Tips for increasing the resale value on your car
Selling your car in such a crowded marketplace is extremely challenging.
It’s important to make the decision to give your car some fresh TLC before you put it on the market as this could significantly increase the resale value of your vehicle.
It’s an opportunity to get more money from a little extra effort.
While the engine could be running beautifully and smoothly, having a faded vehicle from it standing in the sun, stained seats from your morning coffee or faded lights on your car could really change the buyer’s mind.
Always leave a vehicle the way you found it, and if it costs you some extra money to fix things up, at least it will increase the value and benefit you in the long-term.
Here are a few tips to consider before selling your car:
Wax your car: If you have an older car which has a paint job has started to fade, take the time to buy the correct wax and polish your vehicle yourself. This does not mean that you will need to go and redo your entire paint job, unless it’s completely chipped of course, but putting in that extra bit of time and energy to spruce up the exterior of your car will make a massive difference to the overall look of your vehicle.
Make sure your vehicle is clean: When it comes to selling a used car, you’ll be surprised at how the smaller details can really change the way people perceive your vehicle. If you don’t want to wash your car yourself, take it to a commercial car wash where they will wash the outside and clean the inside of your car. This will give your car a fresh look that smells great. Whoever is interested in your car will appreciate that.
Bright lights: Replacing the vehicle’s headlights with new ones will add on to the resale value. One of the worst things about old cars is faded lights, and nothing says worn out like dingy lights do.
Don’t forget the wheels: Cleaning your vehicle’s wheels will push up the potential value as wheels are one of the first things that people look at. Take the time to really scrub down your wheels to remove all the dust and grime so that you can polish them to make them look fresh. This goes hand-in-hand with your tyres. Little treading and punctured tyres can be a straight no-no for anyone looking to buy cars for sale in Kempton Park and surrounding areas. If potential buyers have to see that the wheels are worn out, they will immediately scratch you off their list as they know that they’ll need to replace them.
Looking at the interior: While the outside is what catches a potential person’s eye at first, the minute they get into the car and see the interior, will make or break their decision. Bear in mind that your interior is what they’ll be seeing every time they travel in their new vehicle. Make sure that you’ve thrown out those old floor mats and replaced them with fresh, squeaky clean new ones. Also, clean and treat the wheels and dashboard. If your seats are leather, polish the seats to make them look neater, and if the seats are torn, make a plan to get a quote on how much it would cost to replace that section. Again, it might be expensive, but it will truly increase the resale value and the actual opportunity of it getting sold.
Get your papers in order: If you’ve been sending your vehicle to a professional mechanic who has been filling in your service history, you won’t have a problem, but if not, you might have a problem. It’s extremely important to provide evidence of these maintenance checks so that the potential owner knows what they’re buying. It will also give the new owner a good understanding of the type of driver you are.
Make a plan to get rid of scratches and dents: Some people have the mindset that it doesn’t matter about the scratches and dents, and that whoever is interested will buy the vehicle with these issues. Well, if you feel the same, forget selling your vehicle. Heavy bodywork is a different story, but getting rid of dings and scratches is important. These small changes could make or break a deal, so try your best to find someone who can polish them out at an affordable price.
Final words
Whether you’re planning on doing a private sale or a dealership sale, make sure you get the best return on investment on your vehicle sale. Just by switching things up and going the extra mile to make sure your vehicle looks good and runs well will make all the difference to someone who is interested. The above-mentioned tips are small changes that will go a long way in increasing your resale value.