When Is the Best Time to Sell Your Car?

Not everyone who comes to our dealership is a first-time buyer; many of the folks who come to our doors aren’t just looking to buy a vehicle but also need to sell the one that they currently have. If you’ve been frantically searching “how to sell my car” but haven’t gotten much good advice yet, you’ve come to the right place. We know a thing or two about selling cars here at Zimmer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and we’re happy to share our knowledge with you so you can get even more out of your driving experience.

If you want to know where you can sell your car, look no further than our dealership. We pay top dollar and make the process hassle-free so you can get the value of your current vehicle applied toward the price of your new (or new-to-you) without having to worry about finding a buyer, creating a listing, or taking any of the other steps necessary to sell a vehicle privately. We take care of all that for you so you can rest easy.

But if you’re looking to get the most out of your trade-in, then you may also want to know when you should sell your car. The auto market can feel unpredictable and opaque if you’re not familiar with it, but we have a few easy tips that can help you get the best price possible for your vehicle, whether you’re selling it to us or anyone else. Let’s dive in and see what you should consider when selling your car.

Before You Really Need To

You should try to sell your car when you want to, not when you desperately need to. Not everyone has the luxury of taking this advice, but when possible, it can make the entire process much less stressful. If you need to sell your vehicle before an impending deadline, like a move or a new job that requires a different type of car, then you’ll be under a lot of pressure and won’t be able to take the time to decide if an offer is right for you. You’ll also probably be rushing the process of picking your next vehicle, which can add even more stress to the pile.

Even worse is waiting until your vehicle is on its last legs and could break down for good any moment. In this instance, you still have a deadline, but you have no idea when it’s going to strike. Not only that, but you have a lemon on your hands, and you probably won’t be able to get much for it. So, instead of waiting until the last possible second, it’s best to sell your car when you want an upgrade or a different body style but aren’t in a huge rush.

Before the Warranty Expires

A manufacturer’s warranty is a valuable asset that can help you drive with confidence, knowing that a variety of problems will be covered if you get into trouble. Generally, these warranties transfer along with ownership of a vehicle, so they’re important to keep in mind when reselling. Most warranties have a mileage marker and a number of months or years, and whichever comes first is when they expire. General warranties cover a wide range of issues and are typically shorter than powertrain warranties, which cover vital components like the engine. Take a look at the warranties on your vehicle and see if they’re still in effect. If so, you might want to sell before one or the other expires.

Before a Mileage Milestone

Some mileage milestones are linked to the average length of a general warranty or powertrain warranty. While these are usually around 30,000 – 40,000 miles and 60,000 – 70,000 miles, they can differ widely depending on the automaker and even the particular model. But across the board, the final major milestone is the 100,000-mile mark. Instead of being linked to something concrete like warranty coverage, this one is a psychological barrier. Something about that extra digit makes buyers think twice, so sellers have to lower the price to entice them to look past the number on the odometer.

The 100k milestone can feel a bit arbitrary because it is a bit arbitrary. Well-made vehicles can continue to run reliably for hundreds of thousands of miles if they’re brought in for all of their regular maintenance and treated well by their owners. But the fact is that hitting this milestone has a natural effect on how buyers value a vehicle. Even if we, as automotive experts, know that a car can run just as well at 100,000 miles as it did at 99,000, we can’t ignore that the people browsing our used vehicle inventory will expect to pay less for a car with over 100k miles. So, if you’re already thinking about selling and you see that a milestone is about to roll around, you should probably act fast.

Before a New Model Year Debuts

It’s important to keep your particular vehicle’s make and model in mind when selling. Many drivers are loyal to a particular model and will be comparing used and new options when they look for the best deal. That means that for every year a new model has come out, your vehicle will have more competition. If a new model year is about to be released, then you might want to sell before it hits the market.

You should be especially wary if the automaker is announcing a whole new “generation” for the model. This will make your vehicle seem outdated, even if it’s only a few years old. A new generation typically comes with a noticeable makeover, so even drivers who aren’t very familiar with the auto market will be able to tell at a glance that your car is “the old version.”

When You’re Ready for Something New

Following some or all of these tips can help you get a better price for your vehicle, but it’s important to remember that the market is unpredictable. Different types of vehicles (sedans, SUVs, trucks, etc.) come in and out of style all the time, and it can be impossible to know when exactly is the best time to get the most for your car until it has already passed. That can seem scary, but if you learn to accept it, it can also be freeing.

Since it’s impossible to know when the exact best time to sell your vehicle is, you don’t have to worry as much about getting it right. Instead, you can simply sell your vehicle when you’re ready to get a new one for any reason. If you’re expecting your first child and need to trade your hotrod out for a family car, then it’s the right time for you to sell. If you just bought a house and want to switch out your compact crossover for a work truck to help you with renovation projects, then it’s the right time to sell. If you feel ready for a change, don’t let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good.

When you do decide it’s the right time for a new vehicle, be sure to keep Zimmer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in mind. You can get a market report for your vehicle here on our website and see what kind of price you can expect to get for it quickly and easily. You can also browse our current inventory and see what kind of new or used vehicle you want to get next. Getting both sides of the transaction handled in the same place saves you valuable time so you can get back on the road as soon as possible.