When it comes to selling your car, preparing it in order to be in top shape for a buyer can seem a daunting task. There are many factors that you will have to take into consideration. These will range from first deciphering the age of your vehicle to the condition of both the inside and outside of the car. If you are struggling on where to start, follow these few simple tips in order to make sure your car is sale-ready. 

Calculate your car’s age

With the new 70 number plate having been released just this month in September 2020, knowing how to calculate the age of your car by the registration plate is important. This is so you can easily assess the age and quality of the car, as well as knowing how much insurance will cost for future owners. To identify your car’s age, simply look at the third and fourth digit of the number plate. The first and second will indicate where the car was registered, whilst the third and fourth will be what you need for the age. These two numbers named the ‘age identifier’ will signify the year in which the car was made. For example, a car made in 2017 will have ‘17’ in its registration number. 

Get a full service on your car

The best way to increase the value of your car is to show a full, up to date service history. By having all the history of your car in black and white for the buyer to see, this will make the car far more attractive to the potential buyer. When you have your car serviced, they will check over everything, including coolant levels, tyres and electrics. This will be the easiest way for you to see what sort of condition your vehicle is in and if any major repairs need to be undertaken before the selling of your car. If these repairs are done before you sell, the value of your car could increase by up to 20%. This shows the buyer that the car was well maintained and looked after during the whole ownership. Make sure to file away all service receipts and paper copies in order for this to pay off on the day that you make your sale.

Clean, clean and clean again

Before anything else, the first thing a prospective buyer will notice is the cleanliness of your car. A sparkling clean car without that ‘second hand’ look will create a much better first impression. We know any second-hand car isn’t going to look brand spanking new but you do want the car to look as fresh as possible. Whilst avoiding any harsh chemicals or materials that may damage your car in any way, make sure to remove even the smallest everyday marks such as mud, tree sap, or stains. RAC Shop offers a range of Autoglym cleaning products to tackle these stains and marks. Vacuuming your car’s interior will immediately give it that facelift it will need in order to look its best to a buyer. If you have been consistent in cleaning your car over the time you have owned it, this will only increase its value even more. RAC shop stocks a large range of car cleaning products that will help you out when it comes to selling your car.

Renew your MOT

If the time has come to renew your MOT or it is due in the next two to three months, it is best to get this done before attempting to sell. This will not only prevent the new owner forking out for an MOT straight away but will also allow you time to make sure that everything in your car meets the Road Traffic Act 1988 standards. Once everything has been checked, you can proceed to sell your vehicle with every confidence that it is running perfectly fine and is in the best condition that it can be before being handed over to the new owner. Again, make sure to keep hold of all these records to show to the prospective buyers when the time comes. 

Changing the ownership of your car

You must note that you will always need a V5C handbook which records the registered keeper or keepers of the vehicle. Legally this would be the person taxing and registering the vehicle, and usually, the owner is the same person. In order to transfer the ownership, you will see section 6 and 8 on your V5C form. This will allow you to fill out all the details, alongside checking the box that states that the keeper of the vehicle will be changing. This form will then need to be sent off to the DVLA.