4 Hacks to Boost Your Old Car's Resale Value

Finally, you’ve saved up enough money for a new car. But what about your old one? It would be a good idea to sell it, so you have more money for the new one. But is your car ready for a sale? Cleaning and fixing up your vintage car can increase its price by upwards of 1000$. All you have to do are some quick and easy fixes to make your old car look as close to new as possible. Here are some ways to increase the price of your old car and get it ready for a sale.

Wheels and Tires

There’s a quick and easy way to make your car look shinier, all you have to do is clean the wheels. Cleaning out the dirt from them doesn’t require much time. Make sure you clean the tires as well, they tend to get muddy. You can finish it off with a tire shine product to make them look as close to brand new as possible. It would also be a good idea to check if the tires are worn out.

You don’t have to buy brand new ones, but investing in some matching used tires will allow for a bigger asking price. Used tires cost around 30$ a piece. In addition, for a vintage car it is important to get the original ones that usually go with the make and model, otherwise the price will drop significantly.

Fix the dents

Fixing up the big dents on your car’s body can cost too much money, and might not be worth it. But taking care of some smaller scratches and dents can do wonders for the overall look of the car. Removal of bigger dents can cost you from 100$ to 200 $. But when you realize that the sales price will go up by few thousand then you know it is worth it. Don't forget to use the right shade of paint as to avoid lowering the price even further.

But, make sure you hire experienced people to fix it, if the bodywork is cheap or poor-quality it can only lower the price of your car. In the end, if you don’t feel like fixing your car’s bodywork simply say that the car needs some body work in the advertisement.

Wax it

A fading paint job can lower the price of a car. Luckily this can be fixed quite easy. All you have to do is wax and polish your car and restore some shine. This can significantly increase your car’s value since it will look newer. You can do this yourself, make sure you clean it thoroughly and then apply car wax as a finish. If you’re not sure about what you’re doing, it might be wise to hire a professional. They have experience and will do a detailed job. The difference a good waxing and polishing makes is several thousands of dollars.

Under the hood

There are several thing that also need to be done under the hood in order to increase the value of your car. Apart from changing all the fluids along with filters, you should consider also getting a new intake manifold. It is valuable investment that, when pointed out to the potential customer, can increase the value of your vehicle. Just make sure you get the right one for your make and model, and that its seals properly, otherwise it can cause a variety of different issues.

The interior

It goes without saying that the interior of the car should be spotless, especially when you’re trying to get a good price. You can vacuum it yourself and clean the floor mats. But if the floor mats are worn out, it’s quite cheap to replace them with new ones. They’re around 30$ a piece and can be found in any auto supply shop. Also vacuum the carpets, if there’s leather in your car make sure to clean it and treat it. Don’t use household cleaners, the materials in your car are not the same as the furniture or carpet.

Of course, you want to get as much money as you can when selling a car. Look for quick and easy fixes you can do yourself and perform those that will pay off.