Tips to Sell Your Wheelchair Accessible Van
Selling a vehicle in general is not an easy task, and if you’re looking to sell your wheelchair-accessible van, it can be even more difficult. The process to sell a wheelchair van is not always as straightforward as a standard vehicle and you’re looking to appeal to a more niche buyer. Whether you’re looking to sell your current vehicle to purchase a new wheelchair van or you need to simply sell one that you no longer need, the experts at Southern Bus are here to help.
Determining the Value of Your Accessible Vehicle
The first step to selling any wheelchair-accessible vehicle is to accurately determine the value. You don’t want to end up selling it for less than it’s worth, but you also don’t want to list it for too much or you’ll end up sitting on the vehicle for longer than you want. Vehicle evaluations can be done online with resources like Kelley Blue Book (KBB) and Edmunds. While these can be useful in providing a quick estimate, they won’t quite offer the most thorough review as an in-person appraisal will. If you decide to visit a dealership for an evaluation, be sure you visit one that is knowledgeable about accessible vehicles.
A dealership that is experienced with wheelchair vans, such as Southern Bus, will be better at identifying the unique features and upgrades that are necessary for accessibility and actually have a deeper understanding of how much those features are worth. Be sure that when you receive a pricing estimate, whether online or in-person, you get a fair price range, not just one number. Selling a vehicle usually comes with some negotiation, so you want to be sure you know the fair range for your wheelchair van to be prepared for the conversation.
Steps to Get Started on Selling
Now that you have your estimated value, it’s time to get selling. Before you park it somewhere with a “For Sale” sign in the window, there are a few things you should do to give yourself the best chance of a quicker sale.
Prepare the Vehicle for Sale
When you’re trying to sell pretty much anything, the better it looks, the more attention it will receive. Before taking any photos for a listing, taking it to a dealership, or parking it in a high-traffic area, you need to be sure the wheelchair van is properly prepared for sale. Take it in for a professional cleaning and detail to help it shine inside and out. Also, keep in mind that buyers want to purchase a reliable vehicle, so having the engine cleaned up and serviced can help bring peace of mind to anyone interested. If there are any large cosmetic issues on the vehicle, you may want to consider repairing those before listing to attract more buyers and give yourself a better chance at getting a higher price.
Market the Vehicle
A vehicle sale can’t happen if buyers don’t know it’s available. Selling your wheelchair van for a great price as quickly as possible is going to require some marketing. We’re not saying you need to be a marketing professional to make a sale, but it is important to at least do some marketing to get in front of potential buyers. Even if you park the vehicle in a public, high-traffic area, you need to let people know it’s there. You can purchase a classified ad from your local newspaper, highlighting the wheelchair van’s best features and providing your contact information.
Since wheelchair vans are more niche, it can be helpful to market the vehicle to a much broader audience than just your local area. There are several online listing options available, such as AutoTrader, that will help you get your wheelchair-accessible vehicle in front of more people, from local to nationwide.
Be Patient
Selling a vehicle is a process, and narrowing your buyer field down to those specifically searching for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle can make that process even longer. You need a specific buyer within a smaller market, and if you’re trying to sell a wheelchair van yourself, it could be months before you get a successful sale. Patience is key when selling a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
Make Selling or Trading-In Your Wheelchair-Accessible Van Easy at Southern Bus
Trying to sell a vehicle yourself is a difficult, time-consuming task, especially if you’re looking to sell your wheelchair-accessible van. Take away the confusion and questions by working with the knowledgeable, experienced staff at Southern Bus & Mobility. Visit one of our NMEDA QAP-certified locations to get an accurate evaluation of your wheelchair-accessible vehicle and if you’re looking to upgrade, check out our inventory of new personal mobility vehicles.
For more information about how an accessible vehicle can make a difference in your life, view our online resources.