A car is one of the prized possessions you may own right now. Still, there will come a time you will need to get rid of that car. Whether you don’t use it anymore, plan to get a new car, or simply need some extra money. The problem is, it is not that easy to get rid of a car.

Get Rid of your Car

There are several ways to get rid of your car, but your choice really depends on the situation, your financial needs and the condition of the car you want to get rid of. If you are short on cash and you don’t use your car that much, you can sell it. Your options in getting rid of your car are:

• Sell it. If your car is still in a good condition, this way will earn you more money. It may take some time in preparation to sell it, though.
• Donat it to Charity. Your car may have a few minor problems but you either don’t have time or money to have it fixed, you can donate the vehicle to a charitable institution and get some tax deductions.
• Trade it in for a new car. If you are itching to buy a new car, you can trade your car for that one you want to buy. The worth of your car is automatically credited to the price of the car you will be buying.
• Recycle it. If your car is a wreck and you think no one else will buy it from you, you can have it recycled. Recycling is the most environmentally safe way to get rid of your car.
• Junk it. If you really want money as soon as possible, you can sell your car as scrap material at a nearby junk shop.

Selling your Car

Let’s say your car works fine but you need extra money for a new car or something else. It will be definitely a waste if you junk it or have it recycled. If you want to get your money’s worth, selling it is your best bet.

However, selling your car is often not an easy task. You’re lucky if you have a friend who is willing to buy that car from you, but in most cases, you won’t have someone eager to take that car from you at a good price.

The first thing that you have to do when selling the car is to know how much you want to sell it for. You must be sure of the price that you want. It should be set to a price that is not too high, or too low either. The best way to find out how much your car is worth is to check ads online and on print. Look for someone selling a car like you have and judge the price.

Now you don’t have to price your car around the prevailing price. Set it a few hundred dollars higher so that when a buyer negotiates, you don’t get lower than you expect to have for your car.

You also have to prepare your car for its next owner. You want to get a good impression on your prospective buyers, so here is what you should do:

Posting an Advertisement

The easiest way to post an advertisement of your car that you want to sell is through the Internet, and in most cases, is free. There are a lot of websites that offer this service. Heck, even your favorite online forum surely has a For Sale thread where you can post items that you want to sell.

When posting, make sure you provide as much details as possible. Including a lot of pictures, both inside and out, will give the viewers a clue what type of car you are selling, as well as its general condition.

Getting Rid of your Car: Other Options

If your car isn’t really in a condition that is worth selling, you are better off donating, recycling, or junking you car.

When your car still works, but its cosmetic condition is not that presentable or needs some repairs to be done, then spare yourself of the time and effort of having it fixed, donating it is your best option. There are a lot of organizations or schools that accept such. The best part is, you can pay less tax by deducting the donation from your total payable tax.

Junking your car is another option if the one you have right now does not work well or can no longer be repaired. You get paid somehow for its spare parts, it is not much, but the money you get may be used for a couple of dates or some party you will be holding over the weekend. Just hand it over to your nearest junk shop and you rid yourself of it.

If you feel guilty about junking your car, then you can safely dispose of it by dropping it off at a car recycling center. You won’t be getting money for having your car recycled, but at least you won’t be harming mother nature.