If you’re planning to eventually sell your car, you’ll want to get the most money you can when you trade it in or sell. Here are some tips to help you maximize your car’s resale value:
– Buy a car with a high resale value. If you’re not sure which cars have high resale values, check out Kelley Blue Book’s list of the top 10 cars with the best resale value. A car brand with a historically high resale value will help you start off on the right foot.
– Buy a fuel-efficient or hybrid car. Not only will you save money on gas, but you’ll also get a higher resale value for your car.
– Choose a car with a transferable warranty. This will give the buyer peace of mind and could increase the resale value of your car when you sell or trade.
– Keep mileage low. The lower the mileage, the higher the resale value. The average mileage per year is around 12,000 miles. If you can keep your mileage below the average, it can help you get a better resale value. Rent a vehicle for long road trips to keep mileage down on your personal vehicle.
– Clean it regularly. Dirt, debris and stains can significantly impact the resale value of your vehicle. Cleaning it regularly keeps dirt and debris at bay and helps prevent that grime from getting ground into carpets and upholstery. A cleaner vehicle will always have a higher resale value.
– Pick a standard color. Cars with non-standard colors are often harder to sell. Stick with gray, white, tan, black or blue for your car color to get the most benefit and resale value when you sell. Avoid reds, greens, oranges and other non-standard colors.
– Don’t modify it. Any modifications you make will likely decrease the value of your car. Adding window tint, a spoiler or other features to your car that didn’t come on it doesn’t help your resale value. Instead, it can hurt your resale value.
– Own it as long as possible. After about seven years of ownership, car values begin to depreciate more slowly. So, if you can keep your car at least seven years, you’ll get the max resale value for the age of the car.
– Drive safely. Avoiding accidents will keep your car in good condition and help maximize its resale value. Even a minor fender bender can have a major impact on your resale value.
– Have dents and scratches repaired quickly. These can devalue your car significantly if left unaddressed. Choose a mobile scratch and dent repair company like Colors On Parade to fix scratches and dents quickly and efficiently – often same day.
By following these tips to maximize your car’s resale value, you can get the best deal when you go in to sell or trade it.