Selling your car is easy and quick.
Just like buying a car, selling one takes some planning. It's a big financial transaction, after all. You may know CarMax as the best place to find and buy used cars, but millions of customers also count on us as an easy and convenient way to sell a car. We want to share some tips on how to sell your car with confidence.
Let's jump in with some of the most common questions about car appraisals. Here's what you'll learn in this article:
Q: How can I find out what my car is worth?
A: It's always smart to start with a little research. Check out similar models already for sale on CarMax.com to give you an idea of prices. Bear in mind that many owners overestimate the price of their cars. To avoid this, make sure to consider more than just the age, make, and model of your vehicle.
To make things easy, our instant online offer tool gives you a real offer in as little as two minutes. We just need to know your license plate, where the vehicle is registered, and your zip code. From there, we may ask to see your car in person to make the final offer.
Alternatively, you can also bring your car to CarMax for an in-store appraisal. Our trained team considers a wide range of factors when determining the pricing, including:
Mileage
Condition
Accident history
How well it has been maintained inside and out
"Minor imperfections have little impact on our appraisal offer, but major defects like frame or flood damage do," says Tom Marcey, CarMax's vice president of regional merchandising.
Once one of our appraisal team has looked at your car, they'll let you know what your car is worth and will make an offer.
Q: Does CarMax buy cars for a fair price?
A: Our appraisal team takes into consideration a wide range of factors, including market trends, to make sure we give you the fairest price possible. If you need to think about the offer, that's fine. You don't need to sell the car to CarMax right away—offers are valid for seven days.
As well as a fair price, you don't have to deal with the hassle of listing your vehicle, showing people around, or dealing with the uncertainty of strangers. We make things as simple as possible. Plus, our no-haggle policy takes the stress out of the transaction—our offer is the same whether you’re buying a car from us or not.
Q: How do I sell my car online?
A: Head on over to the CarMax website and use our online offer tool. We only need three pieces of information to get started:
License plate
Where the vehicle is registered
Your zip code
Most cars will get an instant offer but some we may need to see in person. Once you have your online offer, it's very simple to sell your car. We'll also give you seven days to compare your options or redeem the offer. To sell your car to CarMax, just make an appointment where we'll verify your offer and pay you on the spot.
Q: Can I get more money if I sell my car myself?
A: While selling your car privately is an option, for some it simply isn't worth the stress. On sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace you may potentially get more money for the car, but dealing with strangers, organizing appointments, and taking time out of your day can be a real hassle.
Many of our customers come to CarMax for an appraisal as a starting point. "One reason our appraisal offers are good for seven days is because we know our customers may want to 'shop around' and compare other offers to ours," says Marcey. "And that's okay!"
Q: Do I need the title to trade in my car?
A: Yes. There are a few things you need to bring with you in order to sell your car once you've had your offer from CarMax.
Your car's title or payoff information
All parties listed on the title
Valid photo ID for all titleholders
All keys and remotes
If you're unsure what you need to bring with you or have any questions, contact your local CarMax. And don't forget—once you've sold your car, let your insurance carrier know.
Q: Will CarMax buy any car?
A: We will buy pretty much any car. Whether you've got a luxury SUV you want to sell for an upgrade or a well-loved station wagon that's on its last legs, we should be able to give you a quote. Start with our online tool or take your vehicle down to your local CarMax to get an offer.
When you're ready to sell your car, you know you'll be in good hands with CarMax as we appraise millions of vehicles every year. We want to make the experience of selling your car as quick and easy as possible. Ready to sell your car? Start the process here.
