How to stay safe when selling your car

How to stay safe when selling your car

Posted on September 30, 2022

Today, we are going to discuss the steps you should take to safely sell your used car. The majority of us have never sold a car before, so we are not aware of the risks involved in the process.

If you stick around with us until the end of this conversation, you will be able to sell your used car with complete confidence, so why not stick around?

Minimize your risk of being targeted by criminals

There are criminals who are looking for vehicles they can either still entirely and ship abroad or, at the very least, cut out the catalytic converters leaving you with a costly repair bill.

One of the ways these criminals are able to identify you is if you advertise your used car on social media platforms like Facebook Marketplaces.

These criminals will be able to figure out where you live and then come by your area; when you are asleep at night, your vehicle will be easy pickings for them!

While social media is fine for selling low-value items, when it comes to selling your used car, steer clear of social media.

Beware of using online websites to sell your used car

We touched on why you should avoid selling your used car on social media, but attempting to sell the vehicle online can be just as dangerous if you are not careful.

You could come across a local buyer who is interested in test-driving the car before they make a firm offer, which seems reasonable.

The person then proceeds to pay you with a bank draft that looks legitimate, so you hand over the car and a bill of sale.

When you try to deposit the bank draft, you find out it is a forgery, and your used car is gone!

The police will not be able to help you out because they consider this a civil matter, and even if they could, the thief and your car are long gone!

The safest place to sell your used car

We would be remiss if we warned you about the places to avoid online without showing you the safest place to sell your used car.

While it may come as a surprise to some, the best place to sell your used car is closer than you think; it is via your local car dealership.

Your local car dealership is always looking for vehicles to add to its inventory, and since this is a legitimate local business, you don’t have to worry about being cheated.

The dealership is able to pay you right away for the vehicle once you come to terms which is great since most private buyers need to secure financing even if they agree to buy your used car.

Now that you know the safest way to sell your used car, why not contact your local dealership right now and find out what your used car is worth?

There is no harm in that.

When you’re ready for a car lease or loan, get in touch with the auto loan experts at Northway Ford for great deals on auto finance.