How To Post a Proper FOR SALE ad.
Step 1: Car Outline
Provide us with your cars information and details, nobody wants to guess it, and it's real inconvenient to have to contact the person just to find out basic information that everyone should already know.
General Information should include at least:
Make:
Model:
Year:
Miles:
Body Style:
Condition:
Maintenance Records:
Modifications:
Step 2: Posting Pictures
NOBODY wants to buy a car that they cannot see for them selves, a lot of the time, people don't even bother looking at your for-sale ad if there are no pictures.
One of the easiest ways to post up pictures on the internet is by creating a online photo album. Photo-bucket is one of the nicest websites out there for doing so.
Go to www.photobucket.com and create a account, upload you’re pictures to an album, and you’ll be good to go.
How do you post them on the forums you might ask?
Simply copy and paste the “Direct Link URL†from the uploaded photo and on the forum, click the mini-picture and a box will appear, paste the link in that screen, and you’re picture will appear.
Tip: When posting up pictures, keep in mind not everyones computer/internet is the fastest, try to keep the photo's a decent small size, but still able to see the car good
Step 3: Seller Information
Not that we know about your car and what it looks like, we would like to know where the car is located, how long you have owned it, how many owners before you, and how much you are asking for it. If you are accepting trades, cash, ect.
Basic information should include:
Location:
Contact Information:
Asking Price:
Length Owned:
# Of Previous Owners:
Trades Acceptable:
And any other miscellaneous information that you have to offer.
And one major key point in any for sale ad is HONESTY, be %100 honest with what is going on with your car, accidents, repairs, ect, because in the end, you want the person buying your car to be happy.
Step 4: Reasearching the Value of your car.
Everyone's car is worth a certain amount to themselves, but to the general public, pricing can vary greatly.
One great way of finding out what your car is worth is by using the "Kelly Blue Book" System. Also know as kbb.
Go to: New Cars, Used Cars, Blue Book Values & Car Prices - Kelley Blue Book, select "Used", input your year/make/model, then a screen will pop up asking which value are you looking for?
Trade In Value
The amount consumers can expect to receive from a dealer for a trade-in vehicle.
Private Party Value
The amount a buyer can expect to pay when buying a used car from a private party.
Suggested Retail Value
The value that is representative of dealers' asking prices for a used car. A starting point for negotiation between a consumer and a dealer
You want to select "Private Party Value" as your are intending to sell it to another person. Trade in, or suggested retail options are for expecting what a dealer will ask for your same car.
People also like to use "NADA" Value, but what a lot of people don't realize is that NADA value is "Retail" Meaning, what is or can be expected when buying from a dealer, not a private party.. If someone wants a retail price, they will go to a retail dealer.
Step 4a: Value (Modifications)
IF you have aftermarket parts in your car, and you expect to get more then the average price, you might want to consider changing your car back to stock, and parting out the aftermarket items for reasons being;
A. Not everyone wants a modified car
B. Modifications don't usually increase value of a car, depending on the severity
C.You are more likely to target a bigger selection of people looking for a normal stock car.
D. A lot of people rather do their own work
(If you do choose to de-mod, be honest when selling the car and let the person know it was modified, ect)
And there are also some people that rather buy a already "modded" car, the decision is up to you, and how much work you already have into the car.
General Quick Info & Tips:
-Put your price in the very top of the listing, where it can be easily seen
-Make your title look good, don't just put "car for sale" actually put what you are selling, or say something witty, make it stand out from the rest.
-Always ask more then you want ex. You want 5000, list it up for $5800 O.B.O and let someone talk you down, people like to negotiate.
-Another key point is make your listing look presentable, make sure the grammar, spelling, ect looks nice. It's not a requirement, but makes things look good, just like your car that you are trying to sell
And above all else, just use common sense. When people want to buy a car, they want to be assured they are buying from a trust-able, reliable source, not some guy who is trying to make a quick buck and brake down on the way home.
If anyone else has anything to add, let me know and I'll put it in, with all that being said, good luck & enjoy.