I am near the Detroit metro area, but when I sold my car this spring, the buyer came from a small town 100 miles away in central Michigan. I’m sure the opposite situation is in effect, too: if you’re in a small town and your car is rare or has a good enough price, it’ll attract people from substantial distances away. Obviously nobody’s going to travel across the state to buy a $500 beater, but if you’re dealing with a car that’s worth ~$5000 or more, people will be willing to drive a fair distance to get it.
When I split from the Ex and was in a studio apt ( with a Fireplace !!!:eek:
), I found a wooden armoire. It was pine and in excellent shape aside from the gaping hole they’d cut in the back wall for cable t.v. wiring. ( irrelevant to my needs ). I drove a mini van at the time. Went and examined, closed the deal. Strapped it to hand truck, took it home. Pretty basic. What I DID make clear in my pre-visit communication was that I was willing to do the drive to see it and they had to understand that my arrival at their door did not equal cash in hand. I could walk away with no hassles or arguing if I wasn’t seeing what I wanted to see and buy. OTOH, based on the photo they posted, I agreed not to haggle one bit over price.
Worked out just fine.
Like the OP, I had my Hyundai Elantra sold within 12 hours. Just wanted what we owed on it, worked out perfectly and a young man has a safe first car if his dad ever lets him do more than wax it in the driveway.
Last time I sole a vehicle, it was gone on Craigslist within hours. No dickering (although I did get a few emails and calls from scammers and crazies.)
I don’t think a quick sale is a signal you priced it too low. I wanted it gone–it was my dad’s, he had just died. I didn’t want a parade of people coming by my house for weeks to tell me I had it over priced. Instead, a nice young family got a well maintained mini-van which they obviously needed, and I had one less thing to deal with at a stressful time.