When purchasing a vehicle, a person can get caught up in all the excitement in the purchase and eventual ownership of a new car. Selling the vehicle (more commonly known as “resale”) is often the furthest thing in one’s mind but, as one will learn, it sometimes can be one of the more important considerations. After some period of time, a vehicle may no longer be useful to its current owner.  When the vehicle has outlived its life, either through accumulation of mileage or size constraints etc., there are many things that now come into play and one should consider.
 For instance, it is important not only to maximize how much money can be made by selling a respective vehicle but also the manner in which you hope to sell it. There are many things that must be evaluated prior to selling. Things such as what type of vehicle is for sale - foreign or domestic. After that there is an entire myriad of things to consider - high or low miles, has the vehicle been in an accident, the overall condition of the vehicle and if there are any flaws such as body damage, interior damage or an engine that has not been cared for properly. 
A YUGO for instance, although it might be in good shape with relatively low miles and a good maintenance record,  does not attract many buyers due to the “bad press” the vehicle garnished – whether it was deserved or not.  Many foreign automobiles can retain most of their value but are expensive to purchase up front while many domestic vehicles are typically less expensive to purchase new, but do not hold their value as well (often referred to as the residual value).
 If you have owned the vehicle since new or are the second or third owner there are many additional things you will want to do or consider prior to listing the car. The primary starting point for many is the “Kelly Blue Book”. This is the industry standard and guide to give an approximate worth of a vehicle at three general price points – high, medium or low market. Each level can be quantified by the overall condition of the vehicle, as well as, features such as automatic transmission, mileage, and additional options or extras at the time of purchase (power windows, power locks, heated mirrors, an upgraded or high end stereo system etc.).
After you establish the price point you will want to consider whether or not you will sell it to a dealer on a trade or try to sell it yourself through either the classified ads or an online service such as Autotrader.com, Craigslist, etc.  When selling yourself, you will get a higher cash price but will have to arrange your schedule to market and show the vehicle. If you work through a dealer, you will get less of a cash price - but the dealer takes the burden of selling.  Regardless of the method, many options exist in the sale of the vehicle.