Selling your pre-owned or used car should not be an act that you do on a whim. A simple maintenance job on your car might translate into several hundred of dollars on resale, especially if you intend to sell to a dealership or exchange it.
You should keep in mind that the buyer will check the car to the minutest of detail. So, you need to make sure that you are ahead of his thinking. If you do not, you might end up selling your car for much less than its actual value. Therefore, before you start to pass out the flyers, try out these easy tasks to make your used car ready for sale.
Clean the Exteriors
The better the appearance of your car, the more it can garner in resale value. Begin by giving your car a "bath" with soap and water, making sure to remove dead insects from the front bumper and muck from the fenders. Ensure that you clean the windshield and the remaining glass features, including the sunroof if there is one.
Clean the Interiors
Just like the job of exterior cleaning, you also need to clean the interior of your used car to get it ready for sale. First, swab the dashboard, console, doors and all other vinyl parts with a soft and dry rag. Then apply a non-greasy protectant material to these parts using a sponge or a clean, soft cloth. Polish the protectant material properly on the vinyl surface until there are no streaks left.
Check Fluids
Your next step to prepare your used car for sale should be to check out all the fluids. This includes the engine oil, transmission fluid, radiator coolant, brake fluid and power steering fluid. If any of these appears to be low, replace them by referring to your used car's instruction manual. If you are cannot make out how to check or replace these fluids, take your car to a nearby auto workshop.
Check Features
Make certain that your used car has all features working properly when you are prepare it for sale. One of the deciding factors on value of the car is surely the air conditioner, so make sure that all the vents work and that they propel cool air. You should also test the speakers, the music system and every other mechanical or electronic device installed on your car to make sure that it is in working order.
In all honesty, simple cleaning and maintenance work on your used car can earn you hundreds of dollars when you sell it. Therefore, you should make all efforts to restore it to good shape while preparing it for sale.
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