The rule of thumb, when it comes to car sales, is to be honest but not to the extent of pointing out all of the bad items in your used car. Give a realistic image of your vehicle. If the condition of the vehicle is average, say that it is in fair condition. If it needs minor body repairs, state the same. Many buyers, who want to save up on the purchase cost, are more than willing to do these repairs themselves. Cars that are in perfect shape also have buyers of their own. Just be sincere in advertising the condition of your vehicle and the public interest will follow. It's also a safeguard against law suits.
A good position is to say that the car "needs minor body work" and not to offer additional information about parts that are not in top condition. However, when asked, always give an honest answer. Many buyers are willing to have second-hand cars repaired by themselves if they see that the vehicle will be worth the effort. This is especially true for people who want to get a bargain from the purchase.Yet the question remains - do you have your auto servicing and maintenance done - never mind auto financing - where you purchased the vehicle or do you go third party non OEM ? Its not always easy to find auto service deals for your particular car or truck brand name. For example if you live in the Vancouver BC or lower mainland regions of British Columbia you might look up the terms in a Google ,Bing or Yahoo search online. Many people only trust dealers and their service departments rather than the 19 year old gal or guy - or their helper in the back room of the shop to do the work. The story was told of one bright woman - a college degree type who even had a straight 4 A average with a Masters degree. She had bought a door to door coupon book which had big box store oil change coupons in it. She shepherded out these like gold. Her brother , a lawyer by trade, had a pampered 2008 shiny-bright blue Toyota Matrix. When the big box store outlet got through with filling his tiny Honda Civic engine with 5 liters of oil instead of its max filling of 3.5 liters in the crankcase - the engine seals were blown. A real bargain - the owner had to replace his automobile for reliability and as he noted - the big box store assumed no liability and in sum total "could of cared less". A real bargain so to speak. For the kind of money spent he might of well bought a spanking brand new right off the new car; dealership lot. New is new when it comes to vehicles and auto ( or truck) ownership. New automobiles , after all,come not only with new parts and components but also new car warranties. With cars these days their is so much crammed under the hood - for a mechanic to get at any part is an expensive auto repair bill almost guaranteed. On top of that once the "body is open" your mechanic or auto service writer is sure to recommend additional (and costly ) repairs. For the young man in this case to step up to a new or perhaps newer replacement vehicle might of been the wisest route to travel.
When it comes to car cleaning, here are some pointers. The whole point in this is for the buyer to know that the car was well-cared for by the owner. Bring out the best in the vehicle by vacuuming the carpet, washing the upholstery and emptying out the ash trays. Clean windows also give the illusion of a roomier and brighter space. Car wax adds $50 to the selling price. Have that done as well. Don't have a shop re-paint your vehicle. Buyers will instantly think that a crashed part has been repaired and the seller is trying to conceal the work done through paint. If you're planning to replace worn pedal covers, floor mats and torn upholstery, it should be cone a couple of weeks in advance. Alert buyers will believe that the obvious, shiny, and new accessories had to replace worn out parts. This is essentially associated with high mileage.
When a serious buyer comes along, the objective is to exhibit your car's best qualities. Clean the vehicle thoroughly and inside out. Get the car washed including the upholstery and ensure that the rugs are vacuumed. Don't forget to empty the ash trays. Windows and the windshield must be cleaned thoroughly because when a buyer gets inside a car with clean windows, the eyes get tricked into thinking that the car is more spacious than it actually is. The car should look like its well taken care of.
Who knows in the end with a nicely detailed and clean car you may decide that you like the vehicle after all, your know its pluses and minuses, its good points and bad points, the service and upkeep that has been done or needs doing. You might decide after all not to sell the car and instead keep it. Your previous ugly duckling of a vehicle - dirty and dusty may well have emerged to you as diamond in the rough.
A good position is to say that the car "needs minor body work" and not to offer additional information about parts that are not in top condition. However, when asked, always give an honest answer. Many buyers are willing to have second-hand cars repaired by themselves if they see that the vehicle will be worth the effort. This is especially true for people who want to get a bargain from the purchase.Yet the question remains - do you have your auto servicing and maintenance done - never mind auto financing - where you purchased the vehicle or do you go third party non OEM ? Its not always easy to find auto service deals for your particular car or truck brand name. For example if you live in the Vancouver BC or lower mainland regions of British Columbia you might look up the terms in a Google ,Bing or Yahoo search online. Many people only trust dealers and their service departments rather than the 19 year old gal or guy - or their helper in the back room of the shop to do the work. The story was told of one bright woman - a college degree type who even had a straight 4 A average with a Masters degree. She had bought a door to door coupon book which had big box store oil change coupons in it. She shepherded out these like gold. Her brother , a lawyer by trade, had a pampered 2008 shiny-bright blue Toyota Matrix. When the big box store outlet got through with filling his tiny Honda Civic engine with 5 liters of oil instead of its max filling of 3.5 liters in the crankcase - the engine seals were blown. A real bargain - the owner had to replace his automobile for reliability and as he noted - the big box store assumed no liability and in sum total "could of cared less". A real bargain so to speak. For the kind of money spent he might of well bought a spanking brand new right off the new car; dealership lot. New is new when it comes to vehicles and auto ( or truck) ownership. New automobiles , after all,come not only with new parts and components but also new car warranties. With cars these days their is so much crammed under the hood - for a mechanic to get at any part is an expensive auto repair bill almost guaranteed. On top of that once the "body is open" your mechanic or auto service writer is sure to recommend additional (and costly ) repairs. For the young man in this case to step up to a new or perhaps newer replacement vehicle might of been the wisest route to travel.
When it comes to car cleaning, here are some pointers. The whole point in this is for the buyer to know that the car was well-cared for by the owner. Bring out the best in the vehicle by vacuuming the carpet, washing the upholstery and emptying out the ash trays. Clean windows also give the illusion of a roomier and brighter space. Car wax adds $50 to the selling price. Have that done as well. Don't have a shop re-paint your vehicle. Buyers will instantly think that a crashed part has been repaired and the seller is trying to conceal the work done through paint. If you're planning to replace worn pedal covers, floor mats and torn upholstery, it should be cone a couple of weeks in advance. Alert buyers will believe that the obvious, shiny, and new accessories had to replace worn out parts. This is essentially associated with high mileage.
When a serious buyer comes along, the objective is to exhibit your car's best qualities. Clean the vehicle thoroughly and inside out. Get the car washed including the upholstery and ensure that the rugs are vacuumed. Don't forget to empty the ash trays. Windows and the windshield must be cleaned thoroughly because when a buyer gets inside a car with clean windows, the eyes get tricked into thinking that the car is more spacious than it actually is. The car should look like its well taken care of.
Who knows in the end with a nicely detailed and clean car you may decide that you like the vehicle after all, your know its pluses and minuses, its good points and bad points, the service and upkeep that has been done or needs doing. You might decide after all not to sell the car and instead keep it. Your previous ugly duckling of a vehicle - dirty and dusty may well have emerged to you as diamond in the rough.
About the Author:
With the prevalence of the internet, and third party information sites, the ongoing financial health , according to their bankers, or retail automobile operations has dropped dramatically since prices are widely advertised and best discounts are given to remain competitive.
