Top 10 Ways to Know It’s Time to Sell Your Car

Sell Your Car

In 2019, there were 17 million vehicles expected to sell.

With not many people buying vehicles that year, that means that many people have been driving the same car for a while. So how do you know when it’s time to sell your car?

Thankfully, we have the perfect guide on when to sell your car, so make sure you keep reading to find out!

1. It Costs Too Much

If your car is costing too much in maintenance and running costs, it might be time to buy a new car. In this case, buying the car would actually save you money in the long run.

Keep in mind that as the car gets older, there will be more wear and tear, which can decrease fuel efficiency. So you’re also paying more money at the gas stations as well.

You’ll also have more expensive maintenance, have a harder time finding parts, and the parts might be more expensive. You should never spend more money than what the car is worth.

This is when you know it’s time to sell a car.

Continuing to invest in your car or choosing to part ways with it may be a concern, but if you sell your car online free, you may come out ahead of the game!

It’s certainly something to consider, especially if keeping your car is costing you more than being able to enjoy it.

2. You Don’t Trust It

In general, you need to rely on your transportation to get you safely from Point A to B. But if you’re wondering whether or not it’s going to start when you need it, it might be time to sell your car.

You might have a sentimental attachment to your car and love driving it. However, other drivers on the road might find it horrific that you’re driving an old car that doesn’t seem reliable. If you don’t have much of a frame or muffler that’s holding the car together, it’s time to let go.

If you have duct tape anywhere on your car, this is also a sign that it’s time to get rid of it. Hope alone isn’t going to keep your car running. Chances are, it will break down right when you need it.

3. It’s In Poor Condition

If a car is in poor condition, it’s probably not worth your hassle, time, or money. You shouldn’t have to do much work to keep the car in working condition.

You should sell a car that needs any repairs, cosmetic, or mechanical problems. However, keep in mind that if you don’t pay to fix it, buyers will want to get a discount on the car since it isn’t working properly.

One thing that will depreciate the car is the mileage. If you want to get the most out of your car, you should sell it before the 70,000-mile mark. However, you can still list it and find buyers before you hit 100,000 miles.

If you don’t feel like your car is in good enough condition to drive, you should consider selling it.

4. Repairs Are Expensive

Are the repairs costing you a lot of money each month? Then you might want to think about selling your car. The maintenance should never be more than the monthly car payment.

It can be hard to save for a down payment for a new vehicle, but you can sell your car and use that money to put towards the down payment.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to anticipate future spending as well. Anything like new tires, new engine parts, or fixing anything else will start to add up quickly.

5. Hear Weird Noises

Do you hear squealing when you brake? That might be the brake pad is rubbing against the rotor. If you hear squeaking then the serpentine belt might be loose.

If your car is talking to you, make sure that you listen. Not every problem will show up as a light on your dashboard, so turn the volume down and listen to your car.

6. Rusting

The longer you have your car, the more likely it is to rust. This is when the car starts showing you its age, and you should take this as a sign it’s time to let go.

If you can catch the rust early, you might be able to save yourself some time and save the car. However, once the rust starts, it’s hard to get rid of it. This is especially true in areas where it snows, thanks to the salt on the road.

If rust starts building up on the chassis of the car, then it becomes unsafe to drive it. If it gets onto the body panel of the car, it will start to eat away at the frame.

So if you notice some rusting, it’s time to move on.

7. Too Much Mileage

Some people have too much mileage on their car as well. Once the car hits the 100,000-mile mark, people think that the car is worth a lot less money.

That’s partly because the more mileage on the car, the chances are higher that it will stop working or running. Many buyers will figure out when the intervals are for a service checkup, so they will factor that into their selling price.

So if you want to make some money on your car, try selling it before you get to that mileage marker.

8. Went Up in Value

While your car might be safe to drive and there’s nothing wrong with it, the current market could appraise your used car at more than it normally would be.

This is great for you, and you may want to consider cashing in on the deal and getting a new car.

There are even some cars out there that hold their value or even go up regardless of the market. You should keep an eye on these trends so that you know when the best time to sell is. But if you’re not particularly attached to the car or worry that it’ll start breaking down soon, it might be a great idea to sell it.

9. Can’t Find Parts

While repairs and replacing parts can be expensive, you may not even be able to find parts. This is especially true for cars that are rare or outdated. Eventually, every car will be hard to find parts for, so you need to try and sell it before that happens to you.

For example, Ford decided to start making aluminum frames for their trucks. Because of this, mechanics needed all kinds of different knowledge and tools in order to repair that frame. So now, mechanics are trained on how to fix and repair aluminum frames.

If you have an older one, you may not find someone who is capable of repairing it. And, it’ll even be difficult to find older parts too. Now, the price of the parts will go up so much because now they’re difficult to find.

However, sometimes it doesn’t matter if the manufacturer doesn’t change anything. The parts could be hard to find because an auto manufacturer went out of business. For example, Saturn doesn’t make cars anymore.

Regardless of why the parts can be hard to find, you should try and sell the car. If the parts are already hard to find, then no one will want to buy them because then they won’t be able to find parts.

10. It’s Not Safe

Sometimes, the car isn’t safe to drive anymore either. Even if you feel safe driving it, there could be unknown problems with it or outdated technology that makes it unsafe to drive.

The feeling of safety and having reliability is definitely worth the price of a new car. Plus, many of the new cars come with even more great features that will keep you safe.

For example, they have driver-assistance technologies, like lane assist and backup cameras. You can also buy a new car that has automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking.

If you don’t have a rearview mirror, can’t see fully out of your windows, or have some other issue that is making your car unsafe to drive, you should start looking at some newer models.

Discover More Signs It’s Time to Sell Your Car

These are only a few of the top signs it’s time to sell your car, but there are many more signs to keep an eye out for.

We know that selling or buying a car can be an overwhelming process, but you don’t have to do it on your own. We’re here to help you out.

If you found this article insightful, check out our website for even more great content!