How Selling Your Car To Us Works

Selling a car yourself means listing it, answering messages from strangers, setting up meetings and handling the paperwork on your own. With us it’s three steps, and once we meet, the whole thing takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

15 to 20 minutesFrom meeting to payment
Cashier’s checkIssued before the car leaves
DMV paperworkHandled for you
Licensed CA dealerLicense #94258

Three Steps From First Message To Paid

Here’s the whole process at a glance. Each step is explained in more detail below.

1
Tell us about your car

Year, make, model, mileage and an honest read on condition.

More on step 1
2
We meet you

We come to you, usually at the bank, and look the car over.

More on step 2
3
Get paid

Cashier’s check, DMV paperwork and any loan payoff, same meeting.

More on step 3
01

Step 1: Tell Us About Your Car

Fill out the offer form, or call or text us. We need the year, make, model and mileage, plus an honest read on condition: dents, warning lights, anything that isn’t perfect. None of that stops us from making an offer. It just goes into the number.

A real person gets back to you, not an automated quote tool.

What we’ll ask you

  • Year, make and model
  • Mileage
  • Condition, including dents or warning lights
  • Whether there is a loan on the car
02

Step 2: We Meet You

We come to you. We buy regularly across Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, the Inland Empire, Ventura and Palm Springs, and most meetings happen at the bank so your payment can be issued right there.

If you’d rather bring the car to us, drop-off can be arranged. Just ask when we set things up.

We look the vehicle over when we meet. If it matches what you told us, the offer stands. If something comes up that wasn’t mentioned, we’ll show you what it is and explain how it changes the number before you agree to anything.

Where we buy

  • Orange County
  • Los Angeles
  • San Diego
  • Inland Empire
  • Ventura
  • Palm Springs

Farther out? Tell us where you are and what you have. How far we travel depends on the vehicle.

03

Step 3: Payment And Paperwork

If you take the offer, everything else happens at the same meeting. From meeting to payment is about 15 to 20 minutes. You’re not handing over your car and waiting days for a check.

  • You’re paid by cashier’s check
  • We complete the DMV paperwork
  • If there is a loan, we pay your lender directly and you keep the difference
  • The car leaves with us only after you’ve been paid
South OC Autos completing a car purchase with a seller at the bank
About 15 to 20 minutes
Checklist

What To Bring

  • The title
  • Your current registration
  • Your driver’s license
  • If there is a loan, your lender’s name and account number

The title has to be in your name. If two names are on it, check whether they’re joined by “and” or “or,” because that decides who has to sign. The FAQ covers both.

Loans

Still Owe Money On It?

That’s common and it doesn’t slow anything down. We get the exact payoff amount from your lender, pay them directly, and anything above that is yours.

You don’t need the title in hand because your lender is holding it.

There’s more on how the payoff works in our answers to common seller questions.

#94258CA Dealer License

Who You’re Dealing With

South OC Autos is a licensed California dealer, #94258. We hold a wholesale license, which means we buy cars from private sellers and don’t sell to the public. You’re dealing with a licensed business, not a stranger from a marketplace app.

Ready To See What Your Car Is Worth?

Tell us what you’ve got and a real person will get back to you with an offer.

Get your offer started

Questions first? Contact us.