How to Prepare Your Car for Sale

How to Prepare Your Car for Sale in Gainesville, FL
When you sell your car, you should get the best possible offer for it. That’s why you can rest assured that BMW of Gainesville will give you the most compelling price. Even better, if you’re interested in trading in your vehicle, you can select a new or used car from our inventory. If you’re interested in finding out your ride’s Kelley Blue Book® value, you can simply visit our website and get that information in minutes. If your vehicle requires a little more TLC, continue reading to learn how you can boost its value and get a better price for it.
Preparing Your Car for Sale
There are a lot of areas that we take into consideration when we evaluate your vehicle — its age, trim, mileage, features, desirability and condition. We recommend putting your energy into the characteristics that are in your control. Depending on the amount of time and money you invest, you could positively influence the final payout. If you want to transform your car to look its very best, follow these easy steps below.

Interior Cleaning and Detailing
You could either hire a professional to detail your car, or you could do it yourself. Your choice depends on how much you’re willing to pay and how big of a task it is for your vehicle. If you’re interested in cleaning it yourself, make sure you don’t forget these important areas:
- Remove all personal items and trash from the car.
- Vacuum the carpet and upholstery thoroughly.
- If the floor mats are stained, you can wash them with carpet shampoo.
- Wash the windows and windshield inside and out.
- Pull twigs and leaves out from the area where the wipers sit.
- Check the trunk for any belongings.
- Ensure that the spare tire, car jack and tools are all in their proper places.
- Want to take it to the next level? Polish your tires and rims for extra sparkle and shine.

Exterior Refurbishments
Minor scratches and dents come with the territory of driving a car for many years. Unfortunately, these imperfections could depreciate your vehicle. Some damage could be small enough where you can fix them yourself. But if there’s significant damage, we don’t recommend you to try and make it a DIY project. A professional could easily fix major exterior damage. However, make sure you’re aware of the price tag that comes with these repairs. If it’s a substantial amount, you might want to sell the car as-is. You don’t want to break-even when it comes time to sell your vehicle.

Minor Repairs and Replacements
Is your car due for an oil change? It’s in your best interest to get all routine maintenance completed before you sell your vehicle. Check your headlights and make sure they are working or if they need replacing. These small details can positively influence the value of your car. If there are major repairs needed, you may want to consider keeping the vehicle as-is instead of breaking the bank to achieve perfection.

Removing Customizations
Customizations can make your car stand out from the crowd on the road. But, this is actually the opposite of what you want when it comes time to sell it. While modifications can be fun, we highly recommend reverting back to the way your car originally looked if you want to sell it. This will boost its desirability substantially. If there’s anything major that you can’t easily refurbish, simply let us know when you bring in your vehicle just so we’re aware of the changes.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Our team will be happy to help, and we can’t wait to give you a great offer for your car. BMW of Gainesville is located at 2853 North Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32609, serving the automotive needs of our neighbors from Alachua, Lake City and High Springs.