Illinois Selling Your Vehicle
Selling your vehicle in Illinois, can be a tough time. Today’s buyers are very particular about what they are purchasing, and you must be honest in the sale. The first thing that is necessary in the process of selling your vehicle is to evaluate your vehicle. So, how do you go about this?Evaluate Your Vehicle
There are different ways to evaluate your vehicle such as:
- Research the Kelley Blue Book Value: This will give you an idea of the current value of your vehicle
- Order a Vehicle History Report: With a Illinois vehicle history report you can show your vehicle’s past history to the buyer and let them aware of how well the vehicle has been maintained, how many accidents it has been involved in if any, whether it has ever been salvaged and so on.
- Check the current classified s and auction sites for your particular make and model and year of the vehicle is selling for.
Depending on your vehicle type will depend on where you may place and advertise the vehicle. Take for instance if you have an economy car that is great on gas you might decide to:
- Place the vehicle on a college campus
- Advertise the vehicle in the college classifieds
- Advertise on 4wheel drive forums
- Advertise in 4wheel drive rag sheets and publications
- Place the vehicle on a military base
- Advertise on the military base bulletin board
Determine Your Asking Price
Determining your asking price will take a bit of homework. In fact, you will likely spend an afternoon or two researching the classifieds, sites such as Craigslist and auction sites to get comparable vehicles to base your selling price on. You will also want to take into consideration special factors that may be a selling point that will add value to the vehicle
- Special features
- Condition
- Mileage
Other things to considerations are:
- Who has driven the vehicle? If the owner was a smoker and the car smells of smoke or has burn holes in the seat, this is a turn off to most vehicle buyers.
- Does the vehicle have dents and bangs and chipped paint? This will also lower the selling price of the vehicle.
- Does the vehicle have worn or torn upholstery? If so, you might consider having the upholstery repaired or having seat covers placed over the seats.
- What are the conditions of the tires on the vehicle? If the tires are worn, they definitely will have an effect on the selling price of the vehicle.
- What is the condition of the engine? Make sure the vehicle doesn’t have any leaks, or strange noises that it makes.
Investing a bit in your vehicle can help to raise the value of the car. Simple steps such as the following will make a dramatic difference in the appearance of your car:
- Washing and waxing your vehicle
- Cleaning the upholstery
- Shine the tires and hubcaps
- Tidy the inside of the car
- Clean and polish the inside of the cars
Take the vehicle for a drive and make sure there are no odd noises. Also check for any leaks that may be coming from the engine.
Also, if you are not ordering an Illinois vehicle report, then gather all the maintenance and repair records for the vehicle and have them handy for the buyer to review.
Show Off Your Vehicle
Let everyone know your vehicle is for sale! Post a sign in your window with your number clearly visible. Park your car in areas where it will attract interest.
Ways to advertise will vary but you can consider advertising your vehicle by:
- Listing it in your local classifieds
- Placing a bulletin at the college, grocery store or other areas where interest might be drawn to the vehicle
- Listing your vehicle on eBay
- Listing your vehicle on Craigslist
- Listing your vehicle on the Internet through forums and so on
Be a Savvy Seller
What exactly does being a savvy seller involve? It involves:
- Being ready to answer any question the potential buyer may have regarding the vehicle
- Making sure the car is in the best presentable appearance as possible
- Knowing the going prices of the same year, make and model as well as similar years, makes and models
- Knowing the Kelley Blue Book values of your vehicle
- Having a Illinois vehicle history report
- Knowing your car terminology and using it properly
- Having all the records of the vehicle
Selling your vehicle is not always a smooth transaction and you may experience bumps in the road. The best thing to ensure that there are no snags is to disclose all information about the vehicle. This can easily be done by obtaining an Illinois vehicle history report on your vehicle.
You may find that some buyer will want to have the vehicle inspected prior to purchasing it. This is an acceptable practice and one that you should accompany the buyer on.
Finalizing the Sale
When you do have your buyer you will then need to determine how payment will be paid. Will you accept a personal check? Cash only? Or a cashier’s check?
You may decide to negotiate a bit regarding the selling price of the vehicle. Or you may stand firm. This likely will depend on the condition of your vehicle and how anxious you are to sell it. Know your bottom line amount that you will accept for the vehicle and do not go below that.
You will also want to ensure that you have the title of the vehicle as without its title, you will not be able to sell the vehicle. You will be responsible for completing the title and having both you and the seller sign the title. It is also a good idea to complete a Bill of Sale with the sale of the vehicle. For more information on titles visit 4DMV.com’s Title section. For more information on Bill of Sale forms visit 4DMV.com’s Bill of Sale section.
Also, visit 4DMV.com’s section on State Regulations that will inform you of the necessary paperwork that will be involved in the sale of the vehicle. Our Buying and Selling FAQs will also help answer any other questions you may have.
After the Vehicle’s Sales
If you have sold your vehicle, congratulations! Selling a vehicle is not always an easy process which is why we created this easy to follow guide to help ensure you had all the best tips and advice available to successfully sell your car.