By Staff Writer
The hosts of the Discovery Channel project “Wheeler Dealers” talk about the intricacies of pre-sale preparation: they have more than a hundred cars on their account, which they repaired and resold profitably.
A trifle, but nice
There is no need to argue about the importance of pre-sale preparation. First of all, you will have to figure out what needs to be put in order in the car, and what manipulations can be abandoned so that the costs do not exceed the expected profit.
For example, if a fender or bumper needs repair, it may be more profitable to give the buyer a discount than to spend your time and money, comparable to the rental Tesla price in UAE. Better spend that money on renting a great car while you travel and enjoy the excellent car rental service available today at reasonable prices.
Be sure to check that the door handles and glove compartment lid are working properly, dust the air duct grilles, empty the trunk of personal items, replace any burned-out light bulbs and make sure the fuses are intact. Get rid of the rattle of plastic panels, which, due to broken fasteners, can move away in some places: for this, it is enough to glue them around the perimeter.
Before selling, it is necessary to wash the car not only outside, but also inside – vacuum the interior and remove foreign odors. Smoking in the car must be stopped at least a couple of weeks before the sale – the smell of cigarettes is the most difficult to get rid of. In extreme cases, before each show of the car, you will have to save yourself with a fragrance that will briefly drown out the unpleasant odor.
Be prepared for the fact that the buyer will definitely look under the hood, so take care of the cleanliness of the engine. However, a perfectly clean engine in a car with significant mileage may alert the buyer: what if you are trying to hide oil smudges?
In any case, remember that the main goal of pre-sale preparation of a car is to make the car like the new owner, and not to eliminate all its defects.
Appearance matters
If a person is greeted by clothes, then in the case of a car, the main attention is paid to the body: scratches, dents, and rust significantly reduce the cost of the car being sold. Restorative polishing will help get rid of minor defects, but if the problem is more serious than a couple of paint chips, you may need to repaint damaged parts or completely update the appearance of the car.
Restoring the factory paintwork is a rather time-consuming and expensive procedure. Instead, the car can be covered with vinyl or polyurethane film or covered with liquid rubber. As a result, a smooth, seamless film is obtained on the surface of the car, which is not afraid of bad weather conditions and mechanical impact.
Wheel of Fortune
A car with shiny rims and coal-black rubber treated with a certain composition looks more expensive. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly wash off all stubborn dirt and brake dust with special cleaning agents: a conventional car wash does not always cope with this task.
Do not forget about the spare tire: it should not contrast with the rest. This will distinguish your car from competitors with dusty spares. If the tread is worn out on the tires, then, as a rule, they expect a discount from you.
Be prepared for the fact that the buyer will bargain even if the geometry of the rims is far from ideal, and the rims themselves are subject to corrosion. For some motorists, an extra set of wheels will be another factor in buying your car. But you do not have to include them in the price of the car: sometimes it is more profitable to sell them separately.
At first sight
In order not to leave the buyer a single reason to bargain, you should also pay attention to car optics: dirty headlights must be disassembled and washed, and even better – polished. Faded optics makes the car visually older. If the headlights do not work, then it is better to replace them: the costs, in this case, will be less than the amount that you will lose from lowering the price of the car, leaving everything as it is.
Headlight polishing is done at any car dealership. But if you want to save money, then you can polish the headlights yourself. This is done within half an hour – with the necessary equipment.
Conclusion
When the decision to sell a used car has already been made, you will have to look at your iron friend with a critical eye: defects that you do not pay attention to during daily operation can become decisive for a potential buyer. Treat this matter with full responsibility and everyone will be satisfied.
