If you're planning to sell a vehicle, you want to get the best possible price for it. Often the best way to do this is to fix whatever small problems you can before you make the sale. Here are a few steps to make sure your car is in top shape before you list it.

What to Do Before You Sell a Vehicle

1. Get an Inspection

A professional inspection is the best way to identify any fixable issues, as well as getting a thorough sense of the car's condition which you can use to determine a fair price. It's up to you whether to have any complex issues repaired or to sell the car as-is.

2. Detail the Interior

Any prospective buyer is going to want a test drive. Stains, smells, and mess can put them off buying a car even if it's perfect in all other ways, while an especially clean interior can improve the car's image and encourage a sale.

3. Buff Out Dents & Scratches

To improve your car's curb appeal, go over its exterior looking for any light damage you can remove or fill in at home. It may even be worth buying a new door or body panel if just one or two of these car parts are especially damaged.

4. Check the Lights

Test the headlights, brake lights, and interior dome lamps to make sure they're all clean and working. If not, a light bulb is one of the easiest car parts to replace--just open up the cover, unscrew the old bulb, and put a new one in.

5. Simple Repairs

If you understand your car's engine, there are many repairs you can do cheaply at home. Changing an old belt or topping up the engine's fluids will help the car run more smoothly and look well maintained if your buyer pops the hood.

When you're getting ready to sell a vehicle, you can order parts inexpensively from High Point Auto Salvage in North Carolina. Serving Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, and Randolph counties, this family-owned company sources their parts from auto auctions for both foreign and domestic vehicles. They also offer car buying and recycling services. For questions, call (336) 889-9062 or send a message online.