View Full Version : How should I sell my car?



metro
07-14-2009, 01:36 PM
I have a general wondering or question if you will. I am selling one of my vehicles. It is a newer model. My question is would you be more likely to purchase a vehicle from the Oklahoman's classifieds or the AutoTrader? I've used both before in years past, but does anyone have any recent experience with selling a car through an ad?

lasomeday
07-14-2009, 02:06 PM
I have a general wondering or question if you will. I am selling one of my vehicles. It is a newer model. My question is would you be more likely to purchase a vehicle from the Oklahoman's classifieds or the AutoTrader? I've used both before in years past, but does anyone have any recent experience with selling a car through an ad?

What do you have?

CuatrodeMayo
07-14-2009, 02:16 PM
Craigslist is always free and easy.

silvergrove
07-14-2009, 02:35 PM
Donate it to KGOU as per say Click and Clack on NPR.

metro
07-14-2009, 02:35 PM
Thanks Cuatro. I should have specified, the free ones like craigslist, Gazette, and other online listings are a given. I mean the main Automotive Advertising hitters though. AutoTrader or the Oklahoman Classifieds.

lasomeday, it's a 2005 Scion.

metro
07-14-2009, 02:37 PM
Donate it to KGOU as per say Click and Clack on NPR.

If I had that kind of money, I wouldn't be asking the question about selling it. My goal is to get to that level eventually though.

SoonerDave
07-14-2009, 02:54 PM
For all the hoopla surrounding things like AutoTrader et al, my best luck selling any kind of vehicle has been the Oklahoman classifieds. My last effort selling a car was about four years ago, tried AutoTrader, one or two other places, and got essentially no response; put an ad in the Oklahoman and it sold before the ad expired. Even in the days of dying newspapers, the Oklahoman gets out in front of people moreso than AutoTrader, at least it used to...

Dynamics may have changed in the last four years, but that was what happened to me.

metro
07-14-2009, 03:05 PM
Dave, that is my thinking (an I'm an advertising professional), but the advertising game has changed tremendously in the last 4 years. Despite that, the Oklahoman still reaches more people and is the generic one shop stop. Thanks for the advice and I look forward to hearing others opinions and experiences.

bretthexum
07-14-2009, 03:23 PM
I had good luck with Craigslist last year selling my wifes car. If you can deal with all the idiots/lowball offers/no shows :(

metro
07-14-2009, 04:02 PM
I had good luck with Craigslist last year selling my wifes car. If you can deal with all the idiots/lowball offers/no shows :(

been doing that for a couple weeks now, ready to get things done.

Karried
07-14-2009, 04:13 PM
Too bad more people here in Oklahoma weren't Ebay users... For $80 you can reach thousands and thousands of people... but for vehicles, location is key.

I've sold a few vehicles and a motorhome on Ebay. Worked great for me. Just add lots of pics and specify terms.

centralparker
07-14-2009, 05:52 PM
I sold a 2000 Civic a little over a year ago. I listed through AutoTrader, but after a month or so started listing on Craigslist too. I got a lot of response from Craigslist, but no sale. It finally sold through the AutoTrader ad after another month or so. I wasn't hurting for the money so I held out for what I felt like was the right amount. I also sold a 1987 Pathfinder about a year ago. I only listed it on Craigslist and it sold pretty quick. It was in decent but not great condition, and I was willing to take a lower price. I actually bought the Pathfinder on Ebay several years ago for about the same price I sold it for.

Karried
07-14-2009, 06:11 PM
You might try here too...

Kijiji USA Free Classifieds - Post & Search Free Classified Ads (http://www.kijiji.com/)

kevinpate
07-14-2009, 09:48 PM
If I wanted to attract buyers and to minimize lookie.lous, I'd consider, locally:
Oklahoman classifieds
Gazette classifieds

Pre-qualify folks over the phone to further cull the lous, saving you precious time

oneforone
07-15-2009, 04:53 AM
I sold some bedroom furiture on Craigslist a few months back. It was a pain in the ass to say the least.

It took a month to sell everything I had. The sad thing about it is that I practically gave it all away. I was just collecting enough for the gas it cost me to drive to the storage unit to allow people to pick it up.

I had several no shows, multiple idiots just wanting to look at it and one guy wanted me to deliver it and allow him to pay it out in installments. I sent him an email back telling I am not the Mathis Brothers or Rent A Center. $20 a piece or $200 for the whole set.

metro
07-15-2009, 07:39 AM
Here's the deal:

I am a very avid and frequent user of Craigslist Ebay and bought/sold a ton of stuff on both. Since it is a large purchase (selling 2 vehicles seperately), most locally I've found won't buy such a large purchase online and I can't blame them. I think I'm going to go with Oklahoman, as most people say they've sold within a week or so and AutoTrader most are saying 1-2 months. Craigslist is fine for household items, etc, but it's not moving my cars quick enough, even though I have the time and money to wait it out. I just want to be done with it.

ultimatesooner
07-15-2009, 10:49 AM
we have sold 4 vehicles on autotrader with great success

it wasn't too much to list them either

Thunder
07-15-2009, 11:58 AM
How about parking it somewhere and get a window marker to write FOR SALE. Put a paper with details on the front window dashboard with contact info.

fuzzytoad
07-15-2009, 12:20 PM
you could always take it to CarMax and sell it to them if you just *need* to get rid of it

metro
07-15-2009, 12:31 PM
How about parking it somewhere and get a window marker to write FOR SALE. Put a paper with details on the front window dashboard with contact info.

Already done. Again I've done the basic's just asking for people's experience with automotive advertisement publications.

trousers
07-15-2009, 02:40 PM
Donate it to KGOU as per say Click and Clack on NPR.
If you can afford to or its clunker then definitely. I've gotten rid of two old cars this way. Completely painless.

But as far as your sales question, I would go with the classifieds.

BBatesokc
07-16-2009, 11:27 AM
I love CraigsList. I tried the Oklahoman and got only four calls, a no-show and only one looker when I listed a car.

I buy/sell all the time on CraigsList. Everything from board games for $5 to cars.

Vehicles I've sold:
'99 LeSabre
'94 Oldsmobile Mini Van
'02 Ford Explorer

Bought:
'99 LeSabre
'94 Oldsmobile Mini Van
'94 Isuzu Trooper
'98 Chey Astro Van
'04 Jeep Liberty Renegade (my current car)
'06 Infinity FX35 (bought for my wife for our anniversary this year)

I actually just posted another car for sale on Craigs List yesterday.

Can't beat free as long as you don't mind the lookers and people giving you their sob story wanting payments.