How To Prepare Your Car For Sale
There are thousands of cars for sale in Kenya. It takes a little bit of work to stand out from the crowd when selling your car. Getting your car looking its best before advertising will help you to sell it as quickly as possible and for the best price. How you prepare your car for… View Article
There are thousands of cars for sale in Kenya. It takes a little bit of work to stand out from the crowd when selling your car. Getting your car looking its best before advertising will help you to sell it as quickly as possible and for the best price. How you prepare your car for sale is an important undertaking that doesn’t take much time and money but will certainly be rewarding.
In this guide, we’re going to look at simple ways you can prepare your car for sale.
How Should You Prepare Your Car Before Selling It?
Whether you’re selling your car or trading it in for a new one, you’ll get a better deal if it looks great and all the paperwork is in order. Here are our suggestions on how to get your car ready to sell:
1. Have the car inspected
There are many reasons why it’s good to inspect your car before putting it on sale. First, inspecting the car and disclosing the findings to potential buyers shows you’re honest and upfront. It instills confidence in serious buyers and makes it easier for the deal to go through.
Secondly, chances are that a keen buyer will want the car looked at by their mechanic. If a buyer opts to have their mechanic inspect the car, their list of recommended repairs may slightly differ. Having your own inspection report gives you a baseline for negotiating the cost of repairs to be deducted from the final sales price.
If you’re looking for someone to help you with your inspection, we’ve got you. At Peach, for a small fee, we offer a 250-point inspection plus we do an ODB inspection to ensure we’re getting the full picture of each vehicle that comes through the door.
2. Organize your paperwork
It’s hard to sell your car without a logbook in Kenya. Apart from looking shady, it’s also impossible to sell to buyers who are paying through financing. Essentially, you’re limiting yourself if you don’t have proper documentation. It’s advisable to replace the lost logbook before putting the vehicle on sale. You can have the duplicate logbook within a few weeks.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a duplicate logbook from NTSA.
3. Get a car valuation
A fairly-priced car attracts serious buyers and sells faster. This is why car valuation is an important part of the sales process. Knowing how much your car is worth also helps you to weigh up your selling options.
Don’t price yourself out of a deal by pricing your car based on how much you “feel” it’s worth. Here’s how to price your car when selling.
4. Take your personal stuff out of the car
Always empty all the storage pockets, consoles, and glove boxes of your personal belongings before showing the car to a potential buyer. You wouldn’t believe the stuff people leave in cars – from coffee mugs, to spare underwear, wallets, and more, we’ve seen it all!
Don’t leave anything in the car. The only things that should remain in the car are the owner’s manual (if you still have it) and the service records (only if they’re up to date). Remember to clean out the ashtrays too.
5. Clean the car
Lastly, the bare minimum is a clean car that’s ready for viewing. First impressions matter. A clean car makes a good first impression.
General wear and tear are expected to some level when buying a locally used car, but if the car looks dirty and smells funny, it can make the buyer suspicious of how well the car has been maintained. Some common areas to clean in a car are the floormats, the seats, the wheels, and the exterior. Even better, if you can have the car detailed.
You should also freshen up the car to get rid of any funny odors. It can take time to give your car a pleasant smell, so it’s advisable to start using an air freshener at least a week before putting the car on sale.
Bonus tip: Compile the car’s service history
Keeping your car’s service history helps to prove it is well-maintained. It also shows transparency and goes a long way in convincing the buyer to close the deal. If you recently replaced the batteries and the tires, make the receipts available to the buyer. Don’t worry if you don’t have a service history, our comprehensive inspection report will show you the true condition of your car.
Doing your routine maintenance with Peach Cars Car Care will ensure you have an updated service history of your car.
Need Help Selling Your Car? Sell With Peach Cars
These tips will help you to sell your car fast and for the best price. You can also read our guide on how to increase the resale value of your car. It may require a little bit of extra time and effort, but it is very rewarding when you invest in preparing your car for sale. If you need help to sell your car, we can help you out. We will inspect your car and advise on the best pricing.