GivemetheVIN Review 2024: Sell Your Car

Kelly Blue Book, NADA Guide, and Black Book are not car buyers, they simply give opinions. "Those silly books are guides designed to help dealers make money from the public. My book is a check book!" said Wolfe. "I play the market, not what some silly book says… and people don't realize that KBB is owned by the largest car dealer in the country, literally. It's just a fact. The market is the real money, and I have the money to pay market. Imagine Amazon meets Wall Street with Domino’s Pizza-style delivery (but pick up, in this case) — that's what we do here at GIVE ME THE VIN™. Just put your VIN* in the box and press Enter."

Wolfe continues, "Our systems today decode the VIN's, so dealers text VIN's while trading cars among one another... the non-dealer public is smarter than most dealers understand, and they will quickly adapt to the same method. When Suzy Q Smith sends me her VIN, mileage, and a brief description of her vehicle, my system generates a hard buy figure for her in seconds. We then email her an offer after I or one of our managers double-checks our system offer."

GIVE ME THE VIN™ is JCW's way of inviting the public into the licensed dealer world, giving the consumer a better alternative against lowball trade offers from the dealership. JCW's bid will also be honored at many franchise dealerships as what’s known as an "In & Out". See our FAQ page for more details.

If you would like to hear JCW bid on cars live on the air, tune into his syndicated radio show (delivered on Westwood One radio for the past ten years). Along with providing entertaining news, interviews, and on-air personalities, bidding on cars during showtime is John's 100% business. (Read more about JCW’s remarkable story at the D magazine.)

GivemetheVIN Review 2024: Sell Your Car - NerdWallet

Our Take

The bottom line: Best for people who do not need to use their vehicle as a trade-in for another car, want to negotiate price, or who have an unusual or damaged vehicle.

Key facts

Offers are good for 24 hours and are negotiable.
No charge to pick up your car.
Current loan or negative equity are OK.
All drivable vehicles OK, including salvaged titles.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Offers are negotiable. Will buy salvage titles and damaged vehicles. Offers $100 if can’t beat CarMax offer.	Does not sell cars; does not have trade-in option. Offer good for only 24 hours. $250 fee if seller backs out of a signed sales agreement.

Sell or trade your car in just a few steps.

Get a real offer from Carvana in 2 minutes.

How does GivemetheVIN work?

GivemetheVIN, or GMTV, buys vehicles directly from individuals for resale on the wholesale marketplace and is one of a growing number of options to sell your car online.

GMTV negotiates a price online or over the phone and picks up the vehicle at no cost. GMTV differs from some online buyers in that it does not also sell cars directly to consumers, so trading in a vehicle is not an option.

Through its longstanding partnerships with a variety of wholesalers, GMTV is able to resell both newer and older, damaged or salvaged vehicles, as well as recreational vehicles, commercial vehicles and heavy equipment. The average amount it pays for vehicles is $33,000.

GMTV will negotiate on a sales price, but each final offer is good for just 24 hours. The only fee is one for $250 if a seller backs out after signing a sales contract. The entire process — from when a seller enters car information online to when they cash a check — could be completed in as little as two days.

Selling a car to GivemetheVIN

To sell your vehicle to GivemetheVIN, you’ll need to enter your car's 17-digit VIN or license plate number online along with the mileage, vehicle options and any loan information. You'll also provide your ZIP code and email address, and fill out a brief vehicle condition questionnaire.

GMTV will email an offer range within minutes. If you’re still interested, a buyer will call for more details about the car’s condition. The buyer can also walk you through what you’ll need to do if there are other names on the title or if the vehicle’s owner is deceased.

You’ll be asked to upload photos of the exterior and interior of the car, as well as under the hood, and to provide photos and descriptions of any damage. You’ll need to take a picture of the 17-digit VIN and the odometer. The buyer will then get back to you, GMTV says usually within a couple of hours, with an exact offer, although nontraditional vehicles may take longer to evaluate. This offer is negotiable but is only good for 24 hours.

Once you agree on a price, GMTV will send a sales contract to sign, either online using Docusign or by FedExing a paper contract. Then GMTV will arrange to pick up the vehicle within 10 days, possibly as early as the next day. You can choose to drop it off yourself at a GMTV office or a Manheim auction lot.

You will receive a check on the spot. You do not need to clean the car. And do not sign the title until you are ready to hand it over with the car keys.

GivemetheVIN may be a good fit for those who:

Want to sell something other than a car or truck. GMTV has bought motorcycles, RVs, ATVs, food trucks, old ambulances, buses and even a backhoe.
Are trying to sell a damaged or older car or salvage title. As long as it is drivable and worth at least $1,000, GMTV says it is interested. The vehicle’s condition, along with any reconditioning it needs, must be disclosed in both the written description and with photos. GMTV will buy salvage titles. typically at half the value of a non-salvaged vehicle.
Want the option of being able to negotiate the sales price. GMTV offers a price range based on preliminary information that sellers provide online. After a buyer reviews photos and talks with the seller, GMTV negotiates a price offer that is good for 24 hours.

GivemetheVIN details and FAQs

Can you negotiate with GivemetheVIN?

Yes, offers are negotiable “on a case-by-case basis.”

Will GivemetheVIN buy my car if I owe on it?

Yes. You’ll need to provide loan information so GivemetheVIN can pay off the lender. If you owe more than the amount of your offer, you will need to cover any shortage. GivemetheVIN accepts electronic payment (ACH), wire transfers and money orders; it will also accept a cashier’s check or a personal check. You make the additional payment to GMTV, and GMTV pays off the lender.

Does GivemetheVIN buy leased vehicles?

Yes, as long as the manufacturer is allowing third-party sales. Many do not. If the manufacturer does not allow third-party sales, you’ll have to buy out the lease first.

Where does GivemetheVIN buy cars?

GMTV buys vehicles in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. It contracts with transport companies to offer pickups throughout the lower 48 states.

Can I drop off my car instead of having it picked up at my home or office?

Yes. Depending on your location, you may opt to drop off your vehicle at a GMTV office or a Manheim auction lot. GMTV has office locations in 14 states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Check online for the company’s most up-to-date office locations. Manheim is a wholesale marketplace with locations in 35 states.

What if someone else’s name is on the title?

GMTV will walk you through the process of selling a vehicle that has a lost title, has someone else’s name on the title, or belongs to someone who is deceased.

Other car-selling details

Does GMTV have restrictions on vehicles it will buy? Very few. Vehicles must be drivable, valued at $1,000 or more, and not restricted from resale by a leasing company.
What more is needed to complete a sale? Driver’s license photo and vehicle registration, title (if in possession); loan information (if applicable); photo of odometer reading, photos of all four sides of the vehicle, and photos of the VIN plate and sticker.
Will GivemetheVIN pick up my car? GMTV picks up purchased vehicles at no cost. It buys cars in every state except Alaska and Hawaii.
When am I paid? Sellers receive a check when they hand over the vehicle. As soon as the vehicle is inspected and approved by a GMTV buyer, the check is activated and can be cashed at any Bank of America location. This happens either at the time of transfer or within 72 hours.
Will GivemetheVIN buy my car if it has been in a flood? Yes, GMTV buys vehicles that have been in a flood, have hail damage, or need reconditioning due to other events. Damage must be disclosed. The vehicle must be drivable and valued at $1,000 or more.
Will I be charged any fees? The only fee is one for $250 if you back out of the sale after signing a contract.
Can the price change after I’ve handed over the car? It can if you have not disclosed damage.

Availability: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. CT, Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. CT.
Contact options: Email. Phone.

To review GivemetheVIN, NerdWallet sent GMTV a questionnaire with dozens of data points and followed up with company representatives. The information was compared with other auto buyers that offer a similar service.

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