If you’re thinking about selling your car, it’s important to research the resale value of similar cars. You can try bringing in magazines or browsing online classifieds to get an idea of what others are worth. But there are other things you can do to increase your car’s resale value.
Maintain High-Quality Tires
Deciding how to increase resale value of car is something that you must do in a very precise and reasoned manner. An excellent way of increasing the resale value is maintaining the car’s tires in perfect conditions. Indeed, besides indicating that you respect and take care of your vehicle, good tires would mean more money when selling your car to the next owner. Do you want to know why? Tires are one of many aspects that buyers try to test driving when looking for a new car. If your tires are worn out, they will find out about it immediately once they drive the car, and it will be difficult for them to pay attention to everything else, costing you more money.
It is, therefore, important to make sure that your car’s tires are in perfect condition. The first thing you should do for this purpose is to keep an eye on your tires’ air pressure. You can find out from your car insurance agent how much it should be depending on the type of vehicle and tire, as well as a reference table with all values in a car owner’s manual. At the same time, keep an eye on your tires so they don’t have any damages or cuts that could increase the risk of sudden blowouts.
Having good tires doesn’t only help you on how to increase resale value of car but it also ensures that you drive with more safety and comfort, as well as reducing the fuel consumption of your vehicle. The moment you feel that the car is not performing well, change the tires and get a set with equal or better performances than the previous one. If you need to buy new tires, take your time and compare prices between several tire shops before deciding because it can be very expensive, depending on the type of tires you prefer, as well as their price.
Keep It Clean inside and Out
The overall state of your car is an important factor in determining how to increase resale value of car. For that reason, you need to keep it clean. It has been found that keeping your car clean inside out can increase the overall value of your vehicle by up to 12%. Keeping your car clean is a great idea not only for the sake of appearances but for your car’s resale value as well. If you want to keep your car clean inside out, the first thing you need is to look for a car wash service that will vacuum and shampoo your vehicle’s interior. It might sound something like this, but it will go a long way in keeping your car clean inside out. Wash the exterior of your car regularly with high-quality soap. This is another step towards keeping your car clean inside out. The exterior wash should be done every few months depending on where you are located.
To achieve the best results, you need to use a soft bristle brush. It is advisable not to wash your car in direct sunlight. While cleaning, it is good to carefully inspect for any scratches and chips on your car’s paint finish. If the scratches and chips are not too deep, you can easily remove them using an auto polish. It would help if you also inspected for rusting under your car’s hood. If any signs of rusting are discovered, get rid of it immediately before it creates more damage. If you are not into this whole cleaning process, it is advisable to hire a professional who will care for your car in the best way possible. This way, you can save time and get great results at the same time.
Detail the Engine
The act of detailing the engine is at the top of the list of things when working on how to increase resale value of car. It may be one of the most expensive activities on this list, but it certainly pays off. By detailing your engine, you can increase its resale value by up to 10%. Detailing the engine means getting rid of all the dirt and grease accumulated in various parts of the engine. Grease and oil accumulate overtime on hoses, belts, and other components. They also tend to leave stains that lower the value of your car. It is not an easy task to detail your engine, but it can be done at home by following simple steps.
You need to follow the cleaning procedures outlined in your owner’s manual and then clean up all the parts individually with lots of water and detergent. If you are not comfortable detailing the engine on your own, you should consider taking it to a car mechanic. This will cost you a little more, but with the amount of money you save in terms of increased resale value, it’s worth it. Detailing the engine of your car may cost you a lot of effort. But with all the dirt, grease and stains removed, it will look as good as new. The increased resale value almost makes it seem like free money. And if you are looking to sell your car, remember that the higher the resale value, the easier it is for you to find a buyer. If you have a garage at home, it would be a good idea to ask the car mechanic to detail your engine there. This saves you the trouble of going back and forth with your car while it’s being worked on.
Consider a Professional Detail
Professional car detailing is no longer just the domain of those who want to enter their vehicles at shows. Detailing shops and mobile detailers are now helping car owners with how to increase resale value of car. The biggest advantage is that you can sell your car looking like it did the day you drove it off of the lot. Details that buyers used to think were just for show are now becoming commonplace, even for everyday drivers. The biggest advantage of having your car professionally detailed before you sell it is that all aspects will look great, and buyers won’t have to do anything to make it look great. This is because the professionals will have to take care of every nook and cranny, not just the exterior or interior.
Even the engine and trunk will be in showroom condition, and buyers won’t care that they didn’t do it themselves. Detailing your car is like washing your face before going out in public; you don’t know where you’ve been or what’s been on your face all day, but you feel better when you’re clean. Regular washes keep your car looking in a tip-top shape, but professionals will remove dirt that you didn’t even know was there. Remember that buyers are buying an image when they purchase a new or used car. They want the best because that is what they are paying for, and your vehicle’s exterior is the first thing people see when they drive by you in traffic. Professional detailing will not only increase your car’s resale value but will also keep your car running in top condition for much longer. This is especially important for older cars, which have more mileage on them.
Improve the Sound System
Sometimes it is the smallest things like improving your car’s sound system and auto window repair that make the most difference. Almost everyone knows that improving your car’s sound system is one of the classic car restoration tips that will increase its resale value, and almost no one does anything about it. It is simply too easy to spend your money on mods that give you more power. Nevertheless, this is one of the most profitable areas when it comes to how to increase resale value of car. The fact is that not all people are interested in how fast a car goes around corners or how much horsepower it has. Some people are interested in how good a sound system a car has. And they are willing to pay for it. That is why a car with an extremely powerful sound system is more desirable than a car without. And that means that people will pay more to get the most out of their music. And this fact cannot be ignored by anyone who wants to sell their car for good money down the road.
If you are wondering how to increase resale value of car,the answer is very simple. You need to find a company that deals in car audio services and installs high-quality speakers. Good speakers can increase the sound quality of any sound system, and every person who knows anything about audio equipment will tell you that. This has been proven by thousands of audio enthusiasts who have found very quickly that their car’s sound system is more enjoyable with a high-quality speaker setup. And the fact is that there are hundreds of companies out there who want to sell you their great products. You have to know where to look. But even if you find quality speakers at the best prices, the important thing is how they are installed. This is because a speaker without an amplifier doesn’t do anything. And that means that you need an amp for every single new speaker that you install in your car.
Don’t Neglect Maintenance Records
When selling a second-hand car to another individual, the buyer will likely ask for maintenance records to determine automotive repair history. If these are not present or are incomplete, you can expect your asking price to be reduced accordingly. It’s that simple. As a result, any buyer or seller of used cars should know the importance of maintenance records during the purchasing and selling process. By keeping accurate records, you will have succeeded on how to increase resale value of car. The value of a second-hand car often depends on the service history, which owners have maintained. Collecting service records is an effective way to ensure that your car maintains its resale value.
Furthermore, it will save you money in the long run if your car needs any maintenance or repairs while under warranty. It is important to keep your service history, owner’s manual, and warranty booklet together. For easy access, these documents should be kept in a three-ring binder or folder. You can go one step further and organize all of this information in chronological order by the date of the services completed. There are also online databases available for registering your vehicle after purchase. By filling out these forms, your service history is available at the touch of a button. However, many people do not realize the importance of keeping records until it’s too late. Any damages or issues with the car should be recorded along with when they were fixed or inspected by the manufacturer in question. If you do not have any previous service history or records, your buyer may offer a lower price. The simple fact is that buyers want to know the history and condition of what they are buying. If they cannot obtain this information, there is no way for them to know if the car has been in an accident. They will assume the worst-case scenario, which usually involves the trade-in value of the car.
Consider the Paint Color
As the resale values of cars continue to decrease, you may want to consider auto painting as you are working on how to increase resale value of car. Paint contributes to more than one-third of the resale value of a car. While the repainting of your car may seem like a huge investment, it can pay off in the form of increasing the value. The amount you spend will depend on what color paint you choose and the number of coats you need. If your car is in great condition, then one to two coats will be enough; however, if it requires some fixing from any of the existing auto body shops, (i.e., damage), three to four coats may be needed.
Regardless of the number needed, repainting your car will increase when you are determining how to increase resale value of car. While you can repaint your car on your own, it is recommended that you leave this to the experts. Take your vehicle to a competent car body shop and discuss with them what is necessary when it comes to how to increase resale value of car. It may cost less than expected as most shops will offer discounts if you plan on using them after your car is sold. Just make sure that the paint is of the same quality as all other parts of the car. If it shines like new, then you will see an increase in resale value. When choosing a paint color, stick with neutral colors such as gray and black. These may take you longer to find at the body shop, but they will increase your car’s resale value in the long run if you do not want to keep it for too long.
It’s important to have a car that is worth something when you are getting ready to trade it in or sell it. If you do not take care of your car, it will lose value, but if you stay on top of car maintenance and work to make your car look good, then you are more likely to get a nice chunk of change for it when the time comes to trade it in or sell it.