5 Ways To Increase The Resale Value of Your Car

When it comes to selling your car, you’ll no doubt be in pursuit of a competitive price. Whilst the market value of your make and model is somewhat out of your hands, there is a lot you can do with the vehicle itself in order to maximise the price you get. 

At Carlingo, we appraise vehicles on a daily basis, with a keen eye for what a car needs in order to generate a good return on investment. Here are our top tips for maximising the resale value of your car… 

1. Keep your mileage low 

Cars that have seen less of the open road are widely considered more desirable, as they’ve got plenty more miles to cover, with more life left in parts like brakes and tyres. From day one, keep an eye on those miles you’re clocking up, and put off avoidable long journeys if you can; less mileage means more money in your pocket when it’s time to sell. 

2. Get cleaning 

A dedication to keeping your car clean will pay off two-fold when it comes to sending your car off to its next home. Firstly, a well-looked-after car will increase the chances of a good return, as everyone is after that ‘new car’ feeling, even from a used model. Secondly, it will save that big clean before it leaves your possession, which can be time consuming, and pretty unpleasant to do if you’ve not kept on top of things. 

Here are a few car care tips that future you will thank you for: 

• Regularly decluttering, making it easier to clean more often 

• Keeping your seats free of dog hair

• Avoiding smoking in the car

• A professional valet prior to selling 

3. Repair and replace worn and torn items

When it comes to valuation time, things like chips in the windscreen and worn tyres and brakes will knock down the price. Getting both mechanical and cosmetic damage sorted (even those pesky scratches and dents) will increase your chances of a higher price, so attend to these issues as and when they arise to avoid the expense and inconvenience at the last minute. 

4. Ensure it stays regularly serviced 

We all want to own a car that has been properly looked after since day one, and a full service history goes a long way to reassure prospective customers of that, which in turn will raise the price they’ll pay for it. Cars with a full set of stamps in the service book will sell for more than ones with gaps in their records, so keep up to date at the recommended intervals to keep your car desirable. 

5. Supply all the paperwork and accessories

With original equipment, accessories and paperwork comes peace of mind for your car’s next owner, and it’s something they’ll pay more for too. Round up all the paperwork, including manuals and service books, as well as anything you may have removed, like a parcel shelf or spare wheel. 

What cars do we get excited about buying here at Carlingo? 

If you’re familiar with the stock we have on display here at our Harrogate dealership, you’ll know that we love cars that are in fantastic condition with high specifications. Therefore, we’re eager to hear from you if your car is under 7 years, has less than 50K on the clock, and is home to lots of impressive features on board that it can wow our customers with.

Sell your car in Harrogate with Carlingo 

Does the criteria we’ve mentioned fit the car you’re looking to sell? You can be assured of a straightforward process here; we’re keen to make the sale of your car smooth and hassle-free.

Get the ball rolling by heading to the Sell Your Car page on our website and entering your registration. We’ll consider not only the market value of your vehicle, but also its condition and specification, so that we can give you our best price.  

With less time and effort spent on the sale, you may find yourself with more capacity to consider your upgrade - why not start shopping online today at Carlingo? Don't forget that you can part exchange with us too.