Thu. Jun 1st, 2023

Can You Sell a Car on Finance?

You may be in the market for a new car or have decided that you no longer need your current one. However, selling a car on finance can be tricky.

Firstly, you’ll need to understand what steps you need to take. These include paying off the loan, clearing the title and more.

How to sell a car on finance

You may have decided to sell your car on finance, perhaps because you need a newer model or have gotten tired of making car payments. Either way, you want to get rid of your vehicle as quickly and painlessly as possible.

However, if you have a car loan or a lease agreement on your vehicle, you can’t just walk away without paying back the full amount of what you owe on the car. That’s because the car is still legally owned by your lender, even if you’ve sold it.

It’s important to keep your lender in the loop at all times when selling a car on finance. This is to ensure that everything is done correctly, and that the buyer receives a clear title to the vehicle.

If your lender has a local branch, make an appointment at their office to execute the sale. Here, you can collect the money from the buyer, pay off the loan and transfer the title all in one place.

While it’s more expensive to go this route, it can be a convenient and safe option. The seller can bring a representative from the lender to collect the funds and sign the paperwork. The bank can also release the lien, give documentation that the loan is paid off and transfer the title all in one place.

The downside is that this method can be more complicated than a private sale, as the buyer may need to use money from the transaction to meet their loan obligations. That’s why it’s often preferable to complete a private sale with someone who is not obligated to pay off the loan.

Typically, private buyers are looking to purchase vehicles for their own use. They don’t want to buy cars for their ability to make a profit, so they’re less likely to have any questions about the vehicle’s condition or functionality.

To find out what your car is worth, you can look at online tools like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds. These will provide you with the MSRP and dealer invoice price of your vehicle. They also have pricing tools that will show you what a similar car is currently selling for at different dealerships.

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Part-exchange

A part-exchange is a process whereby you sell your car to a dealership, and the dealer then uses this money towards buying a new one. It is a convenient option and can save you time, as well as money.

Typically, a dealer will offer you a value for your old vehicle based on the same industry data used by traders to determine the ‘trade’ price of a second-hand car. It will take into account things like mileage, service history, specification and even colour to arrive at a number.

The dealer may decide to keep your old car for stock and then resell it from their forecourt. This could be done if it is a relatively new vehicle and has been properly maintained, or it might be sold to auction if it is deemed to be unroadworthy.

This can be a good way to sell your car, particularly if you are in negative equity and can’t afford to buy a new one outright. However, it is important to ensure that the valuation you get is a fair one.

Another reason that you might want to consider part-exchanging is if you are looking to purchase a property. Many new home builders offer to take houses in part exchange, which can speed up the process and make it chain-free.

In addition, it’s also possible to use the value of your old car against the deposit on a new one if you have a PCP finance deal. This is because PCP deals are set up so that the value of your car should exceed an optional final payment – usually a lump sum at the end of the contract period.

It’s always worth checking the terms of your current finance agreement to see if this is possible. In most cases, it is and you can use the money to offset your deposit on a new car.

If you decide to sell your car in part-exchange, it is always a good idea to speak to several dealers first. This will help you find the best possible price and avoid any disappointment. This is especially important if you have an older car that needs significant repairs or is in poor condition.

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Selling a car with a finance agreement

If you have a car loan and want to sell it, there are a few things you should know before you start the process. These tips will help you get the best deal for your car and will make the sale a little easier.

First, you should talk with your lender and ask them about how to transfer the ownership of your vehicle. You can also ask about the payoff amount on your loan and any prepayment penalties. Getting this information will allow you to determine how much money is left in the vehicle’s equity.

The amount of money you owe on your car will depend on several factors, including the loan term and interest rate. The longer the term, the more you’ll pay in interest over time.

Another factor is whether you have negative equity in your car. Negative equity means you owe more on the car than it is worth. If you have positive equity, the amount you owe will be less than the total price of the vehicle.

You can then negotiate with the buyer to cover the remaining amount owed on your loan. If you do this, the lender will take care of all the paperwork necessary to release your title and transfer the ownership of the vehicle to the new owner.

Finally, the buyer will usually take the signed title and other documents to their local Department of Motor Vehicles to get a new registration and title. Depending on where you live, this process can be done in an hour or less.

If you’re selling a car with a finance agreement, you may want to consider working with a dealership or a private party. These sellers are familiar with auto loans and can be more receptive to working through the process. They can also take a lot of the hassle out of the sale and help you get the highest possible price for your car.

Selling a car with a loan

When you have a car loan, the process of selling your vehicle can be a bit more complicated than if you own it outright. The first step is to find out how much your car is worth and whether you have positive or negative equity. This information will help you decide if the sale of your car is a good idea and if you can get enough money from the buyer to cover the outstanding balance on the auto loan.

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Once you have this information, it’s time to contact your lender and ask about the payoff requirements. This will help you figure out if you can sell your car to a private party or if you need to sell it to a dealership before you can complete the transaction.

You can do this by arranging to meet with your loan officer at the lender’s local branch or office. At this meeting, the lender can release your lien, give you documentation that your loan is satisfied and transfer the title to your new buyer. This can be a relatively easy and fast process, but it’s still important to make sure you do it right.

The easiest way to sell a car on finance is to sell it to a dealer. A dealership will take care of the paperwork for you, and they can offer a higher price for your car than you would receive from a private buyer. But a dealership also takes a bigger risk than a private party, because you’ll still be responsible for paying the loan servicer if the transaction doesn’t go through.

However, if you’re able to negotiate with the dealership to take on your old car loan, it could save you a significant amount of time and money in the long run. If your old car is still worth more than your loan, the dealership will take the money from the sale and apply it toward your new car loan.

If you’re selling your car to a private party, the buyer will pay your lender the total sale amount before they give you the remainder. You’ll then have to give the buyer the title and sign it over to them. Then the buyer will take the title to their local DMV for a new registration and title.

Jeffrey Augers
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By Jeffrey Augers

Jeffrey Augers is a highly skilled and experienced financial analyst with over 12 years of experience in the finance industry. He has a proven track record of delivering exceptional financial insights and recommendations to clients, empowering them to make informed decisions and achieve their financial goals. Jeffrey holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.