Submitted by mrwabblewabble__ t3_z720ck in LifeProTips

Going to be selling my Nissan 350z, I’ve never sold a car before and I have the title in hand. Just looking for general tips for this like things to watch for when selling and other things I may not think of thanks!

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dr_xenon t1_iy49a7l wrote

Price it higher than you want. You can always come down in price. People will usually try to talk you down in price.

Make it look good. A complete detailing may pay for itself and then some. If it doesn’t look good when they pull up, it’s already a bad first impression.

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Passe_Myse t1_iy4aj5m wrote

Look online for comparable cars. What are people asking for those.

Take pictures of anny rust, dents and other negative stuff.

Include if you can images of the service manual proving the car has been take care of.

Mention selling it because you need money for chocolate.

Put a new car wonderbaum (scented dohicky with the smell of mew car) into the car. Sounds stupid but we humans are simple creatures.

Get all sales details in writing. Car sold as is and you did not withhold any information regarding the car.

Cancel all insurances and such on the car.

Mention how many miles it has been driven. (include picture of the bright lights beyond the steering wheel)

Forgot something, but I forget what.

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sparrows_silence t1_iy4d86y wrote

Great info, when selling your car, go to carmax and get an appraisal or an ACV (actual cash value) from at least 3 dealerships. This can put things into perspective when looking at multiple dealerships to sell your car to. What year is your 350z?

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mrwabblewabble__ OP t1_iy4khcn wrote

Appreciate the info this helps a lot and a 2006 around 170k miles

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sparrows_silence t1_iy58i4t wrote

Age of the vehicle and the miles on it probably will see a below average price when selling it on your own but if you pad the numbers after your appraisal you should be able to get slightly more. In a nutshell, credit unions and banks will not finance that car unless you have great credit. Typically it's less than 12 years and 120k miles.

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sparrows_silence t1_iy59llm wrote

Also Facebook marketplace has a lot of protections in place to secure any transaction and going through that way where you receive payment digitally instead of cash because it easier to to have a digital receipt as well as a tax write off next year. Also depending on your state, you will need that transfer of your title as well as any state applicable taxes that the person you sell it too is aware because they will have to pay taxes on that purchase.

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BellyScratchFTW t1_iy4ey96 wrote

Don't be afraid to say "no" to a low-ball offer. Price it higher than you expect to sell it for with the assumption they're going to ask you to come down. Know your bottom dollar price and do not budge.

A good buyer will start nit-picking at things like, "Oh, I see there's a scuff on this tire here. I'll have to replace that". They are saying these things because they want a better deal.

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mrwabblewabble__ OP t1_iy4krjv wrote

Yeah I need to sell the car but I’m going to sit on it for at least a couple months and try to get close to what I’m asking for.

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sandrews1313 t1_iy4fe67 wrote

cash before the title moves from your hand. don't accept any type of check or even certified funds. had a buddy get scammed by someone where they had a certified check, even met at the bank to deposit it. next day, check bounces as fraudulent.

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PrisonerV t1_iy4eow3 wrote

If the buyer shows up and offers less at the last minute, don't negotiate with him. He's trying to cheat you. Just leave and start again.

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Gigahurt77 t1_iy4hfvt wrote

Meet a safe place to show the car. Letting the buyer know where you live is just asking for trouble.

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mrwabblewabble__ OP t1_iy4l15k wrote

That’s a really good point thanks I was going to probably have them meet at my apartment but now that you mention it pretty obvious I should meet them somewhere

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Dbjfdb t1_iy4y6xs wrote

I am not a lawyer, this is just my experience. Some of these won't be necessary depending on you and your situation, so take it all just as things to consider.

​

  • The only payments you should accept are cash or a certified bank check. If bank check, bring the check to the ISSUING bank to cash it and then transfer the title to the buyer. Alternatively, check with your bank to see what their policies are on bank checks and how they might guarantee its a good check
  • If selling for cash, agree to meet the buyer at a bank or police station to finalize the sale...if you get robbed in a bank parking lot there will at least be video.
  • NO one but you handles the original title until you have payment in full
  • Don't accept payments on the car! You are not a bank. If they cannot get a bank loan there is likely a reason, and that is not your problem
  • The buyer's problems are not your problems, and your reasons for your price do not need to be disclosed. Understand and acknowledge their problems, but in the end, you want $x for the car and you are happy to sell it for that price, but cannot sell it for less than $x
  • Lower your price when you stop getting calls of people interested in it. I'd price it a bit higher than you think you'll get to start...it'll help you avoid under-pricing it. I lower it a bit every couple days until interest picks up
  • Take the plates off before they take the car. Do not let them "just take it home and I'll send them back to you". I did this once and it worked out fine, but that could have gone really badly. The buyer can go to their DMV with a signed purchase and sales agreement, which has the VIN, and get a plate.
  • You and the buyer each sign and get a purchase and sales agreement. Find an online template for your state, probably from their DMV site.
  • I like to write "As-is, with no warranty expressed, written or implied" on the P&S
  • Don't hold a car without a non-refundable deposit (cash) if you are getting multiple calls a day on it. If you are getting occasional calls a week, then that might be OK. If holding a car, set a time limit on when they need to finish the deal...a few days to a week or so. If you pull it off the market you potentially miss a sale. When receiving a deposit, give them a deposit slip that has these details.
  • Make sure the buyer is over 18. If the buyer is under 18 then sell it to their parent or legal guardian. Minors generally cannot enter into legal agreements on their own
  • See the buyer's driver's license before signing the purchase and sales and the title. This may not matter, I don't know...I've just aways asked for and confirmed they are who they say they are
  • They'll want to test drive...ask to see their driver's license and current insurance. If they are not insured then I wouldn't let them drive it...have them bring someone who is insured, or you drive and they ride. Check the name, expiration date, and address. Go with them on the test drive and set some ground rules before you go...seatbelts, keep to the speed limit, obey all traffic laws, etc. Recommend a route that'll take them on slow roads, faster ones, etc. Since this is a sportscar, be very, very wary on who wants to test the car out and be very clear about following all rules of the road.
  • Put the actual selling price on the purchase and sales agreement, not any other amount, regardless of what sob story they've given you! It is probably illegal to put a different value in...some sort of tax fraud I suspect.
  • When the person sees the car make sure the engine is cold...a warm engine is a red flag for a buyer as it may mean the car has problems starting when cold so the seller warmed it up before they got there
  • Save that purchase and sales agreement for a long time. It is proof that this car was sold to so-and-so as of a certain date and no longer your problem. Follow your state's laws on purchase and sales agreements for a car...be sure to include at a minimum the date, description of the car, "as-is", purchase price, and the VIN
  • Cancel your insurance on the car when it sells
  • Absolutely do not hold back any info about the car. If you sell a car with a problem it should be documented
  • Have all your service records to show the buyer. Ensure you redact any personal information, or keep those with you
  • Carfax report ahead of time is short money and provides some reassurance to the potential buyer
  • Avoid selling to family or close friends...a faulty part months from now could get awkward
  • When selling, if the buyer is with someone else give them some time to look it over and chat with their companions. Sometimes a person doesn't know much about cars and brings something who does, so giving them some time to chat without you standing there can help speed the process up and give them a better overall experience
  • Know what your "bottom line price" is before you negotiate. If you are listing it for $10k but will take $9.5, then that is your bottom line price. When the seller offers you $8k you can say "sorry, my partner and I agreed that $9.5 is the lowest we can go". If they say "$9.2 is the best I can do because of such-and-such", then say something like "totally understand. I'll discuss with my partner and if we can do that I'll call you. In the meantime if you change your mind, just let me know". The negotiation and dickering on price can be nerve-racking. It doesn't have to be...know your bottom line price. You don't have to give reasons why you won't take a lower price...any excuses you give will be used by the buyer to find a way to make it OK. I like to say what I wrote about my partner...its true, and why that is the price is my business. If its a bad price then the car will not sell and that's my problem.
  • Again, don't adjust your selling price because of a story. You adjust your price only when you know the car won't sell to anyone at the price you want in the timeframe you have to sell it.
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MNJon t1_iy4ii6f wrote

Get cash as payment, not a check or even a cashiers check.

Anyone that asks you to ship your car is a scammer.

Go with anyone that wants a roadtest.

Go with the buyer to the license bureau to make sure the title is transferred.

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Czcrazy t1_iy4fxfv wrote

Under no circumstances do you sign over your title without a tag/notary present. The car must be fully transferred to the buyer otherwise you will be liable for any damages they may cause. Do not let them drive the car to the tag place. Meet them there.

If you give test drives obtain current proof of car insurance (call their insurance company to verify their policy) and valid drivers license. Do not let anyone drive your car without those 2 things. Ask to hold/count the money while they test drive it (you in the passenger seat) Test the cash to make sure it’s not counterfeit (search the internet).

Have them meet you at the local police station parking lot to see the car. Park near a surveillance camera.

If anything feels sketchy or a sob story is included that alters your plan to transfer/sell your car to them, walk away.

A “good” buyer won’t care you that you are being cautious. Only the sketchy ones will complain.

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HotSalsaAssFire t1_iy4vp4u wrote

Mileage may vary. Where I am you get a stub from the title and you report the sale to the DMV

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Czcrazy t1_iy51guv wrote

Yeah, I figured. As long as the OP has a heads up about the importance of the title, that all that matters.

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sassansanei t1_iy4s6xl wrote

There is a scam where someone poses as a buyer and asks you to go to a website that sells vehicle history reports. They have no intention of ever buying your car. The scam is in getting you to pay $28 for a needless “report.” That sounds like small potatoes until you realize that the internet makes it easy to do that to hundreds of people a day, from behind a computer in perhaps another country even. Most people don’t ever realize they’ve even been scammed.

Another scam is to pay you with a cheque that’s “accidentally” too much, and asking you to wire them the difference. “Oops this cheque is for $10,000 instead of the $7,000 we agreed on, please send me $3,000 back after you cash it.” Of course it’s a fake cheque but your bank doesn’t realize this until a few weeks after you’ve cashed it, and you’re out $3,000 (and possibly a car) plus the bank comes after you for the $10,000 fraudulent deposit.

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keepthetips t1_iy48ch6 wrote

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[deleted] t1_iy4fb79 wrote

[deleted]

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HotSalsaAssFire t1_iy4vze7 wrote

Plates, except custom, go with the vehicle where I am. OP should get general selling advice but it seems laws are different from state, city, county, country, planet, etc.

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geraldbowman t1_iy4rj46 wrote

Handle payment via PayPal, Zelle, or a similar app. Never make a cash deal (decent chance you will get robbed) or money order/cashiers check (fair chance it will be bogus).

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Tricky-Tie3167 t1_iy7qcq4 wrote

When messaging people on Facebook or any app or online website always state you want to meet at a police station, if they are sketchy and trying to rob you they won’t reply. Iv even gown as far when someone wanted test drive my car I told them I want to see there ID like a dealership would and never got a response but the where serious up until the point. Watch out a lot of people try to scam and rob for cars online. If anyone is trying to buy your car for more than your asking price but they want you to ship it lmao tell ‘em to fuck off

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reco008 t1_iy7wu08 wrote

Get it professionally cleaned inside&out Present full service & mot history especially historical receipts for oil+oil filter changes, air filter Privately list it online, eg autotrader Find market value add at least 500 or so, be patient, expect to wait 6monthes to sell, never lower price 2 sell fast Check engine health using car scanner tool, make it as easy as possible for potential buyers 2 quickly view all above info!

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Marcomekiam t1_iybjqma wrote

Get a professional detail if you can and in the best possible condition to sell.

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