6 Things to Do Before Putting Your Car up for Sale

Selling a car requires a bit of effort. You need a proper plan before you decide to put it on the market. Otherwise, you will fail to land a good deal and have to settle for a loss.

Hence, before you put your car up for sale, here are seven crucial things that you need to check on.

1. Know Your Reason for Selling

Buyers always look for a valid reason as to why you are selling the car. Usually, they expect you to state a good reason behind your decision. You might be selling this car for financial reasons, or because you are getting a new one, or maybe you no longer feel the need for a car. All of these are valid reasons for your potential buyer. However, if you fail to come up with any valid reason, they just assume that something is wrong with the car. Hence, they back away from the deal without even taking a proper look at the vehicle.

2. Inspect the Car for Possible Damages

Start by looking at the exterior body. Look for dents and scratches. Next, check the lights. Afterward, do a thorough inspection of the engine and the car’s underside. If you are not familiar with car mechanics, take it to a workshop and get insights from a professional.

Once the exterior is done, do the interior inspection next. Check the seats and upholstery. Make sure the car mats are all there without any strains or tears. If you find any foul odor coming from the car, give it the baking soda treatment. Sprinkle baking soda on the mat, seats, and dashboard. Clean it off with a vacuum cleaner after a few hours. The baking soda will help absorb the foul odor and make your car smell fresh again.

3. Decide Whether to Fix or Replace Broken Glass

Damaged or scratched glasses are easy to spot. If a potential customer sees your car with broker glasses, they will immediately lose interest in it. Hence, you need to take care of these damages accordingly.

Start with the windscreen; see if it needs to be repaired or replaced. If you are not sure what to check, click here to learn more about windscreen damages and how to deal with them. Then you move onto the side windows and mirrors. Do a similar check on them as well. Replacing the glasses will cost you a bit more than repairing them. However, if you do not want to scare away potential customers, you have to do whatever is necessary to make the car look as good as new.

4. Get Your Documents in Order

No one will buy the car from you if you fail to provide the necessary documents. These documents include the car’s registration papers, tax documents, recent repair bills, and so on. Check the DMV website if you are not sure what documents you need to present while selling your car. You should have a set of hard copies printed while selling the car. It will make it easier to show them to a potential buyer without the risk of fraudulent activities.

5. Take Some Nice Pictures

People will do an initial assessment of your car by looking at its pictures first. Therefore, you need to take high-quality photos of that car when it is looking as good as new. If necessary, give it a good wash before the photoshoot. Do not try to deceive your customers by using old or stock photos of your car. Take pictures from every possible angle. Be sure to include some interior shots as well.

6. Put a Price on Your Car

Once all of this has been taken care of, you are ready to sell the car. There is just one last thing you need to take care of – setting a price for the car. You should value your car based on market research. Look at your competition; see what others are selling their cars for (similar brand and model). You should also take the car’s latest market value (brand new) into account while selling. On top of that, if you have spent money on repairs, you should count that in your final price as well.

Once you have done all these things, you can now put your car up for sale. Choose a good platform for selling your car and advertise accordingly. You should also ask your close friends and relatives to see if they would want to take that car off of your hands. Whoever it is you want to sell to, just make sure you are advertising the vehicle accordingly.