For dealers
Buying from a private seller in California: the dealer’s paperwork
What California’s rules ask of a private seller when your dealership buys the car: the title, a lien release, odometer disclosure, smog and the release of liability.
INSIGHTS
Practical guides for California car sellers and dealerships.
Plain-language guides to selling a car in California, and practical notes for dealerships buying from private sellers.
For dealers
How to write a buy list your sourcing team can act on
What goes on a used car buy list, how to make each line specific enough to act on, what belongs on the no-buy side, and how to keep the list current.
For dealers
Private-party or auction: when each makes sense for your used inventory
A neutral comparison of private-party and auction buying for dealers: the costs each channel adds, the condition information you get, and where the time goes.
For dealers
What to check before you commit to a private-party car
A dealer’s walkaround for a private-party car: exterior, interior, tires, mechanical checks, the VIN match and the seller’s California paperwork.
For dealers
Private-seller sourcing for California dealerships: why and how
What private sellers can add to a dealership’s used-car sourcing, why the work is hard to do at scale, and how CarLinks’ agent-led sourcing handles it.
For dealers
VIN barcodes on the lot: a faster check-in workflow
How to use VIN barcodes at check-in, on stock labels and with a phone, which format to print, and two free browser tools that read and make them.
For dealers
How to set a maximum offer on a private-party car
Work back from the price you expect to sell at, through every acquisition cost, to the most your dealership should offer. A worked example, and how to stress-test it.
Selling your car
Where to find your VIN, and what it tells you
Your VIN is on the dashboard, on the label by the driver’s door, and on your title and registration card. Where to look, and what its 17 characters mean.
Selling your car
Smog certificates when you sell a car in California
In California the seller usually provides the smog certificate. Who is responsible, how long it lasts, which cars are exempt, and the $8.25 certificate and $8 transfer fees.
Selling your car
Selling a leased car in California
Your leasing company owns the car, so it decides how a sale or buyout works. What the DMV’s procedures say about leased cars, and the questions to ask before you sell.
Selling your car
Selling a car you still owe money on in California
If a lender is on your title, it’s part of the sale. How the lien release works in California, what the DMV publishes, and what to ask your lender first.
Selling your car
Selling your car in Tustin, CA
Selling a car in Tustin, CA, including one you still owe money on: the lender’s part, smog checks, the nearest DMV office in Santa Ana, and signing the car over.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Useful tools for your next buy.
VIN barcode generator
Create a scannable label from your VIN. Download a sharp SVG or PNG.
Runs in your browser Create a barcodeVIN barcode scanner
Read a VIN barcode from a photo or your camera. Keep the result in your browser.
Runs in your browser Scan a VINAcquisition calculator
Work back from your expected resale price to a maximum purchase amount.
Runs in your browser Calculate your buyLet’s find your next
source of inventory.
Tell us what you buy. We’ll show you how our team and platform can fit the way your dealership works.
Thinking about selling your car?
Tell us about it in a few minutes. A CarLinks agent will reach out, and there’s no obligation to sell.
Prefer to talk? Call (562) 200-0003