RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — All this week, Good Morning Richmond On The Money is showing you how to get the most for what you have. Today we have the inside scoop on how to get the most cash for your car.
Maybe you want to ditch an old clunker or just upgrade to a newer car. Here are some things you’ll want to do to get big bucks for a beat-up ride.
“Make sure you have all your maintenance records,” says Gerald Jacobson, Owner of One Stop Auto Repair. “Make sure it’s clean.”
Jacobson sees a lot of cars come through his garage doors, many that owners are trying to sell.
“Make sure there are no hidden surprises if someone takes it to another shop, so that when he comes back he can give it a clean bill of health. That’ll make it easier for you to sell it.”
There are a few options for how to sell your car.
“If you’re going to sell it yourself, you’re actually going to probably get more money, but you’re going to have to work for it also,” Jacobson says.
Thousands of cars are for sale on Craigslist in Richmond alone. Only you can decide if it’s worth the hassle to try to find a buyer. You can also sell it to an independent car dealership, though you’re likely to make less money.
“A CarMax,” Jacobson suggests. “They know what they’re going to tell you what it’s worth to them, not to you.”
If you’re thinking of selling, Jacobson says now is as good a time as ever.
“The market’s real good. The economy is getting better every day.”
Be sure to keep up with your oil changes. Jacobson says don’t wait until you hit the next 10,000 miles or more to take your car. That’ll help when it comes time to try to sell it.
