New year, new car. Who doesn’t like mixing things up by letting go of their old ride to get enough money to buy a new one? After all, cars get old and damaged. Even if they are in perfect driving condition, you might get bored of driving the same old vehicle every day for years. Or maybe you are hard-pressed before selling your car for some quick cash.

Regardless of why you decide to sell your car, the fact remains that most people do so at some point in their lives. While purchasing a car is a fun and comparatively simple experience, the same cannot be said for selling a used car. This is because the journey is marked by hassle. As a seller, there is quite a lot you need to take care of.

Here are some essential tips to consider before selling your car.

Know your target market

Think of your vehicle as your product. Whenever you are selling something, you first need to identify and research your market.

This will help you know if your car will be easy to sell in the market. For instance, some models are quite in demand at times compared to others. The demand for your vehicle will give you an idea about how much you will have to drop the claimed price to sell your car. It will also tell you whether or not it is the right time to sell your car, to begin with.

For instance, convertibles and sports car are only demanded during the sunny days. So, if you are trying to sell such a vehicle in fall, you will face hurdles. Compared to this, family sedans feature a constant demand because of their all-year-round need. Vintage cars tend to take a long time to sell. This is because only a few in the market appreciate them and are willing to pay the high price for them.

So, first, begin by researching your market. Get an idea about the demand by perusing classified ads. See how much other dealers are demanding for a car like yours. Are there a lot of listings of similar vehicles in ads? If so, it might indicate a strong demand for the category.

Decide how you will sell

Gone are the days when car dealerships were the only way to sell your car. Now, there are various avenues for you to explore. Here are the main ways in which you can sell your car.

Private buyers

Rather than going through car dealerships, you can sell your vehicle directly to other customers. This generally means more hassle for you. Why? Because you will be bombarded with incessant questions about various aspects of your car. Not to mention that people would want to take your car for test drives and physically assess it as well. So, if you are not a people’s person, you might not prefer the socializing required with this way of selling. On the other hand, private buyers are much more likely to accept the deal you present to them.

Online car buying services

Various online car buying services are operating in the UK. Such services make the entire process digital and eliminate the inconvenience associated with car selling. Rather than visiting dealerships, you can sit in the comfort of your home and sell your car. The only problem with this method is finding a reliable car buying service which delivers a justified quote.

Car dealerships

If nothing else works, you can always opt for the good old car dealerships. This is the safest way of selling your car. However, since car dealers are pro at what they do, you might not get the best deal. They are likely to offer you less price for your car because it is in their interest to do so. Not to mention they will also charge commission or service fee.

Decide the method of selling your car. This will give your journey a direction.

Fix the best price

The whole point of selling a car is to get a reasonable price for it. Now, this is quite tricky. If you set the price of your vehicle too low, you will end up missing out on money you should have made on the sale. If you set it too high, you won’t get any buyers to purchase your car. Therefore, it is essential to set it at the right value.

How can you do that? You might want to make use of car valuation services. This is because merely looking at book values of a car is not enough. They only tell you the current market value of the model of your vehicle. This is just one of the many factors that play a role in the worth of your car. Other factors include mileage, the condition of your car, age, add-ons, and demand. Therefore, valuing your vehicle can get tricky due to the number of factors involved in the calculation.

Repair damages and sort out your paperwork

If you wish to get a good deal, you must impress your buyers. Just like first impressions of humans matter, the same holds true for vehicles as well. Therefore, make sure you invest in repairing your car. It doesn’t matter if the said repairs are on accessories that don’t affect driving performance. Accessories and add-on also increase the value of the vehicle. After all, a car is more than just a way of getting from one place to another. It is an experience.

Invest in repairing and maintaining your vehicle. Keep the receipts with you and show it to potential buyers to present your credentials to them.

Also, before you sell your car, you must consider the different documents required. You don’t want to be caught off guard during the final phase. The last thing you need is having to cancel a deal because your documents are not up to date. So, sort out your paperwork. Gather your ownership document of the vehicle, ID, V5 logbook and other similar items.

Follow these tips when selling your car. You are bound to get the best deal for it if you put in the right effort.