A Simple Guide on How To Sell Your Truck
Selling a truck can be easy, but it can also be tricky if you want to make sure you walk away with a great deal and don’t end up being taken advantage of. Indeed, whether you choose to sell your truck to a dealership or to another person, you need to know how to sell your truck step-by-step.
Not sure where to look? You’ve come to the right place. Read on for a simple guide on how to sell your truck for the right price and without any major mistakes!
Prep Your Truck Before the Sale
First, be sure to prepare your truck before putting it online or posting ads about it. No one wants to buy a truck that looks like it just came out of the junkyard. To that end, be sure to:
- Thoroughly clean and wash your truck
- Add a wax layer if you really want it to look nice
- Have your truck examined and tuned up by a licensed mechanic
Keep the paperwork from your mechanic’s appointment so you can prove that your truck was recently fixed up by someone who knows what they’re doing. This is a bit of a hassle, but it’ll be well worth it. Plus, a mechanic’s opinion can help you get the right trade-in value or asking price for your truck
After prepping your truck, take a bunch of photos of the interior and exterior. Good photos will make it more likely someone will want to buy your truck ASAP.
Gather Paperwork
Next, gather all the appropriate paperwork you need to finalize a truck sale. That includes your truck’s title, vehicle registration information, and owner’s manual. In fact, anything you have in your truck’s glovebox should be gathered and double-checked. Include:
- The vehicle history report
- The warranty information
- The vehicle title
These simple steps will make it easier for you to get an instant cash offer from a dealership or sell your truck without having to deal with scams.
When you sell your truck, you’ll need to give this paperwork to the new owner. In most states, it’s illegal to sell your truck without having things like the title and vehicle registration information. Plus, having this stuff makes it easier for you to fill out a bill of sale.
Speaking of which, print out a bill of sale template form online and fill in your portion of the document. A bill of sale is important whenever you sell a truck or car. It sets up a crucial paper trail and allows you to bring a claim against someone if they try to take your truck without paying for it properly.
Choose Where To Sell
Then you’ll need to decide where you want to sell your truck. There are lots of options, but most people either sell their trucks to private individuals or to dealerships.
Private Sale
Selling your truck to a private party has several advantages. However, you do need to post ads on Craigslist, Facebook, or elsewhere online in order to get attention for your truck. Alternatively, you can put up posters and pictures of your truck around town along with your phone number and see if anyone gives you a ring.
When filtering prospective buyers in the private market, be sure to ask:
- How much they are willing to pay for the truck
- Where they will meet you to pick up the truck and examine it
It can be tough to find a willing buyer who doesn’t try to lowball you. But in some cases, you can walk away with a successful deal and a handful of cash in your pocket. Just keep in mind that selling your car to a private owner can take a lot of time and effort.
Dealership
It may be easier to simply sell your truck to a car dealership. Selling your truck to a dealership is much faster, although they may not offer the best price for your old car/truck. Still, nothing beats rolling up to a dealership, getting an offer, then signing paperwork.
If you want to get rid of your truck quickly, selling it to a dealership could be the way to go. You’ll still need to bring the above-mentioned paperwork to the dealership so they can finalize the transaction. As a plus, if you sell to a dealership, you can sometimes pick up a used car or truck at the same location if you trade in your current truck. Lots of dealerships have good car sales at any time.
Get an Estimate for the Price
As you can tell, price is very important when selling your truck. To that end, be sure to get a solid estimate for your truck’s fair market value. You can use sites such as Kelley Blue Book or Carmax to get estimates for your car’s projected value.
Once you have the estimated value, don’t go too far below that offer, whether you sell to another individual or to a dealership. The estimate should be the starting point for your negotiations on price.
Consider Offers
As the phone calls and offers roll in, be sure to consider them each in turn. If you get an offer that you like, contact the prospective buyer back and set up a meeting.
The best place to sell your truck is across the street from the police station or some other public place. That way, the prospective buyer won’t try to do anything illegal. Alternatively, you can sell your truck in the parking lot of your local DMV office.
This is the best strategy because you can run into the DMV and get needed paperwork if you or the buyer forget something on the day of the sale. Odds are any private buyer will want to test drive the truck or examine it for themselves; let them, as they are the ones making the major investment. Just go with them to make sure they come back, of course.
Close the Deal
If everything looks good, close the deal and sell your truck. Hand over the keys, be sure the driver has the necessary paperwork, and pocket the cash if it’s a cash deal or if they use a cashier’s check. Don’t forget to fill out the bill of sale. You’ll need to mark the current odometer reading, list the car’s license plate, and so on. Potential buyers, once more, should be fine with this.
Alternatively, you can get your payment wired to you via a bank account. If the buyer wants to pay you with a bank transfer, accompany them to the bank to make sure the transaction goes down smoothly. Don’t let someone drive off with your truck and promise to pay you back later!
Once you have your cash, you can use the funds for a new car or anything else you like!
Summary
Now that you know how to sell your car, you might wonder how you’ll get around. Fortunately, Advantage Rent-a-Car can help you find the perfect set of wheels for your work commute or anything else you need.
In fact, our extensively has plenty of pickup trucks, convertibles, and other vehicles to choose from. Contact us today and ask about our rentals!
Sources:
Free Motor Vehicle (DMV) Bill of Sale Form – Word | PDF | eForms
What Is Vehicle Registration and What Does It Cost? | Credit Karma
Odometer Disclosure | Dealertraining
