10 STEPS TO SELLING YOUR CAR

Step 8: Omit Possible Objections

In truth, the negotiation began the moment you started talking to the potential buyer. Each piece of information shared during the entire process will ultimately have an influence on what price that person is willing to pay.

Organize Your Service Records
Go over your car's service history in as much detail as you can. The service receipts should be organized in chronological order and be as complete as possible. Most likely, you will not have complete records for every service done on or before the time it was due, or a log book recording every time you put in gas, added oil and checked tire pressures - but you have probably retained at least some service records. The more proof you have that your car has been serviced properly, the more desirable it will be when it comes time to sell.

Firmly Establish the Vehicle As "AS IS"
If the buyer wants to go straight to negotiation, make certain you have established that the car will be sold "AS IS," and that anything found later will not be subject to renegotiation. If the prospect wants to have the car inspected, fine, but it's at the buyer's expense and you don't want to wait so long you might lose another buyer. If fact, before certification programs brought much-needed standardization of inspections and reconditioning, we used to recommend that buyers have a qualified mechanic check any used car they were serious about buying, even if it was from a dealership. It gives both parties peace of mind.

Be Aware of Clever Tactics
Don't be fooled by a double-negotiator, which is an apparent buyer that negotiates a price, only to later decide to have the car looked at by a mechanic. When that buyer comes back with a list of needed repairs, he starts from that lower price, to which you have previously agreed, and then works downward from there. Even if a person's intentions are honest -- and most are -- it's still best for all parties to know what they are dealing with up front.