What To Do Before You Sell Your Car

Preparation to maximise your car resale value

When you sell your car, you want to give it the best chance of getting a good price, and serving its new owners long into the future. You’re also after a quick and stress-free sale, something we know all about here at Avalon Motor Company! 

As a trusted car retailer based in Glastonbury, Somerset, we’ve come to know what it takes to achieve the ideal car sale, and a few preparatory steps taken before you come to sell can make all the difference to you, the retailer you sell to, and the car’s buyer. 

So, what should you do before you sell your car? 

Give it a clean 

Making sure your car is presentable should be a priority before you sell it, and this requires some effort both internally and externally. Whilst you do have the option of a professional valeting service, a good clean can still be easily achieved at home on a sunny afternoon. This is a good opportunity to do a few housekeeping checks too, such as the oil and washer fluid levels.

You can find our handy car spring cleaning checklist, ideal for giving your car some presale attention, on our blog here. 

Carry out any repairs 

Repairs both obvious and under the bonnet should be considered to maximise the value of your vehicle, which means that paintwork and mechanical problems ought to be addressed. 

Scrapes, scratches and dents, for example, can be attended to by an automotive body shop. Low tyres, worn brakes, broken suspension, and clutches that have seen better days are also something that will be inspected by both the retailer you sell to, and the potential buyer, so if these things are due to be repaired on a car you want to sell, it’s wise to get them done beforehand. 

Gather up the paperwork 

A car sale needs to be backed up with paperwork; particularly if you want it to be known just how well you’ve taken care of your motor so far. It’s no secret that cars with a full service history are considered more desirable, so make sure you have stamped service records, as well as receipts for any work you’ve had carried out on the car throughout its time with you. 

This should ideally be kept in with the car’s manual and any warranty information so that everything is easily accessible in one place. 

In terms of transferring ownership, you should also keep the V5C (also known as the vehicle log book) handy, for seamless administration for both you and the new owner. 

Contact Avalon Motor Company 

As a dealership with over 100 used cars in stock, we’re always looking for quality models for our forecourt. Whilst we offer part exchange as part of our car-buying process, we also offer you the option to simply sell your car to us too, which avoids the hassle of selling privately. We’ll give you a great price - and you can even get started online! Find out more about selling your car in Glastonbury to Avalon Motor Company, click here.