Nowadays there is a big number of companies that offer to literally buy any car you would like to sell to them. However, many people are not willing to hop on this wagon due to the fact that some companies in the branch are known for iffy practices and the lack of reliability. Such companies have received some really rotten press and the good news are that not all companies work that way and you can put trust in the experienced and reliable ones. So are all instant car sellers the rip off you would expect them to be or there are some you can trust providing you with a great deal and saving you from the torture of having your car sitting unsold for a while? We have a thorough look at both sides of the argument and leave you to make your own conclusions.
Market Value
The market value of the car is usually the biggest complaint, more specifically the fact that the instant car buying/selling companies do not offer the market value of the vehicle. To be fair, this one is a pretty grey zone. Normally, whenever you are selling a car to someone who will use it you will be able to get a higher price that is closer to the original market value of the vehicle. However, selling the car to a company or someone who will then re-sell it means that the price will be naturally lower. This one is pretty straight-forward and does not require a further explaining.
Despite this fact, there are still a lot of complaints floating around linked to the fact that someone is offered not enough money. After all, you can always decline accepting an offer you do not like and you won’t be pressured to sell your car at the moment. The advantage of trading a vehicle with a company is how quick and easy the process is and not the fact that you will be able to get the full market value of what you are selling. Despite the fact that there are many online sources helping you to get a general idea of the market value of the car, do not put full trust in these as these do not take a lot of things into consideration and they can provide you with a rough idea only.
Online Quotes
When it comes to selling your car to an instant buying company the online quotation service could be very helpful. Normally a free one and with no strings attached, most of the companies will offer a quick and easy quotation service where you provide basic contact details and information about the car including car model, mileage, service history, number of owners, etc. Then you will be contacted back with a quotation and this is when a serious number of complaints come from too.
The most important thing, in this case, is to remember that you are getting a quotation for a vehicle that has not been seen or inspected by a representative of the company yet and naturally the quote you will be lower than the market value and what you are expecting at first. However, quotations may be changed anytime during the initial process so do not take them as a final decision so do not take your quotation as the maximum or minimum price you will be given. Instant car buying companies are often flexible and take into consideration many aspects in every stage of the process.
The appointment
There are many reasons why you would like to take the next step and arrange a sales appointment with the company you feel reliable. First of all, you may expect that the price of the vehicle you are selling will increase once it is expected by a professional of the company. Maybe you are tired of trying to find a buyer for months now and you are willing to just get rid of the vehicle no matter the difference in price compared to the market value. Or probably you would just like to meet a car trading agent and have a talk, see how things go. However, one important thing to keep in an account is that you cannot expect to get the full market value by this point, otherwise you will be disappointed. Once again, remember that the company is buying your car to re-sell it next and they would like to make a profit, of course.
In addition, even if you arrange and visit a sale appointment, you are free to walk away without any commitment at any time before you place your signature on the dotted line. So whenever you do not feel happy with the offer and you expect that you will be able to find a better deal for your vehicle simply walk away. A reliable and reputable professional company will never try to bully or pressure you to sell your car if you do not feel like doing it. Your vehicle will undergo a full and detailed inspection of the interior and exterior by a qualified and experienced mechanic and you will be able to look at the car yourself and make a complaint if you notice something. This is also the point where you will be able to find out the final price the company will offer you.