How to Prepare Your Car for Sale in Lafayette, LA

If you’re looking to make some cash by selling your car, Giles Buys Cars wants to purchase it! We make it easy and stress-free to sell your car, and since the used car market is booming right now, it’s a great time to sell your vehicle. All you have to do is get your Kelley Blue Book® Instant Cash Offer and then bring your vehicle to one of our locations in the Giles family of dealerships. There, one of our team members will visually inspect your model’s interior and exterior, and they may also test-drive the vehicle to confirm that it runs properly. Your vehicle’s condition will affect its value, and your >Instant Cash Offer may be raised or lowered based on the dealer’s visual inspection.

Want to get the highest possible price for your model? You’ll want to make sure your car is squeaky clean and in good condition. We’ve bought plenty of used cars over the years from customers in Lafayette, New Iberia, Abbeville, Youngsville and Broussard, and we want to share exactly what ways you can bring up your vehicle’s value prior to sale.

Preparing Your Car for Sale

Your vehicle’s condition has a major impact on its value, and you can bump up the final offer by putting some time and effort into cleaning it up. Remember: This is your car’s time to shine — why not put it in the best possible light with a little elbow grease? If our team doesn’t have to do much to prepare your car for the lot, we’ll be able to give you more money for it. Take a look at your model and see if you could make any of the following improvements:

Interior Cleaning and Detailing

A deep cleaning and some detail work can make all the difference when it comes to selling your vehicle. You can either pay to have this done or do it yourself, keeping in mind that professional detailers can charge up to a few hundred dollars for their high-quality work.

If you choose to do it yourself, here are some areas to focus on:

  • Start by removing all personal belongings and throwing away any trash that has collected in the car.
  • Vacuum the vehicle thoroughly, making sure to clean out the areas between seats and in the upholstery’s grooves. If the floor mats still look dirty after you vacuum them, try washing them with carpet shampoo, or if you’d rather replace them altogether, you can buy inexpensive mats at many auto parts stores.
  • Wash the windows, inside and out, and make sure there aren’t any dead leaves or twigs stuck around your windshield wipers.
  • Clean out your trunk and ensure that the spare tire, car jack and tools that came with your car are present and accounted for (if applicable).
  • To go above and beyond, you can even polish your tires and rims for an even more dazzling look. Once your vehicle is sparkling clean, it’ll be sure to impress!

Exterior Refurbishments

If the exterior of your vehicle has dings, scratches or dents that have been there for a while, you may have gotten used to them over time. However, these could be the first things a dealer notices when they inspect your vehicle, so it’s worth trying to repair any minor imperfections if you can. Some damage can be fixed at home using a DIY kit, while other issues will have to be repaired by a professional. However, ask for a quote before you agree to major cosmetic improvements at a body shop, because you don’t want to end up losing money on the sale. If the repairs will be prohibitively expensive, you may have to sell the car as it is.

Minor Repairs and Replacements

In the same vein, you can improve your vehicle’s value through minor repairs and replacements. If you have a burnt-out bulb, worn windshield wipers or oil that needs to be changed, you can easily schedule a service appointment and have a mechanic take care of these small issues without breaking the bank. Ask them to ensure that your fluids are topped off as well.

If your mechanic tells you that your vehicle needs major repairs or expensive new parts, we’d recommend holding off. You’re likely to lose money if you have extensive repairs done before selling, so you don’t want to sink heaps of money into the vehicle. Simply be honest and sell your model as is, making sure you’re transparent when getting your Instant Cash Offer and having your vehicle inspected.

Removing Customizations

Finally, make sure to remove any customizations before selling. While you may have loved the flashy vinyl flames running down the side of your vehicle, not all buyers will be interested in that particular type of flair. Try to make your vehicle as generic as possible by removing custom hood ornaments, bumper stickers and any other personalization you added to your vehicle. If the customizations are more elaborate or mechanical — for example, a custom paint job or added internal parts — it may not be worth the time, money and effort to try to remove them, so simply discuss them with our team members when it comes time to sell.

If you have any questions about how to prepare your car, how Kelley Blue Book® values vehicles or anything else, 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. Giles Buys Cars is located in Lafayette, LA, serving the automotive needs of our neighbors from New Iberia, Abbeville, Youngsville and Broussard .