Getting Your Car Ready To Sell

If you want to sell your used car, you’ll want to make sure it stands out to people who might be interested. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and sometimes the smallest thing can ruin a sale.

Fix What Needs To Be Fixed

If you’ve been putting off making small repairs to your car, now is the time to spend a little money. Replace taillights that don’t work, wipers that are worn out, interior lights that are out, and chips in the windshield. The buyer might wonder how well you took care of the car in much bigger ways based on these small problems. If you are selling to a dealership, you can then get a Touchless trade in value. 

Visit Your Mechanic

Before you put a “For Sale” sign on your car, it’s a good idea to have a mechanic take a quick look at it. He or she will be able to let you know if there are any problems that need your help. If your buyer pays for their own inspection before buying, you already know what the buyer’s mechanic will find.

If your mechanic finds serious problems, you’ll have to decide if it’s worth fixing them or not. Will fixing them help you sell the car, or would it be better to sell it as-is? If you decide not to fix it, get an estimate from the mechanic so you can tell potential buyers how much money they’ll need to put into the car. Take this amount into account when you set the price. The same goes for any damage on the outside of the car and any bodywork that needs to be done to fix it.

You can also have your mechanic do a quick tune-up on the car. Get them to check all your fluids and filters to see if they need to be changed or topped off. You should also check your tyres and brakes, as well as any hoses or belts under the hood.

Make A List Of Your Records

Car buyers who are interested will want to know how well the car was cared for and serviced while you owned it. Gather up any records of service or maintenance you have so they are easy to show to anyone who asks to see them. If you were the one who changed the oil and tuned up the car, tell them how often you did that and what kind of oil you used.

You should also write down what you did with the car. The buyer will want to know if the car was driven on the highway or in the city, and how many miles it was driven each year. It will also help to have extra keys, the owner’s manual, and any other paperwork related to the car on hand.

Scrub Both The Inside And Outside

Take your car to a car wash and clean the outside very well. Don’t miss any spots; clean the wheel wells and under the door handles, too. Use a cleaner or degreaser for the engine to clean up what’s under the hood.

These tips should help you to get your car ready to sell. Do you have any other tips that may help? Add a few to the comments below! 

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.