How much is my car worth?

Want to sell your car? Wonder how much you can get for it? Looking for a quality used car? Want to know how much their going for? Save money by looking at this car buying/selling guide.

Increase your car's resale value.

How to Increase Your Car's Resale Value

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Five ways to get as much as possible at trade-in time:
If you only plan to keep your car a few years, then it's in your best interest to keep its resale value as high as possible -- after all, that's more money to put down on your next new car. These five tips will put your car well ahead of the pack and help to maximize its resale value.

Steps

1. Buy a car that will hold its value. Resale value is based on many factors, including desireability and reliability. Some makes, such as Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Lexus, always hold their value well. Imports generally hold their value better than American cars. Use a good used car pricing site, such as Edmunds.com (an About.com partner) or Kelley Blue Book, to research the resale history of models in which you are interested.
   
2. Follow the maintenance schedule and keep all receipts. You'll find the maintenance schedule in the back of the owner's manual. Keep receipts for all maintenance and repair work, no matter how minor. A stack of receipts underscores the fact that your car has been well taken care of. Savvy used car buyers will be willing to pay extra for a car with a fully documented service history.
   
3. Don't crash. Any history of collision damage can ding your car's resale value, and a trained used car appraiser can spot body work from a mile away. If your car is in a collision, use an experienced repair shop with a good reputation and insist on using factory (also known as OEM, for Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. Save all receipts and be up front and honest about any collision repair work when it comes time to sell or trade. Being evasive about collision repair may lead the buyer to believe that the damage was more extensive than you are letting on.
   
4. Resist the urge to customize. Spending money on your car can actually decrease its value.
   
5. Keep it clean. The better your car appears to be kept up, the more it will be worth, and most people associate cleanliness with care. Washing and waxing your car on a regular basis is a much easier way to keep it looking good than paying for an expensive detail job when the time comes to sell.
   

Tips

• Some options, such as air conditioning or a sunroof, will improve your car's resale value; consider buying them even if they aren't on your personal must-have list.
  
• If you do have your car customized, stick to non-intrusive upgrades such as new wheels or an upgraded stereo that won't require extensive re-wiring or cutting up the dashboard. Save the old parts so you have the option of returning your car to its original condition before selling.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Sell Cars
  
• How to Sell a Used Car
  
• How to Buy a Used Car
  
• How to Clean Your Car
  
• How to Rent a Car
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Increase Your Car's Resale Value. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Get Rid of an Old Car

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

That old clunker in your yard can be worth money to you! Luckily the hunk of junk you are looking to lose can be turned into money, a tax deduction, or just a little good will.If you do not get the price you ask, think about giving it away to a charity organization, and you will have a tax write off come tax season!

Steps

1. Decide whether to sell your car, give it away, or chop it up.
   
2. Consider not wasting too much money on advertising. Try a web based service first. Advertising there is free and will let those in your local area know about what you are offering.
   
3. Think about donating your car to a family member or someone who needs it.
   
4. Consider donating to a local charity which is set up to accept car donations. Your local Public TV may do this. If so, they will send someone to pick up your car and give you a receipt for a donation. You may be able to use this as a tax deduction. They will probably not use your car, but rather, will have an agreement with someone who will give them a little money for the car and then sell it at auction.
   
5. Sell pieces of your car if none of the above will work for you. Old models especially are good for this. Car buffs are always searching online auction pages in order to find parts to replace headlights, or turn signals or bumpers, etc. of their own similar cars.
   

Tips

• Know the value of your car before you try to sell it. Look up the blue book value, take it to a used car dealer for an offer, or check the classifieds or online auctions. Maybe a car of similar age and type is being offered.
  
• America Car Donation
  

Warnings

• When you sell or give, get the name of the buyer and a signed bill of sale. In some states, you will need to produce this in order to prove that you no longer own the car. This will help you to avoid having to pay registration fees and fines in the future.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Buy the Perfect Car
  
• How to Sell a Used Car
  
• How to Sell Your Car Privately
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Rid of an Old Car. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.