Detailing

Cleaning a car makes you more money. That's a fact. I can't tell you how many times I bought a car, detailed it and sold it for a profit. I'm not talking about just cleaning the interior. I always clay, buff, and wax every car. People see that shine and instantly want it. I sold a black 1999 Yukon Denali because it looked so good! The guy didn't even bother opening the hood. No test drive  I would ne'er do this but he was in see of my work haha. If you have any questions just shoot a comment and I can go more in depth about detailing procedures.

Finding Your Niche

When buying and selling cars, it's best to stick with one or two types of vehicles. This way you can familiarize yourself with the common problems with these vehicles. If you want a fast turn around, choose a car that is popular and readily available. 

I mostly buy crown Victoria police interceptors. Why? They are reliable, there's a huge following for these cars, and they're cheap. I know the ins and outs of these cars. For example, these cars have 8 coil packs. Each one fires one spark plug. A simple design but they are prone to break. They are also $50 a piece at your local parts store. When the engine misfire code pops up, 99% of the time it's a coil pack. A lot of people will sell a car cheap if its running badly and has a check engine light on. 

As long as you stick with a certain car, you'll make money. You'll also have extra parts laying around for the next car you decide to buy. Keeps repair costs down and your profits up. If you have any questions on which car to buy just send a comment below. Ill respond in a timely manner. Thank you

Talking Down The Price

Looking through Craigslist ads, you'll notice that almost all prices are listed and then there's obo. Or best offer. This is where you make you're money. Don't be afraid to talk people down. Haggle the price. Pick out flaws in the vehicle. What I usually do is check out the vehicle, then find out what's wrong if anything and offer a low price. The worst thing that can happen is, the seller will refuse. Ill give a recent example of my transaction.

I found a 1999 GMC Yukon for sale. The guy wanted $3000 for it. I take a ride to check it out. This truck is filthy. Interior is dirty, exterior is faded, and the engine bay is horrible. I notice the a/c doesn't work. The ball joints are bad. The tires are worn out. I really didn't want to but the truck after I checked it over. I told the guy that the best I can do is 1k. Seems low, yes? Well wouldn't ya know he takes it. I guess some people either need money badly or don't want to deal with repairs. So I got a smoking deal on this truck. I take it home, detail the whole truck. Replace the tires, fix the suspension, align the front end, recharge the a/c. Truck looks brand new. I put the truck back on Craigslist. I ask $3200. I get a reply the same day. The following day, the buyer wants to look at the truck. As soon as he pulls up and takes one look at the truck he wants it. I sold the truck for $3000. I make about $1200 on this deal. Took me a few days to detail the truck and repair it but it was well worth it.

As you can see, I suggested a low price and the seller let it go. More money in my pocket and everyone is happy. Sometimes you never know. Maybe the car was given to him or maybe he got it for cheap from a friend. Either way it doesn't hurt to low ball people. Don't expect it to always work though. Good luck everyone!

My First Flip

I work in a small town in the far south suburbs of Chicago. I got a tip that the local police department is having a silent auction to clean house. If you're not familiar with silent auctions, i will fill you in. All you need to do is place a bid at the town hall. Choose a price you're willing to pay for the vehicle. The highest bid wins. Be careful though, you only get one bid.

They had a few Crown Victoria's for sale. The cars were ex police so I expected some wear and tear. I eyed a typical cop car, all white with rubber floors and vinyl rear seats. Car had typical problems. Rust on rear quarter panels, dirty inside, paint scratches, etc. I place my bid of $1200. It was enough to win the car. Good deal.

After transferring the title (a move that was forced by the township) I drove the car home. I buffer and waxed the car, detailed the interior, and fixed the minor problems with the car. All in all i spent $200 on repairs and $200 for taxes and title. Put the car on Craigslist with really good pictures. Listed for $2500. Within a week I sold the car for $2200. Profit of $600. That's pretty good money for something I did in my spare time.

With my first flip complete, I decided I like this. I enjoy working on cars. It's fun for me. That's the key. If you have free time and love cars, go for it! Bookmark this blog and I will continue with my stories throughout the years and I will throw in some tips here and there. Good luck everyone! Ill have some strategies posted soon.