Every seasoned car enthusiast who has resold a lot of cars in his life knows a few tricks and ways to get the highest price when selling his used car. Here are 6 simple steps to get the maximum resale value for your car.
First, let’s agree that you have a used car in working condition and running. This is the most important condition – because if the car is running and has no serious breakdowns, only such a car can you sell for the highest price.
If you are only planning to sell your car in a few years, then it is in your interests to start preserving its value now. These 6 tips will help maximize the price of your car when reselling.
1. Vacuum and clean the interior thoroughly
One of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of your car is the overall condition and cleanliness of the interior. The appearance of the interior is crucial when it comes to making a favorable first impression on potential buyers.
Here are 4 steps to follow:
- Remove all items from the car that belong to you. Including any trash on the floor and in the trunk, air fresheners, anything hanging from the rearview mirror, etc. All of this should be removed from the interior. Try to give the interior of your car its original factory look, buyers will appreciate it.
- Vacuum all fabric or carpeting, and even under the floor mats. Remove the nozzle from the vacuum cleaner and use only the pipe. Any more serious stains can be treated with a carpet cleaner spray or similar. Alternatively, if the carpeting is really dirty, you can use the interior cleaning services at your local auto body shop.
- Wipe all surfaces with a cloth. If you want to do it right, use some kind of car interior cleaner from your local auto shop. Most of these cleaners will leave all your plastic surfaces looking like new.
- Clean the windows inside and out. Use glass cleaner and a glass cleaning cloth to get rid of fingerprints or smudges that accumulate on the inside surface of the windows. You can also use the same cleaner on any clear plastic surfaces, such as the dashboard and multimedia screens.
Once you have completed the above steps, the interior of your car should look and smell much better than before.
2. Complete Exterior Car and Detail Wash
Once you have cleaned the interior, it makes sense to move on and completely wash the outside of your car. This may seem obvious, but there is a difference between a bucket and a rag and a thorough and detailed wash.
- First, before you close the doors, wipe down the painted surfaces around the door openings. These are areas that an exterior wash does not reach and are often missed, but are very noticeable when the door is open. Wipe them with a damp cloth before washing and close the doors.
- Hose down your car to soften any dried-on dirt on the paint. This is an important first step before washing your car, as it will remove any hard, dry dirt and prevent scratches when you scrub the surface with a sponge.
- Wash your car with an automotive cleaning solution and a good sponge. Automotive cleaning solution is radically different from dishwashing liquid, so use the right solution for best results. Make sure to remove as much road grime as possible, and don’t forget to wash the inside of the rims (above the tires) if they are clearly visible. Finish by hosing the car down to remove all the soap.
- Dry the car with a dry rag if possible, as this reduces the chance of streaks drying on the window glass and paintwork.
- If your car has been recently polished, do it again anyway. Even if your car’s paintwork looks good at this stage, it can always benefit from an extra shine.
- Open the hood and clean everything in there. Many cars these days use plastic covers and components in the engine bay. Clean these parts as well using a rag and some of the cleaners you used on the interior of the car. You should be able to just clean what you can see; you don’t necessarily need to get into hard-to-reach places. Most buyers will want to open the hood and see what’s in there, after all.
3. Give your car’s wheels and tires some love
Wheels and tires are major factors when it comes to how good a car looks. Cars that haven’t been taken care of will often have dirty wheels with lots of dust, brake wear particles, missing valve covers, and the like.
- Start by washing the wheels. Thoroughly wash the front (visible) surface of the tires. Make sure you remove as much dirt and dust as possible, even in small, hard to reach areas.
- Dry the wheels and wipe them with a dry cloth and see how they look clean. If the wheels have minor scratches, you can try polishing them. Otherwise, if you have more serious damage and large scratches, take your wheels to a shop and have them repaired. Beautiful, clean, and in good condition wheels will significantly increase the value of your car!
- Check the tire tread. If your tires have low tread, it may be worth replacing them to keep your buyers happy. After all, worn tires are another reason buyers can use to lower the selling price.
- Apply some tire blackener. Buy a can of cheap tire blackener from your local car dealership and spray it on the sidewalls of your tires. This will give them a rich black color, the tires will look newer and in better condition than before.
4. Check for faults
The goal here is to remove reasons why a buyer can beat you on price. If your car has some obvious faults or problems, the buyer will use them to their advantage in an attempt to negotiate a lower selling price. Depending on the car, replacing certain parts may make financial sense if they have a big impact on the overall presentation of the car.
For example, you’ve cleaned the interior of your car and it all looks fantastic, except for the steering wheel with some terrible wear marks. Depending on the value of the car, it might be worth calling your local mechanic and finding out how much it would cost to replace the steering wheel.
Likewise, if the exterior of your car is spotless except for some damage on the front bumper, it might be worth taking it to a mechanic for repairs. Small dents can be fixed, missing exterior trim or faded taillights can be replaced. Remember that some repair costs can easily be offset by the extra premium in the selling price.
5. Have your car serviced at a garage
If you know your car is due for a service, find out how much it will cost to service it. For just a few hundred rubles, this will give potential buyers peace of mind that you really care about the vehicle, and it can even fix some minor issues, like a rough engine idle. If your car was serviced 6 months ago and it still runs well, then don’t worry.
Cars that are still under warranty are also worth using to your advantage. For example, the car has premature wear on the steering wheel, noise from the front suspension, and some movement in the base of the driver’s seat. All of these issues can be covered under warranty and fixed for free, so it makes sense to use your warranty as intended. After all, you paid for it!
6. Take good photos for your listing
After all, good quality photos sell cars, so it makes sense to take lots of them when your car is clean and looks practically new.
Make sure you shoot from all angles so buyers can get a good idea of the car’s condition, as well as a few interior photos that show the dashboard, seats (front and back), and any other details you’d like to highlight. Highlight and showcase your car’s strengths, and try to avoid photographing parts that don’t look as good as others, if possible.
It’s also important to take your time and provide as complete a description of the car as possible, including notable features and a detailed overview of its condition. Don’t forget to state why you’re selling it.
REMEMBER: You can always contact our auto repair shop, where we’ll be happy to provide professional technical assistance for your car. You can also schedule a scheduled technical inspection with us! Please check out our car repair and diagnostic services.
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VEBER-AUTO Car Service
194044, St. Petersburg
Neyshlotsky Lane, Building 5, Block 3
District: Vyborgsky
Metro: Vyborgskaya – 800 m.
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Seven days a week, from 9:00 to 21:00.
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sto@veberauto.ru
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8 (812) 321-00-00
Source: veber-service
