The Truck Zone
What's it Worth to You? How to Get the Most out of Selling Your Truck
By Jason W. McGlone, staff writer
May 12, 2010 - 12:25:26 PM

Your Ad Here.

The next thing you'll likely do is write up your classified advertisement or put together an online listing for the van or truck.  The great majority of information you'll want to have in the ad is painfully obvious, such as year, make and model, as well as mileage as close to exactly accurate as is possible.  You'll also want to list any features or extras that the van or truck has that you found to be helpful or otherwise worthwhile during your ownership--there may be some selling points here that potential buyers are looking for.

Perhaps more important than any words you could write about the vehicle you're selling is the photographs of the vehicle that you post.  It's absolutely vital to make sure that they're clear, well-taken photos that are in focus and show every important part of the van or truck--the dash, seats, engine, and in the case of a commercial vehicle, the cargo areas.  Put yourself in the buyer's shoes--when you're looking at listings, you're more likely to look at listings that have photos attached to them--and you're more likely to buy a vehicle you've seen pictures of.  Buying something sight unseen happens, but it's rare and it's generally not recommended. 

If there is anything wrong with the vehicle, regardless of what it might be, you'll want to disclose those issues.  While they may admittedly affect the value of the truck and therefore what you might be able to get for it, honesty is the best policy and disclosing any current (and past) problems with a vehicle could keep you from any possible liabilities that might exist in selling it.

Clean That Truck!

Whether you're the type who keeps his truck clean or if you're more like me,  it's a good idea to give the vehicle you're selling a good, deep clean.  It'll impress your buyers and there's the possibility you might be able to squeeze a few more bucks out of the deal.  If there are any dents you can repair yourself or if there are any chips or scratches you can touch up on your own, you might consider taking care of those before you give the truck a good wash and wax. 

As for the interior, make sure that the entire cab has been cleaned out, as well as the cargo area.  Give the cargo area a good wipedown and consider getting a detailing job done; this will get the truck's interior as close to new as is possible and will at a minimum ensure that your buyer is getting their money's worth--which is likely to be a bit more than you might otherwise have gotten.

Safety, Safety, Safety...

There's a definite truth that safety figures into just about everything we do in some way or another, and selling your vehicle is no different.  Because of that, here are some quick tips on what to watch out for with respect to scams when you're trying to sell your van or truck:

• Be wary of folks from overseas interested in your vehicle.  Often, they'll offer to pay well above your asking price and then ask you to wire the overage to someone else.  What they're doing is sending money fraudulently to your bank account, only to have you return money that isn't really there back to them.  You'll end up out a lot of cash, potentially thousands of dollars. 
  
• Don't give the VIN number or any of your personal information to any potential buyers unless they absolutely have to have it.  Truth be told, the most they'll need is your phone number and address so that they can look at your vehicle and/or pick it up. 
  
• Don't let someone take your van or truck unless you've been paid.  It's simple advice, but it can go a long way.
• Work out how you're going to change the title and/or registration for the vehicle ahead of time to make the transaction simpler.  
• If someone wants to use an escrow company to help with the transaction, do some research on the escrow company to make sure they're a legitimate, reliable company.