Do you want to sell your car? Like many, you are wondering about the pitfalls to avoid when giving up your vehicle.
A sale between individuals lasts at least a good hour. It is necessary to count the static checks, the test on the road and the signature of the administrative documents. Precautions must also be taken to avoid any risk of fraud when getting involved in this form of sale. In order to have a smooth sale, these tips are of great importance:
- Fraud, a practice more serious than you think …
It is only natural to want to sell your car as quickly as possible. When selling, the vehicle must look good. Cleaning, polishing and cleaning your vehicle is a must. You will have a much better chance of selling a perfectly clean car than a car that has not been vacuumed for weeks.
However, avoid coarse staging, which will not deceive the savvy shoppers. Naivety has its limits! As long as you do not try to scam your contact, you have no problem to deal with.
Some sellers do not hesitate to add options that do not exist in the descriptions of ads, or even to sell old driving school cars. After the discovery of such deception, the purchaser has the opportunity to resort to filing a complaint, and the troubles can go very far.
It’s as well important to keep in mind that any fraud will be detected and the law is there to protect the buyer.
- The test drive: an essential step
As regards selling your car to an individual, an informed buyer will never confirm his purchase without having tried to use the car. Since a flawless body can hide lots of mechanical faults, its best to let the buyer ride the car on different types of road. Allow at least 15 minutes for this type of test.
Do not refuse such a control, as the purchaser will think then that you have something to hide from him such as faults which are felt only with the driving (a noisy engine, a clutch which skates, a rusty gearbox, difficult braking). To sell your car, put the odds on your side. A test drive is a classic step in the sale between individuals and it’s better not to turn this down.
- It’s up to the seller to take care of the paperwork
In a car sale to an individual, all the administrative steps are incumbent upon you. Better to fix this quickly after the sale to avoid any trouble. If the purchaser causes damage to the vehicle and you still own it, you will be responsible.
The Declaration of Assignment form must be completed and signed in duplicate during the sale, by the seller and by the purchaser.
- Payment: the most technical part when selling a car to an individual
In a sale between individuals, the payment must be made immediately. No matter how much confidence you feel for the person, it is better to proceed with the live transaction. In this regard, the safest payment methods such as Checks or cash payment should be used.
Using Checks as a method of payment in a car sale between individuals is particularly appreciated for large sums because it can be done live. However, the latter still has dangers such as unfilled account or even a stolen Checkbook. For added security, it is also best to call the bank listed on the Check to ensure that it exists and has the capacity to issue the payment.
Cash payment is another secure payment method. For added security, the transaction should be finalized at the seller’s branch or through a trustworthy distributor.
In conclusion, the act of selling cars to individuals tend to be quite tricky but with the guide above, this can be perfectly handled without any hassles.