How To Sell Your Car Fast

December 21, 2022

If you’re wondering how to sell your car quickly and hassle-free, you’ve come to the right place. As a trusted global vehicle buyer with over 50 years of experience, Sell My Car offers some tips and insights on the vehicle buying process.

When you list your car yourself, you risk waiting weeks, if not months, before you get the right buyer who is willing to purchase after a likely lengthy negotiation to haggle the price down. At this time, you may have already made additional payments for insurance and registration and your vehicle loses its value during this time.

The vehicle buying process

If you’re wondering how to sell your car fast with a vehicle buying service, the process typically involves a few simple steps:

• Determining the value of your car

Most services will have an online estimator where you will key in your car’s details, such as the year, make and model. They will also ask you to input your contact information to move the process forward. The estimator will provide an estimated market value of your car based on industry sales and other factors.

At Sell My Car, our estimator is powered by Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the globally trusted name in car valuations. By leveraging KBB’s more than 90 years of experience in the industry, you’re sure to get a reliable estimate in less than five minutes.

• Schedule an appointment

Once you have an estimate, you’ll want to request an appointment with the service provider at your earliest convenience. In most cases, you’ll have a choice of taking your vehicle to their nearest location, or they’ll come to your residence. 

The professional buyer will inspect the vehicle to give you a more specific value of your car. This part of the process should take approximately half an hour to complete. 

If you choose to have the buyer come to you, ensure they can prove their identity to guarantee your and your car’s safety and security.

• Complete the sale

Once the buyer completes their evaluation, they can make you an offer straight away. You’re free to either accept or reject the bid, but if you do accept, the money will be transferred directly to your bank account. 

Note that while the bank transfer can be done on the spot, the money may not instantly be available. That’ll still be subject to your bank’s processing times. Pro tip: try not to schedule your appointment on a Friday or a weekend if you need the money as soon as possible. The funds may not be available to you until the next week. 

And that’s it! With Sell My Car’s simple process, you’ll have sold your car quickly and without the headache of listing it on a website, taking photos and waiting for the right private buyer to come along.

Sell your car fast with the proper documents

While the process is simple and straightforward, you still need certain documents to ensure the final sale.

These documents include:

• Current registration certificate — To prove that you own the vehicle you’re selling. You can contact your local state road authority if you don’t have this on hand. You’ll also need an “Unregistered Vehicle Permit” if your car isn’t registered. 
• Proof of identification — To prove you are who you say you are, provide a combination of formal ID documents such as your current driver’s licence, passport and Medicare card. In place of the Medicare card, you can also submit utility bills or bank statements that record your full name.
• Bank details — To get your cash quickly and easily, make sure you have the right bank BSB, account number and account name to ensure a seamless transfer of funds. 
• Outstanding finance — To settle any obligations you might have — ask your finance company for a letter detailing all the necessary information, like settlement figures and dates of validity.

It would also be helpful to have service books and the owner’s manual ready during the appointment. If you have spare keys or special tools your vehicle needs, have those ready too — the more supporting materials you can provide, the faster and easier the transaction will be. 

If you’re representing a business or another person, you’ll need to bring other documents proving that you’re authorised to facilitate the sale. These include an authorisation letter from the business or private seller, tax invoices, proof of identification and a Statutory Declaration from your state. 

Other things to remember on how to sell your car quickly

Most professional vehicle-buying companies accept any make and model. However, regardless of how you sell your used car, it’s still a good idea to ensure that it’s in good working condition to get the best value for it. 

If you have time, here are a few things you might want to consider:

• Getting it cleaned and detailed — Going to a professional for a deep clean. Make sure you have enough time to clean it from top to bottom if you plan on doing it yourself. 
• Don’t leave loose items lying around — Ensure the car has no loose items that could rattle around. Any unusual noises coming from your vehicle could affect its value.
• Ensure the interior doesn’t smell of smoke — If you’re thinking, “How can I sell my car if I’m a smoker?”, know that it’s important to eliminate any lingering smells in the interior. It’ll also be wise not to smoke in your car for at least two weeks and organise to get your vehicle professionally deep cleaned.
• Have your tyres got the correct pressure — It seems simple enough, but people selling their car fast tend to overlook this. By inflating the tyres to the right pressure, you ensure a smoother ride if your buyer goes for the test drive. 

Having your complete paperwork ready and your car in great working condition gives you a higher chance of getting a good value for your vehicle.

Trust Sell My Car’s decades of experience

Backed by Cox Automotive Australia, Sell My Car prides itself on the honesty and integrity we offer during the vehicle-buying process. We are a reputable business with excellent customer service records, and we can guarantee payment upon completion of the sale.

We’ve created a valuation process that is simple, easy and fast. In just a few minutes, you’ll get a fair and competitive estimate, and you can immediately set up an appointment with one of our local buyers at your earliest convenience. 

To learn more about what we do, review our FAQs. For more information about selling your car quickly, don’t hesitate to reach out — our expert team is here to help you through the process.