Buying a car is, without a doubt, one of your life’s biggest purchases. With the average price of a new car in Australia reaching up to AUD40,000, you’d obviously want to keep your car looking and feeling brand new for as long as possible. Preserving its value doesn’t only mean enjoying it for a long time but also selling it at a good price in the future.
Luckily, there are many ways to retain your car’s resale value, including things like installing front windscreen snap shades, doing interior car detailing and following a strict maintenance schedule.
Invest in essential car accessories
A lot of new car owners get carried away with aftermarket modifications, thinking that it would make their car more attractive. But in reality, having these modifications actually depreciates your car’s value. Instead, invest in essential car accessories like snap shades that will help preserve your car’s condition from the inside out. Having car shades, for instance, will protect your leather upholstery and electronics from sun damage, especially if you always park your car outdoors.
Avoid doing drastic modifications like changing your paint, adding decals, replacing original car parts and modifying crucial engine and mechanical parts since these will make your car less valuable in the long run.
Follow a strict maintenance routine
Your car may look excellent from the outside, but you’ll never know what’s happening on the inside unless you get it checked by a mechanic. In fact, a maintenance routine is indicated in your car manual because it helps to keep your car in excellent shape to extend its lifespan for as long as possible. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended schedule even if you’re not experiencing any problems with your car.
It’s also very important to do regular oil changes, brake inspections and filter replacements, and have your car checked right away the moment you notice anything unusual while driving it. You have to keep a record of all the maintenance, repairs and other activities done to your car throughout your ownership to prove to potential buyers that the vehicle is well-maintained and valuable. This makes your car more attractive since people know that you actually took good care of it.
Keep your car clean at all times
Do you remember that feeling when you first drove your car home? If you want to enjoy that every day, it’s very important to clean your car regularly. Make it a habit to throw away any trash inside your car, remove anything that’s not meant to be in it and just clean up at the end of the day. These simple activities will help you maintain your car, so you don’t walk into chaos every single day.
If you have kids, you could use floor mats and seat covers to protect your upholstery from spills and food droppings. Never smoke inside your car since the smell can stick on your upholstery making it hard to get rid of. You should also have your car washed and detailed professionally at least every week to ensure that carpets are vacuumed and your interiors are cleaned and disinfected properly.
Prepare your car for long road trips
You may be driving your car around the city every day, but that doesn’t compare to the stress of driving it straight for hours on a long road trip. This is why it’s very important to prepare your car for these trips with a detailed checkup and maintenance, deep clean and preventative measures to ensure that you won’t run into any troubles while you’re on the road. Proper preparation also helps to preserve the value of your car by avoiding long-term damages.
Be a responsible driver
The truth is, none of those maintenance checks and car accessories will matter if you don’t drive carefully every time you’re on the road. While responsible driving seems common sense, a lot of Australians still get into accidents and even die because of reckless driving every year. So if you want to keep the value of your car for a long time, it’s very important to practice responsible driving every single day.
For instance, following the right speed and avoiding the excessive use of your accelerator and brake would help preserve your engine. You should also avoid potholes, tight parking spots and other situations that could put your car at risk for any damages. Be mindful when you’re driving so you can avoid accidents that could easily make your car unsellable in the future.
A Quick Wrap Up
There are several factors that affect a car’s resale value. But what really makes sense is how you take care of your car so that the next owners can still enjoy it when they buy your vehicle in the future. Following these tips will also help you to enjoy your investment for the years to come, especially since you put a lot of money into your vehicle.
