How to Increase Your Car's Value Before Selling

How to Increase Your Car's Value Before Selling

Depreciation. This is the harsh truth of purchasing a car. For those who don’t know, depreciation is a term that describes how your vehicle loses its value over time due to wear and tear.

According to professionals, a brand-new car loses around 10% of its value the moment you drive it from the dealership. 

If you plan on driving your vehicle forever, depreciation will not affect you directly. Depreciation will only affect you if you’re planning to trade or sell your car in the future.

If you do plan to sell your car in the future, there are a couple of ways you can follow to improve its resale value. 

There are a couple of easy things you can do to get more money for your car. Here are some tips on how to increase your car’s value before selling.

Replace the floor mats

Over time, floor mats can take a beating. If you have washable floor mats, make sure you regularly wash them to maintain their excellent condition. 

If you don’t have washable floor mats, you should consider replacing them before selling your car. Usually, new floor mats only cost around $20 to $30 if you purchase them from a China auto parts wholesale company. 

Clean the headlights

Bright, clear, and clean headlights will make your vehicle more appealing. You’ve got to ensure you utilize a cleaner that is made specifically to clean headlights to do this effectively. 
Have the car appraised

There is a huge possibility that a private buyer or dealership will begin by offering you a low price for your vehicle. This leaves room for you to negotiate. 

Unfortunately, you may not agree with their offer. Because of this, a lot of people recommend you hire a mechanic or car professional to appraise your vehicle. 

Hire someone to look at the vehicle in person instead of relying solely on websites. Have the appraiser provide you an estimate depending on the upgrades, maintenance, age, and condition of the vehicle. 

Prepare the right documents

First, you’ve got to ensure you have the right documents for the vehicle. Keep receipts for repairs or upgrades and service records for maintenance. 

You should save any paperwork from when you first purchase the vehicle. This is particularly true since this will verify the purchase price and details about the history of the vehicle if you purchase a second hand. 

Collect paperwork from your vehicle insurance company. This includes any documents related to insurance claims. 

Fix windshield cracks and chips

In a couple of states, it is illegal to drive with a cracked windshield. Thus, check with your local highway patrol to confirm. Aside from being illegal, driving with a cracked windshield can also be risky to you and your passengers. 

If you’re planning to sell your vehicle with a windshield crack or chip, you can greatly lose value on your vehicle. 

If the chips and cracks are small, you can purchase a repair kit on Amazon for around $10. These online retailers usually import product from China.

Get new brakes

You can increase the value of your vehicle if you regularly replace the brake pads every 25,000 miles. If you’re replacing the brake pads, consider investing in ceramic or semi-metallic pads. 

The reason for this is that these brake pads usually perform better and last longer. Replacing a brake pad is an easy task that you can do at home if you’ve got the right tools. 

If you do a DIY brake pad replacement, you’ll probably only spend around $20-$40. On the other hand, you will have to spend around $150-$250 per axle if you’re going to hire a mechanic. 

Regular maintenance

The amount that you require to budget for regular maintenance is not the same for all cars. You’ll probably spend less on a regular vehicle compared to a sports car. 

For instance, maintaining a Toyota Corolla will only require around $367 per year. On the other hand, a 2016 BMW 328i will require around $761 per year for maintenance. 

When choosing your yearly car budget, think about the amount you drive your vehicle. You will require more regular maintenance if you drive your car regularly. 

You should budget for filter and oil changes every 3,000-7,000 miles to keep your engine lubricated properly. 

Fix any minor dents or dings 

Any individual looking at purchasing a used vehicle will immediately see any damage and begin working out how much it is going to cost them to fix it. This is particularly true with dealerships. 

Then, they’ll begin to deduct money from the amount they might have been willing to pay for the vehicle. 

According to professionals, it might not be worth spending money on repairs if you are selling your vehicle for $2,000. 

There are a lot of websites online that can help you get a rough estimate for your vehicle.  

Clean it

You probably heard about this a lot. First impressions matter. If your car is shiny and clean, you will get more money for it. 

According to professionals, you will have an easy time selling your car if it looks good. Because of this, you should consider hiring a professional auto detailing company.

You might have to invest some money in this service. However, you can guarantee that you will get your money back. 

You should also consider visiting https://www.keekea.com/ if you’re looking for some accessories for your vehicle. 

Conclusion

It isn’t always easy to sell your vehicle. However, it can be very worth the effort for the right price. 

Over time, your vehicle will inevitably lose value. However, there are a couple of ways that you can improve the resale value with a buyer or dealership. 

Upgrading the features, making repairs, keeping up with routine maintenance, having the correct papers, and getting your vehicle appraised by an expert can all help increase its value.