Selling a car can be a stressful process at the best of times, especially when you’re not familiar with the industry or the task. But don’t fret, you’re not alone! Many people are unsure where to start or who to talk to when it comes to selling a car. And if you’re like most people, when we aren’t sure about something, our first response is to search the world wide web.
After your online deep dive, you’ll likely discover that there are pretty much two options to choose from – one: selling a car to a dealership, and two: selling through a private buyer like We Buy Cars. But which is the better option?
In the true nature of comparison, we have curated a pros and cons list for selling a car to a dealership – we hope this guide helps you better understand how dealers vs. private sellers work and to show you that We Buy Cars is certainly the better and more efficient option!
The pros of selling a car to a dealership
Car dealerships are businesses that sell new and used cars at a retail level, so it makes sense that their number one priority is, well, selling cars. This means that they will most likely encourage you to do a car trade-in and purchase something new from them in return – which is great, if that’s what you want to do.
That’s only if the other option is to sell it privately. Selling to a dealership means you don’t have to take photos or create a listing online, or any of the other hassles associated with selling it yourself. It also means you’re not at the mercy of the market; you can make your sale then and there.
Car dealerships will always have something to offer you (whether it’s a good offer or not) – perhaps it’s a discounted finance rate, some free optional extras, or a runout sale…
The cons of selling to a dealership
Dealers will often offer less than your vehicle is worth so that they make a bigger and better profit. Typically, you will get less than you would selling it elsewhere, which is why it’s so important to know what your car is worth before going in; it’s not unusual for them to try to get the car for a lot less than the car is worth!
Selling a car through a dealership comes with a lot of back and forth and paperwork that can be inconvenient and time-consuming. Which is unlike here at We Buy Cars, where we can offer a quick and easy vehicle evaluation through our online tool.
When using a dealership, the car seller is not required to disclose what the inspection doesn’t find. Even though they might claim to have included a full-service history this may not be the case. The term is open-ended, so the dealer can decide what to include and what not to include.
Dealers are trained to upsell and always opt for the most profitable outcome for their business. They do this by trying to sell you optional extras or upgrade you to a more premium car than you need, thereby diverting your attention from the price of your current car to all the bells and whistles. And if you don’t need them, or you end up overstretching your budget, you may find you end up with buyer’s remorse.
Having second thoughts about selling your car to a dealership?
Luckily, We Buy Cars is anything but! We are a private seller who pride ourselves on honesty and professionalism. We buy thousands of vehicles every year with a slew of happy customers to prove it – so you can rest assured that we know what we are doing. Start your car journey by getting a hassle-free quote with We Buy Cars today.
