Selling Used Car-My Baby-Need Advice (sale, how much, transfer)

[BMWZ4RUlz]

Just moved to the area and have my beauty (2006 Z4 red, just around 50k miles). I need to sell it. Should I do it privately (still tagged out of state) or just go to Carmax. The car is in great shape, would love any advice. I could sell it privately, but seems complicated with it being tagged in PA and all.

If anyone has any tips, I would really appreciate. "WeBuyAnyCar" has terrible reviews, so that is probably not the best idea.

Any advice you can lend would be greatly appreciated.

[Carlingtonian]

I'd suggest Craiglist. I've bought and sold I think four cars on CL in the past 10 years. It's really pretty reliable if you're good at screening people based on their communication (and if you yourself write a coherent and informative ad, which I'm sure you would do). E.g., ignore people who won't use complete sentences, want to do everything via text message, or can't spell "brakes" correctly.

Carmax is a ripoff; they will give you so much less than your car is worth, it's criminal. I would do eBay before I'd do Carmax. The only reason to do Carmax is if you truly don't mind getting 20-25% less than you can in a private sale and just want the car gone ASAP, with minimal effort.

If you don't go the CL route, you could try cars.com to reach a nationwide audience.

A tag from a different state is no big deal; the buyer will need a new tag anyway. Long as you have the title in your name and the registration from PA, it should be a pretty easy process. I've always met the buyer (or seller) at the bank to draw a cashier's check and then headed to the DMV to do the handover and make sure everything is transferred correctly on the books.

[blindside]

At least get the inspection sticker and emissions done for the next year. As a buyer, I would want to know that even if you (might) be selling me a lemon, at least I can squeak by for the next year.

[Megadell]

Carmax isn't so much a rip off, as much designed for people who want extreme convenience or are afraid to haggle.

[ChristineVA]

I've sold two used cars on Craigslist in the last 2 years.

You have to weed through the bizarre scam emails but they are not hard to pick out.

I'd also go on Autotrader or something like that.

Carmax is fine, but you will get more money on Craigslist.

Why are you worried about out of state tags? That's no hassle for the buyer. You would never sell the car with your tags on it.

[BarqCider]

know the blue book value of your car. no, your car isnt "new" nor prestine. be honest. then you know how much its valued here.

keep in mind that some folks will be semi turned off by the car due to it being from PA.(salt,snow and terrible roads. a stigma of PA. id know)

once you know the blue book, try carmax. give it a shot. i had carmax offer me blue book for my car once. more than what was offered on CL.

[yandex]

Don't totally discount Carmax. I had my car appraised a couple months ago, and they offered me more than I expected. Frankly, more than what I came up with on the Blue Book site. There's absolutely no pressure to sell to them. And it only took about 30-45 minutes (I set up an appointment). If nothing else, it gives you a specific, written basis if you decide to go through private sale and you start getting low-balled.

[Carlingtonian]

The online pricing sites are all over the place. There's NADA, Kelley, Edmunds, and then there's the "black book" that only the wholesalers have access to. The only resource I know of that will show you what cars actually sold for is eBay's completed listings. If you can find almost the same car with similar mileage, for which a recent auction actually completed, that price is a pretty good indicator.

Re. Carmax, this is pretty funny.

[BMWZ4RUlz]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

I've sold two used cars on Craigslist in the last 2 years.

You have to weed through the bizarre scam emails but they are not hard to pick out.

I'd also go on Autotrader or something like that.

Carmax is fine, but you will get more money on Craigslist.

Why are you worried about out of state tags? That's no hassle for the buyer. You would never sell the car with your tags on it.

I own the car outright so I have to transfer by signing on back at the DMV, right? That will be hard to do if I am in VA and not PA. That is my main issue with selling privately honestly.

[BMWZ4RUlz]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

I've sold two used cars on Craigslist in the last 2 years.

You have to weed through the bizarre scam emails but they are not hard to pick out.

I'd also go on Autotrader or something like that.

Carmax is fine, but you will get more money on Craigslist.

Why are you worried about out of state tags? That's no hassle for the buyer. You would never sell the car with your tags on it.

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

The online pricing sites are all over the place. There's NADA, Kelley, Edmunds, and then there's the "black book" that only the wholesalers have access to. The only resource I know of that will show you what cars actually sold for is eBay's completed listings. If you can find almost the same car with similar mileage, for which a recent auction actually completed, that price is a pretty good indicator.

Re. Carmax, this is pretty funny.

Hummer, Ferrari, Land Rover...sounds like a tough life for that guy

Thanks for all of your responses!!!