Why Selling to a Car Dealer is the Best Option

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Most new car buyers have a used car they'd like to trade in. Your options are to sell it yourself to a private party or trade it in at an auto dealer. On the other hand, maybe you want to sell your present car for cash. In any event, you'll find that today, the best option is to sell your car to a dealer. Why is it best to sell your car to a dealer? Lithia Auto has the answer. 

Selling to a Private Party

First let's look at your options. Many people try to sell their cars to private parties, even though this route includes taking photos of your car, making up an online advertisement for it, then dealing with phone calls and face-to-face meetings with prospective buyers and haggling with them over the price of your car.


The main reason that people go to all this trouble to sell their car to a private party is that they believe they can get more money for their used car than at a dealer. But that is no longer the case. As you'll see, today, you will likely get more money for your car from a dealer. We'll explain why in a minute. 

Back to a private party sale, you'll have to start by creating an ad that sells your car and you'll need photos. Lots of photos. These will help to build confidence in the buyer's mind and make your car stand out in the crowd. Be sure to add any special options or details in the online ad that go beyond the basic year, make and model.   You'll have to write a compelling ad for your car. Include such details as "low mileage", "perfect condition" or "new tires" and you'll need to wax your car to a mirror shine. Getting it fully detailed is a good idea.   You will want to be up front with the potential buyer of your vehicle regarding how the car runs and if there are any mechanical problems you are aware of. You can bet the buyer will want to run your car by his own mechanic to have it checked out for any potential big ticket items that may need to be replaced soon.  Before you can sell your car to an individual, you'll need to complete the following tasks. Get your vehicle title; it gives you the legal right to sell your car. If you still owe money on the vehicle, check with your lender to learn how to arrange the sale. Check with your Department of Motor Vehicles to see what paperwork is required to transfer ownership in your state. Order a vehicle history report to show prospective buyers. Next up, you'll need to know the current value of your car.

What is My Car Worth?

Whether you sell or trade your vehicle, and whether you sell to a private individual or go through a car dealership, you should first get a reliable estimate of your car's current value. That's the only way to know if an offer on your car is reasonable.  


You can find the approximate value of your car by looking it up through online pricing guides like Kelley Blue Book. Remember to accurately include all options, the correct mileage of the car's odometer reading and the appropriate condition level. Keep in mind that pricing guide figures could be off by thousands of dollars depending on the condition of your car, the local market conditions, and even the time of year. If you check three different pricing guides, you'll get three different prices, but they will give you a ballpark figure and a market range for what you can expect to get for the car.  

Lithia Auto can help with that. You can use our Value Calculator right here on the site. But much has changed in the last year that could be a big benefit to you if you sell to a dealer. Your car may be worth more than you think.

Why Your Used Car is Worth More Than You Think

 In the past year, there has been a surge in used car prices. In fact, used car sales are booming! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, used car prices have jumped by over 20 percent in the last year. The reason for this jump is actually very interesting. Partially due to a manufacturing lag due to the coronavirus, there is a massive shortage of semiconductor chips that are used in all new cars. These microchip processors power the vehicle's onboard computers, infotainment systems and driver assist features.


The lack of semiconductor chips means that there are not enough new cars for sale at dealers. New car production has slowed to a snail's pace and dealers are having a hard time getting new car models in their showrooms.  

With fewer new cars in their lots to sell, dealerships started buying used cars in record numbers and that drove the value of used cars up and up. Demand for used cars is at an all-time high. Right now, used car prices are rising far faster than new car prices and this trend does not appear to be turning around any time soon. In other words, there has never been a better time to sell your used car, and Lithia Auto wants your vehicle. We'll buy your car even if you aren't interested in buying a new car from us.

Why Sell to Lithia Motors?

Rather than going through the time consuming and stressful processes of selling your car to a private person, Lithia Motors will offer you the best value for your used car. Why sell to Lithia Motors?   

  • Speed: Selling your car to Lithia Motors is the fastest way to get paid for your used vehicle. We love adding pre-owned cars to our dealerships because nearly 70 percent of annual car sales are used cars! We'll get your transaction done quickly, efficiently, with no haggle and no hassle. Selling to a private person can take weeks or months. At Lithia Motors, you can get cash today! 
  •  It's easy: Drive into one of our dealerships near you and leave with cash in hand. It's that simple. No wasting time posting ads for your car, dealing with the DMV, coming up with a Bill of Sale and "as-is" document. No dealing with shady buyers, test drives and haggling with them over your ride. No danger of getting ripped off on the sale of your car or getting scammed by fraudulent checks. 
  • Peace of mind: Once you sign the terms of sale and get your money, you don't have to worry about your old car anymore. With a private sale, you may still be liable for vehicle problems, held responsible and even be sued by the buyer. Plus, if you sell us your car as a trade-in, you may get a tax credit worth thousands of dollars. Rebates can add up to even more savings.
Lithia Motors buys cars every day and we've been at it since 1946. We're used to doing all the paperwork for you and we're good at it. We'll handle all the financial arrangements. Plus, if your car needs any repairs, we're capable of fixing them so you don't have to. Lithia Motors would be happy to buy your car for cash or trade it in to start your next transportation adventure. We are completely transparent with no tricks and no haggling. We show you exactly how we determine the value of your vehicle. Ditch the classifieds and questionable meetups. Our professional staff is fully vetted and ready to buy your car.  

 Find out how much your car is worth today. Let's get started here.