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texasautovalue-blog · 5 years

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How to Quickly Sell a Car on Craigslist

Price, Appearance, and Description Are Vital to a Good Craigslist Sale

Selling a car on Craigslist can be an easy and rewarding experience. Most likely you will save yourself about $2,000 more than a trade-in at the dealership or at the local CarMax. If you do a little research to appropriately price your car, write a descriptive online advertisement and thoroughly clean your car, you can sell it quickly, usually within 48 hours. Since new ads are posted constantly on Craigslist, it is advantageous for the seller to sell in a day or two, before it gets buried too far down the list.

How to Determine Your Car's Value

Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds.com are great online resources to help determine the worth of a used car. They consider the region in which you are selling, the make, model, year, mileage and all the features of your car. The website easily guides you by asking you questions. When you are finished with their quiz, it lists all your car's features and the value based on the condition of the car. You can even print it out and have it with you to negotiate with a potential buyer.

Once you have a suggested price from Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds, go to Craigslist and see what your Competition looks like. Search for your make and model of car to see what similar cars are listed for and how many listings you are competing with. This will help you sanity check your price. Once you have a figure in mind, price your car about $500 higher, so you have room to negotiate. Remember, cars that are priced to sell quickly are usually right at or just under the Kelley Blue Book recommendation.

Official Kelley Blue Book New & Used Car Values Let Kelley Blue Book help you find the right car today! Begin your car search and go direct to kbb.com, The Trusted Resource. What's your car worth?

New Cars, Used Cars, Car Reviews and Pricing - Edmunds.com Edmunds car buying guide lists new car prices, used car prices, car comparisons, car buying advice, car ratings, car values, auto leasing.

Screenshot of Kelly Blue Book Quiz | Source

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Use Craigslist to quickly sell you car | Source

Place Your Ad in Classifieds on Craigslist

After you have completed your research to price your car, cleaned the car and taken pictures, then you are ready to post your ad on Craigslist. Open the website and select your city or metro area. Next click "post to classifieds." When selecting the type of posting, be sure to click on "cars by owner." You will be prompted to write your ad describing your car. Be as descriptive as possible. Use the list of features on the Kelley Blue Book tool. Be sure to add anything important, like if you recently replaced a transmission or if the car has a new set of tires. Be honest in describing your car. It will save you and potential buyers a lot of time if you are accurate in your description.

Before final posting, Craigslist will want to verify your ad to make sure it is legitimate. It will send you an email with instructions on how to further edit or post your ad. It is important to save this email in case you want to change your ad in the future. Craigslist will keep your listing for 45 days.

Take Pictures of Your Car

Tires with good tread | Source

Craigslist allows you to download eight images for your listing. Make sure to take good digital pictures that feature your car at its best. Take the pictures on a sunny day. Be sure to take photos of the exterior and interior. If your car has tires that are new or in very good condition, feature a picture of the tread on tires. Loading the pictures on Craigslist can be time-consuming, but it is far better to feature them with your ad then have to email them to potential buyers when they want to see them.

Be Careful of Scams on Craigslist

Be smart when buying or selling on Craigslist. Make sure you select the email address that shows up anonymously to the viewers. Don't list your phone number on Craigslist. Do not accept personal checks and be sure money orders are legit. Also, don't show your car alone. Make sure someone else is with you. If you do not want someone coming to your home, meet at a public place. A bank parking lot is ideal. Depending upon your state, you may need a notary to sign your title transfer anyway. If the buyer wants to test drive the car, make sure he leaves his license and keys with you as collateral. Be safe!

Clean Your Car Before Selling It

Your car has to look impeccable before you try to sell it. You wouldn't want to buy something that looks old and dirty, would you? If the competition in your area for selling used cars is tough, your car's appearance could mean the difference in a sale.

Start with the inside. Throw away the trash. Empty the console. Clean the dash, consoles, cup holders and steering wheel with a good cleaner like Armor All. Use a water and white vinegar solution to clean the grime and fingerprints off the glass without streaking. Empty the contents of your glove box except for the owner's manual. Remove any CDs or DVDs from the car.

Wash and wax the exterior of the car. Buff the car really well so it shines like new (or as good as it can get). Shine the wheel covers too. Once the car is all clean, park it in the garage if possible.

What Happens If the Car Doesn't Sell Quickly?

If your car has been listed for more than a week on Craigslist and you haven't gotten any inquiries, it is likely that your price is too high for what you are selling. Reevaluate your price and your ad description, then refresh your ad, so it moves to the top of the list on Craigslist. If after two weeks it hasn't sold, pull the ad, wait a couple of weeks and list it again. If it is priced right, it will sell!

Craigslist: An Easy Way to Buy and Sell

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Texas Auto Value or Craigslist?

Texas Auto Value and Craigslist are both viable options to sell your car. Of the two, Texas Auto Value is definitely the easiest option, if you are willing to sell for less than the value. When I sold my Toyota Sienna, the car was eight years old. CarMax priced it $1,000 less than my dealer trade-in offer and $3,000 less than what I sold it for on Craigslist. And, it sold in 48 hours on Craigslist. The key to success? Price it fairly, clean it thoroughly and write a descriptive ad. Also, list the ad on a Thursday or Friday since most people will have more time to shop on the weekend.

Easy Checklist to Sell Car on Craigslist

Task

Complete

Remove personal belongings

Gather service records

Clean car exterior

Clean car interior

Obtain car title

Do research on competition

Determine car value

Take pictures

Write ad on Craigslist

Check email or messages often

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

#HowToSellCar #TexasAutoValue #@TexasAutoValue TAVPerformance #TexasAuto #trucksforsale #ramforsale #FordTrucks #ChevyTrucks

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texasautovalue-blog · 5 years

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10 Justifiably Discontinued Cars (and 10 SUVs We’d Love to See Back)

It’s Never Nice to See a Car Go – Unless it’s Garbage, Of Course

Every year, automakers are faced with the decision as to which models will be built during the upcoming model years. A lot of things go into such decisions, but profitability and sales volume are huge determiners. If a vehicle isn’t performing well enough in its market and re-styling won’t save it, it’s bound to find itself in the company of countless discontinued cars which grows year in – year out.

It’s an annual dance that automotive manufacturers go through trying to determine what in their lineup will yield the most profit and what is dragging them down. Actually it’s not even that clear cut.

The ultimate objective is to maximize profit and the easiest part of that is to dump a dog. However there are riskier decisions that may involve discontinuing a solid performer in order to promote a newcomer with great potential or dropping an up and comer from the brand altogether to give it a chance to stand on its own. These are mega dollar decisions and the reason for so many empty Maalox bottles in the executive suites.

But, what does that mean for the average consumer? Usually, it means that the models to be discontinued will be discounted. Dealers will be having fire sales to clear their lots and make room for new inventory. The later in the calendar year, the steeper the discounts will become.

First off, we’ll start with a list of long or recently discontinued SUVs that most people would like to see back, and then we’ll move on to some relatively recently discontinued cars, trucks, and SUVs that we might see again after a while or might not see ever again depending on myriad of factors.

10 Discontinued SUVs Everyone Wants to See Back

Reuters and other sources have suggested that Ford, for instance, sees U.S. car market’s future stacked with SUVs. According to them, SUVs will amount to 40 percent of the entire market by 2020, and they see it as perfect opportunity to expand their SUV portfolio.

Of course, first thing that comes to mind when crossing Blue Oval and SUV is the good old Bronco. It really didn’t take a genius to put two and two together and figure out this was the prime time to do so. But, while the iconic nameplate is getting ready to rise and shine again, others aren’t as lucky.

Considering how SUVs seem to be the future of the car markets for foreseeable time, it’s a no-brainer to take a look at some iconic SUV nameplates that were either discontinued a long time ago or relatively recently. Some of them exhibit a serious potential for making a comeback soon (some have already been announced), while others are just wishful thinking but who knows what the future might bring.

10. Hummer

Let us start with one of the more obvious choices. H1, H2, H3 -it doesn’t really matter. All three generations of the Hummer were highly sturdy and capable, and more or less intertwined. One didn’t simply end for another to take swing. The Hummer H1 was available since 1992 and the H3 bowed down in 2010 after the global recession did its part.

This is one of the reasons the Hummer was so special. But everyone that knows about these cumbersome beasts, also knows that they used to offer much more than simply special. Plus, since global recession is more or less behind us, there are no more genuine reasons for them not to be produced.

09. Mitsubishi Pajero

The current Mitsubishi SUV lineup (or Mitsubishi lineup in general) is nowhere near that from 10 or 20 years ago. They are, however, heading in green direction at least – I’ll give them that.

Regardless, the Mitsubishi Pajero (badged as Montero in the States) is still regarded as one of the best vehicles that Japanese manufacturer has managed to assemble. Of course, the Montero had been gone from the U.S. for over a decade now (being discontinued in 2006), but we haven’t forgotten it. Have you?

The Pajero is still alive overseas where it’s still selling better than it ever did in the U.S. Incidentally, low sales (1,609 units in 2006 compared to 24,802 units in 2001) were exactly the reason for its discontinuation.

08. Land Rover Defender

It’s unrealistic to expect the Land Rover returning to their roots with the Defender, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t like that. It wasn’t that long they discontinued it, but let’s face it – newer models weren’t the true Defenders for years now anyway.

Their current lineup of SUVs is highly capable and correspondingly luxurious, and there’s simply no place for a bare-bone SUV of old. But, imagine if they actually made one. Of course, it would have been stacked with all the necessary tech, but it wouldn’t have to be as plush as the others. That would help lowering the cost one has to pay in order to drive a Landy. It’s a win win situation in my book.

The next-gen Defender has been announced for model year 2020 and, more importantly, will finally again be available stateside. How the old school sturdiness and new age technology fuse in it, remains to be seen. The last time Defender was available on the U.S. market, Bill Clinton was still in the office. Its short stint on the U.S. market (between 1993 and 1997) was cut due to low profitability.

07. Nissan Xterra

It’s only been a few years without the Nissan Xterra in the markets, but people looking for extreme sturdiness and reliability (at relatively affordable prices) are already missing that SUV. Most of its current or former owners will attest to its indestructibility and capability alike, and there were many who bought it between 1999 and 2015.

Xterra, however, was simply outdated in 2015 when it finally got the axe and that severely affected its sales. It’s not the only Nissan’s vehicle to suffer from the same negligence, but while the Frontier still soldiers on, the SUV is now gone. Given the fact SUV craze is still in its full swing (or yet to take the full swing), we wouldn’t be surprised to see it return. And we certainly wouldn’t mind.

06. Jeep Wagoneer

The Jeep Wagoneer rumors aren’t that scarce or strange. They have been circulating for a while now, and they make sense. Jeep still lacks the true flagship three-row SUV, and the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer would be the perfect choice to fill that slot.

Of course, it would probably look much different than we remember it, but the nameplate is what matters. That and exterior wooden panels. Of course, the latter has very slim chance of returning, but it’s our right to dream, isn’t it? The Wagoneer first appeared in 1963 and finally got retired in 1991, making it the longest-running domestic vehicle to be built on the same platform. Being a gas-guzzler (11 mpg combined) during the Gulf War oil shock is the main reason behind its discontinuation.

Although still not official, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates have been confirmed for a comeback sometime beyond 2020. That’s great news indeed, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

05. Willys Jeep CJ

It’s been a while since this one was discontinued, but it’s impossible to forget an icon, and Willys Jeep certainly was one. A 42 year long stint of production between 1944 and 1986 only bolsters that statement. Jeep finally discontinued the offspring of the WWII veteran in order to make way for a more contemporary YJ Wrangler.

Of course, it’s impossible to expect the old school bare-boned SUV in a modern era where safety regulations play such an important role. Still, if Wrangler manages, why wouldn’t one slightly rougher version do the same? Moreover, there’s some empty space in Jeep’s portfolio since the Patriot has been discontinued and the Compass might not be long for this world.

04. Chevrolet Blazer

Also known as GMC Jimmy, the Chevy Blazer is one of the best known U.S.-made SUVs to date. Sadly, it hasn’t been around for quite some time. The Blazer first appeared in 1969 and finally got axed in 1995 when it was renamed Tahoe. It was simply a victim of a new corporate strategy which is an anti-climactic end for such a beloved nameplate.

Of course, we now have the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon, but the second generation Blazer which lasted for almost 20 years is still sorely missed. The Blazer simply had that X factor which its successors lack. It’s similar with Blue Oval’s Bronco and Expedition comparison.

Now, I know that Blazer has made its comeback for MY 2019, but that’s not the Blazer I was referring to above. The new model might be sporty and plushy, but aside from name, doesn’t have anything to do with its iconic predecessor.

03. Toyota FJ Cruiser

Yet again, a car which was axed not so long ago. The Toyota FJ cruiser retired in 2014 (2016 overseas), and left Wrangler as the only rugged, old school off-road SUV on the U.S. market (until the new Bronco finally arrives, that is). Slow sales which never recuperated after the global recession of 2008-09 were the main reason for its discontinuation.

The Japanese are still selling Land Cruisers, but they simply can’t be compared with the compact FJ Cruiser. The FJ had that X factor. That something that made it special. Maybe it were the circular headlamps, or the overall boxy appearance, but I sure wish it was still here.

02. GMC Typhoon

The GMC Typhoon was always different than the rest of SUVs marketed at the time. Two year long production (between 1991 and 1993) and fewer than 5,000 units produced wasn’t exactly the lifespan you’d wish to a car, but the Typhoon was actually meant to be limited. Being a special-edition vehicle, the Typhoon’s life was naturally short and there were no particular reasons for its discontinuation other than that.

It was a performer, and performance-oriented SUVs weren’t really a thing back in early nineties. They are becoming that now, and GMC has something to think about. It’s an expensive process introducing a new SUV to the market – especially a performance-oriented one – but at least they have the name standing ready.

01. Bronco

Considering all the fuss surrounding it, the Bronco is arguably the most wanted comeback vehicle out there. The Expedition is nice and tough, but the Bronco nameplate has some backbone to it that rarely any other SUV nameplate has. Whether it’s the compact models (1965 to 1977) or full-size units (1977 to 1996), the Broncos were highly appreciated among the U.S. buyers. It was a sad day when the Bronco was finally discontinued in favor of a 4-door Expedition which was Blue Oval’s answer to competition – mainly that from GM.

Ford doesn’t have to sell it in white if that’s their problem with the car, but showing some love would be appreciated by everyone – especially by buyers. Come to think of it, a white-exclusive OJ Edition wouldn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Just saying.

Anyway, that was my state of mind a few years back and now that the Bronco is finally making a comeback, there’s a sense of nervousness permeating the air around it. What if they screw it up?! Hopefully, the new Bronco will be a different sort of SUV than the new Blazer.

Relatively Recently Discontinued Cars We Might or Might Not See Again

Let’s now focus on some recently discontinued models that we probably won’t be seeing ever again. Some of them, however, have already had a similar stint so not all is lost in their cases. So, say your goodbyes to the ones that are gone and say your prayers for the ones that still might appear.

Volkswagen Touareg

The Volkswagen Touareg was introduced for the 2004 model year. It arrived on an early wave of the craze for upscale crossovers. The Touareg is sportier and more luxurious than most mainstream SUVs, but doesn’t really standout from the other upscale models.

Unfortunately for the Touareg’s future, the added luxury priced it out of many buyers’ range. VW is not going to abandon the segment altogether, though. The company is introducing the Atlas for 2018. The Atlas is being manufactured in North America and is more affordably priced than the Touareg.

While we probably won’t be seeing Touareg in the U.S. any more, it needs to be noted that the nameplate is still very much alive in the rest of the World.

Buick Verano

The life of the Buick Verano has been short (less than 5 years). The first Veranos hit dealerships for the 2012 model year. True to the basic nature of Buick, the Verano was a very comfortable entry-level luxury sedan.

The Verano, unfortunately, is but one victim of the ever-changing tastes of car buyers. Small car sales are down across the North American market. Instead of offering another sedan, Buick plans to fill the niche with the Encore compact crossover SUV, a model that is already popular among buyers and made its debut alongside the now-discontinued sedan back in 2012.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Verano name is still very much active in China.

Chevrolet SS

The Chevy SS is another car with a short life span. Introduced in 2014, the full-size SS crossed the ocean from Australia. GM subsidiary Holden designed the SS as a sporty rear-wheel-drive alternative to the Impala.

The SS offered 415 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque and was fun drive in spite of its size. Sadly, it wasn’t marketed particularly well. Very few people even knew of its existence, let alone wanted to pay the $50,000 sticker price.

Around 13,000 units have been sold over almost five years of sleeper’s tenure on the market. Still, if there was any car that deserved to remain being offered as a niche vehicle, this would be the one. In Australia, the Holden Commodore SS was downsized and is still being offered (continually since 1978).

Volkswagen CC

Introduced in 2009, the Volkswagen CC was a stylish and well-equipped entry-level luxury sedan. Despite its wide array of equipment and solid dependability, the four-door CC was also VW’s lowest-volume car.

Sales started declining rapidly after 2011 and never showed any signs of recuperating, hence the upscale sedan was axed in 2017. They were actually so bad that, at one point, VW sold 40 Jettas for every CC that left a dealer’s lot. VW remains hopeful that it can gain a foothold in the near-luxury four-door market, however.

The Germans will be replacing the CC with the Arteon, but even that business didn’t go down without complications as the new car missed its intended U.S. market train due to complications with emissions testings.

Chrysler 200

All that can be said about the demise of the Chrysler 200 is: “it was about time!” This lackluster replacement for the equally lackluster Chrysler Sebring has needed to be axed since its inception in 2011. This finally happened in 2017.

Sales were decent, but many owners and potential buyers felt the cheap feeling interior and boring styling were disappointing. The sedan segment was just too crowded for poor styling and cheap interiors. Fiat Chrysler had the common sense to put this donkey to bed and add production capability to meet demands for its truck and SUV lines.

However, this move has left the Chrysler lineup seriously shallow with only the Pacifica minivan and the 300 sedan still on the books.

Smart Fortwo

Mercedes-Benz dabbled in the small economy car niche with the Smart Fortwo. These strange-looking cars hit the roads in 2008 and immediately began disappointing buyers. Tiny, unstable-looking, and short on fuel economy, the Smart Fortwo proved to be short on smart and barely able to fit two.

Mercedes-Benz has decided to drop the gasoline versions after the 2017 model year, but will keep the Electric Drive version. Maybe as an all-electric, this urban crawler will finally find its niche. On the other hand, it’ll require some serious progression in terms of its own electric technology if it’s to avoid the gasoline model’s fate.

Infiniti QX70

When the Infiniti QX70 hit the market in 2003 as the Infiniti FX, sales went wild. The QX70 was a radically curvaceous temptress when everything around her was boxy and staid. Unfortunately, sales have been sagging since the 2005 model year and the mid-size luxury SUV was finally dropped in 2018.

To be fair, there was a bit of an economic downturn between 2008 and 2012 to contend with, but sales have never hit an uptick. Infiniti is replacing the QX70 with a totally restyled QX50. With the crossover and SUV fever that has been sweeping the globe for several years, we may be seeing a retooled version of the QX70 in the not-too-distant future.

Dodge Viper

The loss of the Dodge Viper is the saddest thing we have ever had to type. Chrysler introduced the Dodge Viper in 1992 when its lineup contained more junk than a scrap yard. The only thing Chrysler was selling in 1992 were minivans and a few boxy, underwhelming cars. Then, all of a sudden and completely out of nowhere, the V10 Viper hit the pavement.

Buyers started to get excited about a Chrysler product for the first time in decades. Unfortunately, profits per unit have always been minimal. Fiat Chrysler is in need of every dollar of profit possible, so the Viper is being axed.

Even worse, there are no plans to replace it with another car of note and it’s already been a while since the FCA discontinued the Viper in 2017. So with that, we say goodbye to one of the most iconic American sports cars to date. Of all the cars to be discontinued in recent years, this one definitely breaks our hearts the most.

Jeep Patriot

The Jeep Patriot and the Jeep Compass debuted side-by-side as part of the 2007 model year lineup. The Patriot has stuck around for a decade with very few changes or upgrades. Tired and dated are about the only things that can be said about it. It was finally dropped in 2017 in order to make way fro the new Renegade.

When it debuted, the Patriot was the only compact crossover that sported bona fide off-road skills when equipped with the “Trail Rated” 4×4 system. Jeep has made a terrible waste of a potential sales monster by allowing it to lament in near stagnation. Oh, about the Jeep Compass…it gets a major redesign and a fresh marketing campaign to ensure its continued success.

Cadillac ELR

Just because your badge is upscale does not mean you can take a low end vehicle, dress it up, slap a badge on it and make it an upscale vehicle that people will buy. Unfortunately that’s what Cadillac did with its version of the Chevy Volt (remember Cimarron?).

Not only was the all-electric poorly conceived, it was also launched when Tesla introduced its spectacularly successful Model S. The $75,000 price tag for the ELR put a real blanket on potential sales. On the plus side, so few were manufactured that they may become a collectible based on rarity.

The ELR was only available between 2014 and 2016 and the company managed to sell close to 3,000 units during that time.

FCA Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country

Soccer Moms and car pool drivers are going to have to find another mode of transport when their existing Caravans and Town & Country vans need to be replaced. These seven passenger minivans with not so great fuel efficiency are the victims of a general reduction in demand and FCA’s shrinking share of the market that is there.

The hope was that the redesigned Chrysler Pacifica will fill the minivan needs of both Dodge and Chrysler customers and so far the Pacifica has delivered.

Dodge versions, as you remember, debuted back in late 1983 and are still being sold for the time being, while the Chrysler Town & Country arrived in late 1989 and disappeared in 2016.

And so ends our list of inglorious discontinued cars from recent years. We bid a fond adieu to a couple and wonder why a few others aren’t listed as well? Oh well, something to look forward to in coming years! Speaking of which, this list will be constantly updated with new discontinued models so don’t forget to check back and reminisce about them.

#TexasAutoValue #BestSuv #BestoFTheDay #@TexasAutoValue

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