The 3 secret tips to make sure you get top return
Accounting for about $45 million in car sales each year, the used car market grows with each shiny new car delivered to dealership lots. Those dealerships know individuals are intimidated by selling their car privately, so they eagerly buy cars cheaply and sell them for a handsome profit. After all the time spent taking care of your vehicle, you’re entitled to obtain the fairest price.
Following these tips, you’ll have no need for the used car salesman.
TIP No. 1: KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY APPRAISE YOUR CAR
Knowing how to properly appraise your car will ensure that you receive top dollar for the value of your used car. A proper appraisal will allow you to sell with confidence and avoid unnecessary discounts. In addition it equips you with a useful guideline of how much to spend on your vehicle to maximize its value.
Great resource websites:
They are all great websites to get a feel for what the market is offering but I’d highly recommend redbook.com.au for getting a really good picture of pricing for your specific make and model as it has really detailed pricing summary, the average kilometres for that year model, dealer pricing and much more.
The 5 questions to ask yourself when appraising your car
1. What is the exterior condition?
2. What is the Interior condition?
3. Is the vehicle mechanically sound?
4. How many Kilometres are there on the vehicle?
5. What is the market paying for similar year, make and models
REMEMBER
A good appraisal allows you to:
- Maximize the value of your car
- Avoid unnecessary discounting
- Sell with confidence knowing what the market will pay for your vehicle
- Serve as a guide for buying another car
TIP No. 2: DETAIL YOUR CAR
Clean, shiny and rust-free body panels are the Holy Grail for any would be pre-owned car customer. In fact, good presentation can account for adding more than $1,500 to the sale price compared to a lesser-kept car.
I’ve seen it time and time again, selling a vehicle that has damage never pays. Not only does it take longer to sell your car, prospective buyers want bigger discounts then the cost to repair damage and they seem to look at the vehicle with a bigger magnify
glass.
TIP No. 3: TIDY UP DAMAGE
Obviously do not go over the top with repairs know how much your
car is valued and how much your vehicle is currently worth in its
condition to have a working budget.
Relatively inexpensive services you may want to consider:
- Paint-less Dent Repair
- Cut and Polish
- Interior Trims Repair
- Rust Repair
- Touch-ups
PRO TIPS
When displaying your vehicle clean out all trash inside the car, remembering ashtrays, the glove box and other small compartments before vacuuming the interior.
While inside, address the dashboard and trim by choosing an automotive cleaner with a glossy shine. In order to capture the buyer’s sense of smell, use either a spray or an air freshener to steer minor odours. There are literally hundreds of products out there that can do the job!
Correct any minor rust spots or body work that you can complete inexpensively.
Don’t be afraid to ask for a quote!
Do a full detail – this is by far the easiest and most cost effective way to improve your cars sell-ability. But rather than eating up your afternoon, you may want to opt for a complete professional detailing.
Now for the customary repairers plug:
We help a lot of customers who are looking to sell their vehicle. In fact a big part of our customer base are fleet customers and private customers who are looking to move their cars on to better places.
