I had been driving a 2011 Suzuki Cultus in blue color. I bought it in 2016 from my neighbor. It did its job, i.e: took me from point-A to point-B. But, it lacked basic features and I was way over-due for an upgrade. So, I decided to sell my Suzuki Cultus and ended up selling it to CarFirst.
This car made me an experienced driver and it had its fair share of that experience as all doors and both bumpers had scratches, though it was mechanically and performance-wise as good as it gets. Plus, completely non-accidental.
There were three options for me to sell this car:
- Post an ad on Pakwheels
- Sell it to a dealer
- Sell it to CarFirst
Posting an ad on Pakwheels
I took some photos, added some description, and posted an ad on Pakwheels and shared that ad to anyone who was looking for a Suzuki Cultus in Pakwheel’s Facebook group.
I received 20+ calls within 2 days and I failed to answer most of them as I was heavily occupied at work and was sleeping throughout the day.
I understood that I can get a fair price for my car with the few calls that I was able to answer. But;
- I had to individually carter every potential buyer
- I had to make sure that paperwork and transfer is smooth
- It was just way too time-consuming for me
Pakwheels did help me reach potential buyers who were offering close to my demand but I didn’t have the time and energy to cater every single potential buyer.
Selling my car to a dealer
I didn’t want dealers to ridiculed me on scratches and low-ball me with whatever fault they can find. Plus, again the paperwork wasn’t going to be smooth and I wouldn’t be getting a fair deal so I scratched off going to a car dealer from my list.
Selling my car to CarFirst
I filled up for my car’s inspection on CarFirst’s website on Monday. They got me an appointment on the same day to my nearest CarFirst office.
I went there on appointed time to get my car inspected.
They took around 45 minutes to inspect my car, including taking it on a test-drive. And offered me a price that I wasn’t fully happy with but I negotiated and got closer to what I was hoping for as a fair price.
On my approval of their offer, they sent me a token of Rs. 10,000/- in my bank account, an agreement sealed in an envelope and took my car’s document from me.
I was instructed that I will receive a call within 3 days from their warehouse where I will have to drop my car and I was supposed to receive the full amount on the same day.
I got the call on Wednesday, went to their warehouse, where my car went into final inspection.
They wrote my bank account details and handed me a sales agreement. I was supposed to receive a bank wire within hours and I was supposed to leave the premises and go home.
I got the text of bank wire on my way home and a call from the sales agent within minutes after the text to verify if I got the full amount.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience and I was happy with my decision on using CarFirst’s service.
Here are some pros and cons of the CarFirst’s service:
Pros:
- You get an instant offer for your car
- They take care of all the paperwork
- You get paid within days and the transition is smooth
Cons:
- Their offer is not the very best but it is fair given the whole process is smooth
- They don’t share the inspection report or the bids you are getting for your car
CarFirst offers a service where they acquire potential customers through their digital presence. Take appointments from the potential sellers and create an inspection report of the car which is shared live with their dealers and partners. They then share the highest bid they receive from their partner and take a cut if you decide to sell your car to them.
CarFirst is a service and not the actual purchaser of your car.
Here are some precautions you need to take if you decide to sell your car to CarFirst:
- Make sure you have all the necessary documents for your car
- They will ask you for a spare key on their initial inspection. I will recommend you to have them document the non-availability of the spare key (if you don’t have it) as they might deduct Rs. 1500/- when you drop your car at the warehouse.
- Be at CarFirst’s office at the appointed time as they can cancel your appointment and you will have to reschedule through their website.
Who should sell his/her car to CarFirst?
Anyone who wants a hassle-free and fast process, a somehow fair price, and smooth transition of handing over the car with all paperwork being taken care of by them.
Who shouldn’t sell his/her car to CarFirst?
Anyone who wants the best possible offer he/she can get and have the time and energy to carter individual potential buyers of your car.
Interesting read.