Ca Craigslist Cars (2024)

FAQs

How effective is Craigslist for selling cars? ›

Getting your inventory listed on Craigslist is one of the most profitable ways to advertise your cars. It's proven that car buyers on Craigslist tend to convert much quicker than on any other classifieds. The conversion rate on Craigslist can be as high as 10%, and that's huge.

To negotiate the car price, start by offering 15% below the asking price or the KBB value, whichever is lower. If an inspection reveals a problem, ask the seller to deduct the cost of repairs from the car's price. Lowballing the seller — asking for more than 30% off — could leave you empty-handed.

Don't share personal details.

Never disclose your personal or financial information to strangers online. There is no need for your Craigslist contact to know your bank account number, home address, or date of birth. You might share your cell phone number with someone you are meeting in person, but not more.

Haggle, yes it's okay. Low balling is a waste of time. You are asking for a middle finger, or no response unless they say best offer. How do you post an ad to sell something on Craigslist indicating you'll take significantly less than you've the price you've offered without giving away that you're desperate?

Make a realistic offer, but one that's also bold enough to anchor the negotiation to a lower point. A savings of 5% or so below the market value (not the price they are asking) is a reasonable starting point for negotiations. Another way to look at it is to do about 15% to 25% below the maximum you're willing to pay.

Can you sell a car for $1? In short, yes. But while selling a car for $1 will allow you to avoid capital gains and gifts taxes, the recipient of the car will have to pay whatever rate of sales tax your state charges on used vehicles when they transfer the title.

How do I protect myself when selling a car in California? ›

The Short Answer (or, the TL;DR for my fellow hustlers): The California Department of Motor Vehicles (fancy name for the folks who keep track of all things car-related) says you can sell up to 5 vehicles a year without needing a dealer license. That's right, 5 glorious chariots!

Yes , private sellers are required to pay sales tax when selling a used car in California . This tax is based on the purchase price of the vehicle and must be paid to the California Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) at the time of the sale .

Yes. You are required by law to notify DMV within five calendar days from the date you sell or transfer title or interest in and deliver possession of a vehicle to another owner (Vehicle Code Section 5900).

Yes. If you are selling your car, you need to give the new owner a valid smog certification when you sell the car. If the car you are selling is less than four years old, you do not need to get a smog inspection. Instead, the new owner of the car will need to pay a smog transfer fee.

Warning signs in listings and communications. Too-good-to-be-true prices: If a listing offers an item at a price significantly lower than its market value, proceed with caution. Scammers often use unbelievably low prices as bait.

Craigslist has a spot to routinely list the VIN on ads for this reason. Repeat used car buyers look askance at sellers who won't provide the VIN. There really is nothing a buyer can do with the VIN to cause the seller harm.