Sell My Car: 4 Ways to Retain Your Car’s Value for Sale Day

For every car, there comes a day when you need to part with it. But until that day, the way you use–or abuse–your car will make a difference on how much cash you’ll have for your next car. Being the over-responsible person I am, I do most of these things anyway, but when it comes time to sell my car, I’m always pleased at how well my diligence pays off. Here are a few of my tips.

Drive Safely

Are you the queen of wild driving or the king of squealing tires in your efforts to take off at every stoplight? While this may feel more exciting and may feed your competitive drive, it takes a toll on your car. Slamming on the brakes, revving your engine for frequent take-offs, driving at excessive speeds, or driving carelessly over non-road surfaces will cause your car to wear out much sooner. There’s a reason why cars owned by grandmas are still in good shape even though they’re 20 years old. They’ve been driven with a soft foot and a kind hand.

Change the Oil

Don’t be one of those people that lets oil changes go undone until the car almost goes up in flames. Your car manual will tell you how often you need to get it done for your car. Oil keeps thousands of engine components lubricated and draws heat away from the engine. If you skip an oil change, the oil gets dirty and loses its effectiveness. Because of that, engine parts could get too hot and run less efficiently and parts could warp or wear out. It pays to get the oil changed on schedule.

Clean It

I don’t wait until I need to sell my car before I clean out an accumulation of debris. Remember when your mom made you clean up your room every day? That applies here. Don’t let your car become an assorted conglomerate of cups with dried coffee, sweaty gym clothes, and leftovers from your last several meals. Keep it cleared out. Dried-on food and beverages are hard to remove.

To preserve the exterior of your car as much as possible, wash your car regularly. If you live in a pollution-free, salt-free area, once a month will work just fine to keep your car in optimal shape. Bird and bug splatters don’t just look gross–they actually eat away at the paint, or even beyond, if left untouched. Salt is another killer. It causes unsightly rust and can even cause extensive damage to your car. Whenever you’re driving on salty or sandy roads, you’ll want to wash your car at least once a week. You may also want to get the undercarriage sealed.

Take Your Car for Maintenance

Besides the oil change, other parts of your car need regular attention. Keep your tires inflated to the right pressure. This can be found in your car manual. Not only does this improve your car mileage (3 percent by some estimates), but it also helps your tires perform better and helps you avoid accidents. Manufacturers recommend that you change your air filter and other fluids at certain mileage milestones.

I like to keep my set of wheels in great shape while I own it. Then, when it comes time to sell my car, I’m a step ahead. If you follow these tips, you’ll be a few steps ahead too.