Keep value in your car: Introduction
If you want to make sure you can sell your car for as much as possible there are five top ways you can increase a vehicle's resale value. The more money you keep in the car, the more you can put down towards your new one after all. Just follow my beautiful words of wisdom and you'll be alright.
1. Buy a car that is known to keep value
The biggest factors here are desirability and reliability. For example, German cars are known for their efficiency. Can't go wrong with an Audi, BMW or Mercedes. Japanese cars too like Toyota, Honda and Lexus are also great keepers.
There are a number of car pricing sites from eBay to Gumtree to AutoTrader that will tell you how much your car is worth if you were to sell the vehicle privately. Aside from that, there are a number of online car buying websites if you're looking to sell your car online fast http://www.trustedcarbuyers.com and http://www.trademymotor.com to name just two.
For a broader view of the market, I suggest using CAP valuations (as most car dealers base their valuations on this data) - found here: http://www.cap.co.uk
2. Be a geek: keep on top of your maintenance manual
It pays off to be different. Don't be like somebody else - someone who can't do anything for themselves because they never tried or feared what other people might think. Anyway, being a little organised and geeky, keeping your owner's manual in the right place for quick scanning pays off a lot. Remember that knowledge is power.
For any maintenance work that cannot be easily rectified yourself from reading the owner's manual, it is important to keep a clean record of your receipts and the work you've have done. This receipt trail and prompt service history checks is a big pat on the back when it comes to getting more money for your motor, trust me.
If you have an immaculately documented service history, you are most certainly on to a winner.
3. Sounds dumb and you can't help it, but don't crash
It's a bit silly but needs to be said. There are often circumstances you cannot avoid a knock or bump. Crash for cash scams and induced accidents you simply cannot avoid. If they're going to happen, and there are ruthless scammers out, it will happen.
In the unfortunate event of a crash, any record of damage or previous collision will knock your cars value considerably. A trained appraiser will spot bodywork fixes a mile off. If your vehicle is in a bump, an experienced repair shop with an honest reputation and specialism in fitting factory (OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts is what you want.
4. Whatever you do, resist customising your car out
Resist customisation with a passion. Strange as it sounds, pimping your car out with rims far too big for its body and spoilers the size of a plane's tail can actually decrease your vehicles value.
Non-intrusive upgrades that are most likely to please most motorists is okay. Things like a new in-car stereo or built in sat nav would be fine. If you get quite attached to your car, remember to save your old parts to refit it to its original condition before selling (or at least so you have that option).
5. Keep it clean
Now I don't want to sound like a nagging mother but keeping it clean helps a hell of a lot - particularly if you own the car for some number of years and have never hoovered it (heaven forbid).
The better your vehicle is kept, what your cars worth will rocket. Most people associate cleanliness with care and more likely to pay more for that peace of mind.
Washing and waxing your car every fortnight or month isn't hard to do. Set aside a morning one warm weekend. You're at least outside getting some exercise versus having to pay out more for an expensive detail job when the time comes to sell your car.
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