Partnered Post
Sometimes we buy cars with the intention of keeping them, if you’ve had your eye on a certain model for years then chances are you won’t be looking to purchase another for quite some time. But at other times, cars can be a ‘stop gap.’ Something that will do for now to get us around while we save or wait for the one we really want to crop up. If you’re buying a car knowing that in the not too distant future you’ll be selling it on again, here are a few things to bear in mind.
Don’t make modifications
If you’re purchasing a car with the intention of selling it again later down the line, your best bet is to keep it as close to factory settings as possible. Don’t turn it into a project car, don’t spend lots of money changing and modifying it as you’re unlikely to ever recoup the costs- and in most cases you’ll actually put off buyers rather than attract them. Changes that might seem like upgrades to you won’t always be seen as such by buyers, and so if you know your car isn’t something you’re likely to keep then avoid doing anything to it.
Keep up with servicing
Buying a used car is always a little risky. When there are so many parts that can potentially go wrong, everyone has it in the back of their mind that they could spend thousands on a car and it could break down or something nasty could surface shortly afterwards. However, purchasing a car that has clearly been well maintained puts buyers at ease, and so if you want to sell your car in the future then it’s worth sticking with your regular servicings. Not only does this make your car more reliable for you while you have it, but it can add to the value and make it more appealing when you come to sell it too.
Have it MOT’d
Offering a car with a long MOT will always appeal to buyers more. When it’s been fully safety checked by a professional and has been given the all clear, again it puts their mind at ease as they’re not going to get it home and realise it needs lots of work and repairs doing to it. Ideally, have your car MOTed before you list it for sale so it has a full twelve months.
Find the right place to sell it
Selling your car can be a hassle, you have to deal with lots of phone calls and test drives, potentially timewasters. They’ll more than likely try to barter you down on price too. It can be easier to sell to a company, businesses that sell cars often also buy them, Wavertree Car Centre is an example of this. You’ll usually get a fairer price, and it saves you with messing around too.
Get it professionally cleaned
A car that looks clean shows that it’s been well looked after, and generally just makes the car look its best. Doing a thorough job requires quite a lot of time, effort and car cleaning products so it can be worth spending the money on having it professionally done instead. A car that looks the part will likely attract a higher price, so you’ll get your money back when you sell it anyway. The interior and exterior should both be clean, and there should be no food smells, dog or cigarette smells inside.
