Anyone buying a car knows the worst thing is the car depreciating in value. After years of hard driving, body work repairs and age, a car automatically starts losing value. By the time you decide to resell and make a change, you are lucky to get back your full price you paid. What’s worse is some people don’t even get back half of what they paid and that doesn’t leave much of a down payment on a new vehicle.
All vehicles depreciate in value somewhat by the time you decide to sell; some cars more than others so careful purchasing can be in your favour when buying a new family car. Of course if you have invested in a classic car it will probably increase in value if you look after it and treat it with the respect it deserves.
Documentation
It is a proven fact that cars with more documentation, old MOT certificates, service repair receipts and current V5 documentation get a higher price than those with limited paperwork. Buyers like to see the vehicles history, they enjoy paging through the service book and the old MOT certificates. This offers them a sense of security and you will enjoy a good price for the vehicle this way.
If for any reason you don’t have a host of paperwork for the car, this is going to be your downfall when selling. You can expect an immediate reduction in the price. So the answer is only buy vehicles that have a wad of papers, which you can use to your own advantage when selling.
Keep up to Date with Services
Vehicles of all kinds need regular services. This is what makes the vehicle’s engine run smoothly. While this may sound obvious, it’s often something that isn’t kept up to date. Services not only ensure your vehicle is in the best mechanical condition, but can help keep you safe on the roads.
A broken down car on the side of the motorway is an accident waiting to happen, especially in wet or snowy conditions. If your car is updated with services and MOT’s, then you have the peace of mind that your vehicle is safe and the chances of you breaking down is minimal.
At the same time this is a fantastic selling point. Keeping your car up to date with services means your service book will be up to date. The prospective buyers can see the vehicle was cared for and has been looked after, this can increase the overall value of the vehicle and ensure you get the best possible price if you intend selling.
Beautiful Body Work
Then comes the body work. If you leave your vehicle to rust away then you know you are not going to get a good price. The smallest scratch from a shopping trolley at the supermarket car park can leave a rust spot on your vehicle. This is not the best selling point. You can get a rust treatment, add it to the area to ensure your vehicle doesn’t suffer from rust and is always in the best body condition.
Rust treatment should be considered a regular maintenance thing, especially if you live close to the ocean with that sea breeze blowing over the vehicle on a daily basis. The most dangerous thing for any car is sea water and the sea breeze has salt in it, which gets into the vehicles paintwork and causes rust.
While living near the ocean is an advantage in terms of views and lifestyle, it does horrific things to a cars bodywork. It gets under the vehicle and rusts from the underside. It gets into scratches and dents and makes unsightly holes that will automatically reduce any asking price you had in mind. Rust treatment can be added to any scratches or while doing any body repairs to reduce the risk of rust coming through, an ideal solution when you live in a seaside location .