Although there are numerous reasons you might want to sell your car for cash, if you suddenly find yourself tackling this situation for the first time, then you probably have a lot of questions. Here at Future Ford of Sacramento, we buy and sell vehicles every day, so the entire process is familiar to us, but we know that for a lot of people, the prospect of what needs to be done when selling a car can be intimidating. The good news is that things aren’t that complicated when you sell your vehicle to us since we can handle all of the paperwork and other stuff for you. That said, you probably still have a lot of questions, so let’s go over some answers to seven of the most frequent questions we receive from folks interested in selling their car.
What Paperwork Do I Need When I Sell My Car?
In general, the most important piece of paperwork you need is the title that proves ownership of the vehicle since we can’t buy it from you without that. If you originally had financing like a loan for your vehicle, then it can help to bring that paperwork, too—this is especially true if the lien is still in place. In addition to this, you should bring any other documentation that originally came with your vehicle, like the owner’s manual, since that should be included when selling it. Finally, you’ll need to bring your driver’s license or other legal identification since we’ll need to see that when buying the vehicle to ensure you’re the owner. There’s some other paperwork required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), but we can help you with that.
Do I Need Other Stuff When I Sell My Car?
Although the title and any other related paperwork are the most important documents you need, there are other things that are good to bring with you. A service record or journal that shows you have properly maintained your vehicle can greatly help ensure you get the most money for it. Anyone can claim they followed the manufacturer’s service schedule for a car, but if you can show documentation to prove this, then that’s much better. You should also bring along anything else that came with your vehicle, like other accessories or components, as well as all of the keys or key fobs that go with your vehicle. Beyond that, you should make sure you don’t bring along anything in the vehicle that you can’t easily take with you—make sure you remove your belongings, including phone chargers and other devices, so they don’t get forgotten.
How Do I Get the Most Money for My Car?
The best way to maintain the highest value for your vehicle is to treat it well and put as little wear and tear on it as possible. Following the service schedule provided by the manufacturer for your vehicle is the best way to keep it in great condition. As we said a moment ago, be sure to keep a record that proves you had your vehicle properly maintained while you owned it, including documents for service by professionals and receipts for any items you bought to maintain your vehicle. The less mileage you put on your vehicle, the better when it comes to keeping its value as high as possible. While you certainly need to get to work each day, taking a long road trip might not be worth it if you want to sell your car for as much money as possible.
Should I Make Repairs to My Car Before Selling?
There are quite a few factors that can affect the answer to this question, but in general, if you plan on selling your car to a dealership like us, then repairs typically aren’t worth it. If it’s something you can confidently do yourself and new parts or similar items are inexpensive, then that might be worthwhile. But honestly, anything else would be less expensive for us to handle here at our dealership and certified service center than for you to pay someone else to do. That means that whatever you pay to have repairs done might not increase the value as far as we’re concerned by as much as you paid for the work. You’re better off cleaning your car inside and out to make sure it looks as good as possible rather than putting new brakes on it or getting a new set of tires.
What if I Still Owe Money on My Car?
If you’re interested in selling your vehicle to us and you still owe money on a loan for it, then that’s generally not a problem. Assuming that what you owe is less than what your vehicle is worth (otherwise, you’re in a situation known as being “upside down” on your auto loan), we can help you get everything sorted out. Once you accept an offer we make for your vehicle, we’ll pay off the remaining loan amount to remove the lien on your car and then pay you the remaining value. For example, if we agree to pay you $15,000 for a vehicle, but you still owe $5,000 on it, then we’ll pay that off and pay you $10,000 to buy your car. You could also use this amount as a down payment toward your next vehicle if you’re looking to buy something else.
What Happens After I Sell My Car?
Assuming everything goes well, once you sell us your car, we’ll take care of all the necessary paperwork we need to fill out as the buyer, so you don’t have to worry about that. We can provide you with a bill of sale and similar documentation and even help you get an Odometer Disclosure and other paperwork filled out as part of the sale so you have fewer concerns. If you have standard license plates for your vehicle, then they stay with it; if you have specialty or custom plates, then we’ll remove them for you since you keep them. In California, you have to file a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability with the DMV to indicate you’ve sold the vehicle, so you’re not responsible for it—we can help you with this paperwork, but you’ll need to file it since you’re the seller. Finally, you should notify your insurance company that you’ve sold the vehicle, so you’re no longer liable for it.
Why Should I Sell to a Dealership?
There are many reasons it’s best to sell to a dealership, including the fact that we make things as simple and hassle-free for you as possible. As we’ve said already, we can handle a lot of the paperwork and extra headaches involved with selling your car. We’ll make you a fair offer for your vehicle, and you don’t have to worry about meeting a stranger somewhere, putting yourself at risk of a scam or physical violence against you. Finally, if you still owe money on your vehicle, most private buyers aren’t interested in paying off your loan as part of buying a car, which we’re happy to get settled when buying your vehicle.
We Make It Easy to Sell Your Car
Ultimately, this is the best reason to sell your vehicle to us rather than spending a lot of time finding a private buyer who might pay you a little more for it. We buy cars every day, so we understand all of the ins and outs involved, making things simple and straightforward for you. There are people out there who look for opportunities to scam car sellers, as well as some folks who target sellers for other violent crimes. If you insist on selling your vehicle to a private buyer, please be as safe as possible and take every precaution to ensure you don’t find yourself in a bad situation. We want to see you have the best experience possible—whether you’re buying or selling a car—which is why we’re always here, ready to help with everything you need.
