Six Documents You Need to Have When Selling your Car Online

When you want to sell your car online, it helps to have all your documents in order and ready to go. That can make the process faster and easier, and also help the buyer feel more comfortable with the quality of the car they're buying.

After all, if you've got all the maintenance records you probably took good care of the car, right? So here are six documents you'll want to consider having in your hand, when you get ready to put your car up for sale online.

A lot of buyers will want to run a vehicle history report using the VIN of your car before they buy, but you should also obtain one. You can provide it for buyers if they're comfortable with that, and also get a good idea of what the report says about your vehicle. If there are discrepancies, you'll want to know about them before you hear from a buyer who has questions. The maintenance records are also very valuable, as they show that the car has been treated properly throughout the time you've owned it.

You, as a seller, aren't going to provide a warranty on your vehicle. Even though the buyer probably assumes that, assumption can be dangerous in a legal transaction. It's much better to be clear on everything, and an as-is document ensures that the buyer can't come back later and say you should pay for something that broke or stopped working.

Even though you're not giving your own warranty, when you sell a car you want to be able to provide any documents for a transferable warranty that's still valid for the vehicle. That warranty will go with the car, and the new owner can use it if something goes wrong later. It doesn't obligate you to anything, and can help the buyer feel confident and protected in the sale.

The law says you can't lie about the actual mileage on your car. You could be in a lot of trouble if you tamper with the odometer or "roll it back" to make the vehicle look like it has fewer miles than it really does. The odometer disclosure assures the buyer that you haven't messed with the mileage, and the number of miles showing on the odometer is the number of miles the car has been driven.

In almost all states you'll need a bill of sale. Even if you live in a state that doesn't require it, it's a good idea to have one. The bill of sale spells out the terms and conditions for the sale. If there's a dispute later on, you'll have proof of things like the purchase price, sale date, and other important information.

When you're selling a car, the most important document of all is the title. That's what gives you legal ownership of the vehicle, and what will transfer that ownership to the buyer. If you don't have a clear title (for example, the car you're selling is still financed), you should make sure the buyer knows that. Getting the title could take a little longer in those circumstances.

Ready to Sell Your Car Online? PrivateAuto is Here to Help Today

By having all the documents ready to go before you sell your car online, the process will be a smoother one. Another way to make the process easier is to choose PrivateAuto as the site to sell your car. You can list and close securely, without any hassle or delay. That provides a better transaction for you and the buyer, so everyone's happy with the deal.