some_stars | (no subject)

I need to sell a car, and attempting to do this is the most horrible thing that has EVER HAPPENED to me. It may even be worse than trying to find a job because I at least sort of know how to do that, and when I fail I'm not costing anyone huge amounts of money or possibly accidentally defrauding someone, and I don't have to have informal contact with random people, and--I don't KNOW, I just don't know any of this.

I got an estimated value from the Blue Book site but it seems absurdly high, even considering the super low mileage (we've had it for 13 years but since none of us have ever had a commute more than a couple miles and we don't really...go places, it's just over 50,000) and some other site that IDK whether to trust or not is giving me a value over $2000 lower, and I'm going to have to take the car in to the shop--which used to be a good place but is now run by the original owner's son and can no longer be particularly trusted--and get an appraisal without having anything done yet and my dad was all "don't tell them you're planning to sell it!" which, I don't know WHY, if this is just some random shit he invented in his head which he does sometimes or if there's an actual reason, and that makes my life REALLY DIFFICULT, and whatever list of things they give me and claim the car needs I have no way of knowing which are massive exaggerations, and even aside from all that it's just hateful--and I don't know how to write a car ad, or where to put it, or if I'm allowed to tell people to email me instead of calling because oh jesus CHRIST no, I do not need strangers interrupting my life at unpredictable times throughout the day when I can't just not answer the phone and I have to be ready AT ANY MOMENT to stop whatever I'm doing and talk business and car details with ANYONE and just--no. Not happening! E-mail or it's getting donated, I don't even fucking care.

Thank god, I don't have to actually deal with anyone in person, at least not extensively; my dad will be doing that both because I'm the least capable person on the planet and because it's not actually, technically, my car. I just have to get them here, and I DON'T KNOW HOW, and everything is horrible.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Here from network.

To figure out car value, check craigslist in your area, and search for similar types of cars. If it's a common type of car, there'll be lots of listings and you can get a sense of what the actual selling value is; if it's a rarer type, it's harder but you should still be able to find something. (If not, check SF Bay Area listings 'cos we have some of everything.)

I know basically nothing about cars, but I can figure out that a 10-yr-old Honda Civic goes for $5k - $9k in my area, and open individual listings to figure out what the difference is.

If you sell through Craigslist, you don't need to give a phone number, and the email is a redirect so you wouldn't be giving your email to creepy people. (I have no idea if Craigslist is a reasonable option for you.)

Craigslist would be fine! Probably best! I, uh, I honestly don't know what a similar type of car would be? It's a Honda Accord so I know what type of car it is, but other make/model names that I could throw around and search for...clueless. This is seriously the worst possible task anyone could ever give me.

Honda Accord is fine! Is plenty of Honda Accords for sale! You only have to know what's similar when you happen to have a limited-run sports car (my husband looooves the Volvo 1800-ES, about which I now know far too much) or some kind of amphibious weird car, and there's just *nothing* in the listings.

You can search for Honda Accord and whatever year yours is (and then the year before & after it, or for all the Honda Accords), and see if the prices look anything like what the blue book says. If you're at "just make it GO AWAY" stage, price your car at 25% below average for cars whose descriptions mostly fit your car. If you're at "OMG MAKE IT GONE GONE GONE NOW," price at half that level.

Honda Accords in Austin (I have no idea where in TX you are, but prices probably are similar everywhere); 1999's seem to mostly be going for $1500-$5000, and more for super-special versions, whatever those are.

thank you, this is helpful! and calming. *g* (i wish i had an amphibious car! but i certainly wouldn't be selling it.)

I was also going to suggest Craigslist! A friend of mine bought a car using Craigslist and it was super not-fraudful. I am not going to pretend it will not be a hassle, but you can set up appointments via email and stuff.

Also you can look at other car ads to get an idea of what kind of information you should be putting on your ad. And if that's super-stressful you can copy and paste a basic one and change the relevant details.

Very very best of luck; consulting CL for how other people did it sounds like an excellent idea. (I was so glad that when it came time to replace my car, the previous one was really beyond its usefulness so I only had to figure out how to get it scrapped properly, not try to sell it to anyone else.)

I am SO SORRY. D: That would be my kryptonite too.