The Secrets To Selling A Car That Had An Accident

After you have had your car damaged in an accident, you might be concerned about whether you will be able to sell it in the future. Cars that have been in an accident are more difficult to sell, but this doesn't mean that it is time to haul it to the scrapyard yet. In some cases, you may even be able to sell your car for almost as much as a car without an accident history.

Tell The Truth

The most important rule when selling a car that has been in an accident is to be honest. This is necessary from an ethical standpoint and in order to keep the car buyer safe. Also, buyers will usually discover that the car has been damaged if they check the vehicle history report and by having the car taken to a mechanic for an inspection.

Determine If It Is A Salvage

Find out from a car mechanic whether it is possible for your car to be repaired to the point where it can be driven again. If this is not possible, your car should be sold as a salvage vehicle only. For example, if you were to place an ad in the classified section of a newspaper, you would need to clarify that the vehicle is a salvage vehicle.

Correct Mistakes In The Vehicle History Report

Even cars that have been in an accident can be listed as being in good or even very good condition. It is important to use the Kelley Blue Book to determine how much you should sell the car for based on the condition, as described by the mechanic. However, one of the challenges of a vehicle history report is that even a minor accident is sometimes reported as a full accident, which can make it difficult to justify a price that the car should probably be sold for. However, if there is an actual mistake on the report, you can usually contact the company to have the mistake corrected.

Inform The Buyer

Supply the car buyer with information that will assist him or her in determining whether he or she should buy the car. This includes the vehicle history report, the bill paid for repairs and the repairs that were made. Also, consider providing the before and after pictures. By keeping the car buyer informed, you will not only be making an ethical decision, but will have a better reputation and will be more likely to find someone willing to take your car off your hands.

Work with your local collision repair services company to do the repairs if your car is fixable. That way, you know it's done safely.

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