While many other aspects of motoring have gone fully digital, the V5C is still sent out in paper form. You can update the details online, but there is no fully digital copy. The V5C for your car, commonly referred to as the logbook, is the registration document that has your details and information on the car. It’s not legally proof of ownership, but is used to show who is responsible for taxing and registering the car.
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However, mileage isn’t always the best or only consideration when calculating a used car’s worth. For instance, a 3-year-old, well-maintained car with 50,000 mostly highway miles is likely to be in better shape than a neglected 3-year-old car with 36,000 city miles. Furthermore, on average, some car models simply last longer than others, providing fewer reliability issues along the way, and have higher resale value. For example, in our 2023 Best Resale Value Awards, Kelley Blue Book crowned Toyota the top brand for resale values. Mileage, though, does enter the used-car value equation. For car owners, one age-old question is, should I keep my car or trade it in?
For Sale Near You
You can start the CarMax car-selling process from the comfort of your home by getting an instant offer online. Start by entering your license plate number or vehicle identification number . CarMax actually sold new cars until 2021, but it doubled down on used car sales during the pandemic. According to Automotive News, CarMax sold 924,338 used vehicles in 2021.
Best Car Rankings for 2023
While many online marketplaces exist, you can sell your used car privately by listing it on Kelley Blue Book and our sister site Autotrader with safety in mind. We offer an online private seller exchange to help you find qualified buyers in a secure environment. Once you gather all necessary documents, including the car’s title and service records, you can clean up your vehicle, take photos, and upload them to the site. If requested, you can also take buyers on a secure test drive and manage an inspection. When a buyer is ready to purchase your vehicle, payments can go through the built-in escrow service, which holds the title and will release it to the purchaser when the time comes. Like most online dealers, CarMax offers an advanced search engine and filters for you to choose from over 50,000 vehicles. Your search can include basic details such as make and model, but can also be as granular as transmission and drivetrain.
Some links and services recommended on this website provide compensation to RealCarTips. All recommendations are based foremost upon a good faith belief that the product, service, or site will benefit car buyers. Read the full Compensation Disclosure for more details. Most people turn to online pricing guides to figure out what their car is worth. You also need to be aware that some dealers may simply have too much used car inventory that overlaps with your model and won’t be interested in your trade-in.
Several online sites will buy your car directly from you. They’ll give you a price based on the make and model of your car plus the answers to questions about its condition. There are several websites that you can use to sell your car. Selling a car in person is the best way to get top dollar for it. It’s also the most involved because you meet people and answer questions while you make the private sale. Worried your car is in too rough a shape to sell to anyone? It’ll help you with your money management by giving you an idea of how much money to save to pay cash for a new car.
Knowing when to trade in your car to your best advantage requires more information than we have to work with. However, we will tell you about some generalities and a few constants that often hold true. You can skip ahead for advice on trading your car using the jump links below. When valuing a used car, 12,000 annual miles is considered average. If you have minor surface damage, such as paint scratches or chips, it’s best to try to touch them up. Don’t repaint your vehicle, since most buyers will think it’s been in an accident.