Any tips on selling a car?

[Wormius]

So after putting in a bunch of money for maintenance and engine repairs, I have been considering selling the car now before it becomes more of a potential money pit to me.

I am wondering what the best way to tackle this would be. Should I try to improve the condition before selling it, or just sell it as is? There are a few cosmetic issues - paint chips, fender scuffs, missing hubcaps, cracked windshield, worn floor mats, squashed block heater plug. Is it worth it to get those corrected first?

This year alone, I just put in about $4500 for major maintenance and engine work on my '04 Impreza. Optimistically I could maybe get $6000 through a private sale. Alternatively, I could choose to not put another cent into it, except for oil changes, for one or more years which would be roughly equal to new car payments and in a way make it worth keeping it.

I don't really care so much about driving a new car per se, but if I will be putting nearly a years worth of car payments into an old car it doesn't make sense anymore from a financial and convenience aspect.

Thanks.

[TorqueDog]

We just had a thread on this, if I remember correctly, but of course I can't find it.

Short of washing it to make it look slightly better, you aren't going to see much more money out of that car, and if the work you put into it doesn't raise the value by more than you spent on doing it, it was pointless.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

We just had a thread on this, if I remember correctly, but of course I can't find it.

Short of washing it to make it look slightly better, you aren't going to see much more money out of that car, and if the work you put into it doesn't raise the value by more than you spent on doing it, it was pointless.

I thought so too, but my search for "selling cars" didn't yield anything.

You're right, but I was hoping for a relatively quick and painless sale more than anything if I decide to sell it rather than keep driving.

Otherwise would it be better to price it higher and give some concessions later for the stuff that needs work, or should it be priced to already reflect that stuff? This will be the first time I have had to sell a car, so just wondering about how much haggling I will have to endure. Is it a foregone conclusion that people will haggle regardless of how the price is set?

[TorqueDog]

Pretty much, I don't think I've sold a thing that the inevitable buyer hasn't haggled with me on price. That goes for furniture, hockey tickets, cars, you name it. Start just high enough that you have some room to move, but low enough that people don't think you're completely out to lunch and ignore your ad.

Best strategy is to make the car look as good as possible while investing as little actual money as possible. No one is going to want to buy a filthy car.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Wormius

There are a few cosmetic issues - paint chips, fender scuffs, missing hubcaps, cracked windshield, worn floor mats, squashed block heater plug

Look at it from a buyers perspective. If you were looking for a car like yours, you would go with a car that didn't have a cracked glass, missing wheel cover, worm mats. Grab some compound and polish out the scuffs as best as you can. And at the very least replace the mats with something that is not ugly, clean the car inside and out, get a new wheel cover if you can.

The key to selling is presentation. If it is spotlessly clean and shiny, people will tend to buy with emotion and overlook the smaller stuff. Always always take good pictures in good light. Again, people will buy with emotion, when they see a great looking car in the ad, the idea of how good the car has already been formed, and when they see it in person whatever flaws they find will probably be rationalized away.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

We just had a thread on this, if I remember correctly, but of course I can't find it

I think it came up in the general automotive thread.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Wormius

This year alone, I just put in about $4500 for major maintenance and engine work on my '04 Impreza. Optimistically I could maybe get $6000 through a private sale.

Make sure you also price it for what it is worth; not what you put into it. So many times I see people looking to "get back" the money they "invested." That money is gone. It might be worth a little more to a buyer that certain things are looked after, but once again take a step back and look at it from a buyer's perspective.

The other thing is don't get lazy with your posting. So many times I see car ads without vital details like year, model, mileage, price, transmission, etc. Also make sure you have several good pictures.

[Hevishot]

Change the windsheild and get the car detailed as best as possible. Used is used and if people are expecting a brand new car than they need to go to the dealership not kijiji

[Smartcar]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

We just had a thread on this, if I remember correctly, but of course I can't find it.

This one?
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=126286

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Hevishot

Change the windsheild and get the car detailed as best as possible. Used is used and if people are expecting a brand new car than they need to go to the dealership not kijiji

Though it may not pay off, I'd take care of the windshield as well in your shoes (provided you can get it for like $150 or something), but that's the only thing beyond a detail. Don't forget to clean under the hood. It'll take you like 20 minutes, but that alone will sell the car. Not many people do that so it makes yours stand out. Use Armour-All or whatever on any plastic or rubber under there, too.

If you aren't good at detailing a car, get an Express Detail done at the place in Avenida. It's the next best thing to a full detail, only takes 30 minutes or so, and is about $150. People who aren't good at detailing, but try anyway, always do a bad job IMO. It's almost better if they don't even try.

[-TC-]

Agree on all the presentation points...and the windshield. Most people respond favourably to that single thing...aesthetics I guess.

[Northendzone]

write one of those whimsical ads on kijiji - you know where you say this impreza is a real he mans vehicle and you have used it to outrun drug lords while making out with fotze's mom.......

[Peanut]

Bring someone with you on your test drive and maybe take down the info from the driver's license of whoever is checking out your car. The story about that guy from Hamilton freaks me out.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Smartcar

This one?
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=126286

Nah, I think it was the general automotive thread.

[Sylvanfan]

I will be selling my 2006 Rav4 and my plan is to replace the windshield and cracked glass on the side mirror. Other than that clean it up as best as I can, and make sure none of the warning lights come on. It's a used car that will cost about $3000 less than if it's bought at a dealership. The buyer can assume some risk.

[Ozy_Flame]

Anyone know how important it is to replace a Power Steering reservoir before I sell my car? I understand the P/S flush but the reservoir is an added cost. Any tips would help!

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Anyone know how important it is to replace a Power Steering reservoir before I sell my car? I understand the P/S flush but the reservoir is an added cost. Any tips would help!

Unless it's cracked and leaking I'm not sure why you'd replace it.

[Ozy_Flame]

Dealership said it was really dirty.

Can it just be cleaned?

[Sliver]

Do nothing dude. Who cares if it's dirty.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Dealership said it was really dirty.

Can it just be cleaned?

Don't see why it can't be cleaned, although some I've seen the plastic degraded. But as mentioned if it doesn't leak, zero reason to replace it. Dealerships love to try and find things wrong and charge you top dollar to fix. On a friends car the dealer claimed the power steering system was leaking. I put the car on ramps and didn't find a single drop leaking anywhere.

Flushing the PS system is a really good thing to do though. Anyone can do it using a turkey baster (don't laugh) you simply draw out fluid, add fresh back in and run the engine for a few seconds. Repeat the process 10-15 times and you've replaced most of the fluid.