How to Sell a Car at a Dealership

If you are ready to sell your car in the Bloomington area, you’ll have to decide whether to sell it privately or sell it to a dealership. Here at Sam Leman Toyota Bloomington, we think you’ll find that selling your car to us is easier and faster than selling it on your own. How does selling your car to a dealership work? Find out in this guide from our finance experts.

Preliminary Steps 

Before you sell your car at a Normal-area dealership make sure to take note of the following steps which will ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible and help you get the best price: 

• Get Your Car Ready to Sell: Wash and detail the vehicle, and don’t forget to remove all personal items. You should also consider making minor repairs, such as replacing burned-out bulbs, damaged floor mats, and any small interior or exterior parts that are broken. More extensive repairs can be left to the dealer, as it will cost them less to fix.
• List the Benefits Of Your Car: Make a list of all features and any accessories you have added to the vehicle. This will help to increase the value of your vehicle, making it more appealing to the dealership. 
• Collect the Necessary Paperwork: Make sure that you have the title, registration, any outstanding loan information and maintenance records on hand for the dealership, as this will help streamline the process.
• Value Your Trade: Your local Morton-area dealership’s website will have an online car value estimate tool. You can also find similar tools at Cars.com and Kelley Blue Book. Knowing how much the car is worth will help you get the best price.

How Does Selling Your Car to a Dealership Work?

Once you have the vehicle ready for sale, all paperwork in order, and the estimated value, you’re prepared to visit Sam Leman Toyota Bloomington. How does selling your car to a dealership work? Here’s what to expect:

• Make an Appointment: Setting up an appointment will alert the dealer so they will be ready when you arrive.
• Used Car Manager: Most dealerships will direct you to a used car manager or a salesperson who will collect your information and run a vehicle history report on your car. 
• Inspection: Usually the dealership will have one of the technicians in their Service Center inspect the appearance and mechanical condition of the vehicle.
• Receive an Offer: The dealership will make you an offer based on the results of the inspection and vehicle history report. Then it will be up to you to either negotiate or accept the offer outright.. 

Benefits of Selling Your Car to a Dealership

Here are some of the noteworthy advantages of selling a car at a dealership:

• It’s Hassle-Free: To sell your car privately, you’ll have to prepare a listing, field inquiries, set up test drives, haggle over price, and deal with the paperwork. This can take weeks or even months. Selling to a dealership will only take an hour or so, plus they will handle all of the paperwork for you.
• You Can Lower Your New Car Price: If you are planning on trading in your car, you can apply your current vehicle’s value towards your new car. This is a great way to offset the price of your new vehicle and significantly lower your monthly payments. 
• You Can Save on Taxes: When trading in your car for a new vehicle at Sam Leman Toyota Bloomington, you will only pay sales tax on the difference between the trade-in value and the cost of your new car. 

Sam Leman Toyota Bloomington Wants to Buy Your Car

We’re ready to pay top dollar for your used car. Even if you are looking to trade in a financed vehicle, our team is standing by to help you get a fair price. Have questions? Feel free to contact us online or give us a call at (309) 518-1795.