On average, Americans hold on to their car for about seven years until they decide to resell it. You might own your car for longer or shorter than this, but once it’s time to sell it, you’d still want it to be in the best shape possible. This way, prospective buyers would want it as much as you did.
So how do you increase your car’s resale value after years of ownership? Here are some tips for you.
Revamp with vinyl wrap
Work on the part your prospects will see first: the car’s exterior. Instead of giving it a new paint job, why not give it a sleek vinyl wrap? Whether you live in Houston or Salt Lake City, there are tint shops that can vinyl-wrap your car. Not only does vinyl wrap give your car a fresh, flawless look, but it’s also removable and protects your car’s paint warranties.
Wheels for better deals
Next, you’d want to look at your wheels. It’s time to deep-clean your wheels and polish them for maximum luster. Check if your tires are too bald for resale, if they’re still holding air, or if they’re still performing up to par. Otherwise, replace them with aftermarket upgrades for a smarter look and better performance. It’s a heftier investment but surely pays off.
Bright lights are better
Are your blinkers, headlights, and taillights all in working condition? They better be if you’re grooming your car for resale. If even one of your lights is busted, you might want to replace them in pairs. This is to save time and money on services.
If they’re all working fine, just keep them clean by rubbing rotary buffer and using headlight cleaning products.
Beauty is on the inside
Honestly, you don’t have to do much to your car’s interior to add to its resale value. Many prospective buyers tend to be turned off when a secondhand car is decked with aftermarket alterations.
Just focus on two things: your flooring and upholstery. Take out your carpet flooring, vacuum the bare floors, and scrub your carpets with thick laundry detergent. For your upholstery, a good deep-clean should do the trick. Don’t forget to check if your seatbelts, window mechanism, and dashboard are all still working well.
Minding your car’s mileage
More than curb appeal and performance, buyers are likely to look at how far the car has gone. This is a good gauge not only of how much road it’s covered but how much servicing it’s undergone. Fifty thousand miles seems a good start, but as long as it doesn’t exceed 100,000 miles, then your car should still be in a good position for resale. So if you’re planning for a resale in the first place, don’t take it out to long road trips and cross-country drives.
Pull out the paperwork
Lastly, and this is, perhaps, the most crucial part of vehicle resale, you should keep complete and proper documentation of your car. From your proof of car purchase to your most recent receipt of tuning, you should keep every piece of paper intact. This is extremely helpful in charting your car’s history for your buyers, as well as in conveying you truly cared for your car.
Now you’re off to the market with your much-loved, pre-owned car. Follow these tips, and you might even have many customers jostling over your vehicle!
