If you want to get the most money for your car, you should sell it to a private party. However, this isn’t necessarily the most secure choice. If you want to sell your automobile but are worried about getting ripped off, you should go through a dealer.
Sometimes you just have to shake things up. Selling your car now makes a lot of sense, but it also raises the issue of where to sell the car to get the most money.
Selling your car is a tough decision (but much less so than buying one). To maximize your profit from the sale of your car, you’ll need to put in some effort. Although the finest places to sell your car offer a variety of services, they can generally be categorized into three categories:
- Online dealers.
- Private sale platforms.
- Local car dealerships.
1. Online Dealers
Try an online dealer service such as Cars.com or Vroom if you want to sell a car at a decent price quickly and easily. In the time it takes you to enter your vehicle identification number (VIN) on these websites, you can receive a cash offer for your automobile.
Although CarMax and AutoNation require you to close the transaction in person, the majority of these dealers will purchase your vehicle remotely.
Pros:
- Online convenience
- Safe exchange
- Free from haggling
- Don’t have to venture out of your house
Cons:
Less money compared to private sales
2. Private Sellers
You can sell your vehicle directly to a private customer via Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist rather than to an online dealership or car-buying website. The primary advantage of a private sale is that you can obtain the vehicle’s maximum market value. A local or online dealer must resell your vehicle, so you may not receive the utmost possible price.
Pros:
Most Profitable.
Cons:
- Most labor-intensive.
- All legal documentation is your responsibility.
- Least safe form of monetary exchange.
- The Likelihood of a Price Discussion.
How To Sell Your Car Privately
A private transaction requires significantly more effort than a sale to an online dealer. Prior to making a purchase, buyers must have confidence that the vehicle information is accurate. Consequently, you will need to prepare the following documents:
- Maintenance records
- Vehicle market valuation
- A blank statement of sale ready for completion
- CARFAX vehicle history report
- Vehicle title or lender-issued settlement letter
You can post your vehicle’s listing on multiple platforms to increase exposure and then delete it when the vehicle sells.
You must also determine which payment methods you will accept. Cash and cashier’s checks are common and secure methods of payment for private transactions. You must transfer the title to the buyer, remove your previous license plate, and cancel your registration with the Department of motor vehicles (DMV) after selling your vehicle.
3. Local dealers
The last category of the best locations to sell your car is local dealerships. You could engage with a BMW dealership or a used car lot in this circumstance. The amount you will receive for your vehicle varies significantly depending on the dealership from which you obtain a quote.
The primary reason to utilize a local dealer is if you intend to trade in your vehicle for one in the dealer’s stock. The value of your trade-in vehicle will be higher than if you sold it outright. When applicable, trade-ins also help you avoid sales tax because you are only taxed on the remaining value of the new automobile after your trade.
Local dealers are also advantageous, as you will interact with a real person who can guide you through the process. Many online-only dealerships are unable to provide this information with only a phone number or email address.
Pros:
- The most convenient
- No DMV documentation
- It can be finished in one day
- Safe
- Accepts trade-ins
Cons:
- The Likelihood of a Price Discussion
- Value is lower than if sold privately
Best Online Car Selling Options
Selling Options | Rating Out of 10 | Selling type |
Cars.com | 8.9 | Online dealer |
Peddle | 8.7 | Online car buyer |
Carvana | 8.7 | Online dealer |
CarMax | 8.6 | Online offer, in-person sale |
CarGurus | 8.5 | Online dealer |
Vroom | 8.2 | Online dealer |
Facebook Marketplace | Not rated | Private sale, in-person |
eBay Motors | Not rated | Private sale, in-person or shipped |
Cars.com – Top Pick
If you have a well-maintained vehicle from 2000 or later, Cars.com is our top recommendation. Using the instant offer option on Cars.com, you may sell your automobile to the company directly, or you can post it for sale on the website. The car’s model year cannot be older than 2000 for direct offers, and that’s the sole limitation.
The Cars.com platform was quick and simple to use in our experience. It starts by requesting your license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), or make and model. However, you will need to confirm your phone number (other businesses typically merely ask for an email for fast offers).
If you’re satisfied with the quote, you may take your car to a participating dealer nearby to be inspected, and you’ll leave with a check.
Peddle – Junk Car
Peddle is the best place to sell your old car. Peddle buys rubbish automobiles and used autos all around the nation. It has now acquired more than two million automobiles. On the website, you may schedule a pickup in as short as a day and receive an instant cash offer in a matter of minutes.
When your old automobile is picked up, the truck driver will collect the signed title and give you a payment in exchange.
Carvana – Sell With Ease
Carvana allows you to sell your automobile from the convenience of your living room, and you can even arrange for home delivery of a new vehicle. Comparing Carvana to other online automobile sellers, their procedure is the simplest.
The BBB ratings reveal that some buyers have experienced problems when purchasing a car from Carvana. Others experienced negative interactions with the customer support representatives, and some claim that the automobile descriptions did not completely reveal all of the problems with the vehicles. Nevertheless, the majority of clients report having a good time.
CarMax – Top Value
Another website that is renowned for providing solid, fast offers is CarMax. Check out a CarMax deal if you’re worried about getting the most money for your car.
With your vehicle’s license plate or VIN, you can instantly receive an offer online. The online offer tool is based on recent sales of comparable cars in your neighborhood. You might need to receive an on-site appraisal if your car is older or less common. You must deliver your vehicle to a CarMax location to complete the transaction, so be aware of that.
CarGurus – Solid Foundation
Another website that frequently offers amazing deals on secondhand automobiles is CarGurus. You can begin by entering your license plate or VIN. After you’re finished, CarGurus will present an immediate estimate on your screen along with an email containing the offer. If you agree, CarGurus will pick up your car and mail you an electronic check within two days.
Vroom – Simple Steps
Instant online automobile values are available through Vroom, and you may sell or trade-in your car from the comfort of your home. Convenience-wise, it fulfills all requirements. Vroom doesn’t generally have the finest customer reputation. It has a BBB rating of F and has received close to 2,500 complaints in the previous 12 months.
The majority of grievances, however, are about purchasing a car through Vroom, not selling. Some complaints claim that the car was in worse shape than it had been described, while others protest that it took a long time to get registration plates.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace comes in last on our list of the top locations to sell your car. On Facebook, you can sell just about anything in your neighborhood, including automobiles. Because the buyers are not anonymous, you may at least view their bare minimum of information by clicking on their profile.
Since both buying and selling require a Facebook identity, it’s a little simpler to avoid fraud from phony purchasers. If you don’t mind spending the time to sort through possible purchasers and meet various people for test drives, Facebook Marketplace can be a fantastic choice.
The benefit of using Facebook Marketplace is that you can sell your car for the greatest possible price. Other businesses on our list are middlemen who profitably resell your car. On Facebook, however, you will sell directly to the customer, which means you will probably make more money.
Ebay Motors
You may reach potential customers all around the United States by using eBay Motors to advertise your car. Depending on the plan you choose, the website can incur listing costs of up to $79, but there are no fees when your car sells. In order to make transporting your car simple, eBay collaborates with several auto transport organizations, including uShip.
Additionally, you have the option of charging the consumer for shipping. For selling the kinds of vehicles that consumers would want to be shipped, eBay Motors works best. Excellent condition vehicles from the most recent model year, as well as historic and enthusiast vehicles, perform well on the site.
You may need to wait longer to sell a simple car with a lot of kilometers on it. On the other hand, you can sell your automobile locally and skip shipping it completely by using eBay Motors’ local classified ad service.
Conclusion
Now that you know the pros and cons of each place to sell a car, it’s time to do your study. Find out how much your car is worth in each of these situations: a private sale, a straight sale to a dealer or as a trade-in for a new car, and an online quick cash sale. Then, ask yourself how much your time, ease of use, and money are worth.
We’ve put together a list of the best places to sell a car. But there are many ways to sell a car, and you won’t find the same offer in more than one place. No matter which company you choose, you should find out how much your car is worth and compare a few offers before making a decision.
FAQs
1. Where can I sell my car for the highest price?
- Cars.com: Top Pick
- Peddle: Junk Car
- Carvana: Sell With Ease
- Carmax: Top Value
- CarGurus: Solid Foundation
- Vroom: Simple Steps
2. Who gives the most when selling a car?
If you really want to sell your car for the most money, you should strongly consider selling it to a private party. Selling your car to someone else is usually a lot more work than any of the other choices we’ve talked about so far.