Happy Halloween!
Yesterday and today I have been in the thick of figuring out my plan for my 2010 Audi A4. Trade-in value is, as we all know, pretty low compared to private party. Given that I have some time until my Model 3 is delivered (projected end of November), I put my A4 on Facebook Marketplace to see if I could get a few thousand extra for it than Tesla was willing to offer. Turns out there is a lot of interest.
A couple notes if you are planning something similar:
- Have a back-up plan should your car sell immediately (or before your new car arrives).
- Have the title in hand before posting your car to any marketplace.
- Be ready with every imaginable photo of your vehicle, including flaws. This will save you tons of time on wasted showings.
- Be ready for a lot of “Good evening, is this still available?” and then radio silence.
- Be ready with any documentation/forms you need to submit to your Secretary of State/DMV.
Some of those seem pretty straight forward, but as someone who has only ever worked through a dealership for car purchasing/selling, a couple were easily overlooked. For instance, I never realized that Audi didn't send our title years ago when we paid off our A4. It was an easy fix via phone, but that delayed any transaction from taking place for 7-10 days (until it arrived). Also, I had no idea that I needed to submit a Notice of Sale to our DMV, which I happened to come across when Googling info about completing a private party sale.
So, as of today my car is still on the marketplace. Given that I would be getting a few thousand more via private party, my plan is to rent a car/borrow from a family member for the month-or-so (maybe less) gap between unloading my car and getting my Model 3.
What experiences have you had with selling cars private party? Suggestions?
