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First impression important when selling car

Would you yourself choose a dirty car from a stranger when you can find a clean and tidy one for more or less the same money? No way! If you maintain your car properly from the beginning and document that, it will pay off by the time you want to sell it again. Without maintenance, your car deteriorates – both technically and externally – and also quickly becomes worth less.

Tip #1: Offer a clean, tidy car

So make sure your car is clean when you put it up for sale, that the paint is shiny and that no strips and other small parts are missing either. Then he looks attractive at first sight. Of course, the interior should also be neat, as should the luggage space. Clean up the engine compartment as well. Of course, you won’t get it there as shiny as the outside, but leaves, sand, mud and traces of oil and other liquids can be easily removed. Make sure all fluids are at the proper level: oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, etc.
Should you not feel like or have time to take care of your car yourself, consider leaving it to a professional car cleaning company.

Tip 2: Show the service history of the car you want to sell

For the potential buyer of your car, it is important to know if your car has been properly maintained. So you must be able to show the so-called “maintenance history. The familiar service booklet, in which the dealer indicates when which service checks were performed, is, of course, important. But bills for any repairs and accessories are also good to show. Then the buyer will get a good idea of the state of maintenance of your car.

Tip 3: Be honest about the car you want to sell

We were taught as toddlers that you can’t jockey, but sometimes that doesn’t seem to apply when selling cars. But you, as a seller, must inform the buyer honestly; however, the buyer himself must also do his best to get the necessary information. Tell honestly about any damages and defects. If you don’t have repairs done because you’re going to sell your car, you must notify the buyer. He can then decide if he still wants to buy the car.

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Logical mileage

What is also important to the buyer, and what you need to be honest about, is the mileage. An extremely low reading arouses suspicion because mileage is still being tampered with. But, of course, your garage may have simply made a typographical error. On the RDW site, you can see if your mileage makes sense.

Tip 4: Get your bearings on asking prices.

Orient yourself to the prices at which cars of your model and type are offered. Check several car sites and visit garages. And based on the information you gather this way, determine your asking price. Remember to build in some negotiating room, because buyers like to haggle. You may ask whatever you want, of course, but you must be able to substantiate your asking price. And if you ask for too little, you also get too little for your car or suspect buyers hit a snag. If you ask for too much, you are less likely to get serious responses.

Tip 5: Use sales service or used car sales sites

Of course, as in the old days, you can stick an A4 sheet with “FOR SALE,” the asking price and your phone number behind the window, park your car by the road and wait. But you’re probably not waiting for strangers at your door, who also trash your car. If you don’t feel like “peddling” your car at the garage, on Marktplaats, Autotrader and other websites, you can also offer it through the ANWB Sales Service, the ViaBovag Online Car Sales Service. Or sites like www.ikwilvanmijnautoaf.nl, www.wijkopenautos.nl and countless others with telling names.