How to Prepare a Car for Sale in 5 Easy Steps

Are you planning to sell and looking for ideas on how to add value to your car or ensure a faster sale? It is not that difficult, if you know what to do and how to do it or you turn to a reliable auto service. 

You simply need to improve your vehicle’s appearance and functioning so as to avoid giving the buyer reasons to ask for a price reduction. We’ll cover everything you need to know and the things to do before selling your car in the following lines. Before we get to it, though, keep in mind that you have two options: 

• Learn how to prepare a car for sale and use the information to turn everything into a DIY project, a case in which your success will depend on multiple variables, like your knowledge and skills, access to equipment, parts, and tools, etc. 
• Turn to experts who know how to get a car ready to sell, in which case you will need to invest some money but the results will be guaranteed. 

Here are the basic steps to a car sale preparation: 

1. Check the Car Body for Rust, Scratches, and Dents

Scratches and dents may seem insignificant, since they don’t affect the performance of a car. However, all buyers will use them as an excuse to drop the price. Similarly, rust reflects the age of a car and the maintenance it has received. 

You want your buyer to see that you’ve taken good care of your car and it’s worth the asking price. To make sure that will happen and not be caught off-guard, it is important to identify any signs of aesthetic and functional damage and assess their impact before putting your vehicle on the market. 

2. Deep Clean Your Car

You want potential buyers to fall in love with your car, and that won’t happen if it’s dirty, dusty, or smells like garbage. That is why most guides on how to prepare a car for sale recommend a thorough cleaning. 

You should expect buyers to examine every inch of your vehicle’s interior and exterior. To ensure a good first impression: 

• Clean the windows 
• Wipe off the dashboard, console, and doors, applying a non-greasy conditioner to protect them
• Vacuum and wash all the carpets
• Condition all leather trims and features
• Clean the upholstery and tapestry
• Remove all dirt, crumbs, and debris stuck between the seats.
• Empty and wipe out clean all storage areas
• Wash the exterior and invest some time or money in waxing and car detailing

3. Make the Necessary Repairs and Give Your Car a Spruce Up

Remember the signs of damage we identified in the first step? It is now time to act on them. It is up to you if you take matters into your own hands or take your car to an auto body repair shop. Any car scratch repair, car dent repair, and auto detailing performed at this stage will end up paying for itself by raising the sale price. Other interventions worth considering are: 

• New car mats
• Alloy wheel repairs
• Windscreen chips
• Headlights polish
• Air conditioning and entertainment system

4. Check and Refill the Essentials

Another important piece of advice on how best to prepare a car for sale is to check the tires and make sure they are properly inflated. You wouldn’t want your potential buyer to not be able to test-drive the car due to a flat tire. 

It is also important to check oil, brake fluid, windshield cleaner, and coolant levels and refill them if necessary. The overall test drive experience plays a huge role in the sale price, so don’t let small details like the outside heat or a warning light ruin it. 

5. Prepare Your Car Sale Bill

You’d be surprised how frequently owners forget to prepare their car sale bill, even though this is one of the easiest steps to a car sale. Stand out from the rest and fill in at least the following details: 

• Date and selling price
• Car description (make, model, and year)
• Identification number
• License plate number
• Mileage
• Warranty information (most guides on how to sell a car recommend mentioning that it’s sold “as is” and the seller offers no warranty)
• Buyer and seller names, addresses, signatures, and information accuracy statement. 

This completes our list of tips on how to prepare a car for sale. If you find the above advice difficult to follow or wish to save time and effort and guarantee impeccable results, bring your car to the Collex Collision Experts auto body repair shop.  

We know how to get a car ready to sell, we have all the necessary resources, and we will gladly put our experience and skills in your service. Hundreds of car owners in Pennsauken, Maple Shade, Cherry Hill, Merchantville, Camden, Moorestown, and Mt. Laurel, NJ, have benefitted from our services. Follow their lead and you won’t regret it!