When selling your vehicle, online or otherwise, it's important to know a few things. If you walk into this situation unarmed you may end up at the bad end of a deal or worse — legal trouble. Fear not, CarNinja is here to offer you a few handy tips.

1. Research The Market

   It sounds obvious, but you should have an idea of what your car is worth. If you're totally clueless (and even if you're not), you should at a minimum run your vehicle through Kelley Blue Book's web site and see what it's worth. In addition, look up your make and model with similar wear and tear on sites like AutoTrader, Cars.com, and of course CarNinja.com (once it's live).

2. Know What You Owe

   Don't get caught owing money after you sell your vehicle. Check your most recent loan statement for a final payoff value. Just because you've paid $15k on a $30k vehicle doesn't mean you owe $15k. Generally a bank will pay down the interest on the loan before the principle. The following tip may also play into what you owe.

3. Research Your Laws

   Uncle sam wants his cut. When you sell your vehicle, you may owe tax or have to pay for transfers, temporary statements, etc. A transfer-of-title form may be required by your DMV. Research your laws and know your role. Most states' DMV websites contain information specifically relating to selling a vehicle in your state.

4. Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

   The number one failure I see on most automotive sites is a total lack of pictures. Before you list your car in any classifieds, make sure to take at least 15 high quality photos of the vehicle. When you're car shopping, the first thing you want to see is pictures, right? It's the same with everybody else. You're more likely to get calls from high quality pictures than you ever are from flashy descriptions. That brings us to the next topic...

5. Clean The Car... and Keep It Clean!

   Before you take your pictures, make sure to really really clean your car. Inside and out, armor-all, leather wipes if you have leather. Hell, get it detailed. A clean car is a valuable car. The good news is you'll only have to clean it this heavily once.

   Make sure you keep the vehicle clean, as well, because if anyone calls and wants to show up in 15 minutes to check out the car, you won't be rushing to clean it up. A buyer will decide in the first glance whether they want the car or not. Remember, it's their new car... not your old one. Everyone wants that exciting experience of driving away in a new-to-me car. That experience is down the tubes if the first thing they have to do is find your old gum wrappers under the seats.

6. Tune It Up

   Top off those fluids. Fill those tires with air. Get that oil changed. Have that timing belt swapped. The better your car runs, the more likely it is to get your asking price. Also, if you have these things done you can at least offer a partial maintenance record, and it may even serve as a selling point — it is, after all, maintenance the new owner won't have to perform or pay for.

7. Maintenance Records

   Prove your car is worth it. The day you put your car up for sale, buy a Carfax Report and show it to anyone interested in buying your car. Your upfront honesty will be appreciated and the true value of the car will shine through. People want to buy from someone they can count on, and nothing will boost your integrity like the transparency of a third party check-and-balance. Also, any records you can find on the maintenance and repairs will go a long way in a binder.

8. Get It Out There

   Now is the time you want people to see your vehicle. Traditional print methods offer slow results nowadays. My recommendation is to try the cheap plan on auto listing sites. Sites such as CarNinja.com (once active), AutoTrader.com, and Cars.com offer inexpensive or free options. Craigslist.org offers free listings as well.

   If you get to the point where print sounds like a decent option, I definitely recommend AutoTrader magazine. There's an option to run your car until it sells, and it makes for a decent long-term offering. In addition, you can log in to their website and update your car's price and description and it will reflect it in the next edition of the print magazine.

9. Watch For Scams

   Scammers are online in full force, and they have many tricks up their sleeves. I can't possibly tell you about them all, but two common tips are to avoid cashiers and travelers checks, and to never let anyone 'send you a little extra for your trouble'. You have to be pretty vigilant when selling a vehicle to someone online. Usually you can do your cash transfer at a bank in person. Even a common check can be trouble. Asking for a certified bank check is one smart move. The Internet Crime Complaint Center, from the FBI, has some good tips to prevent check and internet fraud.

10. Cancel Your Insurance

    Aside from the other followup procedures you discovered when your researched your state's laws (and I know you did because you're a good reader!), you should also be sure to cancel your insurance as soon as the vehicle is sold. This will prevent any accidents with the vehicle from becoming your burden. The new owner should have insurance as soon as they can, but in the meanwhile, it's not your obligation or responsibility. If you don't cancel your insurance, you could be held liable for damages (or criminal conduct) if the new buyer were to get into an accident.

In summary, selling your vehicle online is a tried and true way to sell and can be much, much faster than traditional methods. By taking a few simple precautions and making your vehicle appealing, it should sell in no time. Happy sales!

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