smartening up a car to sell?

[x5x3]

Obviously you have to make sure the car looks good when you sell it, but how far do you go?

I have just got a price estimate which seems quite reasonable, the car is in good condition but does have a couple of scrapes (two minor car park type dents down the side, a few scrapes on the alloys and is missing one foglight surround - no idea where that went, just fell off!).

The interior is in very good condition (despite kids football and trips to the beach!).

It is high mileage so how many of those things would need to be fixed before selling?

[Walter Wallpaper]

A nice new set of Euro style number plates is probably the best pound for pound way of improving a miley cars looks and value.

Also, replace the foglight surround and invest in a £60 valet.

Edited by Walter Wallpaper on Monday 2nd April 20:48

Edited by Walter Wallpaper on Monday 2nd April 20:50

[belleair302]

Get the alloys sorted, get the car cleaned and waxed, inside and out, then replace the foglight surround. Small dings can be sorted by the next owner. I would spend no more than £300 getting everything sorted!

[x5x3]

I guess that sums up the question - is that £300 on a car worth £5K, £10K or £25K?

[belleair302]

Its on any car that you want to make decent money on. Just put yourself in the purchaers shoes....badly presented car, offer much less cash. Well presented car may have to pay more to secure a deal. Its your car, your money and your choice.

[RichBurley]

Foglight surround?

[x5x3]

RichBurley said:

Foglight surround?

the black plastic bit that surrounds the fog light at the front - the dealer noticed it had fallen off a while ago, the lights still work and have never got round to getting them to order one!

[x5x3]

belleair302 said:

Its on any car that you want to make decent money on. Just put yourself in the purchaers shoes....badly presented car, offer much less cash. Well presented car may have to pay more to secure a deal. Its your car, your money and your choice.

I do agree with you, I guess I wasn't sure how the market would take a 5yr old 130K car, and if a couple of issues on an otherwise good condition car would affect the price much. I usually take the lazy option and trade in, but this time I am buying a friends car so will be selling my current car privately - probably first time in 10 years!

[shadowninja]

I tend not to bother even washing it and seem to get the price I pretty much want. Then again, I do usually have every bastard receipt and stamp in my ownership and when I take the prospective buyer out, I drive the thing how I normally do - like a big girl's blouse for the first 10 minutes... which speaks volumes for how it's really looked after. Compare this to the dodgy dealer who might wash a car so it looks all nice and shiny but underneath the skin, it's a real dog...

[RichBurley]

x5x3 said:

RichBurley said:

Foglight surround?

the black plastic bit that surrounds the fog light at the front - the dealer noticed it had fallen off a while ago, the lights still work and have never got round to getting them to order one!

oh, lol, I thought it was a general statement regarding car selling!

[belleair302]

Let us know how it cleans up, what you deide to spend upon it and if you get the money you are asking. The English are funny about mileage, which means little if the car has been well maintained. Decent engines and bodywork will last for years if properly maintained. Its the low mileage cars that you need to worry about, those not used enough.