How to Prepare Your Car for Sale in Mobile, AL

Ready to sell your car and upgrade to a new Toyota or used vehicle? We’re thrilled to hear it! Here at Springhill Toyota, we’d love to buy your car, and we’ll give you a great offer for it. Whether you trade in your car and apply our offer to the purchase of a new (or new-to-you) ride or just head home with cash in hand, you’ll be glad you sold your car to our dealership. Over the years, we have bought many used vehicles from our customers from Mobile, Daphne, Spanish Fort and all over Alabama, and we look forward to buying yours, too! Since our offer will depend on the make, model and condition of your vehicle, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the highest possible price for your ride. Take a look at our guide below to learn how to prepare your car for sale.

Preparing Your Car for Sale

With a little time and effort, you can improve your car’s condition and bump up its value. You’ll see your hard work reflected in the offer you receive for your vehicle, so it’s wise to help your model shine. Remember, the less our team has to do to prepare your car for sale, the more we’ll be able to give you for it. We recommend making the following improvements to your vehicle before selling it:

Interior Cleaning and Detailing

A squeaky-clean interior goes a long way when you’re selling your vehicle. Whether you pay to have a professional take care of it or you do it yourself, a deep cleaning and detailing is crucial.

If you take care of this task yourself, we recommend starting by taking all personal items out of the vehicle and throwing away any trash that has accumulated in the cabin. Vacuum thoroughly, ensuring that you clean the crevices in the upholstery as well as the carpeting. If the floor mats are stained, you can wash them with carpet shampoo or replace them. Wash the inside and outside of each window and clean out the area where the windshield wipers sit. Check the trunk for personal items as well, and ensure that the spare tire, car jack and tools are all accounted for. For extra sparkle, you can even polish your tires and rims.

Exterior Refurbishments

You may have grown accustomed to small dings, scratches and dents in your vehicle’s exterior, but these small imperfections can detract from your model’s value, and they’re sure to be some of the first things a potential buyer notices when they inspect your car. You can try to repair the damage at home with a DIY kit, or you can take your car to a body shop — just be sure to keep the costs to a minimum. If you’re quoted a high price for repairs, it may be better to sell your model as-is.

Minor Repairs and Replacements

In the same way, it’s wise to take care of minor maintenance tasks before selling your car. Replace burnt out bulbs or worn windshield wipers and your car will make a great impression. However, major repairs won’t be worth the money, since you’re about to sell the car anyway. Just be honest about the new parts or large repairs your vehicle needs when you sell.

Removing Customizations

While it may be bittersweet, it’s important to remove all customizations from your vehicle before selling it. Take off any stickers, hood ornaments or detachable parts that you added throughout your ownership, and try to make your vehicle as generic as possible. If you made larger customizations (for example, a custom body color or additions to the internal mechanisms), just let us know when you visit our dealership to sell your car.

If you have any questions, 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. Springhill Toyota is located at 3062 Government Blvd, Mobile, AL 36606 , serving the automotive needs of our neighbors from Daphne and Spanish Fort.