So you want to get rid of your car. Maybe you’ve seen something else that tickles your fancy, or maybe you just fancy a change?
Either way, you’re going to have to sell your current car to make way for it. You could sell it to a generic car buying service, or you could do it yourself. It’s nothing to be scared of, especially if you follow our five tips to make sure your car is the best any potential buyer will see.
01 Keep it clean
It sounds so painfully obvious, but even so, people will advertise their car with pictures of it covered in filth. Would you happily eat your meal at a restaurant if the last customer’s leftovers were clinging to plate?
No, of course you wouldn’t, so why would Joe Bloggs buy your filthy car? Take it down to the local car wash, splash out a tenner and have it cleaned inside and out. Your car will be looking its best, and you’ll be more likely to get that sale.
02 Wheels and plates sell cars
A little goes a long way. Hopefully you’ve cleaned your car, but even so, there may still be some visual elements that put off a potential buyer. Namely the wheels and the number plates. It may sound silly, but trust us, these two seemingly innocuous elements can turn a car from ok to stunning.
It’s a psychological thing, apparently So, if your plates are looking a bit tired, go down to your local motor factor and get a new set made up.
As for the wheels, if you’re on hubcaps, splash out for a new set. Alloys? You can normally get them refurbished for about £50 a corner. And trust us, you’ll make that money back, as you’ll be able to ask top dollar once you’ve had them done.
03 Get your documents in order
Nobody is going to bang on your door without warning, demanding to buy your car. You’re going to know when someone is coming to view it. As such, there is no excuse to not have the car’s documentation in order.
It’s a crucial part of selling your car; it backs up the history and most importantly, the maintenance. To not have it to hand is to kiss a sale goodbye. So spend an hour digging it out, put it in date order, make it presentable. This paper gives the potential buyer peace of mind, and that will make your car stand out amongst the others.
04 A fresh MOT never hurts
So the car you’re selling still has six months MOT on it? The buyer should be happy with that, right? No, actually. The art of selling a car is all about being better than the rest. So, stick your car in for an MOT.
Not only will this highlight any potential niggles that could cost you the sale, it will also mean potential buyers are more likely to pick up the phone. A car with a full year’s test is an appealing prospect, and not one that every car can boast. Have a look – there’s no shortage of cars with short MOTs for sale. Would you buy one? Exactly.
05 Stop putting it off
Is there a blown bulb? Got a peculiar rattle from somewhere within the car? Is there now a brilliantly idiosyncratic process in place to open the filler cap? Time to get those things sorted.
You’ve learned to live with them, no doubt. But they are almost certainly going to put off a potential buyer, and that’s bad. So get your tools out, do some investigating and sort out all those little jobs.
It’ll take some time, and you may even have to call in some help, but once it’s all done, you can be confident that your car is perfect. And perfect cars sell, meaning you can go out and buy your next car. Not only that, as practised seller, you’ll be in an educated, advantageous position as a buyer. Win/win!