How it Works
Selling
Using AutoConsign.Com to sell your vehicle is very simple! AutoConsign.com only accepts listings from private owners. Your vehicle will get the exposure it needs because there are no dealer vehicles on our site. On most vehicle listing sites, Private Party sellers have to compete with dealer’s big ad budgets and listings. This is why AutoConsign.Com came into existence - to serve YOU, the individual seller.
We believe your ad should not be buried under hundreds of dealer ads. Buyers will have an easier time finding your vehicle with no dealer ads to wade through.
When you use AutoConsign.Com to sell your vehicle, you can expect:
- Exclusive For Sale By Owner listings
- An opportunity to advertise your vehicle directly to your target market
- A customized ad for your vehicle
- Everything you need on one site - from the listing of your vehicle to what to do when it sells.
- Savings. When you sell owner to owner versus trading your car in or selling outright to a dealer, you come out miles ahead!
Before you get started with the listing of your vehicle for sale, there are a few things you can do to get your car “retail ready”.
- First, show your car some ‘TLC’ - Have it fully detailed!
- Once your car is nice and clean, take quality photos of your vehicle. (Click Here for photo tips and advice)
- Pull your service and maintenance records together. If you have had your car serviced by your dealer’s service department, you can also call them to obtain these records.
- Locate your vehicle’s title or lien holder information
- Choose your listing package and follow the steps that will lead you to a sale!
Learn more about selling here!
Buying:
Using AutoConsign.Com to find your next vehicle is simple! There are no dealer ads to wade through to find the For Sale By Owner vehicle you’re looking for.
When you use AutoConsign.Com to buy you can expect:
- Exclusive For Sale By Owner listings
- Free online appraisals of the vehicle you are interested in
- Free vehicle record checks
- Ability to speak to the seller of the car you are interested in directly
- Resources to facilitate your sale once you’ve found the FSBO car you’re after!
Before you get started finding your next vehicle, here are few steps to get you ready to buy:
- Know your buying Power: Do you have the resources to obtain a certified check upon finding the right vehicle for you? Will you need financing? Don’t wait to find the car you want to buy to start answering these questions. It’s unlikely a seller will wait for you to figure out your method of payment if another prospect comes behind you and can pay cash- be ready to buy!.
- Don’t be surprised: Obtain a vehicle history report, ask for service records and how the seller kept up with the previous maintenance. While we advise sellers to keep up with service records, a lot of people don’t have this information so have the car mechanically checked out. Know what you are getting into!
- Factor in costs of ownership: What will your fuel costs be? Insurance? Maintenance and Repairs? Depreciation?
FAQs
Selling
Buying
Securing a Safe Sale
Tips and Advice: Buying
Tips and Advice: Selling
Selling
Steps to placing an ad
Photos
Video
Edit or Remove your ad
How long will it take for my ad to appear
Renewing my ad
Renewing an Expired Account
Your Vehicle has Sold
Deactivating your ad
How long will it take to sell my vehicle?
How do buyers contact me
I have a buyer, what now?
Steps to placing an ad:
How do I place an ad
Building my ad
Adding pictures
Change order of pictures
Resizing my photos
Adding Video
Finalizing My Ad
How do I place an ad:
- Click on "Sell a Car"
- Choose your package, scroll down and click on "Click Here"
- Complete all the fields to Register on AutoConsign.com
- After you have entered your information, click in the boxes to confirm that you have read and agree to the: Visitor Agreement, Privacy Statement, and Customer Service and FAQ sections.
- Click "Submit"
Now that you have registered,
you can begin building your ad!
Adding your Vehicle:
- Click on "Add Vehicle" to enter your vehicle's information.
- Enter your Vin Number and click "Validate Vin"
- Your vehicle's year, make, model and Engine will automatically populate.
- Proceed with filling in the empty blanks regarding your vehicle's mileage, price and options! You can even write your own custom description under "Additional Info."
Adding pictures:
- Now that you have entered your vehicle's information it is time to add pictures and video depending on the package you choose. Click on "Edit Vehicle Images".
- Next, select "Upload Images"
- Select "Browse" to locate your vehicle image files
- After you have selected your pictures, click "submit"
- Once you have completed uploading all of the pictures available to you in your ad, click "Back" to return to your ad.
Changing the order of my pictures:
- Pictures are listed in alphanumberical order (0 - 9, A - Z).
- To control the order of your pictures, simply name them in order you wish them to be presented.
- Example: 1.jpg, 2.jpg, 3.jpg, OR a.jpg, b.jpg, c.jpg
Resizing my pictures:
- If you do not already have a resize picture package on your computer, conduct an internet search for “How to Resize Pictures” to access the latest software updates. You may also try to adjust the resolution on your camera settings
Adding Video:
- Click on "Edit Vehicle Video"
- Click "Upload Video"
- Select "Browse" to locate your video file
- After you have selected your video file, click "Submit"
- Once you have completed uploading your video, click "Back" to return to your ad.
Finalizing My Ad:
- After you have completed all of the vehicle information fields, added your photo and video if you elect to provide them, click "submit"
After your Vehicle Information is Finalized:
- You will return to the "My Account" section
- Your ad is now complete!
- At the top Right of the screen you can "log out"
Photos:
Adding pictures
Delete pictures
Replacing and viewing new photos
Resize my image
Name my default image
Adding Pictures:
- Now that you have entered your vehicle's information it is time to add pictures and video depending on the package you choose. Click on "Edit Vehicle Images".
- Next, select "Upload Images"
- Select "Browse" to locate your vehicle image files
- After you have selected your pictures, click "submit"
- Once you have completed uploading all of the pictures available to you in your ad, click "Back" to return to your ad.
Delete pictures:
- Click on "Edit vehicle image"
- Click on "Delete"
- A pop up window will come up that will confirm you want to delete your picture. Choose "ok" to continue deleting your photo. Choose "cancel" to return to your photo.
- Once your photo has been deleted, Click "back" to return to your ad.
I replaced a photo on my ad with a new photo but I can still see the old one- why?:
- Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (stores) it. In this way, the files (including any images on the page) do not have to be retrieved anew from the remote web site each time you click the Back or Forward buttons.
- To clear the cache in Internet Explorer 7: From the Tools menu, select Internet Options. Choose the General tab. Under Browsing History, click Delete. Next to "Temporary Internet Files", click Delete Files. Click Close, and then click OK to exit.
- To clear the cache in FireFox/Mozilla: From the Tools menu, select Options then click on Privacy. In 1.5, select the Cache tab, and then click the Clear Cache Now button. In 1.0, next to Cache, click the Clear button, and then click Ok.
How do I re-size a photo?:
- Photos can be no bigger than 250 kb
- If you need to re-size your image: If you do not already have a resize picture package on your computer, conduct an internet search for "How to Resize Pictures" to access the latest software updates. You may also try to adjust the resolution on your camera settings
How do I name my default image?:
- On your PC, select the photo that you would like to be the default.
- Right click on that picture
- Select "Rename"
- Enter: 1.jpg
- Save
- Go back to AutoConsign.Com's photo upload process and follow the steps to load your photo.
Video:
Adding video
File type
Video size
Edit or Delete video
Why won't my video play?
Replacing and Viewing new video
Adding video:
- Click on "Edit Vehicle Video"
- Click "Upload Video"
- Select "Browse" to locate your video file
- After you have selected your video file, click "Submit"
- Once you have completed uploading your video, click "Back" to return to your ad.
What kind of video File can I upload?:
- .avi, .mpg, .mov, .wmv
How do I change my video format to be: .avi, .mpg, .mov, .wmv?:
- Most digital recorders come with their own video editing software. You can also search for freeware that converts videos from one format to another.
How large can the video file be?:
- Your video file can be up to 25MB.
How do I make my file size 25MB or less?:
- You must make the video shorter in length or export the video at a lower resolution.
How do I edit my video?:
- If you would like to add a new video in place of the one you currently have: Click on "Edit Vehicle Video"
- Select "Browse" to locate your file
- After you have selected your file, click "submit"
How do I delete my video?:
- Click on "Edit Vehicle Video"
- Click on "Edit" or "Delete"
- A pop up window will come up that will confirm you want to delete your video. Choose "ok" to continue deleting your video. Choose "cancel" to return to your video.
- Once your video has been deleted, Click "back" to return to your ad.
Why won't my video play?:
- You might not have submitted the video in a supported format. See the supported video formats here.
I replaced a video on my ad with a new video but I can still see the old one- why?:
- Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (stores) it. In this way, the files (including any movies on the page) do not have to be retrieved anew from the remote web site each time you click the Back or Forward buttons.
- To clear the cache in Internet Explorer 7: From the Tools menu, select Internet Options. Choose the General tab. Under Browsing History, click Delete. Next to "Temporary Internet Files", click Delete Files. Click Close, and then click OK to exit.
- To clear the cache in FireFox/Mozilla: From the Tools menu, select Options then click on Privacy. In 1.5, select the Cache tab, and then click the Clear Cache Now button. In 1.0, next to Cache, click the Clear button, and then click Ok.
How do I edit or remove my ad:
- At the top right of the screen, select "My Account"
- Enter your username and password
- This will take you to your account.
To Edit Your Ad:
- Under "My Vehicle Info", select "Edit Vehicle Info"
- Make your changes
- Select "Submit"
To Delete your ad:
- Click on "Customer Service" in the top right hand corner of our website
- Fill out the form provided and include your reason for canceling. A member of our staff will contact you.
How Long Will it Take for my Ad to appear?:
- New listings are displayed within 24 hours of the creation of the ad
Renewing my ad:
- Login to your account by selecting "My Account" in the top right hand corner of our site
- Once logged in, look at the user panel at the borrom of the page.
- Click "Renew" and follow the steps listed there to renew your account
Renewing an Expired account:
- Login to your account by selecting "My Account" in the top right hand corner of our site
- Above your user name you will get a message that your account is not active
- Select "Renew here"
Your Vehicle has Sold:
- If your vehicle has sold, log into your account
- In the "My Vehicle Info" section select "My Vehicle Has Sold"
- If you would like your vehicle to be removed from sale, select "Confirm"
Deactivate an Ad:
- Login to your account by selecting "My Account" in the top right hand corner of our site
- Under "Vehicle Metrics" you will see: "Your ad is currently active. Click here to deactivate".
- Click on the red "here" button
- Your ad is now inactive
- To reactivate, simply click the red "here" again
How long will it take to sell my vehicle?:
- The time it takes for you to sell your vehicle will depend on how you have it priced along with the quality of the ad that you have created. Using all of the pictures and video available to you along with writing a detailed description of your vehicle will help distinguish your vehicle to a potential buyer. AutoConsign.Com will showcase your ad to thousands of potential buyers but we do not take part in the actual sale. You will need to effectively follow-up with your potential buyers that contact you via phone or email.
How do buyers contact me?:
- Buyers can reach you via email or phone. It is up to you whether you would like to put both forms of contact information in your ad or just one. Your email address is not made public. Buyers will use a contact form to reach you via email. If you respond to that email, only then will a prospect see your email address. Remember, you want to make it as simple as possible for a buyer to reach you!
- If you have decided to print the FREE window sticker that is provided to you in your ad, a potential buyer may also reach you based upon the contact information that you have given.
I have a buyer, what now?:
- Visit our Forms Section for the paperwork you'll need to process your sale
- Once you have completed your sale, log in to your account to remove your vehicle from sale. ONLY remove your vehicle from sale if you are confident that the vehicle is sold and you have been paid. You will not be able to reactivate your ad once it is removed from sale.
Shopping For Vehicles (Buying):
How do I search for vehicles on AutoConsign.Com?
Are any of the vehicles listed on AutoConsign.Com being sold by a dealer?
How do I contact the seller of a vehicle that I am interested in?
What if I see an "on display" icon next the vehicle I am interested in?
How often are new listings added to AutoConsign.Com?
How do I know what to pay for a vehicle?
How do I search for vehicles on AutoConsign.Com?:
- Begin your search by click on "Buy a Car" on the home page or at any point on AutoConsign.Com by selecting "Buy A Car" at the top of every screen.
- Enter your zip code. This will customize the site to you.
- On the Vehicle Search page, you can select "search" to pull up every vehicle for sale
- Enter as much or little search criteria as you like
- Select "Advanced Search" to get even more detailed search criteria
Are any of the vehicles listed on AutoConsign.Com being sold by a dealer?:
- AutoConsign.Com is an exclusive For Sale By Owner advertising site. AutoConsign.Com does not accept listings from dealers. Private Party sellers only. If you suspect a vehicle being advertised is by a dealer, please report that ad to AutoConsign.Com.
- AutoConsign.Com accepts listings from 3rd party consignment services. The vehicles being advertised by any consignment lot or service must be a For Sale By Owner vehicle.
How do I contact the seller of a vehicle that I am interested in?:
- Click on any vehicle picture or description
- In the vehicle detail page you can access the seller's contact information.
- You can request the seller's phone number from the detail page
- You can also use the form provided to reach the seller via email.
What if I see an "on display" icon next the vehicle I am interested in?:
- An "On Display" icon means that this vehicle can be viewed in person at a Consignment lot.
- You will only see an "on display" icon if there is an AutoConsign.Com approved consignment lot in your State.
How often are new listings added to AutoConsign.Com?:
- AutoConsign.Com accepts new listings by the minute
- New listings are displayed within 24 hours of the creation of the ad
How do I know what to pay for a vehicle?:
- AutoConsign.Com recommends that you review the Tips and Advice FAQ's for valuable information on pricing a vehicle and making an offer
- On every vehicle detail page there is also a link to that vehicle's Kelly Blue Book vehicle appraisal guide that will supply suggested pricing
Securing a Safe Sale
Payment
What to Avoid/scams
Transferring Ownership
Use Escrow.Com
AutoConsign.Com does not...
Payment:
- It is recommended to accept a check or money order only in the exact amount of your selling price
- Never accept a cashier's check for more than your selling amount. Review our check scams
- Always confirm with the issuing bank that the check you are accepting is valid
- If you are conducting your transaction outside of banking hours, it is recommended to wait until the next business day to verify funds.
- Whenever possible, go with your buyer to your buyer's bank and request a certified cashier's check or cash
What to Avoid/Scams:
- Cashiers check scam: Never accept a cashiers check or money order for more than your selling amount. In a typical check scam, a "buyer" will offer to write the check for more than the transaction price and ask that you give them the cash difference. This is a scam. Discontinue negotiating with anyone who proposes this kind of transaction
- Avoid wiring any monetary funds during any part of the transaction
- Beware of phony escrow services. Escrow services can facilitate a payment transfer between buyer and seller... for a fee a company will hold your buyer's payment until the vehicle is delivered. There are many legitimate services however scammers often set up fake services. Decline any service that you are unsure about or have not confirmed the validity of through the Better Business Bureau or your states regulatory agency.
- More information about safe selling and buying check out Cars.com Scams And Fraud Exposed Blog
Transferring Ownership:
- Figuring out what do to when a vehicle sales can be confusing. Visit our Forms section to access all of the paperwork you'll need to transfer your vehicle to your new owner.
Use Escrow.Com:
- For Sellers: Protect yourself from credit card and payment theft
- For Buyers: Receive merchandise before Seller is paid.
- Important: only use www.escrow.com
- Click here to learn more about using www.escrow.com
AutoConsign.Com does not:
- We do not offer shipping services. Any solicitation that suggests otherwise is a scam and should be reported to law enforcement.
- We do not get involved in any transaction between buyer and seller. If you receive an email with our logo urging you to complete a purchase of a vehicle, it is a scam.
- We will not ask you for personal or financial information via email. If you receive an email with our logo on it asking for this information, it is a scam.
Tips for Buying
Tips for Buying Fall into Three major categories:
Visual
Mechanical
Financial
Other considerations
Visual
- Visual Inspection: Conduct a walk around of the vehicle. Is the condition of the car commensurate with the age of the car? Look at the gas and brake pedals- if they are worn yet there is very low mileage on the car, there is reason for suspicion (possible odometer fraud). Look under the hood- are the belts and hoses worn and cracked or have they been maintained? How is the paint, dents scratches? Check for the original manufactures vin plate in the side of the door, hood, and trunk. If it is missing, it's possible the vehicle had been in an accident and that panel of the vehicle was replaced. Obtain a vehicle history report!
Mechanical
- Mechanical Inspection: Invest $75 and get the car mechanically checked out!
Buyer Beware of neglected maintenance or internal engine problems that need repair.
All cars will need some maintenance at some time. What you need to know is if the car has been maintained up to this point in time! - Don't be surprised: Obtain a vehicle history report (Carfax), ask for service records and how the seller kept up with the previous maintenance. While we advise sellers to keep up with service records, a lot of people don't have this info. so have the car mechanically checked out. Know what you are getting into!
Financial
- The Financial component: Price up or down based upon how the vehicle stands up against the average book value based upon your visual and mechanical check up. If discovered after the mechanical inspection that the vehicle needs some minor maintenance work, simply make an offer on the vehicle based upon this information.
- What is your buying power: Do you have the resources to obtain a certified check upon finding the right vehicle for you? Will you need financing (have the "financing" word hyperlink to finance page)? Don't wait to find the car you want to buy to start answering these questions. It's unlikely a seller will wait for you to figure out your method of payment if another prospects comes along behind you and can pay cash- be ready to move.
Other considerations:
- What will your fuel cost be
- Insurance cost
- Anticipated cost of future maintenance/repairs
Tips for Selling
Eliminate reasons not to buy
Maintenance Records
Detailing
Pricing
Get ready for your buyer
Photo Tips
Eliminate reasons not to buy:
- Eliminate Reason's NOT to buy from you: Have a friend look at and drive your car to find objections to sale- just like your Real-estate agent might recommend tips to fix up/spruce up your home prior to sale in order to avoid obvious objections- you need to do the same thing with your car!
Maintenance Records:
- Maintain Good Maintenance Records: A powerful selling tool is being able to document that you've maintained your vehicle. Gather your maintenance records, even your oil change receipts! If you've had your vehicle serviced by a dealer, the service department should be able to print you these records. If you haven't kept up with your records- start! Every time your car is serviced, add the receipt to a notebook or file. When people see your notebook with maintenance records, it makes a good impression, and they're more likely to buy from you.
Detailing:
- Get a FULL Detail: The engine and the trunk are the first places a buyer looks when they are checking out a car that they're interested in. If the engine has built up dirt and dust and the trunk is filthy with old leaves in it, etc... it's a turn off. Buyers often equate the way a vehicles looks to how it's been maintained! If a vehicle looks poorly, it's assumed that it's been maintained poorly!
Pricing:
- Price your vehicle to sell!: Don't make the mistake of assuming your outstanding balance is what the car is worth!
Price your vehicle relative to the condition the vehicle is in and to what the market will bare. Visit KBB Private Party appraisal to determine the right selling price. - Obtain the LOAN value of your vehicle!: The difference between this figure and what you set your asking price at is what your buyer will have to come up with in cash should your buyer need to obtain financing. With good credit, on average this amount is between $500-$2000. If your price exceeds that cash difference in the loan value, your vehicle may be priced to high.
Get ready for your buyer:
- Get Ready for your Buyer: Locate your vehicle's title and or lien payoff information. You will need to have this handy once you have a buyer that is ready to move forward with a sale.
Visit our Forms for the paperwork you'll need to complete the title transfer and registration of your vehicle to your buyer.
Photo Tips:
Taking a good photo is essential when selling your vehicle. We've collected a list of suggestions to help attract buyers for your car.
- Thoroughly clean the exterior and interior of the car. Wash off mud and dirt from the wheels and shine the tires with a "tire shine" product.
- Park the car in a location on clean pavement and free from visual distractions.
- Turn the wheel counter clock-wise to show the tire tread.
- Lighting is very important. Beware of shadows and reflections. An over-cast day, dawn or dusk has the best lighting effect.
- Zoom in so that you're filing the camera frame with the automobile.
- Take photos from different angles and different camera heights.
Exterior Photo Recommendations:
Standing Photo
- Left front angle
- Left side
- Left rear angle
- Rear
- Right rear angle
- Right side
- Right front angle
- Front
Kneeling Photo
- Front and Rear angle
- Tire tread
- wheel and hubcap
Elevated Photo (use a step ladder)
- Front and Rear angle
Photographing a Convertible:
- Don't forget to showcase your convertible with the top down! Take a variety of angle shots. Elevated photos are an excellent way of highlighting the cockpit.
Interior Photo Recommendations:
- Front seats. Fill the camera frame with both seats.
- Zoom in for a detail photo of the console.
- Rear Seats. Fill the camera frame with the entire back seat
- Cockpit. We suggest taking this photo from the back seat. Fill the camera frame with a detail view of the accessories.
- Luggage and trunk space
- Engine