Selling a car can be stressful and take time. If you do not get the best value you can for your vehicle, you will have gone through all that stress and strain for less money than you could have achieved. Follow this quick guide on how to add value to your car and things to consider when getting your car ready for sale.
Invest a Little to Make More
To make your car more valuable and desirable, you should consider spending just a little extra money on it. The investment will return to you with a profit when you make your sale. Re-tyre the car, have an oil change completed and have it professionally detailed. These three simple steps can all add a lot of value to your car, and also draw potential buyers in through photos in your online advertisements.
Consider Adding a Private Plate
Number plates can make a car stand out, especially if they combine to make an entire word. This is why the number plate marketplace is thriving. You can buy private plates for your vehicle to help the vehicle stand out and potentially attract prospective buyers if the combination can be made out to be a neutral word. With the right combination of numbers and letters, this could help your car stand out from the crowd in advertisements and online car marketplaces. [1]
Take Care of the Small Things
Small dings, dents, and scratches can all be repaired inexpensively. These small marks can mean a lot. First impressions are important, and you do not want your car’s first impression to cost you a sale. Take a look at the interior too and see if there are any small scuffs or stains that should be addressed.
You can repair rips or burns in the upholstery yourself if you know how to use a needle and thread. These small things can help you to sell your car, giving prospective buyers fewer reasons to walk away from the sale. Doing this will help push up the value and secure your asking price.
Make Sure the Paperwork Is in Order
You would be surprised at how many vehicle sales fail when it comes to paperwork. Not having the right paperwork that is up to date can negatively impact your vehicle’s value. You should get all your documentation in order and ready for a sale ahead of time. This is so you are ready to sell the moment someone is ready to buy.
The longer it takes to finalise the sale, the more time your buyer has to change their mind or their offer. Make sure you have the vehicle’s MOT history and certification, your VC5 or logbook, the vehicle service history, and any relevant insurance documentation.
With a clean and fresh car, with all the appropriate paperwork in place, you should be ready to sell your vehicle and achieve the highest price you can for it. This will give you more money to invest in your next car or provide you with a small budget to add your own customisations to it like a private plate.
By definition, a ‘private’ or ‘personal’ plate is not likely to be relevant to a prospective purchaser, unless it was an expensive ‘neutral’ word or something.
