Things to do before you sell your car

The need to sell cars often arises from an urgent need for money. After the sale, most people realise that they have made a mistake and the amount of money got cannot buy them another car.

Before selling off a car, you need to sit down and think about the cost of another car and the source of money.

A female friend decided to sell her Toyota Nadia at sh8m, but failed to get her target car at the same amount. She ended up paying for another used car in installments. 

If you just feel like changing to another brand or a newer car, plan well and save some money to top up on the amount expected from the sale to get the new car. If you do not have the top-up money, do not sell your car.

Instead, get some money and refurbish it. I have owned a Toyota Mark II for 10 years and if I were to sell it, the highest amount I would get is sh3m.

Because its mechanical condition is still good, I decided to refurbish it instead of selling it as this would have meant having sh7m more to top up to buy another car.

Secondly, no one should place undue stress on you to sell them your car. You should also not just look at new cars and feel you have to buy one.

If you have money, it is better to sell your old car after buying a new one. Because you will not be in a hurry to sell, you will get a good price for your old car. You must also know the worth and market value of your car before you sell it.

Remember that every buyer wants to get the best car at the lowest cost. They will try to point out even the smallest dent to force you to lower the price.

PREPARE YOUR CAR WELL

➧Clean your car well, including the engine

➧Polish it if you can and empty the ash tray

➧Remove all litter inside like papers and bottles

➧Vacuum the interior and clean the console

➧Remove any oil or grease stains

➧Use an air freshener to give the interior a good scent.

➧Go to a fuel station and have all the dust blown out at little or no cost.

➧Ensure the tools are there and the spare tyre is good

➧Replace any missing or broken items.

➧Service the car. Do not forget to change the coolant, the air cleaners and the oil and keep the sticker that shows when the next oil change is due

➧Balance the tyre pressure and do a wheel balancing and alignment to make the car drive well

➧Repair and refill the AC system if it is not working well.