How to Prepare Your Car to Sell

If you want to replace your car with a new one, then you have two options to choose from. You can either part-exchange your old car at the dealership for your new one or sell the car privately. While selling your car can take more effort, you will often get a higher price depending on who you sell it to. Whether you’re getting your car priced up by a car buyer or placing it on a car advertisement site to sell, it’s a good idea to spend some time preparing your car for sale. Not only could it help you sell your car more quickly, but you could even get more money for it. 

Clean Your Car

Complete Car Buyers will want to see your car in person before you sell it to them, so it’s a good idea to make sure that your car is clean and presentable for the check. Simple things like getting your car washed on the outside and cleaning out the door bins and the glove box will make your car more attractive to a buyer. While general wear and tear signs are usually to be expected when buying a used car, if the car looks grubby, it can make any buyer suspicious of how well-maintained it has been. 

Make Repairs

Generally, in the case of old and junk cars, It is a good idea to go around the car and check for any repairs that might need to be made before selling it. Bear in mind that if you are selling your car to a car buying company or a dealership, they will need to make these repairs before they can sell the car, and this will be reflected in the price that they offer you. Check that all the lights and electrics are working correctly, test the wipers, make sure that the air-con is working, and turn on any inside displays to make sure that they come on. Top up all the fluids in your car including coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, engine oil, and radiator fluid, and check that the tyres are in good condition. It’s worth getting any minor issues like scratches, dents, or broken headlights fixed as these can put buyers off and lead to you getting less for your car. 

Check the MOT Status

It is usually easier to sell a car that has a long MOT since the buyer has peace of mind that they do not need to get this test done for another year, and aren’t going to be hit with a bill if they need to get an MOT soon and it fails. If your car’s MOT is due to run out soon, consider getting one done before putting it up for sale. This not only gives your car a clean bill of health to demonstrate to buyers but also means that if there are any obvious issues, you will have them repaired before selling, which can increase the price. 

No matter how you want to sell your car, taking some time to prepare it for selling can pay off.