Cleaning the interior of the car
When you are cleaning the interior of the car, you need it to be spotless. The car needs to look brand new again, even if it means you need to vacuum the carpet everyday. You need to rent a Rug Doctor and scrub the carpet, seats, and ceiling of the car. If you don't have cloth seats, you will need to buy some Armor All to shine up the leather and then treat them with a leather protection spray.

Make sure you vacuum the car before you scrub it and remove all the extra pieces of paper, French fries, and water bottles that may be in the car. Get rid of every single crumb in the car. Use a wet washcloth to pick up crumbs in between the seats that the vacuum hose cannot get to. You may want to go to a car-wash and use their heavy-duty vacuum to get all crumbs off the floor.

Use some Windex to clean the film off the windows and then Armor All the dashboard and doors. The dashboard and windows need to shine when they are in the sunlight. If you have a burned out dome light or glove compartment light, replace them. Fix any loose door handles and other things that may be loose. If you have speakers that rattle, replace them before you list the car and make sure you get the door back on properly.

Get rid of all the clutter in your car, this means the glove compartment should only have the owner's manual and your vehicle registration and insurance information in it. If you do not have an owner's manual, order one. Remove all the other features from your car like your iPod, radar detector, navigation device, and cell phone.

Cleaning the exterior of the car
You can make the exterior of the car look great with a simple rinse of water right before the pictures are taken. Brush off the garage dust with a dry towel right before potential buyers are scheduled to look at it.
You will need to wash the car with a good brush or sponge to remove any dirt that has been caked on. Use an S.O.S. pad on the tires to remove the brake dust and road dirt. If your tires have a white logo, the S.O.S pad can scrub it up and make it look brand new again. After you have scrubbed the car, towel dry it and then wax it. Use a buffer to get rid of the small scratches in the paint. If the doors squeak when you open them, use some WD-40 to lubricate them.

Check the headlights and tail lights to make sure they are working. Always shine the exterior windows and the headlights before buyers come to look at the car. If the window is cracked or chipped, get it replaced. Clean the gas cap, some buyers will look at the gas cap to decide how well the fuel line has been taken care of. Fill the tires with air before the car is taken out for a test drive.

Clean the engine and take it in for a tune up
People buy car's not only for how well they run, but how well they look. If the engine is clean, people actually think the car will run better. Take the car to your mechanic for a tune up and ask them to inspect the car for any potential problems. If you can fix the problems for a low-cost, do it. If the costs will be expensive, you need to be prepared to knock off some money if the buyer takes the car in for an inspection.

Have the belts tightened or replaced, especially if they squeak. Clean the battery or get a new one if it is older than 4 years. Get an oil change and have all the filters replaced. The oil needs to look clean on the dipstick, if you have it changed within a few days of the buyer coming to look at it, it will look clean. Top off all the fluids like the transmission, engine coolant, brake fluid, power steering, and wiper fluid.

Replace the brakes if they squeak or if they are starting to grind. The brakes need to work well because buyers want a smooth stop and they want the comfort of knowing the brakes are new. You also need to replace the windshield wipers if they are starting to look old.

Take good pictures of your car
Since buyers are initially motivated on looks, you will need to take good pictures of your car to post them online or in the newspaper. Once you have completely cleaned your car and the engine, you need to take several pictures. Buyers want to see any and every angle of the car.

Take a look at the photos other people are posting on web sites like AutoTrader.com and EbayMotors.com. This will give you a good idea as to what types of pictures you should be taking. Shoot several different angles of your car and take your pictures in the early morning hours when the sun is softer.

Make sure your car has a nice shine to it when you are taking the pictures. A sunlight reflection on the hood of the car will tell potential buyers that you have taken good care of the car. When you upload the pictures to your computer, make sure to use a smaller file size. If you have small scratches or dents, people will not be able to open up the picture to a bigger size to see them. Smaller file sizes are also easier to email and upload to web sites.

Advertise with the right places
Not only does your car need to look and run great, you need to find the right buyers for it. Posting your car on popular web sites will attract the buyers you want. Posting your car on the internet is a great option, but don't forget your local neighbors too. Put a sign in your car and leave it in a noticeable area. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly and your neighbor may give your number to their friend that is looking for a new car.

Craigslist.com is a wonderful way to list your used car for free. Several people will be able to view your car and they can contact you via email or telephone. Watch your wording with online listings. Your ad needs to be catchy, but not over the top. Point out a few of the best features of the car so the buyers know what they are getting into. Some of the popular phrases include the following:

• Low miles


• No repairs, clean title


• Still under warranty


• # of years old


• Clean car, in great condition


• Only owner


• Maintained well

Using the right wording will attract the buyers you are looking for. Once the car is up for sale, it is up to you to sell it. You will be the one negotiating with buyers and getting the most out of your car. When you set up appointments, make sure you will be home. Don't be late for appointments; this just diminishes your value in the buyer's eyes.

Look up the Kelly Blue Book value of your car to get a good estimate. This will help you know how much negotiating room you have. Print a copy of the Blue Book values so you can show the potential buyers that your car is reasonably priced. You have no obligation to sell your car to the first buyer that makes an offer. Don't be afraid to reject their offer and wait for another buyer to come along.

If your car is only worth a few thousand dollars, ask the buyer for cash or a certified check. Cash is the best way to know you are not going to be ripped off. If you have a buyer that wants to pay by check, let them know that you need to go to a bank to do the transaction. Once the money has been transferred to your bank account, you will sign the title and the Bill of Sale and hand over the keys.