MintList review: Sell your car online

What is MintList?

MintList is an online vehicle auction site. Founded in 2020, it offers an AI-powered platform for buying, selling and trading cars. It lets you sell your car in your local area to vetted buyers, including auto dealers, vehicle exporters, leasing companies and retail brokers. Get multiple offers and choose the highest bid. The platform is free to use and you’re under no obligation to proceed with an offer.

Is MintList legitimate?

MintList is a legitimate company that’s registered in BC’s official business database. It was named “Car Buying App of the Year” By AutoTech Breakthrough, and it’s been featured in news articles on sites like Techcouver, Financial Post, Our City Tonight, T-Net and Upside Foundation. It also has a modern website, a phone number and a corporate office in Vancouver. It has mostly 5-star reviews on Google, from over 200 customers.

What locations does MintList operate in?

MintList is available in BC and Alberta.

What we like about MintList

• Free service. You won’t pay fees to create an account or sell your car on MintList’s platform.
• Fast application. Input your car’s details and complete an inspection using your mobile phone.
• Multiple bidders. Over 100 vetted buyers will compete to win your car in a weekly online auction. You can even log in to watch the auction go down.
• No obligation. You can pull your car out of the sale before it goes live, or you can decline the highest offer once the sale ends. It’s up to you.
• Guaranteed payment. Your certified buyer will pay you by cheque or direct deposit, and MintList will pick up the bill if your buyer backs out of the deal.
• Accepts cars with damage and mechanical issues. MintList will list cars even if they have cosmetic or mechanical issues.

What to watch out for

• Not available across Canada. You can only use MintList if you’re in BC and Alberta, but the company has plans to expand.
• No rebuilt or salvage cars. You won’t be able to sell your car on MintList if it’s got rebuilt or salvage status, even if it’s driveable.
• Bid can change. A buyer can change their bid if your car has undisclosed damage.

How much will I get for my car?

The price you get for your car will depend on factors such as the make, model, year, mileage, condition, demand and location. To figure out the price you can expect to get, you may want to start by looking at cars similar to yours on AutoTrader, Canadian Black Book, Kelley Blue Book or another car listing website. You may also want to visit a local dealership to get a professional appraisal to figure out what sort of offer you can expect, though this usually costs money.

Does my car qualify for MintList?

The majority of cars in decent condition should be eligible for MintList. That said, the company does specify on its website that it will turn down certain types of vehicles that may not have enough buyers. MintList doesn’t provide additional information other than to say that they will inform you if your car isn’t eligible, and why it was turned down. The only way your car will be absolutely denied is if the car has rebuilt/salvage status.

How to sell your car on MintList

You can sell your car on MintList in less than a week in most cases by following these steps:

1. Visit the MintList website and click “how to sell my car.” Then click the green “sell my car” button. Fill out an application with the following details:
   • Input the make, mileage and model of your car, and indicate if it has rebuilt or salvage status.
   • Highlight the features that your car has (for example, sunroof, heated seats, all-wheel drive, etc.)
   • Indicate what condition your car is in and if it has any mechanical problems or interior/exterior damage.
   • Indicate how many key fobs you have and if you still have your vehicle manuals.
   • List other details such as whether your car is paid off or still financed.
2. Once you input all the necessary information, you’ll get a confirmation message if your car is accepted.
3. From there, you’ll use MintList’s mobile phone software to do an inspection of your vehicle, which will capture damage and show the condition of your car.
4. Your car will then go into MintList’s weekly online sale, where hundreds of verified buyers make their best offers while you relax. You can even watch the auction online.
5. Once you accept, the buyer will pay you with a cheque in as little as 24 hours, or you can choose to trade up to another car on MintList in some cases.

Bottom line

MintList is a car auction site that helps customers sell cars quickly and conveniently. All you need to do is fill out an application and conduct a walkaround inspection on your mobile phone to list your car. You can watch the sale online when it goes live, and then it’s up to you to accept the highest offer if you’re happy with it. From there, you organize payment with the buyer.