Whether you’re planning on selling your car sometime soon or you’re eager to keep it in the best shape for when you sell in the future, it’s important to know just what to avoid to protect it’s value. Every car’s value depreciates year on year, but there are a few things that can speed up a drop in value – from poor car maintenance and ignoring necessary repairs, to smoking in the car or decorating it with stickers, there are a number of things that can have an impact. If you’re unsure, we’ve put together a list of some of the ways you could unknowingly be hurting the resale value of your car. 

Smoking

Smoking in your car could be pulling the value down more than you might initially think. Smoke gets into the very fibres of your car’s interior and the contaminants ultimately bond with the materials and make it virtually impossible to remove both the smell and colouration that it leaves behind. Long-term smoke damage could take thousands off of your resale value (depending on the car), so if quitting isn’t part of your plan, it’s probably best to pull over to smoke or wait until you get to your destination.

Not Keeping Up With Servicing

Servicing exists for a reason and that reason is to ensure that your car is in its best shape and that it is being maintained properly. A regular servicing schedule will not only ensure that your car is in a good condition to drive, but having a full history available for whoever may buy your car in the future will give them peace of mind, and ensure that you are getting the best possible price for your vehicle. Here at Service4Service, you can book a service easily with our team, and we’ll run a full, comprehensive service for you to get your car back into good shape.

Stickers And Decoration

Bumper and window stickers are a great way to showcase your personality, but for a car that you’re planning to sell in the future, they could potentially damage the resale value. Selling a car with stickers on could deter buyers or reduce the amount they are willing to pay, and removing stickers yourself before selling the car could lead to issues like scratching, pigmentation differences or even chipped or peeled paint that may cost you extra in bodywork repairs before you sell. 

Racking Up The Miles

Cars are made to be driven, so racking up miles isn’t something you can avoid if you want to make good use of your vehicle while you have it. However, there are a few milestones you should be aware of that could help you time selling your car a little more effectively. The first is 30-40,000 miles. After that, the next milestone is 60-70,000 and after that, it’s 100,000 miles. Once you cross any of these milestones, the mileage often causes the price to drop considerably, so it’s best to use your vehicle until just before each milestone but not just after – just after will usually have you missing out. 

Letting Your Car Get And Stay Dirty

It can be easy to just ignore the build-up of dirt on your car, particularly when it’s already covered in the dust and grime of UK roads, however letting that dirt build and built and leaving it there for any length of time could cause you more trouble than you think. Dirt left uncleaned could lead to problems with the paintwork, encourage rust or even cause straining by allowing pollutants to become embedded. Not cleaning your car can do more than just damage the paintwork – dirt getting into scratches or the nooks and crannies in your can cause it to become difficult to remove, ultimately making it near-impossible to clean when you really need to.

Here at Service4Service, we can provide repairs for the engine, bodywork, clutch and more, as well as servicing to keep your vehicle in top shape. Give yourself a better selling price by looking after your car now – get in touch with our team to find out more, today.