Follow a strict maintenance schedule
With most vehicles, you are allowed a certain leeway to get preventative maintenance done. However, if you do this, you are taking a significant risk. Remember that your vehicle’s manufacturer knows what’s best, and failing to follow these recommendations can lead to some serious mechanical problems down the road. Be sure you head down to any one of our locations to get the following done on time. First, get your oil changed. Most vehicles can go 5,000 miles or so between oil changes but check your owner’s manual to be sure. If you tend to drive on challenging road conditions, you’ll need to get your oil changed more often. Next, have your transmission serviced. You’re probably going to have to do this every 30,000 miles, though some cars can go up to 60,000 miles. Ensure that you are diligent about keeping your transmission in good shape, especially if your make and model tends to develop transmission issues. Lastly, make sure you pay attention to other maintenance points. While replacing things like your timing belt can get expensive, your buyer is more likely to pay more money if all the maintenance is kept up.
Keep detailed records
Even if you are getting all of your maintenance done on time, a knowledgeable buyer might not believe it if you don’t have the proper paperwork to back it up. Be sure to keep all of your receipts from when you took your vehicle to be worked on. If you want to avoid having all the cluttering paperwork around your house, you can scan the receipts and keep them in an electronic file. If you do this, make sure that you back it up on a USB memory stick.
Make sure your exterior looks good
While your vehicle might have 200,000 miles on it, it doesn’t have to look like it! After all, eye appeal is buy appeal, and you are more likely to get a buyer if the outside of your car looks its best. To help your vehicle looking its best, be sure to wash your car regularly, at least once a week. This will eliminate all kinds of debris that could scratch the car’s paint job. Next, keep an eye out for rust spots and quickly fix this by adding some touch-up paint; make sure it’s the right color. Third, wax your car two to four times a year. This helps to protect the paint and gives your vehicle an irresistible shine. Finally, if your vehicle is ever in an accident and needs a new door panel, hood, or trunk lid, be sure not to buy one that’s a different color from the rest of the car.
Make sure your interior is appealing
No one in history has ever bought a car with stains all over the upholstery or smells like cigarettes. Be sure to use floor mats and seat covers to protect the vehicle’s interior. If you have leather seats, make sure that your regularly clean and condition them to prevent cracking and peeling. Do your best to avoid smoking in your car and when you get ready to sell, take your vehicle to a professional detailer who can give your vehicle a new car feeling and smell.
Get your vehicle serviced at Warren Henry Auto Group
One of the best things you can do to ensure your vehicle’s best resale value is to get regular maintenance checkups. This includes getting an oil change, having your fluids topped off, and getting things like tire rotations and wheel balancing done. Luckily, we can do all of this for you here at Warren Henry Auto Group! We have several locations to get your service done, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Gainesville. Please stop by any one of our locations to schedule your service, or you can do so right here on our website. We look forward to working on your vehicle, and our expert technicians are standing by. We can’t wait to see you!