5 Easy Ways to Increase the Resale Value of Your Car

When you want to sell your car, you want to get the most you can out of it. But the harsh reality is that its value started depreciating the moment you drove it out of the dealership. This doesn’t mean you can’t make money from selling your car. Whether you’re selling to boost your finances or have more money to put down on your next car, there are ways you can increase the resale value of your vehicle. 

Resale value refers to the amount of money you can expect to receive from a buyer when selling your used car. The higher the resale value, the more money you’ll make from selling your car. Want to know how to price your car when selling? Read this guide.

There are a few things you can do to increase the resale value of a car for a relatively low cost. So, let’s dive right in!

Clean your car 

Captain Obvious here. People associate cleanliness with care. You should keep both the interior and exterior of your car clean when showing it to a potential buyer. We don’t mean just spraying it with a water hose. Give it a good cleaning, and if possible, have the car detailed so that the hard-to-reach areas also get cleaned.

A professional polish job will work wonders on minor scratches and restore hazy headlights which is a definite way to increase the resale value of your car.

Pro tip: Get your car waxed regularly to keep it shining for years. 

Find anything that came with the car

Remember that tool kit you stashed away the moment you got home from the dealership? The spare wheel? Find them. Find the spare key too. Including these items with your car when selling can help to justify a higher asking price. Without them, a buyer will just keep chipping away at you, lowering the price.

Follow the maintenance schedule, and keep “receipts”

No buyer wants to drive off straight into a garage with their new car. They, therefore, need the reassurance that the car is in good condition. You should follow the maintenance schedule and have the car regularly serviced. It ensures that the car is always in good mechanical condition.

Every time you service your car, keep a record of it. Proof of a well-maintained car will give you plenty of bargaining power to receive the price you deserve for it. This is especially important if your car has high mileage. 

Do minor repairs

There’s a common joke that says car owners in Kenya will go to heaven because driving on Kenyan roads is enough hell. Take a drive along Jogoo Road during peak hours and you’ll get what they mean. No matter how carefully you drive, your car is likely to get a battle scar from scrapes by motorcyclists and other vehicles. Sometimes, you get the scars from a less-than-perfect parking job.

While these scratches and dents don’t impact the mechanical condition of your car, buyers will use them to try and bargain down the price. Fixing these minor repairs won’t cost you much but will help to ramp up your asking price. Some of the fixes you should focus on include:

• Replacing worn-out tires
• Replacing the floormats 
• Fixing cracks and chips on the windshield
• Replacing the brake pads
• Changing the spark plugs 

If the car needs any major repairs, it’s advisable to fix the issues too before selling. 

Park the car  in a sheltered place 

Bird droppings, tree sap, and sunlight can make your car look older than it really is. The acidity in bird droppings can particularly damage your paint job. Parking your car in a sheltered place will protect it from these elements and help you to sell at a good price. 

Pro tip: never park your car under a tree. Falling branches can damage its exterior.

Want Value Out of Your Car? Sell it with Peach

If you’re looking to get the best value for your car, you should sell it with Peach Cars. We take the guesswork out of the sales process by inspecting your car and advising on fixes that can help to ramp up your asking price. 

Start selling with Peach today.