Motorway, a leading online used-car marketplace, recently commissioned research which revealed four in 10 (43%) of UK residents are missing out on securing the best price for their car, by not carrying out simple tasks.
Research found that car owners were failing to change tyres (37%) and also neglecting to buy new floor mats (37%) topped the list of things people don’t do when selling their vehicle. Such little improvements can impact the potential final sale price.
Surprisingly, over a fifth of UK residents (22%) admit they don’t clean their car interior before selling, while one in 10 (11%) don’t wipe down food stains before selling.
As well as cleaning, tasks such as polishing and repairing alloys (33%) or replacing old window wipers (27%) can help to add value to a second-hand vehicle. The research also revealed over a quarter (28%) of UK adults don’t clean the tyres when selling their vehicle, forget to change the oil (35%) and just under a third fail to fix damage to bodywork (32%) or polish the vehicle (32%).
A spokesperson for online used-car marketplace Motorway said: “Just like a home-owner would conduct DIY jobs before selling, there are a few quick fixes car owners could be carrying out, to get the best price for their car. To start, car sellers should give their car a thorough clean, inside and out. The better the car looks, the easier it will be for a dealer to imagine the car sitting on their forecourt.
“Replacing worn-out components is another easy fix, which will provide a return on investment. Floor mats are inexpensive and very easy to replace, which go a long way in revitalising the inside of a car. And if it’s a more expensive car, replacing key features such as alloy wheels with brand new ones, could drive a much better price for the seller.”
The top 10 simple fixes UK residents neglect to carry out, which could impact the value of their car sale:
- Put on new tyres (37%)
- Buy new floor mats (37%)
- Change the oil (35%)
- Polish/repair alloys (33%)
- Fix damage to bodywork (32%)
- Polish it (32%)
- Make a small repair (31%)
- Fill the tank with petrol/diesel (29%)
- Clean the tyres (28%)
- Change a wiper blade (27%)
For a free valuation, to find out what you could get for your car, visit www.Motorway.co.uk
