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Our opening Hours:
Monday - 08:00-17:00
Tuesday - 08:00-17:00
Wednesday - 08:00-17:00
Thursday - 08:00-17:00
Friday - 08:00-17:00
Saturday - 08:00-12:30

Getting Your Car Ready for Re-Sale

We all know that first impressions count and that’s definitely the case when it comes to buying a car, whether it’s a brand-new or a second-hand one.   Garage showrooms have a dedicated team in place to ensure the showroom itself and the cars they are selling are in tip top condition when customers come in to have a look at them.

However, if you’re selling a car yourself, you don’t have this luxury.  You can of course take it to one of the valeting services you see on the streets dotted over many local towns and cities, but these are usually just a quick fix, often leaving hidden areas uncleaned and unsightly streaks over the paintwork.

A more effective option is to clean your car yourself using specialist valeting products, like those offered by IPS Paint Supplies.  After all, you’re after the best price possible for your car – and a small expenses along with some hard graft can help you to get more ‘bang for your buck’ when it comes to a resale.

Benefits of Valeting Your Car

If your car is shiny and sparkling, both in and out, it will give off the impression to the potential buyer that you’ve taken good care of the car whilst in your ownership.  It will also make them think that you have maintained other areas of the car such as regular oil changes, fluid checks and replacing the tyres for example.  This in turn can have an impact on the price they are prepared to offer you for the vehicle.

On the flip side, if the car you are planning to re-sell is grubby and grimy both in and out, it will create the exact opposite impression, and you’ll end up with a lower price.

Cleaning Your Car

Start by decluttering the whole car.  Get rid of those bits and pieces that have accumulated over the years including tissues, sweet packets, empty bottles, the kids’ paraphernalia, etc.. Then get the vacuum cleaner out and get to it on the carpets and upholstery as well as any bits of dust and particles that have accumulated around other areas like the gear stick or door pockets. And don’t forget the boot too!

If you can’t reach all of the tricky areas with a vacuum nozzle, then use a cotton bud or similar to clean the tiny folds between the cushions for example. You should also clean the windows with a proper window cleaner to avoid smears and streaks.  The smell of your car is important too, so use proper deodorisers to get rid of any bad smells and ensure a fresh odour when the doors are opened.

Once you’re happy with the inside of the car, then it’s time to start on the outside.  You’ll need buckets, sponges and microfibre cloths as well as properly developed car valeting products to get the paintwork clean without sustaining any damage and to avoid messy smears too.   Take your time over this job as it’s the outside of the vehicle that your buyer will see first!

Once the car is washed and clean, we also recommend spending some time and money polishing and waxing the paintwork too.  You can also invest in specialist products to spruce up your wheels and tyres for maximum kerb appeal.

For full-on impact, you may also want to clean under the bonnet too.  To do this, you will need

some high-quality degreaser to get all the oily grime off. Then use a brush, slowly and carefully, to remove the chemical residue around all the belts and hoses.

IPS Paint Supplies

We trust these tips will help you to get the best possible re-sale price for your car.  At IPS Paint Supplies we stock a huge range of quality, valeting products which are available from our shop in Llansamlet.  Or you can read more here.