One of the things we hardly consider when making the choice to purchase a vehicle is what it will be worth when we are done with it. Some of us are gifted in the vehicle resale field, but for a majority of us, reselling a vehicle yields a loss of money that can't be avoided. Don't fret about it; losing money on a vehicle is a part of life. The useful value of a car is outweighed by the loss of money that we experience when it is time to say goodbye.
Lessening the blow in the end is something that we can control, however. Here are some tips that can earn you some extra money when it is time to sell.
1. Keep it clean
Keeping our vehicles clean can be a challenge sometimes. Between commuting to work, school, daycare, getting groceries, and weekend cruising, our vehicles suffer from neglect from the daily grind. Coffee cups, food bags, cigarette ashes, and dirty glass can adorn some of our vehicles. Working in automotive salvage throughout the years I have bought several vehicles that were simply too dirty to sell. They ran fine, but the cost to restore their interiors to a livable state would have far exceeded the value of the vehicle.
Remember to keep your car clean and smelling good. If you spill coffee on the carpet, it will clean up with just some regular automotive cleaners. I recommend Simple Green. Automotive carpet is nothing like house carpet. If you spill red wine on automotive carpet, it will not stain like in the house. Automotive carpet is made from polyester fibres and are not prone to staining from soaking and wicking. A little maintenance goes a long way in this case. As a smoker, I often light up in my car. It's inevitable that ashes will make their way in to the carpet and seats, but a weekly vacuuming take care of that problem and keep my car smelling and looking new.
2. Keep it maintained.
Maintaining a vehicle is a small investment that can go a long way. Aside from making your vehicle more reliable in the short run, it will keep it worth more in the long run. When you buy a new vehicle, you'd like to see all of the maintenance records, right? Keep your receipts to prove that maintenance has been performed. Even if you maintain your vehicle yourself, keep the receipts for the parts and record the mileage on the receipt at the time of maintenance. This goes a long way for the savvy buyer. He or she will know that they are getting the best deal on the car and that will, in turn, get you more money in the sale.
Don't forget to fix things that break. Maybe you can deal with that broken armrest or unbalanced tire, but the next person will seize that opportunity to lower the price so they can have the best deal possible. You want to give the buyer the best deal possible while knowing that you're selling them a car that is free of defects and you can be proud that you've sold them a reliable, well maintained vehicle.
3. Timing is everything
Fuel prices are at an all-time high. Here in Michigan, we have winters that are harsh on commuters and on cars. Don't try to sell your 4x4 Chevy truck in the middle of summer because people will find this as an opportunity to buy it for rock-bottom pricing. All it is worth in summer is the 12mpg. In winter, however, it is worth the safety of 4x4. You wouldn't try to sell your motorcycle in February, would you?
Sell your vehicle in the appropriate season. Trucks for winter, convertibles for summer, and always showcase the best trait for the season. In August, when selling your Taurus, showcase that the A/C is cold as ice. In January, showcase the front wheel drive and boiling hot heat. People love to see the good in vehicles.
4. Keep it simple.
Aftermarket accessories will actually hinder many people from buying a vehicle. Some are fine, such as a lift kit and roll bar on a nice 4x4 truck, but for the most part, people don't desire a bunch of personality. Body kits, xenon lights, aftermarket taillights, and loud pipes on your Acura Integra might be fine for you, but for the next owner they might not be exactly what they want. It's like selling your house painted lime green. If you can find that right buyer it is okay, but for the majority of the population, they will prefer something more neutral that they can modify and personalize themselves.
Keep your car stock and clean looking for the sale. If you have already modified it, then there's not much that you can do about it at this time other than disclose the modifications and hope for the best. Simple and stock always wins the car race.
Selling a car can be stressful, but the rewards are great if the vehicle is well maintained, clean, and known reliable. As I have stressed before, when purchasing your new car, always check the value of it as to not get the shaft. Edmunds.com and Caranddriver.com offer information about projected resale value of vehicles. As a rule, imported cars hold value better than domestics, although some domestics hold their value better than others, while some imports tank over time. Steer toward Honda, Toyota, Volvo, Nissan, BMW, and Volkswagen for the highest resale value. Ford, Mazda, and General Motors vehicles are about average in projected resale, but steer away from Chrysler, Kia, Isuzu, and Mercedes-Benz for resale. Depreciation is ungodly rapid on these. If you like the car, then don't let resale bother you. If you plan on keeping it for a couple of years and offing it, then consider projected resale when making a decision to buy.
As an example, in the last six years, my 2005 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor has lost over $30,000 of value, while my 1993 Ford F-150 has only lost $8,000 in the last 18 years.
For any questions about reselling a vehicle, vehicle repair questions, or questions about cars in general, feel free to email me at DIYfixyourcar@gmail.com
Showing posts with label seasonal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seasonal. Show all posts
Monday, September 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Preparing for the winter months
The elements are tough on vehicles. Not only does the salt and other road grime here in the Midwest ruin the fit and finish of the body through rust and corrosion, but the heat and cold also take their toll on your automobile. Let's take a look at some of the things harsh weather does internally...
1. Battery
The battery in your car is quite important. What do you do if it fails to function? Call AAA? Ask for a jump? Let's consider the possibility that you're stuck at a closed farmer's market in the rural west of Michigan with nobody for miles and spotty cell service. You would want your car to start in this situation without a doubt.
Contrary to popular belief, your battery in the car is not harmed by cold temperatures-in fact, it works better in colder climates! The heat of summer is what makes your battery fail out of the blue. You may ask: "Why does my battery always die when it's -10 and I'm late for work?" The answer is simple. Your car doesn't like the cold in general. Oil is thicker, so the starter motor has to work harder to rotate the engine. You need precious cold cranking amps to achieve this. The iron, aluminum, and steel in your engine contracts in the cold, drawing tighter together. Steel piston rings draw tighter to steel cylinder sleeves and cause more friction. Until the engine warms up, these rings move quite hard through their process of combustion.
Your battery decides it will die in the winter because it has to work harder. It has already sustained damage from 100+ degrees under the hood of your car all summer, draining and charging, cranking, running the blower motor for A/C, headlights at night, and all other things a battery does. With the constant draining and charging in the heat, lime and other compounds build up on the lead plates of the battery and cause it to not accept as much of a charge. This buildup is normal wear and has happened since the invention of the lead-acid battery. This is why you can only expect 5-6 years from a new battery.
2. Oil viscosity
The oil is the life blood of your engine. The summer months can take their toll on your oil because of increased heat and contamination. Let's put this in lay terms-
Take 8 ounces of cooking oil and put it in a frying pan. Heat it to 300 degrees and see what happens-The oil will break down and reduce because of evaporation and burning. It darkens from carbon buildup. While it darkens and hardens, it also loses viscosity. Viscosity is basically the oil's resistance to sheer tension or it's ability to stay in one piece while lubricating. Viscosity is a term that describes an oil's thickness. An increase in thickness reduces an oil's ability to effectively lubricate.
In your car, the summer months take their toll on the oil because it is heated to extreme temperatures on a regular basis. The increased thickness of the oil reduces it's ability to be put under tensile stress in the main bearings of the engine, thus reducing it's viscosity. Bottom line-Use the recommended oil for your vehicle and change it regularly. In fact, I change the oil in my vehicle just on the cusp of winter to ensure proper viscosity through the colder months.
3. Accessories
How many times have you gotten in your car and the windshield is frozen? Here in Michigan, it is a way of life. The thing to remember is that your car was not meant to break ice away from windows and the body. Don't even think of turning your wipers on while the windshield is covered with snow or ice! This can turn in to an expensive venture that will leave you with no windshield wipers. Inside the wiper arm, there is a splined fitting that accepts a cam of the same splines. The cam turns, causing the wiper arm to lift and drop. When ice or snow blocks the arm, the splines will strip and cause damage to the cam and to the arm itself. If you're lucky, it will only damage the arm.
4. Cooling system
The antifreeze in your car is just what the name suggests. It prevents the water that cools your engine from freezing in extreme temperatures. Let's look at an example:
The water in your car is generally the temperature of the outside air when at rest. Think of a 30mph wind coming through on a day when the temperatures are already 10 degrees. This causes a windchill of -10 degrees. Think of water at -10 degrees....it freezes quick! Let's take a hypothetical 60mph wind on a 10 degree day...That's a windchill of about -20. Keep in mind, the radiator in your car is right in front and will experience both 30 and 60mph in the winter months.
When coolant freezes in an engine, it expands. The cooling system in your car is completely sealed and will not accept much expansion, if any at all. If it freezes in the engine of the car, it will actually cause the engine block to crack under stress. That's right, folks...water is stronger than iron. In the radiator of the car, if the tiny ports become blocked with ice, the cooling capacity of the car is compromised and the engine will overheat. This will surely leave you stranded in 10 degree weather with a car that doesn't run.
My recommendation is to check your cooling system's efficiency by buying a coolant tester. It is a small tubular tool with a bulb on one end, similar to a turkey baster. You suck up some coolant in the tube and there are several different balls in the tube. The ones that float tell you how effective your antifreeze is. Most antifreeze is effective to -30 to -40 degrees. If you're running antifreeze that is only registering in the 0 to -5 degree range, flush and change it.
What most people overlook is the acidity of the coolant. When checking your coolant for effectiveness, also check for pH. Your coolant becomes acidic through the course of it's life and will eventually break down through fermentation. If coolant becomes too acidic, it will essentially 'eat' all of the aluminum components in the engine. Check the price of these parts before you say: "There's not much aluminum in my engine, it won't hurt!": Cylinder heads, water pump, radiator, intake manifold, thermostat housing, and heater core.
Please take care of your car, no matter what season it is. Your car is not only a machine, but it is also a friend that you rely on and love. If you have any questions about cars, repair, maintenance, automotive theory, or questions about life in general, email me at DIYfixyourcar@gmail.com.
1. Battery
The battery in your car is quite important. What do you do if it fails to function? Call AAA? Ask for a jump? Let's consider the possibility that you're stuck at a closed farmer's market in the rural west of Michigan with nobody for miles and spotty cell service. You would want your car to start in this situation without a doubt.
Contrary to popular belief, your battery in the car is not harmed by cold temperatures-in fact, it works better in colder climates! The heat of summer is what makes your battery fail out of the blue. You may ask: "Why does my battery always die when it's -10 and I'm late for work?" The answer is simple. Your car doesn't like the cold in general. Oil is thicker, so the starter motor has to work harder to rotate the engine. You need precious cold cranking amps to achieve this. The iron, aluminum, and steel in your engine contracts in the cold, drawing tighter together. Steel piston rings draw tighter to steel cylinder sleeves and cause more friction. Until the engine warms up, these rings move quite hard through their process of combustion.
Your battery decides it will die in the winter because it has to work harder. It has already sustained damage from 100+ degrees under the hood of your car all summer, draining and charging, cranking, running the blower motor for A/C, headlights at night, and all other things a battery does. With the constant draining and charging in the heat, lime and other compounds build up on the lead plates of the battery and cause it to not accept as much of a charge. This buildup is normal wear and has happened since the invention of the lead-acid battery. This is why you can only expect 5-6 years from a new battery.
2. Oil viscosity
The oil is the life blood of your engine. The summer months can take their toll on your oil because of increased heat and contamination. Let's put this in lay terms-
Take 8 ounces of cooking oil and put it in a frying pan. Heat it to 300 degrees and see what happens-The oil will break down and reduce because of evaporation and burning. It darkens from carbon buildup. While it darkens and hardens, it also loses viscosity. Viscosity is basically the oil's resistance to sheer tension or it's ability to stay in one piece while lubricating. Viscosity is a term that describes an oil's thickness. An increase in thickness reduces an oil's ability to effectively lubricate.
In your car, the summer months take their toll on the oil because it is heated to extreme temperatures on a regular basis. The increased thickness of the oil reduces it's ability to be put under tensile stress in the main bearings of the engine, thus reducing it's viscosity. Bottom line-Use the recommended oil for your vehicle and change it regularly. In fact, I change the oil in my vehicle just on the cusp of winter to ensure proper viscosity through the colder months.
3. Accessories
How many times have you gotten in your car and the windshield is frozen? Here in Michigan, it is a way of life. The thing to remember is that your car was not meant to break ice away from windows and the body. Don't even think of turning your wipers on while the windshield is covered with snow or ice! This can turn in to an expensive venture that will leave you with no windshield wipers. Inside the wiper arm, there is a splined fitting that accepts a cam of the same splines. The cam turns, causing the wiper arm to lift and drop. When ice or snow blocks the arm, the splines will strip and cause damage to the cam and to the arm itself. If you're lucky, it will only damage the arm.
4. Cooling system
The antifreeze in your car is just what the name suggests. It prevents the water that cools your engine from freezing in extreme temperatures. Let's look at an example:
The water in your car is generally the temperature of the outside air when at rest. Think of a 30mph wind coming through on a day when the temperatures are already 10 degrees. This causes a windchill of -10 degrees. Think of water at -10 degrees....it freezes quick! Let's take a hypothetical 60mph wind on a 10 degree day...That's a windchill of about -20. Keep in mind, the radiator in your car is right in front and will experience both 30 and 60mph in the winter months.
When coolant freezes in an engine, it expands. The cooling system in your car is completely sealed and will not accept much expansion, if any at all. If it freezes in the engine of the car, it will actually cause the engine block to crack under stress. That's right, folks...water is stronger than iron. In the radiator of the car, if the tiny ports become blocked with ice, the cooling capacity of the car is compromised and the engine will overheat. This will surely leave you stranded in 10 degree weather with a car that doesn't run.
My recommendation is to check your cooling system's efficiency by buying a coolant tester. It is a small tubular tool with a bulb on one end, similar to a turkey baster. You suck up some coolant in the tube and there are several different balls in the tube. The ones that float tell you how effective your antifreeze is. Most antifreeze is effective to -30 to -40 degrees. If you're running antifreeze that is only registering in the 0 to -5 degree range, flush and change it.
What most people overlook is the acidity of the coolant. When checking your coolant for effectiveness, also check for pH. Your coolant becomes acidic through the course of it's life and will eventually break down through fermentation. If coolant becomes too acidic, it will essentially 'eat' all of the aluminum components in the engine. Check the price of these parts before you say: "There's not much aluminum in my engine, it won't hurt!": Cylinder heads, water pump, radiator, intake manifold, thermostat housing, and heater core.
Please take care of your car, no matter what season it is. Your car is not only a machine, but it is also a friend that you rely on and love. If you have any questions about cars, repair, maintenance, automotive theory, or questions about life in general, email me at DIYfixyourcar@gmail.com.
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