You may be one of the millions of people each year who decide to sell their used car on their own. If you are, congratulations! You will most likely get more this way than you would by trading it in to a dealership. Plus, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you got a fair price for your vehicle.



However, in order to make sure that you do get a fair price for your vehicle, you must take steps to maximize your profit. Let's go over some of the essential necessities.

1. Get a vehicle history report for the car. Shoppers looking for a used car are usually most concerned with what shape the vehicle is in. There are only a few ways in which you can assure prospective buyers that your car is in good shape. Offering them a vehicle history report ? at no cost to them ? is one of those ways, and can be a tremendous help in calming the customer's fears.

2. Clean up the car before putting it out for sale. This does not mean spending a great deal of money to improve the appearance of your car. Just give it a good wash and wax, vacuum the inside thoroughly, and take care of any other unpleasant conditions. Little things like this can result in extra profit in the end.

3. Get a professional window sticker. This may seem like an abnormal step for an amateur dealing to take, but it is essential. A regular ?For Sale? sticker just will not cut it here. You want to spend a little bit more money for a professional-looking sticker, much like the ones you see on cars at professional dealerships. The benefits of a professional sticker are numerous. They make the customer feel more comfortable with the car, and with you. They also serve as a full-time salesperson, offering information about the car at all times of the day and night to any prospective buyers.

4. Advertise your used car. Again, you do not need to spend a lot of money to do this. In fact, if you live in a moderately well-traveled area, and you have invested in a quality window sticker, you may not need to advertise at all. You may sell your car literally overnight. If you advertise, however, try the traditional route first: put an ad in the local paper. You can also use the internet, either by creating your own webpage or advertising on one of the hundreds of vehicle sales sites available.

Each of these steps are important, and will improve your chances of making a decent profit on your used car. The first three steps, however, are virtually indispensable. Obviously, you must clean up the car before selling it. But getting a vehicle history report and a window sticker will probably do even more for you in the end.

Employ these steps, and enjoy the benefits of your efforts! In no time at all, you will be rid of that used car, and you will have some extra cash to show for it.