Stay Safe While Selling Your Car

September 19, 2011 by

You’ve decided to sell your car. You want to handle the transaction on your own because you’re pretty sure you can get more out of it than the trade-in offer. It’ll mean saving even more on your new car and maybe even opting for that built-in GPS feature you’ve had your eye on.

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But the risks are much greater when you decide to go it alone. Meeting potential buyers and dealing with them financially always comes with a horror story or two—and your buddies made sure to describe both to you in detail the minute you put your ads out.

Selling your car doesn’t have to be a terrifying situation, though. Knowing how to handle contacts and what to watch out for will help reduce your risk and put you in better control of each meeting or test drive. Check out these six tips for how to stay safe while selling your car.

  1. Check for warning signs.

    2. Always try to talk to interested parties over the phone before you meet with them. While you’re talking, don’t get so caught up in the fact that you found a buyer that you miss any warning signs the person is showing. Listen for hesitation or unclear answers. Ask for the person’s full name and see how he or she responds. See how interested the person seems about the car’s details.

  2. Go with your gut.

    3. If you don’t have a good feeling after talking to a potential buyer, don’t set up a meeting. You’re not obligated to sell to anyone, so don’t put yourself in a possibly dangerous situation if you sense that something is off. There will be other customers.

  3. Bring a friend.

    4. Never meet someone alone, and this advice applies to women and men. Take a friend, or family member along with you, and meet your contact in a public place (like a mall parking lot) during daylight hours.

  4. Ask for ID.

    5. Before you hand over your keys to a stranger for a test drive, ask for his or her driver’s license and make copies of it before giving it back. To make this easier, ask for the copy ahead of time or plan to meet near a public library or other facility with an accessible copier.

  5. Check your insurance policy.

    6. If you’re not going to be accompanying the buyer on a test drive, you might want to check to see what your insurance policy says about the situation. Covering yourself for unaccompanied test drives might be a good idea. Call your insurance agent with any questions that come up.

  6. Follow up.

    7. After you sell your car, file a “release of liability” form as soon as you possibly can. You can do this with the registry of motor vehicles. Filing takes away your responsibility in the case of a crime associated with your car.

Staying safe while selling your car is easy if you know how to handle situations with strangers. Post more of your tips here.



Comments



  1. Reception Signage - September 19, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    Thats good list to consider before going on a car deal, trusting and securing for your own good is the top priority.

    Kenny

  2. Maurina - September 20, 2011 at 8:17 am

    Hi Kenny,

    I’m glad you found our information helpful!

    Cheers,
    Maurina Venturelli
    Social Media Manager, UsedCars.com

  3. Reiko Sarah - September 20, 2011 at 10:36 am

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