Whether or not you plan to sell your car privately or part exchange with a dealer, the number one priority is to make it look as good as possible.
Byron Lindsay, owner of Revive! High Wycombe mobile bodywork and alloy wheel repair specialist offers these top tips:
- Give your car a good clean inside and out. A scruffy interior with crisp wrappers, dog hair and crumbs could put off potential buyers and drive down the dealer’s offer. If you don’t have the time or equipment to do it yourself take the vehicle to a car wash service for a full valeting.
- Take a walk around the vehicle to check for cracked headlights and wing mirrors, and replace if necessary.
- If you have minor scratches and scuffs to the bodywork or alloy wheels ask an accredited mobile bodywork repairer such as Revive! to give you a free estimate for the repairs. For most cars the work will cost less than the weekly shop and your vehicle will be worth considerably more as a result. A prospective private buyer will want to get the best looking car for their money, so if yours is scratch free and at the right price you’ll be on to a winner. Again dealers will factor in the cost of putting the car right into the price they offer you so aim to give them the car as forecourt ready as possible.
- Ensure your tyres have a decent level of tread all round.
- Lift up the bonnet and give the engine compartment a dust and clean. If it is oily clean it with a proprietary de-greaser but if it is just a bit dusty polish with a cloth and a spray of WD40. Everyone looks under the bonnet when they’re buying a car (even if they don’t know what to look for!) and a clean engine compartment easily impresses.
- If your rear parcel shelf looks tired, remove and re-spray with black aerosol paint to make it look as good as new
- Check that your service history is up to date and sort out your car paperwork neatly for inspection by the buyer. Vehicles with a full history can be worth more. If the car has been maintained by a local garage they will have your records on file and can update your service book if necessary.
Revive! specialises in repairing minor scuffs and scrapes to vehicle bodywork and alloy wheels. It has the largest accredited network of SMART repairers in the UK and is the first to have ATA accredited technicians. Revive!’s customers include car dealerships, fleet operators and private motorists. Smart repair is a quality, cost effective and time-saving alternative to taking a vehicle to a bodyshop for minor paintwork repairs. Costing far less than most insurance policy excesses, the work is fully guaranteed and carried out at a time and place to suit the customer, minimising vehicle downtime and protecting the owner’s no claims bonus.
To contact Revive! High Wycombe telephone 0800 316 6027 or email Byron Lindsay on byron.lindsay@revive-uk.com
This post was published by Byron Lindsay. You can view Byron's profile here.