Buyout, consignment or advance sale: how to choose the right way to sell your car
You can sell a car fast, you can sell it for top money, or you can strike a balance between the two. We compare the three options we offer — buyout, consignment and advance sale — to show how they differ, who carries the risks and how much you'll get, using one and the same car as an example.
The main choice: speed or price
Every sale is a trade-off between how quickly you want the money and how much you want to get. The sooner you need the cash, the more risk and cost the buyer takes on, and the lower the price will be. The more time you're willing to give the sale, the closer you can get to market value.
Buyout: cash right away
We appraise the car, check it at a specialist service center and name a final figure, and once the paperwork is done, you get your money. No hunting for buyers, no calls, no viewings.
To be upfront about the price: in a buyout, we're the ones buying the car, not the end buyer. We have to factor in preparation, advertising, possible repairs, risks and the time it takes to resell it. That's why the buyout price is lower than what the car could potentially fetch from an end buyer.
Right for you if: you need the money urgently, and certainty matters more to you than the maximum amount.
Consignment: the full market price
We sell your car to an end buyer: we set the right price, prepare the car, take quality photos, list it on AUTO.RIA, OLX and RST and on our Instagram, TikTok and Telegram, and offer it to our client base. The car can stay with you or wait on our open lot.
You get the market price, but it takes time; exactly how long depends on the model, condition, price and demand. You get your money once the car is sold.
Right for you if: you're in no hurry and want to get the most for your car.
Advance sale: most of it now, the rest after the sale
We agree on a sale price with you, and you immediately receive at least 70% of that amount. From then on, we handle the sale, and when an end buyer is found, you get the balance. All the terms are set out in the contract.
Right for you if: you need the money now — for your next car, say — but you don't want to let your car go below market.
Who carries the risks
- Buyout. After the deal, the risks of reselling are ours: how long the car sits, whether it needs repairs, how the market moves. You “pay” for that with a lower price.
- Consignment. You remain the owner until the sale: the car loses value over time, and any market shifts hit your amount directly.
- Advance sale. The risks are shared: you've already received most of the money, and the final settlement depends on the sale on the terms agreed in the contract.
Example: a $20 000 car
Let's say your car can realistically be sold to an end buyer for $20 000.
- Buyout — money right after the paperwork, but the amount will be lower than $20 000: the difference covers the preparation, advertising and risks we take on.
- Advance sale — at least $14 000 right away, the rest after the sale to an end buyer at the agreed price.
- Consignment — the full market price, closer to $20 000, but only once a buyer is found.
These are rough figures for illustration. Actual amounts depend on the specific car, its condition, the market and the terms of the deal.
How to choose
- You need the money now and value simplicity — buyout.
- You need most of the amount now but want the market price — advance sale.
- You have time and your goal is the highest price — consignment.
How Ukrainiancars can help
We've been on the market for 12 years and work in Dnipro and Kyiv. Send us the VIN, mileage and a few photos, and we'll give you a preliminary valuation, calculate the buyout and advance amounts, and tell you honestly which option works best in your situation.