5 Best Ways to Retain the Value of Your Car
The value of cars deteriorates over time. That, you cannot control. However, what you can control is the rate of depreciation; the speed with which your car loses value over time. There are quick and easy steps you can take to retain the value of your car.
To get the best price for your used car, you need to be proactive and maintain the value of the vehicle. Having a passive, nonchalant approach is not enough.
Below, we review the best ways you can retain the value of your car – from regular inspections and smoking cessation to stain clean-ups, regular oil changes and keeping mileage to a minimum.
#1 Don’t smoke!
Smoking is renowned for causing long-term damage to your vehicle.
Smoking not only adds an unpleasant and permanent whiff to your car, but it also causes materials in the car to turn a yellowish-gray color. Selling your vehicle becomes that much more difficult because, at the end of the day, most people don’t smoke.
Remember – only about one-fifth of the population smoke. If you’re trying to tell your car to the other 80 percent who do not smoke, you’re going to find it much, much harder.
If you don’t smoke, remember to inform other passengers not to smoke in your car. Perhaps your spouse smokes, in which case it might be time to have that awkward conversation.
#2 Tune-ups
Your car is like the human body.
Leave small problems to fester and they’re likely to snowball into something much more serious. The price-tag for remedying these problems can stretch into the many thousands of dollars.
Be proactive and have your used car inspected by a competent professional.
Many mechanical problems are not noticeable until these inspections are performed. In other words, there may be no immediate symptoms. Tune-ups are a relatively inexpensive yet great, preventative measure to retain the value of your car.
Savvy car buyers know when something is up. Cars that are regularly tuned-up perform better on the road. They’re also quieter, too.
These are things that buyers’ pick-up on and will impact the final price you receive.
Getting the oil regularly changed is an absolute must. It costs less than $50 and eliminates the risk of many damaging effects to the engine.
You or your mechanic should also listen out for unusual engine noises; a classic, easy-to-spot way to identify potential engine damage.
Repairing engine damage now is preferable to letting problems go unchecked, mushrooming into something much more nefarious and, ultimately, much costlier.
#3 Protect your car
Anyone left outside is subject to experience the turbulence of the elements.
Whether its rain or light, intense and long-term exposure to the elements can deteriorate the value of your vehicle.
Keeping the car in the garage is the way to go; a simple, hassle-free way to protect your car. Your garage also protects the vehicle against debris, too.
#4 Remove stains
Small stains are often hard to spot. Even worse, they often go ignored.
Don’t ignore stains, no matter how small or irrelevant they seem. The sooner you eliminate the stain, the better.
Stains become much more difficult to remove in the long term. The last thing you need is for a potential buyer to notice long-term permanent stains, reducing the value of your vehicle.
After all, it’s often prohibitively expensive to replace fabrics.
Remember – stains are temporary problems which, if left unchecked, become permanent stains.
Don’t let these stains become permanent!
#5 Handling your used car
Be easy when driving your vehicle.
There’s no need to excessively accelerate or to suddenly stop. You’re not 16 years old anymore. Careful driving is an absolute must if you hope to retain the value of your car.
These are bad habits that you need to meet head on. Don’t turn hard if you don’t need to. These small things cause long-term damage in the same way that daily double cheese burger with side of onion rings contributes toward heart disease over thirty years.
Reducing mileage, too, helps to reduce this type of damage. Clearly, you are limited to what mileage you use but be aware that higher mileage results in lower value. If you can, try to keep mileage levels to an absolute minimum. A 10 percent reduction can, in the long-term, have an enormous impact over months and years.
In short, avoid unnecessary wear and tear. Your car will thank you in the long term.
Final Thoughts
By taking these steps, you can easily retain the value of your car:
- Don’t smoke!
- Conduct regular tune-ups!
- Protect your car from the elements!
- Remove unwanted stains ASAP!
- Handle your vehicle with care!
Vegas Used Cars is the leading used car dealership in Las Vegas. Check back to our auto blog soon for even more great tips on how you can retain the value of your car.
