How to Prepare Your Car for Sale in Elmhurst, IL

If you’re ready to sell your car, Honda on Grand is ready to buy it! It doesn’t have to be a Honda — though we always love buying used models from our favorite brand. Whether you’d like to trade your vehicle in for something new (or new-to-you) or simply leave with cash in hand, we’ll make the process easy and straightforward. Just find your vehicle’s value on our website, then bring it to our dealership! Want to get the highest possible offer for your model? Make sure it’s clean and in good condition. Take a look at our tips below on how to prepare your car for sale.

Preparing Your Car for Sale

Taking the time to prepare your car for sale can impact its value, so putting in a little extra effort is worth it. After all, you want to put your car in the spotlight and show off its best qualities! Plus, the less our team has to do to prepare your vehicle for our lot, the more money we’ll be able to offer you. Consider whether the following areas of your car could be refreshed:

Interior

If it’s been a while since you cleaned your car, now is the time. We also recommend detailing the interior, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional. If you choose to do it yourself, start by removing your personal belongings and throwing away all trash. Next, vacuum the seats and carpeting, and if the floor mats look dirty, you may want to wash them with carpet shampoo. Wash the inside and outside of each window and clean out any dead leaves or twigs around your windshield wipers. Check the trunk to make sure you didn’t leave any items inside, and ensure that the spare tire, jack and any other tools that came with the car are all accounted for. You can even polish your tires and rims for extra sparkle and shine!

Exterior

You may have gotten used to the dings and scratches on the outside of your vehicle, but when you sell your car, these small imperfections may detract from your model’s value. Some damage can be fixed at home, while others may need to be addressed by a professional. However, remember not to overspend in an effort to perfect the exterior of your car. The money you invest should be less than the car’s worth.

Maintenance and Replacements

Similarly, taking care of maintenance tasks and replacing parts can help improve your vehicle’s value. Take care of burnt-out bulbs and worn windshield wipers, and your vehicle will be better for it. Also, don’t forget to top off your model’s fluids.

If your model needs major repairs or expensive new parts, we recommend holding off. Sinking a lot of money into a car you’re about to sell is a big risk. It’s best to just sell your car as-is if it needs extensive repairs.

Customizations

Finally, don’t forget to remove any customizations from your vehicle before selling it. While you may have loved the vinyl flames that raced down the side of your ride, not everyone will appreciate your additions as much as you do. If your customizations are more extensive (say, under the hood), just let our team know when you bring your vehicle to Honda on Grand.