# Best way to sell a used car **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486 "2003-01-30T01:40:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/1 "2003-01-30T01:40:21Z")
I have always traded in my used cars, but this time I held onto it due to sheer laziness (just couldn’t be bothered to clean it up and remove all the stuff from the inside). So now it’s a few months later, and I never drive it. I have decided to sell it to a private party, but I have no clue how to proceed. I checked the on-line Kelly Blue Book for estimated value. I have the pink slip. The car is old (1992) but in fairly good shape, both physically and mechanically. Would it be worth the $$$ to have it detailed? It is a Subaru 4WD Legacy Wagon, which is not the most popular car type here in these parts. Should I list it on a cyber-ad site? If someone local sees it, decides they can’t live without it and gives me a reasonable offer, then what do I do? Obviously, personal checks are out of the question, so how do they pay? I really want to sell it before the insurance is due. HELP! ---
**Author:** ![EVO95](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@EVO95](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EVO95)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/2 "2003-01-30T01:49:43Z")
I usually buy one of the local trader rags, and look for similar vehicles in my area, to use as a guideline for pricing. The bluebook can give you an idea, but I’ve found that local pricing is more efficient for a quicker sale. I’d clean it up myself, as best as I can, and then run an ad in the local trader. As for payment, I’ve always required cash. If they can write a check, they can go to the bank and get cash. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/3 "2003-01-30T04:19:54Z")
Those local car selling magazines get a lot of looks or maybe there is a free classified paper in your area. We have in our area and a lot of people grab those each week. Also you can put a sign on it and drive it around town or park it on a busy street on the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/4 "2003-01-30T08:59:47Z")
Hell, if you were willing to take payments, I’d probably buy the darn thing off of you. Of course, you’d have to drive to lovely Sacramento as well… Yes, cleaning it out and detailing it (which you can do yourself pretty easily) will vastly increase the resale value. Check out the Autopia forums for detailing information and advise. See if there is a local Rally racing organization around your parts. Your car would sell well in that crowd. Is it a turbo (I don’t think so, but…)? If so, check with local speed shops to see if they have a bulletin board you can post on. Good luck. Keep us posted. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/5 "2003-01-30T17:25:54Z")
If you can get a mechanic to inspect it beforehand & get his report, that would be nice. I think there is a place that does that for about $80, [greenslip.com](http://greenslip.com) that site has tons of info. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/6 "2003-01-30T17:33:32Z")
Some areas have a used car private party auto fair. You drop your car off on Friday night at the lot, and pick it up on Sunday. The employees of the auto fair will show the car for you. If someone is interetsed, they call you to set up a test drive. I sold a used car in 15 minutes at an auto fair. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/7 "2003-01-30T17:53:56Z")
I recently sold an 89 Honda Civic with 175000 miles. The dealer offered $200 for a trade in. I sold it by an ad in the paper for $1200. Since Civics are perhaps more desirable than a Subaru Legacy, you might not have the same luck, but my point is that, at least on older cars, trade-in is going to cost you some money. I am having some problems getting the registration sorted out, as the buyer lives in another state, but the worst that could happen is that the registration is cancelled or something. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/8 "2003-01-30T23:35:23Z")
Kelley Blue Book [is not at all reliable](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=157407). Try [NADA](http://www3.nadaguides.com/), or check ads. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-sell-a-used-car/151486/9 "2003-01-30T23:54:00Z")
Just a quick thanks to everyone who has posted so far. And to **Ringo** , a big WOW for the NADA site - their numbers are quite different (and in my case, better) than KBB. I knew I could get more doing it this way. I am just incredibly lazy and messy by nature, so cleaning it up myself will be a chore. Thank again. If I decide to take the money to Vegas and stay up for 72 hours of gambling, I’ll let you know how that goes. More likely scenario, the $$$ go into the Morgan Stanley account. Bah. I’m no fun anymore.