How to sell my car as close to a specific date as possible?
July 5, 2021 8:30 PM Subscribe
My family and I are (finally!) moving to Canada. Yay! We're not taking our car with us, so we need to sell it. But we need to use it pretty much right up until we move. Help!
I'm moving on day X. I pretty much need the car up until day X-1. Is it a thing to post an ad on Craigslist to sell the car on (or close to) a specific date? I know I could sell it earlier and then rent a car, but rentals are crazy expensive right now and I'd like to avoid that if I can.
More details:
If it matters, the car is a 2008 Honda Fit with 140k miles. It's got a couple of little dings and scratches, nothing major, but we've kept it well maintained and the engine is in great shape. My mechanic estimates that it's got at least another 60k miles in it.
I got an online quote through Kelley Blue Book (which essentially just hooks you up with nearby dealerships that might be interested in the car) but the offer, unsurprisingly, was pretty low. I don't need to squeeze every last drop of money out of the car but I don't want to just hand it over to a dealership for next to nothing so they can vacuum it out and wax it and sell it for twice what they paid me.
I'm open to other options than private sale, but ideally I'd find somebody who needs a serviceable but not fancy car and I'd sell it to them for a fair price on the day before I move.
My priorities, in order, are something like:
I'm moving on day X. I pretty much need the car up until day X-1. Is it a thing to post an ad on Craigslist to sell the car on (or close to) a specific date? I know I could sell it earlier and then rent a car, but rentals are crazy expensive right now and I'd like to avoid that if I can.
More details:
If it matters, the car is a 2008 Honda Fit with 140k miles. It's got a couple of little dings and scratches, nothing major, but we've kept it well maintained and the engine is in great shape. My mechanic estimates that it's got at least another 60k miles in it.
I got an online quote through Kelley Blue Book (which essentially just hooks you up with nearby dealerships that might be interested in the car) but the offer, unsurprisingly, was pretty low. I don't need to squeeze every last drop of money out of the car but I don't want to just hand it over to a dealership for next to nothing so they can vacuum it out and wax it and sell it for twice what they paid me.
I'm open to other options than private sale, but ideally I'd find somebody who needs a serviceable but not fancy car and I'd sell it to them for a fair price on the day before I move.
My priorities, in order, are something like:
- Sell car as close to moving day as possible.
- Not spend a ton of time dealing with this, as I have other stuff to do (eg work, pack my stuff, take care of my kids, etc).
- Get a decent price for it.
Your easiest path to this is relaxing the price requirement. Places like Carmax make it very easy to sell a car within minutes to hours (depending on how busy they are). You obviously won’t get top dollar, but I can’t imagine that an inexpensive to begin with 13 year old car with 140k miles will fetch that much anyway. Carmax will give you a quote online. I’d do that and compare it to what similar cars are selling for used on other sites, to give yourself a sense of what a realistic value is (I’d ignore the KBB number). That will let you make a more informed decision on whether it’s worth going through the stress and hassle of trying to find a private buyer, or if you should just Carmax it (or similar - there are competitors).
Basically, you don’t have the luxury of trying to squeeze out the most money if you also need to do it on a really specific schedule. In my experience the only way to maximize the sale price of a used car is to be willing to wait for the right buyer to come along.
(On preview, what muddgirl said)
posted by primethyme at 8:46 PM on July 5, 2021 [5 favorites]
Basically, you don’t have the luxury of trying to squeeze out the most money if you also need to do it on a really specific schedule. In my experience the only way to maximize the sale price of a used car is to be willing to wait for the right buyer to come along.
(On preview, what muddgirl said)
posted by primethyme at 8:46 PM on July 5, 2021 [5 favorites]
If you don't have a CarMax nearby there are similar online services - Carvana is one I have heard good things about. In that case they will come pick up the car themselves.
posted by muddgirl at 8:46 PM on July 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by muddgirl at 8:46 PM on July 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
Is day X-1 a weekend? Much more likely to pull it off if so. List it in CL/FB Marketplace a few days before, and when would express interest, say you’re not able to let them test drive until the weekend.
Harder to do if X-1 is like a Wednesday, but I understand the used car market is pretty competitive at this point so you might be able to.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:12 PM on July 5, 2021
Harder to do if X-1 is like a Wednesday, but I understand the used car market is pretty competitive at this point so you might be able to.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:12 PM on July 5, 2021
If you're looking for a private sale, that sounds like the type of car some parents look for for their teenage kids and they might be more flexible about waiting until you're about to move than someone that's looking for a car right now because they need to be able to get to work.
But also think about what the spread between CarMax etc. and a private sale would be and how much dealing with multiple people wanting to test drive it, get it inspected, etc. would take. Depending on how much time you need to spend on other things, it may not be worth it.
posted by Candleman at 9:48 PM on July 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
But also think about what the spread between CarMax etc. and a private sale would be and how much dealing with multiple people wanting to test drive it, get it inspected, etc. would take. Depending on how much time you need to spend on other things, it may not be worth it.
posted by Candleman at 9:48 PM on July 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
Agree with the carmax or similar advice. Unfortunately, you're in a weak selling position. The only realistic way I could see this working is by finding a buyer among your friends or family and selling it to them before day x and they just let you keep it until then.
However, do the math on rentals vs. discount you feel you'll take by selling to carmax vs selling for top of market. And beware sometimes top-of-market cars just don't sell, so you could put it on CL now and it still might not sell before you depart and then you're in the same boat.
posted by maxwelton at 10:07 PM on July 5, 2021
However, do the math on rentals vs. discount you feel you'll take by selling to carmax vs selling for top of market. And beware sometimes top-of-market cars just don't sell, so you could put it on CL now and it still might not sell before you depart and then you're in the same boat.
posted by maxwelton at 10:07 PM on July 5, 2021
Memory says that Carmax give you an offer that is valid for a week - you don't have to sell then and there. That might help with timing, and it would also let you shop around, CL it, whatever.
Obviously you can use a car borrowing service or a rental company if you do find you've sold it early.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:55 PM on July 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
Obviously you can use a car borrowing service or a rental company if you do find you've sold it early.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:55 PM on July 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
+1 Carmax or similar. Call them and see what the process is. For us we would have needed an appointment for busy days which could book out a week or so. The actual process was a couple hours when we did get it in. They looked it over, we went in and signed paperwork and got a check. It’s our plan for selling our next car shortly before we move.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:26 PM on July 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Crystalinne at 11:26 PM on July 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
The only realistic way I could see this working is by finding a buyer among your friends or family and selling it to them before day x and they just let you keep it until then.
This is what my aunt did before a cross-country move. She probably sold it for less than she could have otherwise got for it, but she helped out a young adult by giving them a good deal and they gave her a ride to the airport and then drove the car home from there, so win/win, really.
posted by urbanlenny at 11:50 PM on July 5, 2021
This is what my aunt did before a cross-country move. She probably sold it for less than she could have otherwise got for it, but she helped out a young adult by giving them a good deal and they gave her a ride to the airport and then drove the car home from there, so win/win, really.
posted by urbanlenny at 11:50 PM on July 5, 2021
Totally anecdote, but I DID have success selling through CL and asking to hold on to the car up until the X-1 date (I had mentally prepared to rent a car for a brief period if I needed to, though). The buyers were kind and not in a rush, though I did somewhat underprice the car just because I needed to get rid of it.
posted by Bebo at 4:59 AM on July 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Bebo at 4:59 AM on July 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
There are a bunch of services that will give you a pre-sale quote (so you can pick the one that offers you the most) and then schedule a date to come to your house and take the car from you. Carvana, CarMax, CarFax, Vroom, TruCar, among others.
There have been some great r/PersonalFinance posts recently from people who have sold cars, and their experiences with each of the various buyers.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:44 AM on July 6, 2021
There have been some great r/PersonalFinance posts recently from people who have sold cars, and their experiences with each of the various buyers.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:44 AM on July 6, 2021
Cars get sold ahead of time for delivery on a specific date around here all the time by international students returning home. I'd at least try selling it that way, you can always fall back to CarMax or whatever if that technique doesn't work.
posted by Mitheral at 6:42 AM on July 6, 2021
posted by Mitheral at 6:42 AM on July 6, 2021
A few years back I was in a similar position and sold it to a local car broker of sorts. I'm honestly not exactly sure what the business was - they bought used cars but didn't have a big lot so I suspect they mostly sold the cars online. Somehow I got a solid deal from them (more than CarMax, probably less than I would have gotten from CL, I remember it was enough to cover the remainder of my loan plus around $5K and that was good enough for me) and was able to hold onto the car until the day before I moved - I think it was about a week. I found them by googling "[my city] sell car" and they had really highly rated online reviews from sellers. So maybe try looking to see if there's a similar small, well-regarded dealer in your area.
If that fails, I would get a bunch of offers from the different online services mentioned here and view those as your Plan B. Try for a few weeks to sell it on CL/FB marketplace with the caveat that the sale will be delayed. If that fails, go with whichever online service or dealer offers you the best price.
posted by lunasol at 11:36 AM on July 6, 2021
If that fails, I would get a bunch of offers from the different online services mentioned here and view those as your Plan B. Try for a few weeks to sell it on CL/FB marketplace with the caveat that the sale will be delayed. If that fails, go with whichever online service or dealer offers you the best price.
posted by lunasol at 11:36 AM on July 6, 2021
I once sold an old car on craigslist right before an overseas move. I priced it cheap and the first person who came to test drive it (for her teenage daughter) brought cash and drove it home. It was super easy. They got a bargain and I got rid of the car quickly with minimum hassle.
posted by emd3737 at 7:40 PM on July 6, 2021
posted by emd3737 at 7:40 PM on July 6, 2021
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posted by muddgirl at 8:44 PM on July 5, 2021 [5 favorites]