by Craig J Davenport

Created on: August 07, 2008   Last Updated: March 27, 2010

When you are selling your own car, in these times, it is very important to put the asking price as close to the actual amount you will take for the car. I'm retired from the retail Auto business after forty years of experience, so I should know. The price is not the only thing to be considered. Most buyers are mostly concerned with the appearance of the vehicle. It's sort of meeting an ugly woman or man that you will never get to know since you don't like their looks. Selling used cars is a numbers game and the more people who look at the car the quicker it will be sold. You can compare it to the auto dealer's closing ratio, which is usually around twenty percent. If you have five people look at the car, one will buy it.

Always show the positive traits of the car. If the prospective buyer is looking for a gas saver and you are selling a gas hog, your chances are very slim of selling this individual this vehicle. On the other hand if you are good enough at the presentation of the car and it is nicer than any other car he has shopped your chances of selling him improve greatly. service records are very important to some buyers. If you have them keep them handy and you may be able to sell him or her something that they swore they wouldn't buy simply by using your superior salesmanship and knowledge.

Before wasting too much time with any individual, do your qualifying of this person. This means that they are the actual buyer, instead of a coach. Mainly, be sure they have access to the money to buy the vehicle. If they are what we call in the business as tire kickers, get rid of them. You are wasting your time, not theirs!

Make sure you don't just turn someone that you don't know loose in your car alone to show his or her mechanic, since it's much easier for the mechanic to find things wrong with the vehicle without you being there. Remember if the mechanic says the car is a great one, and the buyer has trouble with it he is going back to the mechanic to show his displeasure, and the mechanic knows this.

When it's all said and done, be honest with the buyer, but still be a salesperson. If you show any negativity during the presentation they aren't going to buy your car, no matter what signals they give you. Be sure the car is clean, had an oil change recently, and capable of taking a trip in immediately, if they choose. These are the main things to be considered when selling.

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