How Long Does It Take To Sell My Car in Illinois?

Selling your car in Marion, IL, doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Choosing to sell to a dealer means you can sell your car within a day or even an afternoon. Selling your car privately to buyers takes a little longer, from days to weeks, but you may prefer the extra control the process gives you. When you’re ready to sell your car, here’s what you should do to make the most out of the transaction.

Sell My Car

Make Your Car Look Good

Image used with permission via Unsplash

Before showing your car to a dealer or potential private buyers, take a few steps to get it looking its best. Remove any trash and personal belongings, then vacuum the interior if dirt and debris have collected over the years. Take the vehicle through a car wash and buff small scratches.

Dealers receive cars for sale and trade-ins in all conditions, so you don’t have to worry about yours being perfect. Removing your personal belongings and cleaning the car help the dealer see what they’re working with. If you’re considering listing the car for sale privately, know that potential buyers respond more positively to a clean car that doesn’t have anything inside it. You don’t need to deal with large repairs if you’re selling to a dealer, but your car should be in good condition if you’re selling privately.

Look Up Your Car’s Value

Before you put your car on the market, you need to know how much it’s worth. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and Kelley Blue Book are great starting resources for understanding the value of your car. VW of Marion also offers an online trade-in value car calculator that will value your car. Each car is different, but getting a good baseline figure will help you throughout the process.

Remember that your location in Illinois, the market, and other factors can impact how much you can sell your car for. Also, remember that you may not receive a dealership offer that matches the values you see online. Dealers have to consider repair costs for each used car they buy. They also need to pay sales personnel who do the work of selling your used car to another person. Some people opt to sell privately for this reason, which can mean a higher payout but more paperwork and the work of dealing with buyers yourself.

Get Your Car’s Documents in Order

When selling your vehicle to a dealer, gather the title, registration, proof of insurance, and your license. Selling to a dealership is a simple and seamless process. Bring these documents along with your vehicle, and they’ll make you an offer on your car that same day, either for cash or trade-in value. The rest of the paperwork that the State of Illinois requires for the sale to be legal falls on the dealer.

Though people successfully sell their cars privately in Illinois, private sales require more paperwork. When you sell through a dealer, they take care of the title transfer and the legal documents. Many people prefer this process because it’s less hassle. However, if you’re considering selling privately, you will need a Notice of Sale Form, a Bill of Sale, and an Odometer Disclosure Statement for Title Transfers. All these forms are necessary to make the process legal if you sell your car privately in Illinois.

Deal With the Loan

If you’re selling a car on which you still owe payments, you want to figure out what kind of equity you have in the car. When the car’s worth exceeds the amount you owe on your loan, that’s called positive equity. You’ll walk away from a sale with the loan paid off and some extra cash. When the amount you owe on the loan exceeds the car’s worth, that’s called negative equity. You’ll have to finish paying your loan even after you sell the vehicle if you have negative equity.

Dealing with a car loan is easier when you sell your car to a dealer. In situations where you have negative equity, the dealership can bundle the rest of what you owe on the old car loan into a loan for a new car. With positive equity, they can take over the loan and pay it back after selling your car, then write you a check for the remaining profit or use that profit toward your new car purchase.

List the Car for Sale

Who you choose to sell your car to is the decision that determines how long the sale will take. If you go to a dealership, you can sell your car that day. For people who need a quick transaction or don’t want to deal with advertising and finding a buyer on their own, selling to a dealer is the way to go.

Those comfortable with a long process that can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks may opt to sell privately instead. Once you’ve made your car look nice, taken pictures, and gathered the necessary paperwork, you have to list your car for sale. Plenty of websites exist that help connect vehicle buyers and sellers. If you work with one of these sites, you’ll receive communication from interested buyers. You’ll need to meet with them and let them look over and possibly test-drive your car. They may also ask for an inspection, which you should get.

If you’re ready to sell or trade your vehicle, we hope you’ll come and visit us at VW of Marion. We offer top dollar for your used cars, trucks, and SUVs of any make or model. When you choose to work with us, selling or trading in a car is an easy, seamless process. You can be confident you’re getting the best offer and that your transaction will be quick.

Drive your used car to our dealership and either drive out in a new ride or walk away with some cash that same day. Get started with our simple three-step process today, or contact our sales department for more information.