Trading in or selling your car doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to waste your time or your gas like it did to me.
I remember I was picking up my new car and I brought in my old Pontiac for the agreed-upon trade in. After driving 45 minutes in the dark, after work, with a toddler, I get there exhausted.
And the dealership rejected the trade in. The deal was off.
Since that moment, places like Clutch.ca have come along and made selling or trading-in your car easier. They come to you and take away your car after you upload all your documents on their online platform.
Is selling your car with Clutch the right choice for you? Let’s review.
What Is Clutch.ca And Is It Better Than A Dealership?
That was a trick question. Clutch.ca is an online used car retailer like Carvana and other retail car sites.
You can buy a car through Clutch.ca as well as trade-in or sell your current vehicle.
Clutch offers online financing as well, which saves you from those awkward in-person conversations. You never have to sit and watch someone stare at their screen and make a financial judgment about you.
Getting financing online is also great if you don’t feel comfortable talking about money in person or if your credit is not strong enough. Online is more private and less intimidating to some.
Clutch operates in the following provinces:
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
Clutch.ca Will Pick Up Your Car When You Want to Sell It
This is something I have not seen from an in-person retail dealership. Usually you have to drive the car to the dealership and leave it there. Clutch picks up the car from your house or you can drop it off at their retail location.
That means that Clutch makes selling your car easier if you have:
- mobility issues
- a tight schedule
- health problems or other limitations
You can also schedule the best day for the exchange.
That is what the whole process is really about. Clutch.ca makes selling your car easier.
No Test Drive and No Haggling Over Details
Another way Clutch makes selling your car easier is that it eliminates the psychological games that happen when you go to a brick and mortar store.
You don’t have to feel pressured to please anyone. There is no need to make the sales person or evaluator like you. You don’t have to make small talk.
Otherwise, they won’t test drive the car and decide that something is wrong with it to make you ready to accept a lower offer.
There is just a fair, firm offer for the car.
Clutch.ca Offers Competitive Pricing for Selling Your Car
Here is where people get confused. Your car has two values: the market value and the trade-in value.
A market value is what you would get selling the car outright to someone. A trade-in value is usually a lower number for good reason.
The dealership has to buy low and then resell high to make a profit. Since you are trading in a vehicle that the dealer will later try to sell, they factor in their profit margin.
Clutch.ca does the same thing. They offer competitive prices knowing that there are two competing forces: their profit margin as well as your likelihood to go elsewhere. That is normal business dynamics.
According to Clutch’s website, 96% of its customers are satisfied with the Clutch selling process.
What Do You Need To Sell Your Car With Clutch.ca?
Other than living in one of the provinces mentioned above, you need the vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This way Clutch can check to see the make, model, and other history of the car.
Next, you fill out some information about the condition of the car including its mileage. You then upload proof of ownership and some other documents.
What If Your Mileage Changes Before Your Car Gets Picked Up?
No one expects you to stay home and preserve your car’s mileage from the time you upload your documents to the time Clutch takes it away. In fact, Clutch lets you have up to a 2,500 km disparity between what you submit at appraisal and what is verified.
What If You Exceed 2,500 km?
If you exceed the stated kilometres by more than 2,500 km, you have to resubmit an appraisal.
So, before you take the car on one last road trip, beware that 2,500 km can happen extremely quickly. Also, those extra 2,500 drop your car into a lower value bracket.
It might be a better idea to stick close to home and to always report an accurate mileage the first time.
How Do I Get Paid When I Sell My Car With Clutch.ca?
This is actually very easy. The money is deposited by electronic funds transfer (EFT) into your bank account. You can have it in as little as 2 days.
Is Selling Your Car With Clutch.ca A Good Idea?
Ultimately, yes it is. It acts like a car dealership in every way except it removes the stress and hassle associated with traditional trade-ins and sales.
The pricing is competitive with the market. There is no stress of having to fight traffic to get to the dealership, nor the pressure to leave work early.
They come to you, which is actually a nice change of pace for people who have young kids, health issues, remote addresses or other concerns. Clutch is legitimately making selling your car easier on you.
