When trading in your old car for a different one you will want to get the best deal that you can for your old car. This means that you will want to have your old car looking as slick as possible, so you will need to get it looking as-new, or as close as you can to it. The more work you put in to getting it looking great will be money in the bank for you in the form of the trade-in figure, so it’s worth taking the time to pay attention to the fine details. Here are some things to do to make sure that your car is looking at its best.

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This one caught our eye on Twitter.

Hey, @RalphGilles: Have you seen this 1994 #Viper on eBay for $37k? Only 504 miles! Crazy! http://t.co/L3njqKXIFF pic.twitter.com/kGPfZE2smt

— Autoblog.com (@therealautoblog) November 26, 2013

There’s a lot more to test driving a car than just taking it out for a spin. You have to really get to know a car, maybe even fall in love with it, before you commit to buying. When you test drive a car, here’s are four tips that’ll ensure you make the most of your time:

1. Make an Exterior Inspection Checklist

Before you even get behind the wheel, you’ll want to inspect the exterior of a used car. Be sure to take this quick list:

Tires. Check if for worn tires or cracked, and check if the wear is even on all four tires.

Rust and Dents. Check doors and hinges for rust. Look along the side of the car for ripples that could signal past repairs.

Lights. Operate the headlights, brights, brake lights, and turning signals to make sure they all work.

2. Make an Interior Inspection Checklist

Once in the car, remember to check that the seats and controls are up to your standards. The smell and condition of the seats is certainly something to consider, but don’t forget to check these things:

Stereo. Operate the stereo, including the auxiliary option or CD player if available.

Seats. Try adjusting your seat and the passenger seat.

A/C and Heat. Work the air conditioning at all fan levels and temperatures.

Cruise Control. Make sure the cruise control works, even when you use the turn signal.

As you inspect the car, keep an open mind and take notes for future decision-making.

3. Look for Value-Adding Features

Do you know what makes a car a good resell? You can enjoy the luxury of these features and still get some money for it if you decide to sell again:

Hands-Free Option. With many states forbidding drivers from using their cellphones while on the road, newer cars are offering hands-free or blue-tooth options. These laws aren’t likely to change, so the value of these systems will stay intact.

Leather Interiors. Leather has long been appreciated as a high value in cars. It is still preferred today, so go ahead and spend the extra on leather if you love it. You aren’t likely to lose the money on it when you sell.

4. Ignore Value-Diminishing Features

While great features like cruise control and intelligent keys can add to your car’s resell value, too much customization wastes money when it comes time to get rid of the vehicle. Here are two things that a sales rep might highlight but that you shouldn’t consider as an addition to your car’s value:

Flashy Colors. Something unusually bold or bright like gold or lime green may seem cool at the time, but it can make resell difficult. Traditional colors like black and white are a surer way to go.

Flashy Rims. It’s not that you can’t buy nice and new rims for a car you buy used in Richmond, but something especially flamboyant or expensive may put off some buyers. Instead, choose moderately sized rims.

Did you take a checklist to your test drive? What tips do you have? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Selling a car can be an arduous and stressful process at the best of times.

Sellers need to take the time to make sure their car is in its best working order, create and place advertisements, arrange test-drives, meet potential buyers, haggle over the price as well as ensuring the payment goes through. It’s enough to drive even the calmest of motorists round the bend.

That’s assuming that they’ve got an attractive, desirable working car. It’s much harder to flog your motor if it’s really old and has been poorly taken care of. In fact, finding a buyer for these sort of vehicles can sometimes be nigh-on impossible.

Thankfully, there are now other a few useful alternative methods when it comes to make a fair amount of cash for your car.

Online

There are number of online businesses who will offer a price for absolutely any car on the market. There are a few terms and conditions with regards to this claim but most working cars can be sold within minutes through these companies, saving buyers hours worth of time and effort.

Selling your car the traditional way can take weeks or even months. Now, with the development of these websites, it has never been quicker or easier to sell a vehicle. Most of these businesses will even pick up the car from your driveway themselves.

There is not any haggling involved with these companies. They offer you a price which you can either take or leave, but even if buyers feel they might get a few more pounds by advertising the car, many will gladly sacrifice this for the convenience of selling online.

There are plenty of these “sell my car” websites available to choose from, so feel free to surf around the web looking for the best offer. Make sure you have all your motor’s vital statistics to hand though as these will be required in order to obtain a quote.

Gift

As the cost of motoring goes up, more and more youngsters are being priced off the road. Others are lucky enough to have their parents gift them their first car. If you’re unable to get too much cash for an old banger, why not save it for your children to learn to drive in?
Teenagers need an old car so that they can get affordable insurance. It’s also not too much of a loss if do get one or two beginner’s prangs. If you’re only going to get a couple of hundred pounds, you’re not really losing out. Everyone loves their first car no matter how bad it is. Its material value will be through their roof.

Scrap

This really is a last resort. If your car is so worn down that even your kids won’t take it, there are still plenty of scrap dealers who will take if off your hands for a bit of cash.

So don’t get too disheartened if your find selling your car the traditional way is a drag. You can still get a bit of cash in your pocket using these three alternatives.

Written by Sell Car UK (www.sellcar-uk.com). We provide an alternative disposal channel for companies and people for whatever car you have. Whatever car you have, the chances are we will buy it.

Shopping online is a monster that is best tackled by a paranoid shopper. Though even if you aren’t, there are a few precautions you must take. Whether your shopping for an insurance quote or dog food you have to do your research. The popular site Craigslist is a great place for legitimate sellers looking for buyers and vice versa, but from time to time you have to be careful to avoid the lurkers. Scam artists plague the car market, and Craigslist is no exception. But it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t take a few precautions to protect yourself when shopping around.

Contact

Reports from Hartford Courant count at least 15,000 car buyers that have been scammed out of nearly $45 million, though that number changes every day. No matter what you’re buying, be wary. For one, if you can’t contact the seller, don’t bother continuing your inquiry into the vehicle. Even if you do get in touch with them, be wary of emails sent using free services, and don’t trust phone numbers since they can be routed through various programs.

This means that even if you did report the crime, they will be practically untraceable.

Unbelievable Offers

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t be so quick to throw money at them if they say they’re on a deadline, protected by eBay or some other program. It’s your money, and a real dealer is interested in making the deal, not forcing your hand. Also, eBay only offers protection to buyers that buy the car through their site, not through PayPal.

See It In Person

Can’t test drive it first? It’s a scam. Be firm with your values, and don’t let someone tell you the vehicle is unavailable to drive and that you have to buy it before you even see the car. Tell them that if you can’t test drive the car you won’t pay. Don’t fall for the emotional stories about dead parents or relatives that drove the vehicle and now they want it off their property. These compelling stories are often scams.

Conclusion

Don’t fall victim to online scams on Craigslist like so many have. Always be cautious and don’t believe what you read even if you think it’s a trusted source. Keep an eye out for trusted email addresses when looking for contacts, and never do business with someone who is forceful with you. Remember, it is your money.