When it comes to getting rid of a car, most people think of two options, privately listing a car on Facebook Marketplace and getting inundated by dreamers or trading the car into the dealership for whatever they give it to you and driving off into the sunset.

But there’s a whole middle ground few people even explore, but in reality, these methods could save you time, get you more money or both; it’s just that these alternatives don’t get brought up since they’re not as obvious as the first two everyone settles on.

What’s Wrong with the Obvious Choice

On paper, private sales are great. You keep the entire profit for yourself, no middleman cuts it out and you get top dollar! Except you get midnight calls, have to meet strangers in parking lots and hope nobody shows up with a cashier’s check (that really isn’t a cashier’s check). You also have to deal with registration transfer, liability if the buyer does something irresponsible after purchase, and potential of your car being listed for weeks on the web with only junk offers coming through.

Trading them in is much easier. Drive your car to the dealer, sign some paperwork and drive away with a new vehicle. But there’s a price. The dealer needs to make a profit when your car resells down the line so they’re never going to offer retail price. For some buyers/traders, this makes sense, convenience over cash, but for others, this seems like leaving thousands on the table.

Over the past few years, a certain option has become more available.

Services That Buy Cars Where You Are

One option that’s expanded exponentially in recent years is a service that comes right to your door to buy your car. They look it over, give you an offer and that’s that. No listing, no insane calls from private buyers, no safety concerns; it’s outright buying.

Basically, these companies buy cars outright in 24 to 48 hours tops, if you’re willing to go that route for a bit less money than retail.

Here’s how it works. You enter your info online, condition of your car, make, model, year, kilometers, and they give you a quote. If you’re interested, they can come by your house or potentially, their showroom (on select occasions) to look at it. An evaluator will come by, check everything out, take it for a spin and then confirm or deny their quote based on what they find. If they still agree with their offering price, they do the paperwork right there and pay you, generally bank transfer by the time they leave.

The catch? You’re not getting private sale prices. But you’re also not doing any of the work. For people who value their time or just can’t be bothered with the hassle of private selling, the trade-off can be worth it. Plus, these services often offer more than dealer trade-ins because they’re not tied to you buying another car from them.

When drivers are ready to move on from their current vehicle, options like sell my car services through dealerships can provide competitive valuations without the stress of managing private buyers or dealing with endless negotiations.

You Have a Dealer Sell It for You

This option does surprise people since many aren’t aware that dealers do this, but they essentially will act as a middleman for you selling your car, consignment, and yet you still technically own it until it sells. They handle everything from advertising to test drives to negotiations, and all the annoying aspects when it sells, until they get their due (commission/flat fee), although the rest is yours.

It’s a great marriage of private sale pricing without having to deal with buyers yourself and a quick solution where your car remains insured and protected on the dealer’s lot instead of stuck in the driveway with duct tape holding a sign in the window saying “For Sale.”

But there are some trade-offs. This option takes time. Consignment sales can take weeks/months depending on your car; you’re often locked in for an agreement for x-amount of time and sometimes not all dealers provide this service so one has to shop around to see who will help. However, for cars that are more difficult to sell or worth so much that the commission is worth it, this works well.

Online Auctions Fit Sellers

We think of auctions as dealers obtaining cars; however, there are online platforms now that allow actual people to sell cars at auction where dealers or private buyers bid on them – it’s a much different angle than simply listing them for sale on any classified forum.

These platforms charge a fee to list them as well as may take a small commission if the car sells; however, you get bidding wars. If people want that car and feel it’s worth something special, they can drive up the price more than what most would be willing to pay in negotiation settlements. Plus, you can set a reserve price, a minimum bid where if people don’t reach that price, you’re walking away.

Generally, auctions last for time periods, one week or so, and you upload pictures with descriptions regarding any flaws or stipulations. Other buyers may ask questions which you respond either publicly or privately. If someone makes it past that reserve, you’re obligated; if it’s short, you’re free to walk away and negotiate with whoever made the highest bid.

This is especially true for classic/hobby cars or niche markets. Your boring commuter car may not see as much activity. However, if there’s something distinct, low kilometers, rare options, excellent condition, auctions can bring out buyers that want exactly what they’re willing to pay for.

Buying Specialty Sellers

Not every car is made for every buyer. There are vintage shops looking to buy vintage cars they can either sprucer up or flip; there are even specialized vehicles that do not trade on domestic lots anymore but specialty locations. Even luxury vehicles have luxury dealerships who will buy from owners directly because they know customers looking for specific models.

Even more niche concerns have specialty buyers, whether it’s auction cars (those wanting utes/work vehicles) as commercial dealers or fleet companies always looking to buy; even performance shops seeking popular models for modifications find equity in buying stock versions.

The key is finding the right buyer for your special niche car; while this does require research on your part beyond generic options, it’s worth finding out if there’s someone out there who wants what you no longer want because these deals usually provide equity that’s satisfactory since specialized buyers know what a market would pay instead of giving general deals that are lowball.

What’s Right for You?

Ultimately there may not be a “best” option; however, by expanding one’s mind beyond the obvious two, to go private or trade-in, can save money or provide equity worth exploring two-and-a-half hours in options unlike what others settle on.

For example, if getting cash fast means more than new owners getting cash themselves through private sale means less hassle so an instant company might make sense for lesser value. If one’s willing to wait and appreciates value enough to avoid dealing with buyers themselves, consignment makes sense. If there’s something especially valuable at stake worth seeing how much the market can actually pay then auctions could bring surprises.

Whatever makes sense for you doesn’t have to be confined to the first obvious two; times have changed in terms of selling automobiles and today there are no legitimate options between convenience and value that split the difference so that one’s time isn’t wasted settling on something that should be better explored in an hour’s investigation of potential.