Slow fashion, slow furniture and Jack Johnson’s lyrics, “Slow down, everyone, you’re moving too fast,” may be trending in the areas of eco-consciousness and mindfulness, but not really helpful when it comes to selling your car. A fast sale – for the best cash price – is always the goal. How can you sell your car fast and be guaranteed the best deal? Thanks to innovative and effective online car selling platforms that have vetted dealers bidding on your vehicle, this is certainly achievable.
Industry leaders (aka dealers) have a strict checklist when buying second-hand vehicles. By knowing what they are looking for, you can optimise getting the best deal possible and sell your car fast.
Everyone knows your car is second-hand, so no one is expecting perfection – but there are a few things you can do to maximise the final price. (There is nothing worse than being offered a conditional online offer for your car and for it then to be discounted on closer inspection because you missed out on some basic fixes).
Here’s the inside scoop – follow these 3 simple tips when you sell your car online so it stands out to a dealer.
Tip #1 – Looks matter
This is a no-brainer. When you are looking to sell your car, the details matter, but the visuals matter even more. To ensure a fast sale for the best price, you need your car to stand you out from its online competition. Take the time to clean and polish your car – inside and out – and then take some great photos.
Tip #2 – Spend a little
Have you looked under the bonnet? Because a dealer always will! Dealers know their stuff; they have an eagle eye and a checklist. They will do the oil dipstick pull and coolant check as these speak to the condition of the engine. Any issues or concerns will raise alarm bells and they are likely to deduct a couple of thousand off their original offer.
- Be proactive and do these tests yourself. If you do need to top up the oil and coolant fluid, it will probably only cost you a few hundred rand. (The devil is always in the details).
- If the windscreen has a chip in it or the electric windows don’t work – have them fixed prior to selling.
- Replace remote entry batteries.
- Replace squeaky or grinding brakes before you sell your car. Dealers will discount their offer if this falls to them to fix.
- Check your tyres If they need replacing and you are not prepared for this expense, disclose that in your online details so you get no further surprise deductions on inspection. (If you fail to disclose issues upfront – a dealer will wonder what else you may be hiding when it comes to the car’s condition).
Tip #3 – Back to basics
You may really love the dropped suspension, the throaty roar of your modified exhaust, the mega wheels and the spoiler or tail fin. These personalisations may also have cost a pretty penny. But this doesn’t always sit so well with dealers; they are reluctant to put modified vehicles on their floor. When you are wanting to sell your car fast, always consider the potential buyers and strip back the personal stuff – where you can. (This same principle applies when selling a house). A highly modified vehicle always affects the perceived value of the car and how it has been driven, and you may lose out on quite a lot come offers from dealers.
Be mindful of this: your goal is to sell your car fast and get a great deal. The dealer’s goal is to make a decent turnaround profit. Generally speaking, most of what you need to spend time and money on may simply be cosmetic, but it will always pay off. If a dealer has a poor first impression of your car it is likely to reflect badly on the condition of the engine and transmission. Do not give a dealer any excuse to drop his original offer.
Tip #4 – Do your homework
Finding the right platform to sell your car fast means doing some online homework and reading reviews and testimonials. Once you have uploaded your car on an online platform such as Weelee (where 1000s of reputable dealers are ready to bid on your car over a 2-hour period), you are on your way to not only selling your car fast but also for a really competitive cash price.
