If you really want to sell that car, there are two things that you need to consider. How do I keep myself safe and how do I get rid of it once and for all?

With the criminal world in the state that it is, it is very important to keep yourself safe. Selling you car is no exception.

1. Don't give out any information to a potential buyer that may lead them back to you. Don't tell them where you may work, how many kids you have, their ages, where they go to school, nothing.

2. Don't accept anything other than cash. Certified checks, money order and personal checks are a no-no. There is nothing to say that this personal check he is giving you is real, this money order or certified bank check is real. Don't take the chance. If you cash it and it's fake, you owe the bank the money, not the person who gave you the check.

3. Make sure that you execute a proper bill of sale. Depending on the laws in your state, if the bill of sale is not done right, the sale never happened and you may be required to return the money and take the car back.

4. Don't offer any warrantees. Don't speak of any and don't write any. Some states accept verbal statements about the vehicle as an admission of warrantee.

5. Don't make any other statements about the vehicles issues unless it ends in "that I know of." If you don't state something specific, nothing can be held against you. You know your vehicle doesn't have any transmission issues, but the buyer asks, "Are there any issues with the transmission?" Your response should be, "No, not that I know of." Though, to you there aren't any. But to a mechanic, should he bring it to one, there might be.

6. Always make sure that you include the verbage "as is as seen" and "no warrantees, expressed or implied, regardless of any verbal statements that may or may not have been made about the vehicle." The car might have been good to you and you tell the buyer t his. He has issues with it and doesn't think that it is a good car. That is not your fault, but he may see it as you wrongfully and knowing misrepresented the vehicle. But you didn't.

7. Don't point out every small issue that the vehicle has. If it has an issue, leave that up to the buyer to discover. After all you do want to sell the vehicle, right?

Sometimes you have to think of the consumer as non-knowing. The new car dealers do this every day. They don't point out strong issues that Chevrolet has with their sedans. They don't point out any issues that any vehicle has. Why should you. Don't think of it as you deceiving anyone. If they really wanted the real skinny on that vehicle, then they would invest the money to have it looked at by a mechanic before they purchased it. Make that sale happen, don't shoot it down at the first chance you get.

Learn more about this author, Sarah Sanuth - Buying and Selling Cars Steward.
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