Ask the Motor Medics

The Under the Hood Show

Dear Motor Medics, I will be ready to purchase a new car soon and will need to sell the one I have. I’d like to know how I can get the best resale value for my car and how to go about finding out how much that number should be.

Thank you, Darlene in McCook, Nebraska

Dear Darlene, When you want to get the best resale value at the time of sale you should start at the time of purchase. Along the way keep all records of anything done to the car to show the care you have given it.

A well cared for vehicle will bring more than a neglected one. Follow the severe service maintenance recommendations in the owner’s manual and when things break, have them fixed.

If you have done none of these things or just a few, you can still get good value for your car.

A clean car will usually bring more money faster than a dirty one and often people buy on impulse because of looks alone. A complete professional detail is usually in the $200 range.

Once it’s clean and ready to sell, set your price. Selling it privately will usually bring in the most money. To get a good estimate of what you should ask, check the local papers and car lots for similar mileage and condition vehicles. This will give you a real world estimate for the location you are in as prices can vary between markets.

Take care, The Motor Medics