To Keep or to Sell Your Old Car

So you’ve had the perfect trade-in car sitting around in your driveway, unused for a while. That would be perfect if you were planning to trade in for a new car. But you’re perfectly happy with your day-to-day vehicle. Well, here are two things to consider before you sell and some advice on how to go about it.

1. Will you ever use it?

This is like cleaning out your closet. If you’re never going to wear that purple paisley shirt again, then it’s probably time to say goodbye. The same principle applies to your old car, whether it’s a minivan or a muscle car.

Granted, you might think that a minivan will come in handy if you decide to take a vacation. And what if you decide to start drag racing? It would be a shame to get rid of that muscle car. Hold up…we’re backtracking. You should weigh the costs of registration and maintenance for that old car before deciding to keep it. If you really never use it, why pay for plates and insurance?

2. Who will buy this car?

There are about three options. First, you could try to sell it through Craigslist or the auto classifieds or put it in your front yard with big chalk numbers on the windshield. Second, you could try to sell it to a friend or someone at your church or give it to your child or grandchild. Finally, you could take it to a local car dealer who will buy it without expecting you to buy a new car. However, salespeople will always throw that out as a possibility; it’s in their nature.

Dealing with people you’ve never met before can be intimidating, especially when they think they can talk you down to four dollars. And selling to your friends and family can be twice as unsettling. After all, you don’t want to take money for a vehicle that could break down and cost a lot to fix. If you’re not driving it, then it’s probably not that new. And there’s nothing more awkward at Thanksgiving than someone bringing up the lemon you sold them over pumpkin pie.

For more information on who wants to buy your car, visit a Hubler dealer in your neighborhood.

Posted in Maintenance, Negotiating, Shopping, Trade and tagged , , , .