Everything in life has a right time.
A time to hold on…
A time to let go…
A time to change things up and evaluate…
It’s never different with your car because deciding when to let go and go for something new is an important decision to make.
You might be wondering “why?”
And the answer is simply because if you wait enough, you’ll have to be hauling your car around instead of it being the other way around… and by that time, you won’t find a website to sell your car for a decent price.
So, you should probably know when’s the right time to let it go.
And here’s your ultimate guide to knowing when’s the right time to sell your car…
Table of Contents
What Makes this Important?
Knowing when to sell your car is an advantage.
That’s because it’s a way to get the best deal possible out of your car, it gives you the upper hand when negotiating for a better price, and gives you a faster, more convenient sale… a sale from which you can shift to a better model if you wanted to.
It allows you to use the market to your advantage… because the rise and fall of certain models in the car market depends on higher demand of certain car models, what people are into, what’s cheaply repaired, and of course, the economic conditions… things that are not that hard to keep up with when you know how to.
The most important thing in play here is to determine how much time your car has before it breaks down.
Here’s what you should know to decide…
Factors You Should Consider
How Safe is the Car:
One of the biggest reasons people decide to sell their car is performance and safety. Any car’s performance dies with time and use. But when it affects your personal safety, it becomes an important factor to consider. How do you know that? Brakes wear out with time and become loose. Your airbags might not be working, and you don’t know it. Worn out shock absorbers can be a danger to life as well.
Constant Maintenance:
If you think you’re spending too much money on taking your car for repairs, it might be a good deal to sell that car, because the money you’re spending on maintenance – compared to the value and expenses of other cars in the market – can be better placed to buy a new car.
Mileage:
Of course, the more the miles on it, the less the price it’ll give you, and vice versa… that’s because cars with higher mileage always cost more in maintenance, making them look more expensive. When any car passes a certain limit of kilometers, for many cars, it’s about 70,000 Km, it’s the set time to get a new set of tires, spark plugs, and install new brake pads. This means your best option is to sell your car before it hits that threshold by a few thousand Kilometers.
(although any car can still function perfectly well past that point, it doesn’t look that good to the buyer when you want to sell your car at 100,000 Kilometers or more)
More Advanced Models in the Market:
A good way for a regular driver to know it’s about time is when you find more advanced models being sold and bought in the market as used cars… this is an indicator that your car will be losing value in the upcoming year or so faster. You might want to catch up and sell your used car before you start losing money on it.
Your Vehicle’s Model:
Some car models maintain good prices as time passes better than others. Generally, people look for something sturdier, something that can serve them well in the long run.
It All Comes to Condition:
The biggest part in play here is your car’s condition. Look for dents, scratches, engine oil condition, and any weird noises coming from the car while driving. Because these things are exactly what a car buyer will be looking for.
(A quick tip: Make sure your car is thoroughly cleaned before going into a deal, because to a buyer a dirty car is a car not maintained well. Therefore, there will be less money in it for you.)
Your family might be increasing in size, or you might just want to make a good deal before switching to a better model… whatever your reason for selling your car, you should always make it worthwhile and sell it at the right place, to the right buyer, and at the right time so you can make the most out of it.
