Sell it First Time – Five Ways to Make Your Car Stand Out

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Chris Pollitt

When it comes to selling something big, say your house, there is no room for laziness. Before the estate agent comes around, you tidy up, you make sure the hoovering has been done, you do the washing up and you ensure the clothes horse with your washed pants has been put away. Why? Because you want people to see your house and fall in love with it, and then buy it. It’s common sense. 

Why then, do people become so lazy when it comes to selling their cars? The old saying is keen to remind us that a car is the second biggest expenditure next to our homes. However, this notion doesn’t translate to making the same amount of effort when it comes to selling our cars. Dirt, scratches, missing bits, rubbish photos – there are so many adverts out there that fall flat on their face in terms of presentability. 

With that in mind, we thought it would be handy to create a list of five things that a seller should do in order to ensure that their car is the glimmering jewel within a sea of adverts. Selling is a visual thing, it’s what people see on their screens that will encourage them to pick up the phone or to send an email. You could have the best car in the world, but if it’s poorly represented, nobody is going to notice it. So, if you’re looking to sell your car, classic or otherwise, here are five ‘must do’ tips:

1) Wheels, windows and plates

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Life is busy, we know that. You might not have the time to do all the things we’re about to list. However, if there is one thing (well, three things) you do, make it this: windows, wheels and plates. It might seem like an odd collection, but stay with us. 

Clean windows is the work of but a moment with a cloth. Get rid of any faded stickers, any old pay and display stickers, and of course, any dirt. Windows are important, and if they’re clean, the rest of the car looks more presentable. Don’t believe us? Try it, then sit in the car and look around. Makes a difference. 

Wheels are also important; they are the first thing many people will look at. If yours are rusty and tired, bust out the wire brush, knock the corrosion off and treat them to a new coat of paint. If they’re alloy, get in there with some degreaser/iron deposit remover and give them a scrub. Clean wheels can set a car off in terms of looks. 

The same goes for plates. We all need registration plates, but we don’t need old, faded, cracked, rubbish plates. Get online and buy a new set for twenty quid and stick them on. Nice plates are a huge visual draw. 

2) Wash it

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It sounds so simple, but go and have a look at cars for sale online and you won’t have to go far before you find a dirty one. Why? You want your car to look its absolute best, so as a bare minimum it’s worth throwing a bucket of soapy water over it.

Don’t stop there, though. Clean it inside and out, bust out the Henry and get all the dust and debris off the carpet, get some stain remover and sort out the marks on the upholstery, make it look as good as it possibly can. And get the bonnet open. We’re not saying you need to return it to ‘as new’ but a cursory spritz with some degreaser and a bit of a scrub will make your engine bay look so much better. It shows care and attention, and people like that. 

If the thought of cleaning your car fills you with dread, pay someone to do it. £50 on a full valet is money you will make back when you sell the car, easily. 

3) Fix it

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Cars develop bumps, rattles and little idiosyncrasies over time, and we live with them. They become a part of the very fabric of the car. However, what our ears are used to as owners may be a cause for concern for a potential buyer. And while we’re not asking you to spend your life savings restoring the car, we are suggesting that cheap fixes should be addressed before you sell it. What might cost £10 to fix might end up being a £50 reduction when the offers start coming in.

If the issues are visual, missing bits of trim and the like, you can tackle these jobs with ease. Acquire said trim and get it fitted. If there are dents and dings, enquire with a dent repair specialist to see what’s involved. For everything else, the classic car world is rich in suppliers and fixers. Trim, electrics, mechanical issues, there is someone for every job.  

Of course, you have to mitigate your outlay, as you don’t want to lose money. However, if the jobs can be done without too great an expense, do them. They make your car better, they give a potential buyer less to be concerned by or alternatively, getting it all fixed may rekindle your love for the car and you end up keeping it! 

4) Write a proper advert 

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“Nice car, some history, £10,000 ono” is NOT going to cut it. You want to sell your car? Give interested parties all the information they could need. Start with the car, the specification and how long you have owned it. Explain the service history, detail any work you have had done to the car, describe how it drives and describe what it means to you (especially relevant if a classic car). You want to put any potential buyer in the driving seat, you want to woo them with words and make them want the car. 

Be honest as well. If the car has faults, list them in detail. Do not ignore mentioning them, because when someone comes to look only for you to give them a barrage of failings, they’ll walk away. If they know of any issues before calling you, they’re prepared. Plus, the potential buyer who calls will be a better quality of buyer – they are informed, they know as much as they can about the car. But they’re still interested. This is why honesty is best. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to say why you’re selling it. In many cases, this can be helpful. Potential buyers will want to know, and whether you’re selling it because you’ve outgrown it, because you want to try something else, or even if it’s simply because it’s not the right car for you, buyers will be grateful to know and they’ll understand. 

5)Photograph it properly

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We’ll be doing a photography guide soon (if it ever stops raining). However, until then, there are some simple tips we can give you. After all, the photos you post are key to getting interested parties. These images are your storefront, your point of sale material. They have to be good. 

You don’t need to be David Bailey to take good pictures of your car though, so don’t panic. And yes, as long as your phone is relatively modern, that will be just fine. What you need to do is take some time with the pictures, take one, look at it and satisfy yourself it’s usable. Don’t halfheartedly snap a load of images and use them because it’s easier. 

Make sure you get the full car in the shot, make sure it’s well lit, give yourself space to get around the car (don’t take pictures of it hemmed in at the side of your house, for example), make sure the shots are in focus and make sure you get a minimum of both sides, front, rear, interior and engine. The more pictures you have, the more pictures a potential buyer can fall in love with.

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