Body Care before selling your 2nd hand car

The exterior of your car says a lot about its owner. A filthy car is not only pretty grotesque to look at but it also eats away the paint work. Things such as bird droppings, salty air and dirt can cause massive damage to the paint work. For instance bird droppings are quite acidic and should be cleaned off as soon as you notice them. Salty air creates a salt build up and also eats away at both the exposed metal and the paint work so after you visit a coastal area it is a good idea to rinse off your car to get rid of any salty build up. When the time comes to sell your used car the damage will be pretty noticeable if you have not kept the exterior clean.

Body work is expensive. A total respray is very expensive. The cost of taking your car through a car wash or getting one of the kids to wash it down on the weekend will save you a lot of money in the long term. When you go to sell your used car having a good paint job can add a lot of money to the cars value. Don’t rely on the engine itself to sell the car. Aesthetics are more important than the way it runs. It is not difficult to get a mechanic to do some engine work; body work however is another kettle of fish. Having a clean exterior also avoids scratching if someone rubs the paint work. The dirt will scratch the car underneath someone’s touch. If the car is free of dirt this won’t happen.

Preventing the car from rusting is also pretty easy. Rust can start running rampant if bird droppings eat through the paint work and leaves some exposed metal in its place. Coupled with salty air the metal can deteriorate quickly. If you notice any bare metal where paint should be the best thing to do is treat the metal with a primer or rust prevention liquid and then put some touch up paint on top of it. This will prevent the car rusting from the inside out. It is very hard to spot touched up areas on a moving car so your car will look as good as new – but learn from the mistake and make sure your car is kept clean after this.

If you want to sell your used car eventually your buyer will thank you for it. If you intend to keep the car for the long term you will thank yourself for your diligence. If the car looks good on the outside it is also easier to get it past any roadworthy inspection. The mechanics who pass your car for inspection don’t take too kindly to rusty cars. The first step to stopping your car becoming a rust bucket is exterior maintenance. Follow these basic steps and not only will your car become easier to sell eventually but you’ll feel good about driving your car knowing it looks good on the outside.