How to prepare your car for sale

Selling anything requires a bit of preparation, especially when you’re selling a car which is potentially an important and expensive purchase. If you’re looking for a possible buyer you will need to convince them that what you’re selling is superior to anything else they may have seen.

There are a few tricks of the trade when it comes to selling a car. Unlike selling a house where it is recommended that you make some fresh coffee or bake some bread to entice your buyer, selling a car is more about its looks, service history, mileage, MOT, and whether it is a smooth drive. A car that has been well looked after will sell for more than an identical model which has never been serviced and needs a good wax job. It is worth spending some money if you’ll make more from your sale in the long run. Servicing your car to keep it roadworthy will not only save you money on car insurance and repair jobs, it may also inflate your bank balance.

Here are a few tips to help you make a quick sale of your car:

• Although you can’t do anything about the mileage you’ve clocked up, and would be breaking the law if you did, you can make a few tweaks to the car to make it more sellable. You should make sure that the lights are all working properly, that the windscreen wiper blades do not need replacing and that the tyres have adequate tread. Listen out for any irritating or worrying rattles and put them right. It could be as simple as tightening a screw. Also check that the spare wheel is inflated and that the tool kit is intact

• Make sure you clean the car thoroughly. It may be worth having a professional valet carried out as this can improve the appearance of the car tenfold. You can remove dog hairs and give the car a good going over yourself but a valet will be able to get rid of odours and every last trace that you have ever been in the car. Remember the milk that your kids spilt in the back of the car? A valet will be able to get rid of the sour smell that’s been hanging around ever since. It’s also a good idea to remove all your personal belongings when the buyer comes to look at the car

• Chips, scratches and scuffs are to be expected on an older car and it would cost you more to get rid of them than amount it would add to the value of your car. If your car is quite new then dings and chips will be an immediate turn off and a potential buyer will use them as a way to bring the price down. You can do the work yourself with some touch up paint. There are lots of websites where you can buy paint, try http://www.auto-paint.co.uk/

• Collect together all your documents including the V5C registration document, servicing schedule and MOT certificate. If you still have the receipts for work you’ve had done then this will show that the car is cared for

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