How to Increase the Resale Value of Your Car

When it comes to selling your car, you’ll want to ensure you get the best possible price for it. Whether you’re selling privately or to a dealer, you’ll need to make sure your car is in the best possible condition so you can maximise its value. Below, we look into some of the ways you can increase the resale value of your car.

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What determines the value of your car?

You should remember that it will be unlikely to increase the value of the car to what you initially paid for it. All vehicles will depreciate in value over time, sometimes just because the make and model is no longer as popular, or just because the more you drive a car, the less it is worth.

The value of your car will be based on a range of factors. This will include:

• Age
• Mileage
• Make and model
• Safety features
• Extra features
• Condition

How to increase your car’s value

There will be some factors that you will not be able to change, such as the make and model and the age of the vehicle. However, there are some things, such as the condition of the vehicle, that you can improve, and you could find that some areas can be improved fairly cheaply.

Repair any dents or scratches

One way to increase the resale value of your car is to repair cosmetic issues, such as dents, scratches, and scuffs on the paintwork. Some dents, especially small dents and/or dents in plastic bumpers, could be repaired at home with a DIY dent repair kit or other method. However, larger dents will need the help of a professional.

The same applies to scratches and scrapes in the paintwork. You can get DIY repair kits that could help you to get your paintwork gleaming again, but larger issues might need to be fixed professionally.

You should also check out your alloys while you’re assessing the cosmetic damage on your car. Many people value shiny alloys when they’re buying a new vehicle, but it’s an area that can often scape up against kerbs. Depending on the level of damage, you may be able to fix scuff marks yourself, instead of replacing the alloys entirely.

Repair the windshield

Chips and cracks in the windshield can be particularly off-putting to potential buyers. Even small chips can become larger cracks if left unrepaired, and people won’t want to have to buy a new windscreen after they’ve just bought a new car.

Chips that are smaller than 3mm might not need to be repaired usually, but if you’re looking to maximise the value of your car, it might be best to get even small ones fixed.

Generally, a chip smaller than 25mm can be repaired, but anything larger will need to have the entire windscreen replaced. Also, if the chip is too close to the edge of the windscreen – less than 70mm – then repairing it could weaken the glass, so a replacement will be required instead.

Repair interior

Your cosmetic fixes should extend to your interior as well as your exterior. If your car has leather upholstery, there are a number of DIY kits that you can get to fix tears, holes and colour fading. You could also replace your car mats as a low-cost way to get the interior looking pristine again.

Get your car serviced

Getting your car serviced is an easy way to deal with basic maintenance issues that could otherwise cause the value to deteriorate. A service will deal with things like checking the brakes, steering, suspension, oil and fluids, and ensuring everything is up to standard and working as it should be. Anything that is no longer working or has expired will be replaced.

Replace the tyres

If your tyres are particularly worn, it can be best to replace them, so as to not put off any potential buyers. Tyres will legally need to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, so if your tyres are nearing this, you should think about getting them replaced in order to maximise the value of your car.

Replace the brakes

Working brakes will be high on the list of priorities for potential buyers. If your brakes are old, replacing them can help to increase the value of your car. You’ll be assuring potential buyers that your car is working and can be driven safely.

Fully clean the car

When selling your car, you’ll want it to look its best so you can get the best price for it. Investing it getting the car professionally valeted inside and out can help to boost its value. You could also clean it yourself, but you should ensure you do the full process, including waxing to get your car gleaming.

Collect all the car’s accessories

When selling your car, you don’t want to give the seller a reason to lower the price. So, you should make sure you collect all the car’s accessories, including spare keys, spare tyre, parcel shelf, locking wheel nut, and anything else that came with the car.

Collect all the car’s paperwork

Finally, you should ensure that you have all the paperwork related to the vehicle. This will, of course, include the vehicle log book required to register ownership, but should also include the car manual and your service log book. The service log book can help to boost value by proving that the car has been well-cared for, and the manual will be helpful to new owners.