How to compare online car offers before you accept one

Before you accept an online car offer, check eight things: the amount and what it’s based on, whether it holds at pickup, any fees, who picks up the car and when, how you’re paid, how long the offer lasts, what you need to bring, and who to call if something goes wrong. Two offers a few hundred dollars apart can be worth the same once those are counted, or very different.

The 8 things to check

1. The amount, and what it’s based on

Every online offer is built from what you told the buyer: the year, make, model and trim, the mileage, the condition and your photos. Get the offer in writing, by email or text, and keep a copy of how you described the car.

A higher number built on a description that leaves out a dent isn’t really higher. It’s the number most likely to change.

2. Whether it holds at pickup

This is the question that matters most. Not “how high is it?” but “will it still be that number when someone looks at the car?” Ask the buyer:

• What could change the offer at pickup?
• Who decides, and when: before the car is loaded, or after?
• If the number changes, can you say no? Does saying no cost you anything?

Get those answers before pickup day, not in your driveway.

3. Fees

Find out whether anything comes out of the offer: a pickup or towing fee, a title fee, a “processing” fee. Compare what you’d actually receive, not the headline number.

4. Who picks up the car, and when

Some buyers come to you, and some want you to drive the car to them. If they come to you, ask who’s coming (their own driver or a tow company they work with), how the time gets confirmed, how long you’ll need to be there, and whether you’ll hear when they’re on the way. A pickup that takes your whole day has a cost too.

5. How you’re paid

Ask how (a check, a bank transfer or cash), who pays you (the company, or a dealer it passes you to), and when. “Payment at pickup” should mean you’re holding your payment when the car leaves. If payment comes days later, know that before you hand over the keys.

6. How long the offer lasts

Most online offers last about a week, and some also expire after a set number of miles. That’s enough time to compare. Just schedule pickup before the offer runs out. Our guide to ways to sell your car has a table of how long the big online buyers’ offers last and how they pay.

7. What you need to bring

Usually the title in your name, a photo ID and every key. Ask what happens if you still owe money on the car: some buyers pay off your lender, and others need the lien cleared first. And ask whether the owner named on the title has to be there to sign. See what you need to sell a car.

8. Who to call if something goes wrong

Will you deal with one company from your offer to your payment, or get passed to a dealer or a tow company along the way? Note a phone number or text line, and the hours someone answers.

A quick way to compare

For each offer, write down:

• the amount, and the date it expires;
• what could change it at pickup, and whether you can say no then at no cost;
• any fees taken out of it;
• the pickup date, and who’s coming;
• how you’re paid, and when you’ll have the money;
• who to call, and when they answer.

Then take the offer you’re most likely to actually be paid, on a day you can plan around. That’s often, but not always, the highest one.

Warning signs

• No straight answer to “what happens if you find something at pickup?”
• Fees that show up after you accept.
• A lower number at pickup with pressure to sign right then. You should be able to say no.
• Being asked to sign the title before you’re paid. Never sign it over until you are.

How our offer answers each one

What to check	Sell My Car Online
The amount	Free, from the details and photos you send. It comes back within an hour during business hours, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. your local time.
Holds at pickup	Yes, as long as the car is as you described it. If something doesn’t match, the driver calls our office and we give you a new offer before anything is signed. You can say no at no cost.
Fees	Pickup is free, and the offer you accept is what you’re paid, as long as the car matches.
Pickup	Our team confirms a time with you once we have everything. Most pickups happen within one business day, and you get a text when the driver is on the way.
Payment	A Sell My Car Online company check, handed to you on the spot once the title is signed.
How long it lasts	3 days.
What to bring	The title in your name with no loans or liens on it, a photo ID and every key. The owner named on the title signs.
Who to call	Us. Text or call (855) 397-7771, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. your local time.

Every step is on how Sell My Car Online works, and what goes into the number is on how we price your offer.

Questions people ask

Should I take the highest online car offer?

Usually, if it holds. Compare what you’d actually be paid after any fees, and how likely the number is to stay the same at pickup. An offer a little lower that you’re sure of can beat a higher one that might drop.

Can an online car offer go down at pickup?

Yes. With most online buyers, the offer depends on the car matching what you told them, and it can change if it doesn’t. Describe the car honestly, with clear photos, and ask each buyer how they handle a difference. See how to take photos of your car.

How long are online car offers good for?

Most last about a week, and some also expire after a set number of miles. Ours at Sell My Car Online last 3 days.

Is it OK to get more than one offer?

Yes. Online offers are free and you don’t have to accept any of them, so getting two or three is the easiest way to see what your car is worth.

Ready to compare? Get your free offer from us and put it next to the others.