The Comprehensive Guide to Selling your Car

Chapter 2: First Impressions Count

When people first look at the car, they will probably make up their minds within the first few seconds on whether they want to buy it or not. So before you advertise your car make sure it is clean and attractive so that the first impression is good.

Some tips on cleaning up your car are

Wash and wax it thoroughly. Use paintwork enhancer to liven up the paint. Clean all windows and mirrors.

Make sure your car is mechanically sound, and remove all scratches.

Clean the inside of the car. Take all your personal items out of the car. The prospective buyers may test drive your car, so you don’t want the inside all cluttered up.

Remove dust and oil from wheels and apply a gloss finish to the tyres.

The car must be roadworthy because it is an offence to sell a vehicle in and unsafe condition. A little maintenance will make you motor seem better cared for and more desirable.

Now is a good time to take photos of your car if you are planning to advertise it with photos. Take it during daylight hours, against a neutral background and at an angle that provides a three quarter view, showing as much of the car as possible.

For the inside shots sit on the back seats to take a good picture of the dashboard. You may need to fold back the front seats to have a clear view of the dashboard. The inside photo is useful if your car has a lot of gadgets and gizmos to show off.