Finding used cars buyers can be so difficult that I often wonder how full-time used auto lots stay in business. After all, everyone knows the reputation of used car dealers. After attorneys, they are probably the most reviled profession in the country. And yet, somehow, they consistently find used car buyers. Maybe it is just the lure of having so many cars on one lot. People feel like, with all of those choices, there has to be one that is perfect for them. Maybe they're right. Maybe that's the best place to buy a used car. I don't know, I've never tried.
As someone who sells used cars, however, I know how hard a time I can have finding used car buyers. I have been advertising with listings like trading times for over a decade now. Although many used cars buyers look through these ads, making a sale can be a lot of work. Usually, a used car buyer is less likely to trust an individual seller than a commercial lot for some reason. You can let them take it to their mechanic to check it out, give them a full certificate from your own mechanic, or do anything you like to prove that your car is in good condition and it won't matter. People still act suspicious and give you the runaround whenever they can.
Craigslist, however, has done a lot to help me find used cars buyers. It is a great source for buying used cars or anything else you might want, but what makes it so great is how quickly things move. You see, when people find a deal on Craigslist, they approach it with a sense of urgency. Sellers are going to get rid of their cars as quickly as they can, and buyers are going to move onto the next thing if they can get a better deal. For us sellers, it is a godsend. Before Craigslist, used cars buyers used to drag things out for weeks, obsessing over whether or not they wanted to make a deal. Nowadays, however, a used car buyer knows that he has at most a couple days to make a decision. The less time I have to spend trying to get rid of a used car to buy, the more time I get to spend restoring another one and getting it ready for sale. I haven't really kept track, but I'm pretty sure it has greatly increased my profits.
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