subject: How to maximise the sale price for your vehicle [print this page] When selling a car, always start byusing a carvaluationtoolto ascertain what you are working from.
To ensure your vehicle reaches its optimum price potential, itis imperative that you use a good-quality car shampoo to clean offany 'road grime'. Work from the roof down, rinse off well, and dry with a chamois leather.
Agood polish will create that 'new car' shine that so many used buyers are looking for. Don't worry if paint residue appears on the cloth; this is just a layer of 'dead paint' you're removing - there will still be plenty left on the car!
Cleaning the interior requires a little more hard work. Start with the vacuumand treat carpets, seats, dusty crevices, and even the dashboard itself. Meanwhile, dashboards should be cleaned with a 'low-gloss' dashboard cleaner; don't use household polish, as it'll give a cheap appearance.
Windows should be cleaned after the dashboard, to make sure you don't spoil your hard work. Use a glass cleaner or damp chamois leather.
Remember, Car buying companies in particular will typically give more money for a noticeably cleaner vehicle.
Stone chips are unsightly andcan rust if not attended to. Repair them with a touch-up stick. These aren't expensive, and with a little patience, you can dramatically improve your car's appearance.
Missing wheel trims or badgesare unsightly toused buyers, so make sure you buy replacements. Breaker's yards typically offer a cheap source of parts.
Wheelscovered in brake dust look awful. On alloys, if it's particularly stubborn, buy an alloy wheel cleaner and treat them. If you've got wheel trims, consider replacing them.
Replace any non-standard parts, such as racy gear knobs or alloy pedal covers. They won't impress buyers, who'll think your car has been thrashed. Standard is always best.
Avoid dousing the car in air freshener, unless you have smoked in it - in which case, buy an odour neutraliser. Spray the ashtray too, after giving it a good clean.
Lift tatty old mats out; the clean carpets underneath will look much more attractive.
Car buyingcompanieslove looking under the bonnet, even if they haven't got a clue what they're looking for. You should therefore make sure they like what they see.
Tidy up generally; attach alarm wiring correctly, clean out leaves from air intakes, and generally make the engine bay appear cared-for.
Oil changes are cheap, and clean oil looks far better than sludgy treacle. Make sure the oil level is correct too.
Fill all water and coolant bottles up, maybe using a sweet-smelling windscreen washer?
Finally, steam-cleaning is much-loved by car dealers, but don't go overboard, particularly with older cars as it can sometimes damage fragile parts or connections.
