quickest way to sell a car?

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Cutehumor

Joined
Dec 10, 2002
Messages
9,367
Location
USA
anyone remember my 1992 mirage beater thread? I put it on sale tonight. I put it on craiglist and within the hour, I have two phone calls that want to look at it tomorrow. $500 obo. now if these two don't pan out, I like to unload this car within the next 14 days while I'm on vacation. anyone have luck with autotrader? ebay is probably out of the question, I want to sell locally. I've never sold a car privately before. anyone recommend a site to make a bill of sale to protect myself? I wanted to meet at a public place like walmart so as not disclose where I live.

frontofcar.jpg

steeringwheel.jpg

enginebay.jpg

driverside.jpg
 
I dunno, craigslist seems to be working just fine for you.

Autotrader is also good. We've used them for a couple of used cars.

Whenever we bought a used car, we met in a shopping plaza with a Lowe's or a Wal-Mart or something, so yes, that's a good idea IMO...
 
Park where a lot of people can see the "for sale" sign and be there.

For the price asked it is easy for a buyer to run off to the bank to grab cash.

Assuming it isn't 10-below-zero where thou art.
 
Just got a third call. third caller wanted to see it on his lunch break. problem is the first and third caller want to see the car at noon tomorrow. I had to say I'm showing it to someone at noon tomorrow first, then if possible will meet with him later.
 
For a beater, craigslist is THE place, around here at least. For a bill of sale, if you want one that is state-specific and legally accepted, go here:

http://secure.uslegalforms.com/cgi-bin/forms/query.pl?S-C-TN-B-auto~bill~sale

It'll cost you $22.00 to download, but if you want to protect yourself correctly, that's worth it. For a generic bill of sale, do a google search, or go to the forms section in your local Office Max/Office Depot/Office Whatever store.
 
Quote:

Just got a third call. third caller wanted to see it on his lunch break. problem is the first and third caller want to see the car at noon tomorrow. I had to say I'm showing it to someone at noon tomorrow first, then if possible will meet with him later.

Click to expand...


If you get 3 or more buyers looking at the same time, someone WILL go home with it for your asking price.
wink.gif
 
Just as said above, take cash. Also make sure all of your stuff is out of it, so when someone agrees to buy it no hassle, just cash and leave. Check under the seats and in the cracks too, probally a good dollars worth of change. Maybe under the hood if you're like me, there might be a socket wrench laying ontop of the radiator
pat2.gif
 
I just wanna share something with all the posters who say, "DO NOT MEET AT YOUR HOUSE."

If you give some one your PHONE number, (unless it is a cell), they CAN find out your address.

If you give some one your full NAME... they CAN find out your address.

I am not trying to scare you, but, if you give me your name OR phone number:

Within a few hours, I could be sitting on your doorstep, telling you about every property you own, how much you paid for all of them, I would also know if you are married, what your wife's name is, and I could probably find your kids... and a ton of other stuff I do NOT want to type on a public forum.

It used to be my JOB to find people who didn't want to pay their bills, and DIDN'T want to be found. You would be surprised what can be done to some one who ISN'T trying to hide.

DISCLAIMER: The above is NOT A THREAT. Just a warning to BE CAREFUL.
 
I actually have my prepaid cellphone as my contact number in the ad. I thought about if I meet with someone, they would bring another person there in case they buy and have to drive the car back. so I would be all my lonesome. I'm going to leave all my credit cards and money at home. just bring my license. I was thinking of even leaving a friend in a car sitting in the parking lot so he can watch everything from afar. paranoid I know, but with a beater car, I'm getting all kinds of crowds that want to look at the car.
 
Maybe its me but if all of this worry about secerecy and whatnot is causing you this much angst you might want to donate the car for a tax break. Life isn't worth all of the aggrivation we make for ourselves sometimes.

Good luck.
 
That's why I always trade in my cars now. I know I lose some money, but at least I don't have strange people coming to my house.

I once sold a car privately to someone I worked with, and a year later I got a phone call from a towing company that had the car in the impound lot, the guy never changed the title, it was still in my name! The guy no longer worked with me, so I couldn't give him #@$%! for it either.

Nonsense like that just scares me.
 
I tried twice to sell on my own without taking a loss. The first time was to a friend who took the car home and parked it, it had a head gasket problem and would overheat, so I didn't say anything I didn't take the plates off (BIG MISTAKE). Well he got a ticket for steet cleaning with my plates on, said he would take care of it. Eight years later the ticket doubled and now is $100.00 and on my record.

The second time the buyer kept saying he wanted the car but was to busy because of his job so can I hold it for a week, Two weeks later he changed his mind so I missed three potential customers in this process.

At five bills I'm sure you have a teenager somewhere in your family that would think of you as a HERO if you gave it to them. It's better than a X-BOX or Playstation. And it gives them the chance to have their first car at 17-18yrs old. I know my family would pass down "better cars" to us, unless it was more than $1000.
 
I typically drive my vehicles until they are worth very little. I plan to donate my current car to a local charity I like when I'm done with it. A '94 Grand Prix with 200,000 miles on it and lots of spots starting to rust. It isn't worth my trouble to try and sell when I know it will go to help some other people if I donate it. My other option is a niece that might need it as well, I might give it to her if she is still in need of a car next year when I'm done with it.
 
if the car doesn't sale in a week, it will get donated if possible. I'm about to call several junkyards in the area to see how much they would offer for the car. however, I thought that you can't donate a car unless it is 13 years and younger? Mine is 15 years old. I looked into it a few years ago, but the law changed about how you deducted. I never tried selling on my own, first time experience. I've already thought of giving it to my 16 yr old nephew without a license. But my sister and my brother in law know nothing of cars. In fact, they were looking to get him a new car, but they couldn't afford insurance on him. So he is stuck without anything. It's complicated but they won't take this car for sure. they are the type that trade in new cars every 3 years for something newer and better. In their minds, they rather him not have an old beater (they spoil him and risk of being stranded is high to them in an old car like this)
 
forgot how you edit...my bro-in law and sister are in a high income tax bracket. my bro-in law doesn't even know how to change a flat tire!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

F
My personal experience with MotorKote
2 3
Replies
40
Views
1K
cptbarkey
N
Husqvarna 128ld trimmer repair
Replies
4
Views
358
super20dan
T
IAAI Auction Questions from a Newbie
2
Replies
26
Views
17K
RhondaHonda
alcyon
Man blacks out while driving on freeway
Replies
13
Views
980
overtimeman
V
How to buy a car privately?
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
GON
Back
Top Bottom