Tips For Selling a Car That Has Been in an Accident

When you’re selling a used car, there are a few questions you will hear from nearly every potential customer. Was the vehicle well-maintained? Does it have unfixed safety recalls? Has it been in an accident?

Selling a car with accident history can be challenging, depending on how you present the history and frame the information. Damage history doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker– just be transparent about the history and provide specific information about the damage that occurred and how it was repaired, and you’ll be able to use it as an opportunity to present your vehicle as a great deal.

Be upfront about damage history and show that you’re a seller your customers can trust – 61% of buyers will still consider a car that has been in an accident. Just provide detailed information about the damage that occurred – maybe it was a parking lot fender-bender, or perhaps it was something a bit more serious – either way, it’s your responsibility to let your buyer know. Show them the repair records and the vehicle history report, and encourage them to bring these documents along with the vehicle for a pre-purchase inspection so they can be confident that it’s a safe car to drive.

Selling a car that has been in an accident without disclosing the damage puts you at risk for legal action from the buyer. If a person buys a car and later discovers that it’s been in an accident, you could end up with charges pressed against you.

To avoid this, get a vehicle history report and keep track of any damage a vehicle has sustained – walk the buyer through this information and make sure they understand it, and include paper copies with the rest of their sales forms.

Selling a vehicle with unrepaired damage is difficult, though not impossible. It is much easier to sell a vehicle that’s in tip-top shape, but if you’re planning to sell it without repairing the damage, make sure to adjust your price accordingly.

A CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report can be a buyer’s top resource for information about a vehicle. Providing this resource before the buyer has to ask can be a big help in proving you’re a trustworthy seller.