The aim of selling a used car is to get as much money from the car as possible. This money could be used for financing a new car, a family need or some kind of emergency. However, the money you’re expecting from the sale of the car may not come if you don’t prepare yourself in advance for the actual sale of your car.
In other words, making enough money from the car sale depends on how far you have succeeded in knowing the current and realistic resale value of your car. Here are some tips to guide you in boosting the resale value of your car.
Buy a Car with a Good Resale Value
Increasing the resale value of your car is a long term commitment that starts with the day you decide to buy the car out of the array of options you have to select from. If you are the type that likes to dispose of the car you drive just before buying a new one, you should ensure you are settling for a choice of car that has good resale value in the market. Some cars have been known to have such tremendous resale value even after two years of being used. For instance, many Toyota Camry products are known to have this quality.
Ensure that the model you are settling for has strong safety ratings and is known for being reliable, even with the accumulation of mileage over the years.
First-Year Models May Not be Right
While there is usually some level of excitement around purchasing a remake or first-year model of a car, it is not advisable to buy such a car if you would be selling it in a year or two. The first year of a new car model hardly pulls any resale value because of the manufacturer’s adjustments that will likely follow the new or renovated model of the same car model. Therefore, avoid the first year or renovated vehicle if you would consider reselling in the future.
Protect the Car From the Elements
Exposure to the elements is a fast way of diminishing the resale value of your car. Sunlight, salty air and condensation can wear down the exterior of your vehicle. This will eventually give the painting a faded appearance. Store your car in a garage if you have one. Alternatively, if you have to park your car outside, ensure you cover the car with a car cover.
Wash the Car Regularly
While it is not advisable to be obsessed about every little stain on your car, it is, however, advisable to wash your car with a consistency that rivals the alternative. Tree sap, bird droppings and dust can also wear down your car’s paint and have just the same terrible effects that can be brought by the exposure to elements. You can protect the exterior of your car by washing it regularly.
Pay Attention to the Interior
Stains on the exterior may be easily noticeable. However, the interior is just as important in the resale value of your car. The interior can wear down with each drop of grease from your hand onto the dash, each spill of drink from your wife onto seats and steering wheel or with the settling of dust and dirt from the environment on the centre console and doors.
Make a habit of cleaning the interior with wipes and vacuuming your seats and floors in order to increase your car’s resale value.
Make Easy Fixes
While it is not advisable to embark on major and costly repairs just when you are about selling your car, there are, however, some easy fixes that can be made to give your car a favourable appraisal in the market. Issues like a cracked or chipped windshield could significantly diminish your car’s resale value. Likewise, check minor issues such as dents and scratches on the car, as well as the brakes.
Perform Regular Maintenance
It is cheaper to attend to minor issues with your car as they come than to try to fix a broken car all at once when it is time to sell. Regular maintenance also increases the resale value as your potential buyer will like to see that you have stayed true to a maintenance schedule.
A regularly maintained car is an assurance that the car is in good condition. Records of this maintenance, especially proof of oil changes are significant add-ons when selling your car.
Avoid Car Accidents
For reasons greater than a car resale value, you should avoid car accidents. Avoid car accidents for your safety and that of your children. Meanwhile, if you have plans to resell your car, you must have it in mind that the smallest crash is capable of sinking the resale value of your car. A little damage to the exterior or the body paint can be costly.
Preserve the Paint
Washing your car regularly to remove dirt and grime is very important; so also is polishing and waxing the car crucial for the preservation of the colour. However, if the car is faded and in need of a paint job, do not hesitate to do so as this can give the car the much-needed facelift that will give it a greater appeal to its eventual buyer.
Make the Wheels Shine
It is also great if your tyres are in good shape. The look of your tyres also contributes to the resale value of your vehicle because tyres are a lot easier to notice and inspect by the potential buyer. Even if your tyres are no longer new, you can apply tyre shine products to give them some shine.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to pay attention to every single part of the car if you are keen on getting a very good resale value out of it. Meanwhile, to get the actual value of your car or an estimate that reflects the current market value of the car. This is important to avoid having unrealistic expectations from the sale of your car.
The fact that you bought a foreign used Toyota Camry for N2.6 million two years ago does not mean you will be able to sell that same car for N2 million this year. To get the actual value of the car, tools like the ‘Cheki True Price’ gives you a precise estimate of what the car should be. Simply click the ‘Cheki True Price’ button right below the price of the car to get the car’s actual value.