Getting a new set of wheels is a thrill. Unfortunately, the excitement is too often undermined by the headache of figuring out what to do with your old ride. Historically, there have been two primary approaches to trading in an old car.
- Hand Over to Dealer: Seemingly Easy and Low Risk, But Less Money
The first is to make your life a little easier with a simple dump-and-run approach. In theory, you can just hand your car off to a dealer and put a check in your pocket. The dealer takes care of all the paperwork and legwork, and you can move on to bigger and better things. The reality is that it often takes a lot of time at the dealership, waiting for the appraiser to inspect and value your car and then you get to haggle over the seemingly low price they almost always offer you. Of course, at this point you are fatigued by your new car search and negotiation and not in a mood to negotiate yet another transaction. Used cars are typically the most profitable sales for dealers on a car-by-car basis, largely because shoppers spend all of their time and energy on securing the best possible deal for their new car purchase, while underestimating the potential value of their trade-in.
- Sell It Yourself – Maybe More Money, But Greater Difficulty and Higher Risk
If you have the time, energy and courage, you might be able to bump up the price of the old car you’re selling by taking a DIY approach. This starts with the work of making sure that your car is in good working order, and that it looks clean and sharp. If you go this route, we have a few suggestions: (1) choose a safe location to meet prospective buyers, also known as strangers; (2) take a picture of their driver’s license before you let them take a spin; and (3) only accept a check or cashier’s check during business hours when you can verify funds before you complete the transaction. Beware of the buyer that test drives, takes up a lot of your time, and then offers pittance for your car in the end. This entire process can take weeks and sometimes even months if your price is too high or your car is not in high demand. In addition, your vehicle will be depreciating the entire time you’re trying to sell it. Finally, if you have a loan on the car, you’ll have to contact your lender or bank to discuss how to pay off your remaining balance. Some lenders have strict policies, so don’t overlook the challenges with satisfying the lien on your car. Paperwork snafus, including title mistakes, can and will come back to haunt you.
3. A New and Better Way – Use Roadster!
Roadster.com is re-inventing the used car trade-in process much like it re-invented new car buying. Now you can trade in your car stress-free and get a great deal. Simply use our mobile friendly tool to post your car to our buyers in a matter of minutes and then get a firm offer for the car within 2 business days, without any pre-inspection.
Roadster.com is re-inventing the used car trade-in process much like it re-invented new car buying. Now you can trade in your car stress-free and get a great deal.
A Roadster representative brings you a check, collects a few signatures, and then takes the car off your hands. If you have a loan we handle the payoff and we take care of all the DMV paperwork for you. How’s that for a risk-free way to sell your old car that’s easier than selling to a dealer – and brings in nearly as much money as a private sale with much less effort.
Why Roadster is Easier?
- There’s no lengthy inspection or unsafe test drives with strangers
- Roadster handles all the communication with buyers.
- Roadster picks up your car at your house and processes all the paperwork.
- You are paid the minute you hand over the keys.
- In short, Roadster does all the work while you sit back, wait for an offer, and get paid.
How Does Roadster Get You a Better Price?
- In the DIY method, you would be selling to one individual or dealership at a time, opening the door for an opportunistic buyer to take advantage. In contrast, Roadster solicits multiple bids from an established network of professional buyers. In essence, Roadster creates an instant marketplace for your vehicle and with competitive bidding, you won’t get low-balled. This is virtually impossible to achieve as an individual.
- Roadster’s network starts with regional buyers, and extends all the way across the country with national buyers as well. The main strategy is to reach potential buyers outside your immediate market, thereby increasing the chances of finding an eager customer willing to pay more.
- Roadster works with wholesalers who understand where your specific car is in the greatest demand and commands the highest value.
Yelp! Reviewer Roderick H. summarizes the benefits well:
Everything was so easy it was like I was shopping at the supermarket.
“I also traded in my old car with Roadster. They provided a really good price and it was super easy! I just took some pictures of my car, and they evaluated it. I also tried other services that included inspections, but Roadster’s price was both competitive and fast. When my new car was delivered, they just handed me the check for the trade-in. Everything was so easy it was like I was shopping at the supermarket.”
Need more reasons or proof? It’s free and painless to share your trade-in details with Roadster to see how much you can get for your current car. That can be a huge help when it comes to figuring out what you can spend on a new car. Even if you aren’t buying a new car and just want to sell your used car, we are here to help.
It all starts by visiting: https://roadster.com/sell_your_car.
