Selling a car in Los Angeles can be intimidating. Decide on the lowest price you are willing to accept before advertising. Understand that a trade-in will probably get you less in Los Angeles than making the deal on your own. Los Angeleans have several tried-and-true ways of selling their used cars that work.
Place a "Car For Sale" sign in the front and side windows of your car. Include the year, make and model, as well as current mileage. Write clearly your best contact number and decide if you also want to list the price. Make sure the sign does not impair your driving. Park it during the day at a grocery store. Good choices are along Sepulveda Blvd., Ventura Blvd. and Vineland Blvd., giving you options in the Westside, the Valley, Burbank and Studio City.
Place an ad on Craigslist in the Los Angeles site. Other cities where you might want to consider posting are Burbank and Orange County. Advertise as you would in a newspaper, including where in L.A. you are located, mileage, year, make, model and any recent modifications you have made that could affect a buyer's decision. If you are worried about spam or questionable people contacting you, Craigslist allows anonymous posts. Use this option if you prefer to keep your number and email out of public databases.
craigslist.com/losangeles
Tell your friends. Many times selling your car is just a connection away. People are constantly moving to Los Angeles on a whim to pursue their show business dreams and simply want a car that runs. As with many things in LA, connections matter and is often how business gets done. Inform your friends about the car and tell them a price a little higher than your baseline price to ensure you get a good deal.
Go to a dealer or used car lot as a last-ditch effort. This can be beneficial if you know what your next car will be and are looking to trade in or trade up. Do significant advance research to know how much your car is really worth. Spend a day visiting dealerships to see who will give you the best deal. In Glendale, try dealerships on Brand Blvd. In Van Nuys, try the ones on Van Nuys Blvd.
