We’ve all heard of improving rather than moving homes. And with cars you can do the automotive equivalent. It’s generally much less hassle to spruce up the motor you own rather than going through all the aggravation of selling it for another model.
For some people, a spruce up might mean making it look as smart as the day it first left the showroom. Others might want to increase its value. Yet more may want to make it more functional. We can help you to do all these.
Book a SMART repair
How much you spend having a car fixed is up to you. But a lot of garages now do SMART repairs (it stands for Small and Medium Area Repair Techniques). This is a clever way of fixing small dents and dings without your car needing a full-on respray. There are several reasons for doing this. Your car will instantly look a lot less tatty round the edges. You won’t be constantly reminded of the sickening moment you crunched into that concrete bollard. And it could increase your car’s value. Used car expert Philip Nothard from Cox Automotive said: “I think more often than not SMART repairs will pay for themselves.”
Find all the kit that came with it
We all lead hectic lives and that means sometimes things go missing. Whether we’re talking the luggage cover, tool kit, spare wheel or even the spare key, all are important parts of your car. If they’re currently propping up the corner of your garage, re-unite them with your car. They’ll probably make your life easier while you own the car. And if you ever sell it on, car valuation service Glass’s says they’ll add to its value. It’s a win-win.
Sort out the paperwork
Every car has a paper trail of history. Servicing, manufacturer recall work and repairs all generate receipts and descriptions of the work carried out. And having this paper trail ‑ sometimes called a service history ‑ will not only make a car easier to sell, it’ll also increase its value, possibly by as much as a quarter. If you bought your car second hand, it may not have had any service history with it. But that doesn’t mean the service history doesn’t exist. Go to the DVSA website and you’ll find how the car fared in recent MOTs. You can also use the V5C registration document to track down previous owners. You could contact them and ask if they can fill in any of the missing gaps.
Invest in some extras
We’re not talking about some tacky big wheels and go-faster stripes here. We mean tasteful extras, bought from the manufacturer. You could get rid of the tatty aftermarket car mats and replace them with smart manufacturer examples. Or what about upgrading from steel to alloy wheels? Or perhaps getting an aftermarket sat nav with a holder you can have wired in. All these will make your car look better and make it more functional. What’s more, if you do it right and buy manufacturer equipment it could add to its value as well. Just make sure you tell your insurer that your car’s no longer standard.
Clean it
Washing your car won’t just make it look its best, it’ll also help it to maintain its value. It’s perfectly logical. If there are two cars: one has been looked after, the other hasn’t, the former is going to be worth more money and probably more enjoyable to spend time in. And that applies just as much if it’s cleaned inside as out. According to car valuation services, a clean car can be worth as much as 10 per cent more than a dirty one. And of course it’ll make you feel better about driving it. And you can’t really put a price on that.
I’ve been writing about cars and motoring for more than 25 years. My career started on a long-departed classic car weekly magazine called AutoClassic. I’ve since pitched up at Autosport, Auto Express, the News of the World, Sunday Times and most recently the Daily Telegraph. When I’m not writing about cars and motoring, I’m probably doing some kind of sport or working in my garden.
