Let’s say you want to upgrade your ride and so want to put your current car up for sale. Or perhaps you have an old car in the garage that you finally want to sell. Usually, the biggest headache is establishing the right price to sell your car. So, you either undervalue the car and get a raw deal or overvalue it and find it impossible to find a buyer. Coming up with the most ideal price for your car is a process that requires you to consider certain fundamental factors.
So first, let’s see some of the factors that can affect the value of your car.
1. Customized Features
Many people don’t know that the additional features that they incorporate into a car affect the car’s value. And this cuts both ways; customized features can drive the car value up or down. An example is having more robust tires added on a car which is expected to drive the value up. On the flipside is something like a loud stereo system which has a potential of depreciating the car’s value.
2. The Seasons
You should consider ‘Mother Nature’ when valuing your car. Here’s why. You wouldn’t expect a black SUV, for example, to have the same value in winter as in summer. It will be pricier in winter since this is when its demand is usually high. The reverse is true for a convertible sports car.
3. Accidents
No one wants to buy a car with an accident history, not when you can get an accident-free car at the same price. So to sell a car that has been involved in an accident, its price will have to go down. No matter how much you seal the dent; once your car gets into a crash, its value automatically tanks.
Now how do you know what your car is actually worth?
a. Do a market research
A simple price comparison should give you a rough idea of what your car’s worth is. Time to make use of your research skills. An excellent place to get the prices of similar cars is on the internet. Simply go to your favorite search engine and search the price of cars similar to yours. One website that has an extensive catalog of car prices is the Kelley Blue Book.
b. Do a test drive
Doing a test drive applies to that car that has been in the garage for too long that you want to sell. A test drive should take into account everything experienced during an actual drive such as accelerating, reversing, honking, braking, and navigating corners to name a few. A nice three-mile drive should be sufficient to establish if the car is in prime condition.
c. Ask for professional help
A case can come up where you’ve done a market research plus done a test drive but still can’t come up with an accurate valuation of the car. This is when you should consider seeking help from a professional car valuer. A professional car valuer has the experience and skills to paint you a picture of your car’s value. The car valuer should not necessarily be a person as the internet has tons of tools that can generate your car value in seconds.
Where to sell your old car
With the accurate valuation of your car, the next step is identifying a good buyer who will give you a great deal for your car. An excellent option that you should consider if you reside in Southern Perth is Cash for Car Perth. Not only will you get a nice quotation but also have your old car towed for free. Alternatively, you could list your car on a site like autotrader; which specialises in selling cars. A site like this gets lot of visitors so selling your car shouldn’t be a challenge.
