Whether it is negotiating with a dealership for a trade-in value or meeting multiple private buyers and taking them on test drives, selling your old car can take up a lot of time and energy. People will leave thousands of dollars on the table just to get rid of their car and not have to worry about it anymore. They think the extra money isn't worth the hassle and settle for a lower price just to move on. Here are some steps you can take to set yourself up to raise the value of your car without creating headaches down the road.1) Know what your car is worth. Before you put your car up for sale online or go to any dealerships, you need to know what your car is worth in the current market. Throw away any expectation of what you think your car can be sold for and do some online research to find a solid, reasonable number. Use car valuing tools like Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds to get a baseline of what your car could go for but remember they are only estimates and vary based on a wide range of factors.You should also look to secure a few different appraisals or offers from trusted third parties to get a sense of how businesses perceive the value of your car. My Car Auction is the fastest way to get a real market price for your vehicle and you can get the value here in just 45 seconds. While you want to get the highest price for your used vehicle, going to market with an unconfirmed valuation that far exceeds the reality of what it's worth will only work to deter (or irritate) legitimate buyers and eventually result in you lowering your price anyways. Lowering your initial price is bad optics for people with an eye on your car – once the price starts sliding, your value momentum is headed in the wrong direction!Arming yourself with well-researched points about your car, like the value of routine maintenance, lower mileage, scarcity in the market, tire tread, model features and more will provide you with ample reasons to argue in favor of your car's higher value. 2) Dress you and your car to impress.With so many more car sales happening online these days, it is paramount that you put your best foot forward when posting photos and descriptions of your car on different websites and social media channels – especially if you're selling a high-end car, as you'll want to give off a professional aura from the get-go!Here's a quick scenario to drive this point home. Two women are selling their Mercedes SLC Roadster. Woman #1 takes her car to be cleaned and detailed and then takes 5-10 photos of both the interior and exterior of her car from different angles with a high-quality camera, so the colors and textures really pop. She then writes a descriptive but concise paragraph about the key features of the car and includes information for all the initial questions any buyer would have (mileage, year, model, discloses small dings/scratches, upgrades, etc.). Woman #2 walks out into her driveway, snaps only a few photos of the outside of her dusty car and writes the bare minimum in terms of describing her car to prospective buyers because she herself knows very little about the car to begin with.Now, put yourself in the shoes of a prospective buyer coming across these two ads for the exact same model of car online – who are you reaching out to first? Enough said. And you'll likely have a higher perceived value of Woman #1's car (and character) too, even though he only difference is its cleanliness and quality of photos!3) Be Confident – Don't settle but be reasonable.Finally, just because this might be the first time selling your vehicle, don't undermine your ability to negotiate and play hardball. Regardless of who you're talking to – savvy vets or rookie buyers – if you know your stuff (refer to point 1) and are tough but fair/respectful, you'll not only likely get the price you're looking for, but the overall process will be more yable for all involved – a true win-win situation!Remember, when you're selling your vehicle, you're selling to a buyer who is looking for a car that looks and feels valuable. If you employ the 3 easy tips above, you're sure to have a leg up over your competition and get the price you're looking for – good luck! My Car Auction employs these 3 steps for every customer that chooses to sell their car through us. We make the car selling process easy and convenient without sacrificing the value of your car. It only takes 45 seconds, and you can have cash in your hand within 48 hours. Start the form here.