A lot of people really need an SUV for their lifestyle, but the the cost of a new one can be completely prohibitive. Luckily for you, as someone who needs to sell their Toyota Highlander, there’s a good market of people interested in buying a used SUV. However, to get the best deal, there are a few things that you’ll need to do, and a few things that should probably make it onto your to-do list.
Three Things You Absolutely Need to Do
- Clean your SUV. Inside and out.
- Have your title in order.
- Know the value of your SUV.
Used car dealerships are going to try and get the best deal they can on your vehicle. If you know the value of your car, and whether or not you have one of the top rated cars, then you can maintain a little bargaining power. Just don’t rely on only one estimate from one source. Get a range, so that you are as educated on the topic as the dealership. Also, anyone buying a used SUV is going to be asking for the maintenance history. Unfortunately, now is not the time for you to decide that your SUV should finally be getting that oil change, but just know that your SUV’s repair and maintenance history, or lack thereof, could come back to bite you.
Three Things That You Probably Should Do
- Check between and under the seats for missing items and change.
- Don’t forget whatever is in your CD player.
- Begin to emotionally detach.
Before you offer a dealership your used SUV for sale, you should make sure that the first thing you do, the second you decide that you are selling, is to stop thinking of the SUV as yours. It will be harder to sell the more emotionally attached you are to it. Also, although leaving a few items behind in the SUV won’t affect its value to a dealership, you might be surprised that you find a couple dollars, or a favorite album, after you have done a really thorough job of cleaning your SUV out.
Lastly, turn used car buying tips into used car selling tips for yourself. Anyone buying used cars or used SUVs needs to carefully inspect the vehicle for minor imperfections. Use this mentality to instruct your preparations. Look at your vehicle as if you were buying a used SUV. Would you let that scratch in the door slide? What about that crayon mark on the dashboard? Using these six tips, and analyzing your SUV from the perspective of a potential buyer, will make the negotiation and the sale with your used car dealership much smoother.