How to Prepare Your Car for Sale in Kennesaw, GA

Want to get the most out of selling your current ride? Here at Cobb County Toyota, we know what it takes to make a vehicle stand out from the crowd, and we want to help you make your ride a true show-stopper. Whether you’re looking to walk out with cash in your hand or trade in your car for a new or used vehicle, we’ll give you a great offer. You can also discover the value of your car from the comfort of your couch by utilizing Kelley Blue Book® to receive an accurate estimate. Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and spruce up your ride for the spotlight? Keep reading to see what areas you should focus on most when it comes to preparing your car for sale.

Preparing Your Car for Sale

Your vehicle’s value is based on a variety of factors such as its age, mileage, trim, features, desirability and overall condition. Some of these are simply out of your control, but others you can improve with a little elbow grease. After all, this is your car’s time to shine — you want it to look its very best!

Interior Cleaning and Detailing

You can either hire a professional or take care of the detailing yourself. If you take the DIY route, make sure you hone in on the following key 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

It’s natural that your car has accumulated some small scratches and dents over time. However, as minor as these imperfections may seem, they actually have an impact on your vehicle’s overall value. You can fix these small issues with a DIY kit from a car parts shop. But if the damage is extensive enough, you may have to hire a professional to take care of it. Before you do this, gather different quotes to make sure you’re not paying more than what you plan to sell the car for. If the price will be disproportionately high, you may want to consider selling the vehicle as is.

Minor Repairs and Replacements

Don’t neglect burnt-out headlights or malfunctioning windshield wipers; fix these issues so that the new buyer will be more enticed to purchase your problem-free vehicle. Don’t stress about major repairs to the engine or transmission — just be transparent about these issues and sell the model as is.

Removing Customizations

While customizing your ride is a way to express your personality and stand out on the road, it’s not favorable to have these additions on the vehicle when you plan on selling it. Try your best to revert the car to its original state as much as possible. If your car has a custom paint job, or if anything has been tweaked under the hood, just let us know when you bring your vehicle in for an appraisal.

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. Cobb County Toyota is located at 2111 Barrett Lakes Blvd., Kennesaw, GA 30144, serving the automotive needs of our neighbors from Marietta, Acworth and the greater Atlanta area.