Four tips for driving a good deal when selling your car

When you’re looking to sell your vehicle, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist, but you do need to understand the process to ensure the sale goes smoothly. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is providing some basic pointers on selling your car, as well as some tips to help you “steer clear” of scammers.

The Internet makes it possible for people from all over to make offers on advertised vehicles, but not every “buyer” is reputable. The BBB often hears horror stories of car sales gone bad and, usually, it all boils down to the old adage “If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

“If the buyer is asking you to wire them money or is avoiding meeting you face-to-face, those are bad signs,” said Dana Badgerow, President and CEO of the BBB. “Never give too much personal information to the potential buyer. In some situations, a potential “buyer” will send a check for an amount greater than your asking price, and ask you to wire the difference back to them. When the buyer’s check bounces, you’re out the money you wired…and you’re still left with the car.”

When working with potential buyers, the BBB offers the following tips:

Communicate openly. Don’t rely solely on email conversations. Meet face-to-face and be open and honest about your car’s conditions. Experienced buyers are good at vetting a car’s condition and will pass on buying your car if it’s not in the shape you say it is. Keep all records of service so that the buyer can see proof that you have kept the vehicle maintained.

First impressions matter. Consider getting your vehicle tuned up – and cleaned up! That extra bit of cost and effort could be the difference between modest interest and a generous offer.

Be cautious. When meeting with the buyer, meet during the day in a neutral, public location. Don’t give them your home address.

Seal the deal. Give the potential buyer ample time to ask questions. When negotiating a final price, aim high and work your way down, but always be honest with the buyer on the car’s conditions. This will help avoid problems in the future.

For more consumer tips, visit www.bbb.org/news.

Tags: news, updates, bbb