Dave Ramsey says: Here’s how to sell a vehicle with a high lien amount
May 8, 2018, 11:30 AM
Dear Dave,
How do you sell a vehicle with a lien amount that’s higher than the actual value of the car?
— Michael
Dear Michael,
First, you need to find a way to cover the difference between the amount of the lien and what you can get for the car. Let’s say the car is worth $12,000, and you owe $15,000. That would leave you $3,000 short.
The bank holds the title, so unless you give them the payoff amount of $15,000 you’re not getting the title.
The easiest and simplest way would be if someone buys the car for $12,000, and you had $3,000 on hand to make up the difference. If you don’t have the money to make up the difference, you could go to a local bank or credit union and borrow the remaining $3,000.
I really hate debt, but being $3,000 in the hole is a lot better than being $15,000 in the hole. Then, you could turn around and quickly pay back the $3,000 you borrowed.
You’d give the total amount owed to the bank, they would give you the title, and you would sign it over to the new owner. Hope this helps!
—Dave
* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 13 million listeners each week on 585 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
