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Hi. What online selling sites do you recommend I list my 2015 LX? I am buying a minivan. I haven't asked the dealership for a trade in value, b/c they will probably offer something low, so, I thought I'd try to sell it myself. I'm located in the San Antonio area, if that makes a difference. I appreciate your input. I don't have much experience buying/selling cars. My 2004 RX, which I still have, I bought off ebay motors Thanks
Since you're in San Antonio, I'd first go to a place like Carmax to see what values they would offer; this gives you a baseline. Texas Auto Direct as well as Vroom/Carvana would also be alternate sites you should definitely check out. They are obviously all free and I can personally attest that Carmax, Texas Auto Direct and Vroom are very no-pressure to give you a quote on buying your car (never tried Carvana).
You do this to get a good understanding of the wholesale value of your vehicle, then I would add some $$$ and use that as your starting price. Vroom will actually make an offer on your car that, if you accept, they will pick up from you...even better, you can sell your car on Vroom (Vroom will act as the middleman so to speak).
I've had decent luck with autotrader and cars.com, with a vehicle like a 2015 LX I would hesitate using Craigslist however.
Thanks to both of you. I'm nervous about selling and hoping I'm not making a huge mistake getting rid of the LX. I just feel like this is what I need to do for this season of life. We'll come back to the LX when the kids are olderr.
Autotrader give you higher selling price than carmax, i tried to sell my GX before the auto trader gave me $3000 higher than car max, try both to see which one is giving you more.
Thanks to both of you. I'm nervous about selling and hoping I'm not making a huge mistake getting rid of the LX. I just feel like this is what I need to do for this season of life. We'll come back to the LX when the kids are olderr.
you can also check out vroom or beepi online. no experience with either, but i believe they handle the sale for you so you may come out with more $ with less effort. But you should definitely know what the trade in base line is (as mentioned above by Wandl), CarMax is a great place to get your car appraised. Expect a few $k below KBB trade in value.
Yep - give Vroom a try as a few people have mentioned they offer above-dealer trade-in (through their lower-cost business model) and are pretty easy to deal with
I don't think beepi is still in business. I used them once before and the experience was pretty good and I got good price from them. Another similar company called shift (shift.com), but they don't seem to operate in San Antonio.
I've gone to CarMax also, but found it to be too low. The difference was some $9k.
Just becareful when you do the transaction. Don't just blindly accept an official looking CASHIER'S CHECK because it maybe fake. By the time you are notified, your dear LX570 is long gone (probably somewhere overseas in a third world country).
I would ask the buyer which bank he/she uses and go there during business hours so you can witness him/her approaching the counter and see a cashier's check is made out to you in front of you. This is assuming he/she is paying in cash. I've done this in person in the past. This has the added bonus of EXCELLENCE VIDEO SURVILLENCE by the bank if something goes wrong and further validates the BOTH OF YOU. Nothing to hide.
If not paying in cash and you have a loan, then ask him to send the cashier check to your lien holder. Once your lien holder confirms the payment IN WRITING, that's when you physically release the car to him or her along with signing over the title (DONT DO IT BEFORE VERICATION) I've done this also on the past on another car I sold.
If he/she is paying by a loan check and you do not have a lien, then go together to the bank and deposit that cashier's check AND WAIT FOR YOUR BANK TO VERIFY FUNDS HAD CLEARED. I HAVE NOT done this way.
Another way is via an online escrow company. This can be tricky and will cost either you or the buyer done percentage if the total amount. I have not done it this way.
Also during test drives/meetings, I would have a "male person" there also just in case. Nothing against females or anything........it is just to be safe. I would carry, if one has a concealed permit. That's just me. You can do whatever you like on this.
Regarding AutoTrader..........DO NOT FALL for the phishing scams where you get an email of some sort officiallyfrom AutoTrader having difficulty with your account or whatever and ask you to click on a link within the email asking you to log in. DO NOT CLICK IT. JUST DELETE IT. AutoTrader will NOT EVER ASK YOU TO DO THAT. As I remembered when I first listed the vehicle on AutoTrader, AutoTrader will send you a confirmation email with log in information in case you need to edit the ad or delete the ad upon selling the vehicle. YOU NEED TO KEEP THAT CONFIRMATION EMAIL.
Lastly make sure upon selling the vehicle, make sure you have a "Bill of Sale" filled out with all the specifics of the vehicle (VIN NUMBERS, DATE OF SALE, dollar amount of the sale, year, make, model, MILEAGE, FULL NAMES OF BUYER AND SELLER, PREFERABLY WITH DRIVERS LICENSE NUMBERS AND DATE OF BIRTH). The date and time is especially important if there are traffic cams OPERATING in your area. After both parties signed the Bill of Sale, give one copy to the seller and you keep a copy. As matter of fact just have two of the same and both sign twice and you are all set. Make sure to State explicitly that you are do not provide ANY warranty on the vehicle and SOLD AS IS AND WHERE IT IS. Any warranty, if any is by the manufacturer. AND THERE IS NO REFUND.
Also I would ask for a drivers license BEFORE a test drive and ask in front of the potential buyer if ok to take a pic of it with the cell phone. Then sent it to someone you trust before test drive. Car dealers do this for security reasons (except they just do a Xerox copy of the drivers license). Who would show up without a drivers license anyway?
As for the location of the meet?? I prefer NOT meeting at home. I would ask the buyer if there is a particular public place, like Star Bucks or some other place with people around, but not too much traffic.
I kept my license plate upon the sale (if your state allows this). If not, then you'll have to leave the license plate on the vehicle. So have some tool with you if you need to remove the license plate.
Notify your insurance Company to take it off the policy.
I would avoid Craigslist. Too much headaches for me.
Just becareful. If you don't want to be bothered with all these, then CarMax or trade/selling to a car dealer are the way to go. But you pay for the convienece.
Good luck
Originally Posted by gptgirl
Thanks to both of you. I'm nervous about selling and hoping I'm not making a huge mistake getting rid of the LX. I just feel like this is what I need to do for this season of life. We'll come back to the LX when the kids are olderr.
I've gone to CarMax also, but found it to be too low. The difference was some $9k.
Just becareful when you do the transaction. Don't just blindly accept an official looking CASHIER'S CHECK because it maybe fake. By the time you are notified, your dear LX570 is long gone (probably somewhere overseas in a third world country).
I would ask the buyer which bank he/she uses and go there during business hours so you can witness him/her approaching the counter and see a cashier's check is made out to you in front of you. This is assuming he/she is paying in cash. I've done this in person in the past. This has the added bonus of EXCELLENCE VIDEO SURVILLENCE by the bank if something goes wrong and further validates the BOTH OF YOU. Nothing to hide.
If not paying in cash and you have a loan, then ask him to send the cashier check to your lien holder. Once your lien holder confirms the payment IN WRITING, that's when you physically release the car to him or her along with signing over the title (DONT DO IT BEFORE VERICATION) I've done this also on the past on another car I sold.
If he/she is paying by a loan check and you do not have a lien, then go together to the bank and deposit that cashier's check AND WAIT FOR YOUR BANK TO VERIFY FUNDS HAD CLEARED. I HAVE NOT done this way.
Another way is via an online escrow company. This can be tricky and will cost either you or the buyer done percentage if the total amount. I have not done it this way.
Also during test drives/meetings, I would have a "male person" there also just in case. Nothing against females or anything........it is just to be safe. I would carry, if one has a concealed permit. That's just me. You can do whatever you like on this.
Regarding AutoTrader..........DO NOT FALL for the phishing scams where you get an email of some sort officiallyfrom AutoTrader having difficulty with your account or whatever and ask you to click on a link within the email asking you to log in. DO NOT CLICK IT. JUST DELETE IT. AutoTrader will NOT EVER ASK YOU TO DO THAT. As I remembered when I first listed the vehicle on AutoTrader, AutoTrader will send you a confirmation email with log in information in case you need to edit the ad or delete the ad upon selling the vehicle. YOU NEED TO KEEP THAT CONFIRMATION EMAIL.
Lastly make sure upon selling the vehicle, make sure you have a "Bill of Sale" filled out with all the specifics of the vehicle (VIN NUMBERS, DATE OF SALE, dollar amount of the sale, year, make, model, MILEAGE, FULL NAMES OF BUYER AND SELLER, PREFERABLY WITH DRIVERS LICENSE NUMBERS AND DATE OF BIRTH). The date and time is especially important if there are traffic cams OPERATING in your area. After both parties signed the Bill of Sale, give one copy to the seller and you keep a copy. As matter of fact just have two of the same and both sign twice and you are all set. Make sure to State explicitly that you are do not provide ANY warranty on the vehicle and SOLD AS IS AND WHERE IT IS. Any warranty, if any is by the manufacturer. AND THERE IS NO REFUND.
Also I would ask for a drivers license BEFORE a test drive and ask in front of the potential buyer if ok to take a pic of it with the cell phone. Then sent it to someone you trust before test drive. Car dealers do this for security reasons (except they just do a Xerox copy of the drivers license). Who would show up without a drivers license anyway?
As for the location of the meet?? I prefer NOT meeting at home. I would ask the buyer if there is a particular public place, like Star Bucks or some other place with people around, but not too much traffic.
I kept my license plate upon the sale (if your state allows this). If not, then you'll have to leave the license plate on the vehicle. So have some tool with you if you need to remove the license plate.
Notify your insurance Company to take it off the policy.
I would avoid Craigslist. Too much headaches for me.
Just becareful. If you don't want to be bothered with all these, then CarMax or trade/selling to a car dealer are the way to go. But you pay for the convienece.
Good luck
That's all good advice. I would also recommend you consider Biggie Smalls' advice:
"I'd rather make a buck, drive a fat-*** truck
Grab the 9, two clips, and run amok
Yes, flex at the two or three Benzes
I wreck s***, what the f*** you expected?
A fly guy? Well f*** it, I'm the high guy
from Bed-Stuy, puttin the swellin on your eye
and your nose even, when I choke ya you stop breathin
And when Jake come, I'm leavin!"
There is always a risk associated with trying to sell a vehicle privately. Usually the process goes smoothly. I don't leave anything to chance. In these type of things, I will be prepared and ready with contingencies. It's just me. Others may just leave it to chance and that's when bad things happen to good people.
Several years ago a neighbor of mine sold their 2 year old nice pickup truck due to a move across several states. They did not want to drive it nor wanted to transport it. They were going to each drive a vehicle to their new home. But at the last minute after the big moving truck had moved out , someone answered their ad. So they sold it (They thought). It turned out that official looking cashier's check was a fake and their bank called them after they had arrived at their new home. It was a mess. At the end the pickup truck was never recovered and they still owed and responsible for the loan balance.
When I sold my MB a few years ago, I had a young "hillbilly" from AL who showed up in a brand new all decked out 4X4 dulley crew cab diesel pickup truck wanting to buy my old MB hardtop convertible and did not haggle and willing to pay my asking price. My SA (Situation Awareness) was at all time high. So I asked some of my LEO buddies to check the guy out. As it turned out the guy had inherited a tire shop/parts store and he was legit. So after the transaction at his bank of choice, I asked him why he wanted to buy from me and why this "little two seater hardtop convertible" (he barely can fit into the sport seat). He said he just didn't like any of the surrounding MB dealers. Plus he saw me driving the car with the for sale sign. He thought it was such a cool car and he wanted to use it on the weekends to go to the beach. He also told me this is such a "Pu_ _ Magnet" and he just had to have it. All went well no problems. Incidentally I had a LEO buddy to go with me. Each of us drove separate cars bc after the transaction at the bank I will not have that car anymore. I can not emphasize these day you have to be careful and have a well thought out plan to be ready in case things go south.
This is why a lot of people just prefer to "trade in or sell" to the car dealer to avoid the hassle and potential liabilities.
Originally Posted by Chocolate
That's all good advice. I would also recommend you consider Biggie Smalls' advice:
"I'd rather make a buck, drive a fat-*** truck
Grab the 9, two clips, and run amok
Yes, flex at the two or three Benzes
I wreck s***, what the f*** you expected?
A fly guy? Well f*** it, I'm the high guy
from Bed-Stuy, puttin the swellin on your eye
and your nose even, when I choke ya you stop breathin
And when Jake come, I'm leavin!"
But I prefer a more stealthy approach so not to scare away any potential customers,. LOL,. 👍👍👍👍😋😋😋😋😆😆😆😀😀😀😀
Originally Posted by Chocolate
That's all good advice. I would also recommend you consider Biggie Smalls' advice:
"I'd rather make a buck, drive a fat-*** truck
Grab the 9, two clips, and run amok
Yes, flex at the two or three Benzes
I wreck s***, what the f*** you expected?
A fly guy? Well f*** it, I'm the high guy
from Bed-Stuy, puttin the swellin on your eye
and your nose even, when I choke ya you stop breathin
And when Jake come, I'm leavin!"
There is always a risk associated with trying to sell a vehicle privately. Usually the process goes smoothly. I don't leave anything to chance. In these type of things, I will be prepared and ready with contingencies. It's just me. Others may just leave it to chance and that's when bad things happen to good people.
Several years ago a neighbor of mine sold their 2 year old nice pickup truck due to a move across several states. They did not want to drive it nor wanted to transport it. They were going to each drive a vehicle to their new home. But at the last minute after the big moving truck had moved out , someone answered their ad. So they sold it (They thought). It turned out that official looking cashier's check was a fake and their bank called them after they had arrived at their new home. It was a mess. At the end the pickup truck was never recovered and they still owed and responsible for the loan balance.
When I sold my MB a few years ago, I had a young "hillbilly" from AL who showed up in a brand new all decked out 4X4 dulley crew cab diesel pickup truck wanting to buy my old MB hardtop convertible and did not haggle and willing to pay my asking price. My SA (Situation Awareness) was at all time high. So I asked some of my LEO buddies to check the guy out. As it turned out the guy had inherited a tire shop/parts store and he was legit. So after the transaction at his bank of choice, I asked him why he wanted to buy from me and why this "little two seater hardtop convertible" (he barely can fit into the sport seat). He said he just didn't like any of the surrounding MB dealers. Plus he saw me driving the car with the for sale sign. He thought it was such a cool car and he wanted to use it on the weekends to go to the beach. He also told me this is such a "Pu_ _ Magnet" and he just had to have it. All went well no problems. Incidentally I had a LEO buddy to go with me. Each of us drove separate cars bc after the transaction at the bank I will not have that car anymore. I can not emphasize these day you have to be careful and have a well thought out plan to be ready in case things go south.
This is why a lot of people just prefer to "trade in or sell" to the car dealer to avoid the hassle and potential liabilities.
Yeah, a transaction at a bank (for anything more than a cash sale) is the only way to do it. I don't trust a stranger's check for $100 let alone $60,000 plus.
The other day while driving home and I was running low on gas and stopped by a gas station near a casino just down the road within line of visual sights. This was middle of the night, but there were still a good amount of traffic in the area. Some dude pulled up to the gas pump opposite of me in a rusty *****_box van as I'm gassing up. He got out and gave me a sorry **** story of whatever and said all he got is "a hundred dollar bill" and the gas station will not make change for him and he is almost empty on gas. He wanted me to make change for "his hundred dollar bill".
As I finished gassing up........ I said to him, "the casino surely will make change for you ASSUMING your HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL IS REAL!!! YOU SEE THE CASINO JUST OVER YOUNDER, RIGHT? YOU CAN WALK THERE IN 5 MINUTES".
I WISHED I HAD A CAMERA ON HIS FACE AS I SAID THAT TO HIM. IT WAS PRICELESS!!!
What a scammer!!!
Originally Posted by Chocolate
Yeah, a transaction at a bank (for anything more than a cash sale) is the only way to do it. I don't trust a stranger's check for $100 let alone $60,000 plus.
05-28-17, 08:15 PM
Selling my LX
Thanks
