We always talk about buying used cars, but what about getting rid of them?  What are your options for selling or trading?  

Before doing anything, you need to determine the Kelly Blue Book value of your vehicle.  You will see there are three different values for each vehicle: retail, trade-in, and private party.  You are going to get the most money for private party, and least for trade-in.  At the same time, trade-in takes the least amount of work, while private party car sales can be a soul sucking misadventure if things don't go well. Knowing the blue book value will help you set your expectations for the journey ahead. 

With that in mind, here are some options for you:

1. Trade-in at a dealership - if you have a car you don't want, then why not trade it in at the dealership towards another vehicle? Yes I know you still have a used car on your hands, but its a NEW used car, and that will at least give the illusion of happiness until your kid pukes in the back seat and breaks it in.  Beware though, dealerships are notorious for not giving you top dollar on your trade-in.  Afterall they are trying to sell just like you are.  
2. Sell at CarMax - CarMax boasts that they will "buy your car even if you don't buy ours."  I can dig that.  Its basically a convenience issue.  From the website, "Setting up an appointment isn't necessary, and we'll appraise your car for free in as little as 30 minutes. Each appraisal is backed with a written offer that stays the same, even if you don't buy a car from us." This is nice indeed.  See how their appraisal process works.  All of this is nice, but like the trade-in option above, don't expect to get full value for your vehicle.  My buddy visited CarMax and was offered 2k less than what he sold it for privately. 
   
3. Craigslist - Craigslist is great because it is free and there is tons of exposure, which means potentially more buyers at YOUR price. The problem is that its free and there is tons of exposure, which means potentially more work for you. Selling anything of value on Craigslist is a jailbreak, and a car is no different. People come out of the woodwork wanting to come by (or say they are coming by and not show up), test drive the vehicle, ask questions that you don't have the answers to, possibly scam you, and haggle like nobody's business. This can all get pretty exhausting, and after a few no shows, insulting offers, frustrating questions, and strange text messages from people who don't speak English, one wonders whether or not its worth the extra cash to put up with all of this. This largely depends on what kind of person you are. My wife loves the adventure, but frankly it makes me want to take a nap.
   

Selling a car is an adventure. There is a spectrum that features convenience and less money on one end and hard work and more money on the other.  You will have decide which one fits your personality. 

...that is, unless you want to spend more than you need to.  This is a quick and helpful article from USA Today. 

If you are like me, you are probably not going to be purchasing a real expensive car anytime soon.  Hey you can get great used cars for half the price!  But hold on a second...you can also get a NEW car for pretty cheap, but the question is, are cheap cars worth it, even if they are brand new?  Check out the 10 least expensive rides of 2010, along with a quick review of each car, here. 

Check out the Wall Street Journal article on Ford's recent $450 million investment in Thailand, which, according to the article, is "expected to provide a boost to the Thai auto industry and help an economy racked by months of political turmoil."  Ford is not moving into Asia because it likes Chinese food, but because Asia is where the most people are buying the most cars.  What, if any, are the effects of such a strong foreign market on our own market here in the U.S.?  Is this a sign of good things to come?

"...9 out of 10 guys don’t live in the actual city that they play in, so you’ve got to ship your cars"

In honor of game 7 of the NBA playoffs, which airs tonight, we put our internet research team on the hunt for some goods regarding the fast paced world of the NBA and something car related.  No its not about their car loans or any kind of financing.  It is about the wild world of shipping...that's right...shipping.  Bored yet?  Its actually kind of interesting, at least the New York Times thinks so.  Have you ever thought about what the big ballers drive?  They make a lot of money and so it should be no surprise that they aren't driving Hyundais, regardless of their strong warranties.  Here's the deal, few of these ballers actually live in the cities in which they play, which means their phat rides need to get home somehow.  How do they do it?  Check out the article to find out.  

There is no doubt that buying a used car has its advantages.  They generally cost less, so smaller loans make for fuller bank accounts, which translates to a happier you.  This is obvious.  But what about when it inevitably breaks down and the warranty is up?  At this point many a used car owner find themselves willing to pay the big bucks for a shiny new car that apparently doesn't break down. What are the options for the used car owner? 

1.  Forget about used cars and fork over the dough for a brand new one.  This will last for a couple of years if you're lucky, but alas, every new car becomes a used one once its driven off the lot.  Still, it is worth noting that most new cars come with hefty warranties, especially now that car dealers are dying to sell, sell, sell!  

2.  Get an extended warranty.  Here is a great list of how to buy an extended warranty for your vehicle.  

Many people are willing to fork over the extra dough to have the peace of mind that comes with driving a new car.  But that same peace of mind, at least in part (I mean who doesn't want a NEW car?), can be regained by purchasing an extended warranty.  

If you could get a loan for this car, would you buy it?  Hyundai, who is the official auto sponsor for FIFA, is blessing the world with a special series of turf cars for the World Cup in South Africa this year.  Could I get that in baseball please?  Check out a quick article here.  

How's this for an overload of information?  If you have a wild hair and want to see every car ever made in the U.S., check out this list from Wikipedia.  If you want to see every car brand ever made in the world, look here. 

Check out the 2010 Kia Sportage.  A wide array of standard safety features; competent handling; stylish and versatile interior; and of course the remarkable warranty that KIA is so well known for.  Enjoy the video! 

Pretty interesting article written a couple of years ago about the history of car loans.  According to the author, the article was written so that people could "gain a working knowledge of car loans, so that when you go to get one, you’ll know where they came from, why they were invented, and how all that affects the transaction you’re about to undertake."  This is indeed important.  As car loans have become a staple to the vast majority of those buying new and used vehicles, the tendency is for people to assume that they have always been there.  There are so many moving pieces behind each transaction with o many people vying for their piece of the pie.  Simply put, so much business!  And that is what makes it all so interesting.  Read on and get some foundational street knowledge about the industry.