise your price putting some
time into the presentation of the vehicle is essential. The best way
to approach this is to imagine you are the buyer. See yourself viewing
the car for the first time. What impression does it give you? Now make
a list of things that you can inexpensively fix or handle and attend
to them. Properly detailing your car is highly recommended...
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