No matter whether you plan to sell or trade-in your car, keeping its value intact should always be top of mind. That means repairing any minor damages as soon as they appear.
Keep all service records, as this will impress potential buyers of your car that it was well maintained over time.
Keep it Clean
Maintaining the interior and exterior cleanliness of your car is one of the key steps you can take to increase its value and ensure its resale value. Not only will this create an enjoyable driving experience, but it will help protect against wear-and-tear of seats, carpets, floor mats and other upholstery items that could affect their value over time.
Utilize disinfecting wipes to regularly clean high-touch areas such as the steering wheel and door panels with disinfecting wipes for best results. Incorporate silicone baking cups in cupholders to minimize residue that might otherwise build up when wiping down interior surfaces.
Record keeping is another excellent way to maintain the value of your car, helping ensure a higher selling or trading price in the future. When selling, these records allow prospective buyers to easily understand exactly what you have done over time to the vehicle – thus increasing trust between yourself and them as they pay a higher price for it.
Don’t Over-Inspect
Car maintenance is essential, but taking too close a look could backfire with buyers who assume there are numerous defects they haven’t been informed about by you as seller.
Keep accurate records of repairs and services rendered, from receipts of service provided, mileage recorded on receipts (where possible) so as to be able to demonstrate exactly when work was performed on your car.
As part of an exterior inspection, look out for areas where paint has been patched – this may indicate body filler was used. Check headlights, trunk, hood and rubber seal seals on each door for signs of rust and blistered paint as well as rubber seal wear and tear. Also inspect any hoses or belts which feel soft or firm – either condition could indicate overinflation/underinflation which could substantially shorten their life.
Don’t Over-Repair
Damage to your vehicle that remains unattended to can decrease its value significantly, as potential buyers could view any cosmetic flaws as indicators that further faults could exist and require fixing before purchase.
But fixing every little chip or dent could cost more than its resale value is worth. Therefore, it would be prudent to spend some time inspecting your vehicle and spending a few dollars fixing any minor problems before they worsen.
Documenting all of your work to keep its resale value high is another effective way to preserve the worth of your vehicle for sale. Be it in folder, notebook or some other form of record keeping system, keeping records of maintenance can help speed up selling times and price. Documentation especially becomes helpful when performing major repairs like replacing engines or transmissions as this can significantly raise its resale value.
Don’t Under-Inspect
Cleaning the interior and exterior may seem like the obvious solution for maintaining your car in good condition, but that alone won’t do. Cosmetic damage decreases value while potentially signalling there may be mechanical problems as well.
When selling your vehicle for sale it’s essential that any outstanding issues have been repaired. Showing buyers that all work has been completed gives them confidence that their investment has been well taken care of, and any arising problems will quickly be taken care of. Keeping receipts will demonstrate this.
As part of your exterior inspection of your vehicle, it’s a good idea to examine:
