Increasing the value of your vehicle can sometimes seem like a fruitless task, with many people assuming that the only way to add value is by spending out lots to begin with.

However, there are steps you can add value to your second-hand car for a low price (or potentially even for free).

In line with this, today’s brief guide covers some of the main things you should know about adding value to your second-hand car simply and profitably.

Adding Value to Your Vehicle: Five Simple Tips to Try

If you want to increase your car’s price tag, the following five tips could help. But remember there’s only so far you can push the value. As such, knowing what similar vehicles are making on the market before you start can help you price the car accordingly.

In line with this thought, if you are planning to sell your car, encouraging buyers to run a car check – or doing so off your own back – could help.

These assessments provide a quick insight into the authenticity of a car sale, including information such as stolen status, past MOT history, and the like.

Clean the Car (Inside and Out)

First impressions have a huge impact on how much someone is willing to pay for a car. As such, giving your vehicle a spring clean – both inside and out – will often be vital to get the best price.

Add New Tires

Once the bodywork’s looking great, adding new tires can also help a lot. Many purchasers will ask for a discount on the asking price if the tires are worn and need replacing; thus, adding new tires if there is visible wear on the old sets could help increase the value of a buyer’s offer.

Get an MOT and Service First

Buyers want to know that their purchase is safe. In line with this, booking the car in for a MOT test and service before selling it can potentially add value, since the purchaser can have extra confidence that the car doesn’t have niggling issues.

Check the Paintwork

Chips and scratches in the paintwork are often very easy to fix, but these can drag down a car’s value hugely.

As such, checking the condition of the exterior – and touching it up where needed – could be very important when attempting to add value.

Sell at the Right Time of Year

Car prices vary significantly throughout the year. As such, try to sell when prices for a particular model are at their highest; this will often be in the summer months.

Run a Car History Check to Verify Your Claims!

At the end of the day, once you’ve taken steps to increase the appeal and value of your car, you’ll still need to authenticate the sale.

And, with buyers becoming increasingly concerned about the risk of scams, it’s perhaps unsurprising that even minor inconsistencies can leave people pulling out on the sale.

A car checker history report can help give buyers confidence that you are genuine, increasing the chances of them taking you up on the sale offer.