How Long Does it Take to Sell a Car On Craigslist?

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Selling your car on Craigslist may take as little as only a few hours if you price it highly competitive for a quick sale. However, if your goal is to get the most money for your car and price it at the average market value, it should take up to a week to sell it.

Tips to sell your car on Craigslist faster:

• Wash and detail your car
• Take appealing images from various angles
• Be honest about your car’s description and condition
• Be responsive to all potential buyer calls and messages
• Communicate with potential buyers with respect and answer all their inquiries
• Be available to show your car to potential buyers
• Schedule a test drive when a buyer requests one
• Prepare all required paperwork in advance

5 Steps to Protect Yourself When Selling Your Car on Craigslist

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Craigslist is a go-to place for people to buy and sell used cars. And whenever a platform has a lot of customers, the scammers aren’t far behind. They usually use fake checks that look so real that car sellers can’t even notice they’re not real until they go to the bank to redeem their money.

Since Craigslist is only a platform that connects you to buyers, it doesn’t offer seller protection. As such, it’s your job to protect yourself. 

Here are the practical steps and top tips to keep yourself safe when selling a car on Craigslist:

Step 1: Price Your Car

If you overprice your automobile, you won’t attract any real customers. On the other side, if you undervalue your used automobile, you will receive less than you should.

So begin by looking up your car’s estimated fair market value on Kelley Blue Book (KBB) or Edmunds to confirm you’re pricing it correctly.

Step 2: Setting Up a Detailed Craigslist Ad

Include as much information as possible in your Craigslist post for your used vehicle.

Include the year, make, and model of your vehicle in the ad’s title. Include everything in the description, from the engine size to the mileage to the type of upholstery.

Report any damage or problems with your vehicle. You should also list any other equipment you installed, such as a radio, spoiler, or new tires.

Finally, make sure to include plenty of images.

Step 3: Meeting Potential Buyers

Meeting potential buyers is part of the selling process, whether they need to visually see, test drive, or inspect it.

You must carefully choose a place and the time when you plan to meet a potential buyer. It’s best to find a convenient spot in a public space such as a local mall parking, a public square, or a similar area.

Remember that genuine purchasers will want to take a test drive, and you may receive many offers on the same day

Step 4: Offering a Test Drive

Some buyers will request a test drive. And if you’d like to honor their request and let them test the car before buying your vehicle, there are some things to consider:

• Meet up in a public space such as a busy street or a local mall parking;
• Request a buyer to show you their driving license and auto insurance;
• Tag along as the buyer might not be familiar with the area and need directions. They might also have some questions regarding the buttons in the car.

Step 5: Collecting Paperwork

When you sell your vehicle, you must gather the proper documents to meet your state’s legal obligations. Every state has a different approach to dealing with those who wish to sell or buy secondhand cars.

It’s beyond the scope of this page to cover each state, but you may find more extensive information about your state by visiting DMV.org.

Let’s look at three sorts of documents that you should have in order to accomplish a legal sale of your car:

• Clear title
• Bill of sale
• Damage disclosure statement

The first document you’ll need to locate is the title of your vehicle. The lender will have a lien on the title if you still owe money on your vehicle. In this scenario, you might pay off your loan before the sale or get advice from your lender on how to proceed.

Don’t worry if you own your secondhand automobile outright but can’t find the title. You should be able to get a new one through your state’s DMV or transportation department.

After that, you’ll require a bill of sale. The rules vary from state to state. You may be able to make your own, depending on where you reside. Otherwise, some states allow you to download and print a bill of sale from the website of the state transportation department, or you may be able to obtain a paper copy from your local DMV.

Step 6: Negotiating the Deal

Used-car shoppers are looking for a good price, and will most likely want to haggle. That’s OK. But don’t be scared to walk away if you can’t agree on a price.

Once you’ve agreed on a price, your customer may want to pay by check. If this is the case, consider closing the deal at the buyer’s bank branch or request a cashier’s check. That way, you can be certain the check is genuine before handing over the keys to your vehicle.

Once you’ve received payment, you’ll transfer ownership of your vehicle to the buyer and complete a bill of sale.

Step 7: Removing Your License Plate

Before finalizing the sale, it’s important to remove your license plate. This will ensure your safety and remove any responsibility in case the future owner gets in legal trouble with your older car.

Step 8: Getting Paid

The safest way to get paid is to visit a convenient bank for you. If you agree to get cash, it’s recommended to meet the buyer at your bank so that you can safely put cash into your bank account immediately. 

Or, if you agree on a check payment, you can get the bank representative to examine if the check is genuine.

Is Selling a Car on Craigslist Worth it?

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Considering that it’s free to sell your car on Craigslist, it’s totally worth it. And you can do so in a matter of hours or a few days.

In fact, it’s a go-to place for many people looking for used cars. The platform has more than 60 million monthly users in the US, driving 50 billion page views each month.

Alternatives to Selling a Car on Craigslist

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There are faster alternatives to selling your car on Craigslist. Whether your car is in good condition or has any kind of damage, car-buying companies like Peddle and Wheelzy will buy it in no time.

Peddle

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To get an instant quote from Peddle, fill out the application form with details about your car. Right after you submit an application, the platform will show you the price offer.

After getting an offer, you’ll have seven days to consider it and make a decision. If you accept the deal, the Peddle agent will come to your driveway to pick up or tow your car for free within 48 hours. The Peddle agent will hand you the check right on the spot.

The details you’ll need to provide about your vehicle:

• Make and model
• VIN
• Year of manufacturing
• Current condition

What’s best, Peddle accepts cars in any condition – you can even sell a car if it doesn’t start and has engine damage.

Wheelzy

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Like Peddle, Wheelzy also offers instant cash payment and free pickups for cars in any condition.

The selling process is quite similar to Peddle:

• You submit an online application
• Get a price offer within 30 minutes
• Accept the offer
• Schedule the free pickup or towing within the next 48 hours
• Get paid on the spot

Note that Wheelzy has a restriction – it doesn’t accept old cars (1981 and older). But if you drive any modern-day vehicle, you can sell it to the company with no issue.

Pro tip: Request a quote from both Peddle and Wheelzy to get the most money for your older vehicle.

CarBrain

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CarBrain offers a user-friendly process that starts with an online form where you can provide details about your vehicle. It then provides a guaranteed offer instantly, and once you accept it, the company arranges for a local partner to come and take your vehicle.

CarBrain is known for providing fair prices for a wide range of vehicles, including popular brands like Honda, Ford, and Mercedes Benz. They also offer a fast and efficient service, with payments made within 24 to 48 hours of accepting the offer through a check, and there are no fees for their services.