If you’ve been wondering, “How can I sell my car?”, you’ve likely realized there are two main options to consider—sell it privately or sell it to a dealer. The private-sale route can sound appealing, as it may allow you to have more control and even potentially lead to a higher price. However, it also comes with hidden costs, such as time, risk, paperwork, negotiations, and general uncertainty.
Selling to a dealer, especially to an experienced group like us at LaFontaine Automotive Group, can be a simpler, faster, and smarter choice for many sellers. To help with your decision, keep reading to gain a better understanding of the benefits so you can decide with confidence.
Dealer vs Private Sale: Which Is Best for You?
There are a number of benefits—as seen below—you can gain by selling to a reputable dealership rather than opting for a private sale. However, the dealership you choose does matter. When working with us, you will quickly see why we have a strong reputation for integrity and customer service. You will also find that we treat our customers like family from the start, ensuring you have all the details you need to determine your next step.
Regarding the benefits, you can expect the following and more when you choose to sell your vehicle to one of our teams.
Speed and Convenience
Private sales often require weeks—or longer—of work. Not only will you need to ensure the car is “post-worthy,” but you will also have to take photos, write up your listing, respond to messages, screen buyers, and meet strangers for test drives. Instead, you can simply bring your vehicle to one of our dealerships, and the entire process can be handled in one visit.
Ultimately, when you sell to a dealer, you can:
- Get an immediate appraisal from professionals who know market values.
- Close the sale the same day in many cases—no waiting for strangers to show up or for funds to clear.
- Avoid staging, photo sessions, and repeated cleaning.
If you are like most people, you have little downtime, which means that the convenience of selling your vehicle to a dealer is priceless.
Safety and Reduced Risk
Selling a vehicle privately means meeting with unknown people, which can be intimidating, particularly if you don’t have anyone to go with you. Selling to a dealer eliminates those concerns, as transactions happen in a secure, professional environment. Not only that, but payment is handled by trained staff and secure banking procedures, and our dealers can ensure that title transfers are completed properly. In other words, when it comes to peace of mind, selling to a dealer is the safer and less risky path.
Less Paperwork
One of the most frustrating parts of a private sale is the paperwork: title transfers, bill of sale, release of liability, emissions certificates, and more. Additionally, mistakes made along the way can lead to headaches or even lingering liability.
When you work with us to sell your car, you will find that we handle many of these things for you:
- Title transfer and registration steps are typically completed by our administrative team.
- Taxes, refunds, and trade-in credits get handled and explained clearly.
- You’ll leave with documentation showing the sale is complete and that you’re no longer liable.
Having us by your side helps reduce stress and prevents costly errors, not to mention provides you with a seamless process that helps you get the results you are hoping for.
Trade-In Flexibility and Tax Advantages
If you’re buying another vehicle, selling to a dealer and applying that money towards a trade-in may offer some tax benefits. Instead of receiving a lump-sum payment that could be taxable, trade-in credits are applied directly against the purchase price of your next vehicle, which can lower the amount of sales tax you pay.
Even if you’re not buying right away, we can still purchase your vehicle outright, offering options such as immediate cash, check, or trade-in credit when you’re ready. A private sale, on the other hand, doesn’t offer you the same flexibility.
Fair Appraisal and No Guesswork
When private buyers try to bargain with you, you may not be sure how to justify your asking price. The good news is that you don’t have to have a speech ready when working with us. Our dealerships employ trained appraisers who use real-time data and local market knowledge to put a fair, backed-by-experience value on your vehicle.
That means:
- You get a transparent, fair offer based on condition, mileage, and market demand.
- You gain understanding as we explain our calculations and how current market conditions affect price.
- Offers are consistent and not dependent on one buyer’s subjective opinion.
If you want a straightforward valuation without haggling with dozens of people, a dealer is the way to go.
Immediate Liquidity and Reliability
When you sell privately, you may have to wait for wire transfers, bank checks, or other funds to come through—all of which take time and can carry fraud risks. We have established payment procedures and usually issue funds quickly, often on the spot.
This is especially helpful if you need to pay off a loan on your current vehicle, as our team can coordinate with your lender and handle payoff amounts directly, simplifying the entire financial side of the transaction. Meanwhile, if you still owe money on your vehicle, selling privately can be complicated. Not only will you and the buyer need to coordinate payoff amounts with the lender, but you will also need to determine how to handle title releases.
As you can imagine, working with us reduces the chance of accidental loan defaults or title issues later on, which offers significant peace of mind.
The Value of Time
It’s easy to fixate on a few extra hundred dollars that you might get from a private sale, but remember to account for the time, energy, and potential headaches involved. From answering dozens of emails to dealing with tire-kickers and no-shows, the private-sale process can cost you hours—or more—that you could spend working, caring for family, or preparing for your next vehicle purchase.
Not only that, but the size of our group generally means that you will get a more competitive offer than you might expect. Plus, we strive to ensure you have all the answers you need, as well as address any concerns you might have along the way.
Sell Your Vehicle Today
At our dealerships, we understand that selling a vehicle is more than a financial transaction—it’s a personal decision that affects your time, finances, and peace of mind. That’s why our approach focuses on clarity, convenience, and fairness. Additionally, our size and remarketing networks allow us to make competitive offers, and our commitment to customer service means we’ll walk you through the process step-by-step.
If you value time, security, and a clean, professional transaction—or if you’re trading toward a new vehicle—selling to one of our dealerships is a great choice. We’ll make the process fast, straightforward, and fair so you can move on to what matters next.
Ready to see what your car is worth? Visit one of our dealerships today or contact us online for a quick appraisal—no pressure, just answers.
Connect with us
