Word on the street

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First, you'll enter some basic details about your car, like the VIN or license plate number, mileage, and condition. If everything checks out, we'll send you the best offer, sourced from thousands of dealers. Once you accept, we'll have you upload a few documents and schedule a pick-up time. On pick-up day, a driver will come get your car and you'll get paid.

Our offer matrix tracks demand from dealers nationwide in real time. We use that offer matrix to identify dealers interested in your car, and send you an offer from the dealer that will pay you the most.

Your offer will be valid for seven days or after driving 250 additional miles (whichever comes first).

To get paid promptly, we recommend linking your bank account through our secure portal. This will be the fastest, most hassle-free way to receive your funds. If your bank isn't compatible with our system, we offer a check option, as well. If a bank transfer is selected, payment will be received in one to three business days. If you request a check, we'll likely deliver it on pickup day. Note: You'll have to wait for the check to be activated before you can deposit it. We'll let you know when it's activated. Additionally, many banks have deposit limits and may hold funds for several days before depositing the funds into your account.

Some cars won't be eligible for an offer. Reasons include branded vehicle titles, extensive damage, high mileage, old age, exotic or rare models, non-drivable condition, or no local interest. If your car falls into any of these categories and you're unable to get an offer, you can still list your car privately with us.

Among other things, a vehicle title shows proof of vehicle ownership, and if there are any outstanding liens against the vehicle. That makes the title an important and necessary document when selling a car. Rules around car titles vary by state, but—generally speaking—if you’ve lost your vehicle’s title, it should be possible to obtain a replacement by contacting your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Note, obtaining a new title invalidates a car’s old title. There are other reasons why you might not be in possession of your car’s title, such as if the car still has a lien against it, or if it was bought from a previous owner that didn’t have the title. Our guide to how to sell a car without a title explains what to do in these scenarios.

It is possible to sell a car that you haven’t finished financing, but only if you can settle the outstanding auto loan with the lender, who in turn will then release the car’s title (assuming they hold it—this varies by state). Note, the amount owed is unlikely to be as simple as multiplying your monthly payment by the number of months left to run on the loan. Instead, you’ll need to contact your lending institution to establish your payoff amount and arrange to settle that figure before you can sell your car. Alternatively, if you trade in your car, the dealer will guide you through the process of settling the loan as part of the purchase of your next vehicle. For more information, see our guide:How toTrade in Car That Isn’t Paid Off.

The rules and laws on what taxes you pay when selling your car to a private party vary by state (and in some cases even by city). The most important thing to know is that you only pay tax on any profit made from the car sale. If you sell a car for less than you paid for, it there’s no sales tax to pay. However, if you sell your car for more money than you paid for it, the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) considers that a capital gain, and you’ll need to report it when you file your federal and state income taxes. Only after that will you know if you owe any taxes. For more information, read out full guide:Understanding Taxes When Buying a Selling a Car

If you’re worried that selling a financed car might hurt your credit the important point to consider is whether you can settle your debt as agreed with the lender. Contact your lender and ask for your payoff balance, which is a figure based on the remainder of the loan payments plus accompanying interest and fees. If you can sell your car and settle the payoff loan with the lender, then it won’t hurt your credit. If you sell your car but still can’t meet the payoff balance, there are other options open to you, such as refinancing the remaining balance to make payments smaller. Doing this shouldn’t hurt your credit because you’ll still be paying the loan back in full. Alternative routes that will harm your credit include paying a settlement balance, voluntary surrender of the vehicle or repossession of the vehicle. If you’re struggling to pay back your car loan, it’s important to speak to the lender to see what options might be available to you.

Yes. If your offer is greater than the amount you owe on your car loan, we'll pay off your loan and send you the difference. If your offer is less than the amount you owe, you'll need to (a) pay off your loan before we can pay you, or (b) pay us the difference before we can pay your lender.