Pricing
Private sale, trade-in or dealer auction?
August 24, 2026 7 min read
There is no universally best way to sell a car. There are three common routes, each with a different cost.
Private sale
Often the highest headline price, and the most work: listings, messages, strangers at your home, test drives and payment risk you manage yourself.
Trade-in
The fastest and simplest, with one buyer setting one number, usually while you are also negotiating the price of another car.
Dealer auction
See what dealers will pay for your car
Licensed dealers bid against each other. You set the lowest price you will accept.
Get my estimateSeveral licensed dealers bid against each other for the same vehicle. You keep control of the floor, and you are not negotiating face to face.
One buyer means one number. More buyers means a real test of demand.
How to choose
- Need it gone today? A trade-in is hard to beat on speed
- Have weeks and patience? A private sale can work
- Want competition without the strangers? An auction fits
