KEY POINTS:
Clean the car strategically
Mechanical issues are most likely not worth fixing
Underrated & easy tips of the trade to maximize profit
When selling your car, it does not need to be perfect, cosmetically or mechanically. But by doing the little bit of prep we recommend, you will sell your car for more money in faster time.
CLEAN IT
Don’t let me catch you posting a dirty car for sale. You’re better than that.
Clean your car, inside and out. Best to get a good detail. If you can only run it through a machine wash, do it. But there’s no need to pay for a 3 stage paint correction and ceramic coating.
Vacuum the interior and all its crevices (use a paintbrush to get out the dust in all the hard-to-reach corners).
Empty the trunk. Remove personal belongings, especially kid-related crap.
MECHANICAL ISSUES
If your car has a check engine light, scan it ahead of time so you know what problem you’re facing. Once you have the codes, it can go two ways:
If it’s a minor sensor that needs to be changed, pay the little money it takes to fix it so you can sell it without issue.
If it’s a major issue, disclose it in your listing but don’t fix it because you probably won’t get back what you paid into it. Rather, take the hit on the sale price so there’s less time wasted.
UNDERRATED & EASY THINGS TO DO
Clean your headlights - if your headlights are yellowed, spend the $20-30 to restore your lens. It makes all the difference.
Interior is more important than the exterior - believe it or not, the interior sells your car faster than the exterior. Get your seats cleaned, get the dust/crumbs removed, and use our detailing tips to breathe years back into the interior. Buyers are more inclined to be wow’ed by a clean interior than a clean exterior, whether they realize it or not.
Clean your wheels – when you get that car wash, make sure your wheels are cleaned from all that dirty brake dust that’s been baked onto your wheels. Just like a fresh pair of sneakers, there’s a “something about it just looks good” dynamic when you have clean wheels.
These little tips will help your car stand out from the competition. Check out our detailing tips and pricing guides to give you an even clearer advantage when selling your car.
