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A crossroads is an intersection of two or more roads, but it’s also a point at which a person must make a crucial decision. If you need to sell your car, you may be at a crossroads trying to determine whether it’s better to sell your car privately or sell it to a dealership. We’re here to show you why selling your car to us is not only the safer option but also the better financial decision.
Here at Crossroads Chevrolet GMC, we live up to our name. Our centralized location in the vibrant town of West Corinth, Mississippi, positions us as the crossroads for customers from Tupelo, Mississippi to Jackson, Tennessee. As veterans in the local automotive industry, our expertise and our customer-centric approach help us fulfill the other side of our name. We’re able to help our customers navigate their own crossroads in finding the best vehicles for their needs.
If you’re currently at a crossroads and faced with the decision to sell your car, we’re here to help. Selling your car privately may seem like a lucrative option, but it presents a variety of risks, takes valuable time, and makes you vulnerable to scams and financial losses. This can all be avoided when you work with Crossroads Chevrolet GMC. We guarantee to give you the best deal for your car and an experience you won’t find anywhere else.
You need to sell your car, and you’re tempted to sell it privately, but do you know the risks and what it takes? From advertising and detailing the vehicle to gathering the paperwork and scheduling test drives with potential buyers, selling your car yourself takes a lot of time and resources. That’s why selling to a dealership is not only safer and easier but also puts more money in your wallet.
When you sell a vehicle privately, you’re responsible for cleaning the car so that it looks attractive to potential buyers, as well as having an inspection done that shows the vehicle is operable and in good condition. You can spend anywhere from $100 to $500 to have a vehicle professionally detailed and restored to like-new condition, which doesn’t account for paying for the inspection or any advertisements you run in local media outlets. If you want to recover these costs, you must raise your asking price, but even that doesn’t guarantee you won’t take a loss on the vehicle if you’re forced to sell at a lower price.
You can avoid additional costs and losses by selling your car to our dealership. Clean cars make great first impressions, but you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to detail your vehicle before you sell it to us. We’ll give you a competitive offer based on the fair market value of the car. This puts more money in your wallet since you don’t have to pay for an inspection, detailing, or advertising. We do all the work for you.
Selling your car privately puts you at greater risk for scams because not everyone has good intentions. You’ll likely find yourself culling through dozens of messages and phone calls trying to sort the good-intentioned buyers and legitimate offers from scammers. Sometimes, differentiating between the two isn’t easy and can put your safety at risk and cost you valuable time, especially if someone doesn’t show up to look at the vehicle. Even scheduling appointments for test drives takes valuable time, while getting in the car with strangers adds another level of risk.
Here at Crossroads Chevrolet GMC, we know your time is valuable, and that’s why we’re not here to waste it. We believe in transparency and honesty throughout the process, and that means giving you the most for your vehicle from the start. You won’t have to worry about your safety or scam artists when you rely on professionals like us to handle the sale.
Before you head over to the dealership, it’s a good idea to conduct a self-inspection of the vehicle. Look at the vehicle as if you were a potential buyer. Take note of any dents and dings on the exterior, tears or stains in the upholstery, or mechanical glitches like a heater that doesn’t work or a pesky “Check Engine” light. In many cases, minor cosmetic flaws like dings and upholstery stains are easy fixes, while other issues like the “Check Engine” light can signify bigger issues that could potentially lower the car’s value.
Once you’ve conducted a self-inspection, fix any small issues yourself. Many scratches can be buffed out with wax, while stains in the upholstery might take a little elbow grease. Replacing broken lights and topping off the fluid levels requires a quick trip to your local automotive store. Larger and more serious repairs, however, can be left alone for our service team to handle after the sale.
Selling your vehicle requires you to do a little homework beforehand, and that starts by gathering the vehicle’s identification number or VIN. You can use the VIN on sites like Kelley Blue Book to determine the fair market value of the vehicle. This is what you can expect to get based on the vehicle’s age, condition, and mileage, as well as the area where you live. If you still owe on the vehicle, compare the fair market value to your loan balance to determine exactly what you need to get for the vehicle to satisfy the loan.
When you purchased your vehicle, you likely got an extra set of keys as well as an owner’s manual, floor mats, or other vehicle-specific items like headphones for the rear-seat entertainment system, if equipped. You’ll want to gather all these items before you head to the dealership. Some customers opt to remove the third-row seat in their SUVs for added cargo room, which means reinstalling the seat when it’s time to sell the vehicle.
Once you’ve prepared your vehicle to sell, it’s time to gather the necessary paperwork to finalize the transaction. This paperwork can look different depending on whether or not you own the car or you’re still paying on the loan. Here’s a breakdown of the paperwork you will need for either situation.
Maintenance records aren’t a requirement when you’re selling your car to us, but they’re incredibly helpful to the next buyer. These records are proof of the vehicle’s maintenance history and tell the buyer more about the vehicle, the age of its tires, its last oil change, etc. These records can include everything from receipts for oil changes and tire rotations to documentation of more extensive repairs.
Depending on the age and mileage of your vehicle, it may still be under warranty. If the warranty is transferable, the next owner can reap the benefits of the coverage just as you did when you owned the vehicle. To ensure this, it’s important to gather all the warranty documents, including the warranty provider’s contact information.
If you own the vehicle, then you will have the vehicle title in your possession. You’ll need the title to transfer ownership to our dealership when we finalize the sale. If you’re still paying on your loan, the lender has the title. In this case, you need to contact the lender to determine the loan payoff amount. When you accept our offer, we’ll work with the lender to pay off the loan in your name and retain the title of ownership.
Are you ready to get top-dollar for your vehicle? Then it’s time to sell your car to Crossroads Chevrolet GMC. Then, once you have sold your vehicle, consider purchasing your next one at the same place. As the top Chevrolet and GMC dealer in the area, we’re excited to show you what it means to shop with the Crossroads team and the pride we have from serving as the crossroads of vibrant towns like Corinth, Jackson, and Tupelo.
We’re veterans in the automotive industry and are committed to delivering a unique customer experience that starts the moment you drive onto our lot. We know that your time is valuable and that you work incredibly hard for your money, which is why we’re here to get to know you and help you find the perfect vehicle for your budget and driving needs without wasting any time. We’ll help you navigate the entire process and get you back on the road in no time at all.
Shopping with Crossroads Chevrolet GMC means putting the excitement back into the car-buying and car-owing experience. As a comprehensive automotive center, we’re here to handle all your needs, from selling and buying to routine maintenance and repair. That’s what it means to shop with the Crossroads team, the friendliest dealer in the region!