Sell Your Car Like a Pro
Details to You Should Take into Consideration
The Car Care tips provided are not only to help you sell your used car fast. But also to be a checklist for routine maintenance to help keep your car in excellent condition. The better condition your car is in, the higher the price you may get for it. Consider this as good advice and not a waste of time. It’s not only good for your car, but for your driving safety as well. It makes sense that people will pay top dollar for a clean car in good mechanical condition. Some of these tips can be done right away. Others like oil changes require that you do scheduled maintenance on your car’s engine. We have over 45 years experience as used car dealers. Below are proven tips that will help you get the highest cash price for your vehicle.
Disclaimer; Not all of the following items are required or necessary to sell your used vehicle.
Have Your Car Cleaned
Are you ready to upgrade your old car with a new one? In order to get the most money for your used vehicle you will have to clean it first. Does your car smell inside or does it look like you haven’t cleaned it in years? A potential buyer not only wants to purchase a mechanically sound car, they want it to be clean inside and out as well. Go have your car detailed at your local car wash, or you could even have a mobile detailer come to your work or home.
Good Tires
A car with bald worn out tires is a safety hazard and can dramatically reduce performance. A car with good tires will sell for more money and faster too. If your vehicle has bad tires you don’t have to replace them with new ones. There are plenty of places that sell good used tires that should have enough tread to help sell your car. New tires last longer and give added value to the sale of the car.
It’s a good idea to keep tires inflated to recommended pressure. Keep a look out for any unusual wear. Tires that have severe uneven wear or bulging in the side wall should be replaced right away. Also have the wheel alignment checked on your car after having the tires replaced. A vehicle that is out of alignment can cause uneven tread wear. To read more about tires and how to check them take a look at our article When to Replace Car Tires“. To sum it up not only are good tires important to your safety but will also help demand a higher price for your car.
Clean Oil
It’s important to check your cars engine oil regularly. One of the things a buyer always checks when test driving a car is the oil. Oil cools down and lubricates your cars engine. Driving for too long with a low oil level can cause serious engine damage to your car or truck. Most people dont know about the importance of a cars engine oil. Everyone that looks at your vehicle will most likely inspect the oil. Its important to make sure your car has clean oil.
To learn more about how to change your car or trucks engine oil check out our article “How To Check Your Cars Oil Properly To check your oil park your vehicle on a level ground with car turned off. Wait for a minute or two so to let the oil drain into the oil pan. Pull out the oil dipstick, it is usually located in the engine compartment near the engine block If you are unsure where is it located then check your cars owner’s manual. The oil level should be between the low and full marks on the tip of the stick. Check the oil condition. Black oil means it’s time for a change. If it is brown, clean and transparent then this is a sign that the oil is still in good condition.
Working Lights
A road ready vehicle should have all its lights working properly, including: headlights, brake lights, turn signals, reverse lights and emergency flashers. If any lights are not working often its the result of burned out bulb. If replacing the bulb doesn’t work. It could be a short circuit that can be fixed inexpensively. A used car with faulty lighting will take a drop in value far greater than the cost of fixing the problem.
Good Battery
A battery is an essential component of any good running vehicle. Without a good battery you won’t be able to start your car. Battery failure usually happens at inopportune times. If your battery terminals are dirty they can be cleaned with coca cola and a battery brush. Make sure to clean the dirt and soda off with some warm water. Loose terminal connections will keep your battery from charging fully. Are you unsure your battery is still good? You can have it tested at your local automotive store. Having a vehicle that starts right up with a clean battery will not only help you sell your car fast but give you peace of mind as well.
Check Engine Light and Smog Certificate
Is your Check Engine Light on? The light will come on when your vehicle’s computer detects a fault. These faults can affect your vehicle’s fuel economy and the exhaust emissions. If your check engine light is on your car will not pass a smog test. In many states they require your vehicle to pass an emissions test to be eligible for registration. If you’re your cars check engine light can come on while driving. Head to your local automotive parts store and have them run a diagnostic to find the cause of the check engine light. There are five common issues that cause the check engine light to come on. A few of them are simple to fix yourself others will require a diagnosis from your mechanic.
Current Registration
When a potential customer comes to look at your car and it doesn’t have current registration it can definitely be a big negative against selling your vehicle. The easiest and most obvious solution after you get the smog check done is to register your vehicle. Most states require the seller to provide a smog certificate, so you have that part covered. Many people won’t buy a car with expired tags because they’re afraid they may be expired because there is either something seriously wrong with the car or there are tickets holding back the registration. Want more help to sell your car or truck privately then take a look at this helpful article “Tips for Selling Your Car Privately In California it is the sellers responsibility to smog their car for the next owner. If your car is unable to pass smog or the check engine light is on you should not sell it privately.
At Los Angeles Cash for Cars you can sell your car or truck “as-is.” We don’t require you to smog your vehicle or even have a current registration.