How to sell a crapcan?

Two of my lady’s cars need to go in the most hassle-free way possible, but since she doesn’t itemize, tax deductible donations (as far as I understand, correct me if I’m wrong) won’t do her any good. I reeealllly don’t want to deal with Craigslist People, but it may be my only option. Any advice would be appreciated. 

About the cars:

First problem is a 2000 Focus with about 170k (I think), but which needs front calipers (I installed a new m/c about a year ago, one of the bleed screws snapped in the caliper when I was bleeding, and it’s been on stands in my garage ever since—I have ZERO time for this sort of thing for the foreseeable future) and a CEL that needs to be addressed (I think it’s a TB or MAF/sensor). I don’t even know what the thing is worth in its current state, which is barely even safe to move.

The second is her daily which she’s been squeezing every last ounce of life from: an 01 Avalon with over 300k and climbing. Everything on this car works (aside from the CD changer) and it’s driven daily with no drama, BUT it’s been limping along thanks to a lenient inspection shop nearby that likes/pities us. It needs a windshield, passenger mirror, and a CEL cleared (probably the oil control valve for the VVT on the rear head; I did the front about a year ago) to pass inspection.

Where should I start with these things? Putting any money into either car is a losing proposition at this point. They need to get gone but we can’t afford to just give them awaY.

WWGRMD?

The Avalon should be easier to get rid of. Look up blue book and put it on CL for half that. Should sell in a day or two. The Focus is harder to say. Junkyard would give you $200 around here or sometime like me would give you up to $400 cause I could fix it in an afternoon. 

Put the Focus here? Someone must want a rallyX beater or similar.

In reply to java230 :

Good call. I’ll post it up when I get some pictures.

In reply to Stampie :

Good thinking, thanks!

If it were me I would put on CL.

I put up a 265k mile Saturn Vue which did not drive due to what I suspected was a bad clutch slave.  Sold in 1.5 day to the first person who looked at it for the full asking price of $400

The other was a 160+k Taurus that overheats and is somewhat rusty.  Irronicaly, in 1.5 days the first person to answer the ad was the exact same guy who bought the Vue.  A local, flipper guy.  Also got full asking price of $600 

We were both pleased with the sales.  

The key seems to be realistically price the car as a good deal and the flippers will rush to get to you quickly.  

Focus: ask $900 (because its less than $1,000)

Avalon: also ask $900

For both, leave them at those prices for 2 weeks then if you still have them drop the price by $100 every week until they are gone.  

In my experience, cheap cars are the easiest to sell. People are typically quite optimistic when they go to look at a sub $1000 car and don't expect much.

Unless you and your wife are pedantic car owners also when it comes to the beaters, put some hours into cleaning the cars. Especially the inside. I know it might feel pointless to wash an old beater, but it does soooo much for the first impression if the interior is clean and smells fresh. Worn is OK, dirty is not. Filthy cars are a turn off, no matter what the price is.

Remember that selling them is much more important then getting the last $100 for them. I think you are already in this mindset, but surprisingly many sellers are not. Some car are sitting for months in someones yard, costing insurance and tax, looking worse and worse, and not trading hands just because the seller won't come down the last $200-$300.

And on your bill of sale be sure and write there is no warranty stated, implied or otherwise.    

Step one would be a obd2 bluetooth adapter and the torque app, should cost you under $15 total for that. That way you can check the CEL on both cars and any other cars in the future.

If you arent willing to put effort into the Focus its gonna be going for pretty low dollars, like $300. The Avalon has super high miles so its not gonna be easy to get rid of either for anything else than low sums of money either.

I really cant see why "i cant just afford to give them away" but "they need to be gone". You are basically giving away cheap transportation, exactly how much do you feel someone is gonna give you? And "craigslist people" are pretty much everyone thats buying a cheap car.

Id probably find the time to fix the focus however you need to and run teh Avalon til the wheels fall off. The $600ish you are getting for both cars selling them is moot, mights as well get all you can out of them

If you don't want to use Craigslist, put a For Sale sign on it and park it out on the street.  That's how people have sold cars since cars were invented.

In the CL auto parts section:

"2000 Focus. Needs brake work. $600"

In the CL cars section:

"2001 Avalon. High miles, but reliable as gravity. $900"

And like Torkel said, CLEAN them up! It does make a difference. 

I'll agree with these guys.  Going sub 1k will get it gone quick.  I've been trying to sell my 2005 Chrysler Town & Country that's extremely reliable and well maintained for ~2k for a few months now.  At that point, people are looking for gold, but still unable to read the ad any better.  I've had 3 people drive an hour-ish to check it out and decide that 186,000 is too many miles for them.   It's not really much of an inconvenience to have around the property, and I'll drive it through the winter so I'm not too motivated to lose my shirt on it yet.

On the other hand, I sold an older and rusty Subaru Legacy for 2400 the first day I listed it.    I don't understand it...

My method for unloading crapcans is to sell them to my father. He typically either runs them until they are 100% dead or takes them apart and then shuffles them off to the backyard. Want me to give you his number? 

Dealing with Facebook or craigslist is about the best way sadly. I'm about to go through this process myself. It always sucks but it gets them gone and gets some cash in my pocket.