There are some basic and maybe obvious things you can do, which include wash the car both internally and externally, wash and clean the door jams to remove dirt build up, clean under the hood and wax the car. Although obvious (or seemingly obvious) you would be surprised at how many people don’t dedicate the time to these cosmetic improvements. Once complete ask yourself if you were a buyer would you like what you see?

Things that are not so obvious are items such as an oil change, tire rotation (or replacement if worn heavily), air filter or anything else that may help the cars performance improve. If you are aware of serious mechanical car troubles than you either need to disclose them or have it serviced. You will need to weigh the pros and cons of service versus disclosure to gauge whether it’s a cash plus or negative.

If you haven’t done it with this vehicle do it with the next, because you should prepare to sell your car when you buy your car. If you have mechanical records great, get them in order because people like to see these when purchasing the car. They can use a service like carfax.com, but this shows you’ve taken care of the car.

There is something to consider; if your car is an investment or worth a lot consider having it professionally cleaned and serviced. What someone can do professionally versus what you can do individually can add dollars to the value of the car.

Just remember that when you look to sell your car think about the person who will be buying it. Would spending time on it really make the difference and add value? If you have a 1967 Cadillac the fuel economy may be enough to scare people off and fixing it up and cleaning may add little value. If it’s a 1998 Honda Accord a little work can go a long way to increasing the value. Like most things, enjoy the process of preparing your vehicle for sale.

If you need to replace the times consider looking into the best tires for sale, this will lower the amount you need to pay while still making your car attractive.