One of the good things about cars is that even used cars hold some value, so when it’s time to get a new one, you can recoup some of the losses by selling the old ones. But putting up a used car for sale requires some thought to achieve the best results for you.

Money is one major consideration. There are three basic ways to sell a used car, and variations on the themes, and each of them offers a different amount of money. The worst price you’ll get is from a dealer, while the best price will be by private sale. However, the amount of money you get for your vehicle is usually proportional to the amount of time you spend, so what you’re willing to put into selling it is an important consideration, too.

Selling your car on consignment reduces the work for you and increases the price, but not quite to the level of a private sale. Usually, you leave your car and keys on a dealer’s lot, and they show and sell it for you. They take a percentage of the sale price, too, though. The main commitment here is time – it can be a while between when you leave your vehicle at the lot, and when you get paid.

Private sales are the trickiest but likely to net you the most money. However, you will need to be willing to advertise, set up appointments, have people come and inspect and test drive the vehicle, and transfer the title yourself. Having certain maintenance reports and other details on hand may also be necessary in order to successfully sell the car.

Choosing to sell your vehicle privately involves a certain amount of work. At the minimum, cleaning and airing out the car so that it look and smells nice, are necessary, as well as having a title to the vehicle, and the maintenance records. Not doing any of these things will drive down the price, or make it difficult to sell it at all.

Make your choice as to how to put up your used cars for sale based on what you are willing to do, and what you need from them. Dealerships are the most convenient, because most will simply have you sign a sale form in exchange for a check. But they definitely do not pay as well as private party sales, which require much more effort.

If your car is extremely old or broken down, selling it for scrap may be your only option for getting something out of it. Some dealers will purchase these vehicles at scrap price, while others turn them away. But if this is the case for you, finding a scrap metal dealer to take your vehicle is usually easy. However, don’t expect to make much off your scrapped vehicle.

Balancing the amount of Used cars for sale by owner effort you put, and the amount of money you get back and when determines the right method for each person. If you need the money right away, dealers are the best choice. Best price for the car – a private sale. Lots of time but no interest in selling it – let a consignment lot sell it for you.

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