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When selling a car, it does not take a genius to figure out that maximising your sale price should be priority number one. There are a few ways we can ensure we get the best sale outcome when we list our vehicle for sale.
Show it Clean & Polished
Nothing says old banger like a dirty and unkempt car. A good clean, both inside and out, can hugely increase the price you get for your vehicle. Going to the car wash is a good start, but you can do more to up your price. Consider any minor scuffs and scratches, and it is relatively simple to repair these without the expense of a Bodyshop. Using store-bought scratch remover works for shallow scuffs, but you may want to go to a professional for more severe scrapes where metal is showing. Another thing many neglect is the interior; a professional valet can be relatively cheap and dramatically increases the car’s look.
Take Great Photos
Presentation is everything, and these days the vast majority of car adverts are done online. If you have no pictures or poor ones, then the chance of an inquiry dramatically diminishes. Choose a perfect bright day to take the pics, use the best camera you can get your hands on, and ensure as many angles, both external and internal, to show the full glory of the vehicle. Take a picture of the odometer to show your advertised mileage is genuine.
Have Paperwork in Order
You must have all the legal paperwork to be able to sell the car. This involves making sure the MOT is up to date, having the ownership documents, and ensuring any finance is sorted out. It is not impossible to be selling a car on finance, especially if you are selling to a commercial company that can take care of this for you.
Know the History
You will inevitably be asked questions regarding the history of the vehicle, principally why you are selling the car? You may have a good reason, even just wanting a newer vehicle, but it would be the right thing to inform the prospective buyer if there are any major issues. Knowing other aspects of the history will help you meet your asking price; if you can show a full service history or a low number of previous owners, you can demand more of a price for your vehicle.
Set Your Value
You will have a price you want to sell the car for, but is it realistic? You may have a cost you need to meet for the new car, but this does not mean that the buyer will share this valuation. You can assess the realistic value by conducting a little research; lookup adverts for similar cars, or use an online vehicle valuation tool. Ultimately though, the car will be worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it, and you must figure out if that figure works for you?
