1. Mechanical Condition
An easy way to check mechanical condition will be to conduct a test drive. During a test drive there are many factors to check with some easier than others eg are there scraping noises going over bumps, is there an obvious tug to one side, any problems with the braking? By finding these conditions, the value of the car will be lessened by the price of the replacement part plus the labour cost.
2. Exterior Condition
The exterior condition of a vehicle not only will affect the value but will also affect the saleability. The first observation of a car will be that of the exterior. Scuffed wheels, for example, have an average restoration price of £60/wheel, possibly including both wheels to be painted on the same, other factors include scratches, dents, rust, bumps and scraped paintwork. Sometimes what looks like a mere scratch can turn out to require the whole door being replaced rather than the touching up you thought it owuld, with the average price of a door/panel starting from £100. The same goes for trims and badges which can also start from £100. Visit sell my car site for a better look.
3. Interior Condition
We see a wide range of interior conditions on a lot of different vehicles, some notable conditions are; a scratched dashboard (this cannot be repaired and will reflect in the final sale price), hard to replair floor and/or seat fabrics (reupholstering price typically starts at £75 a section). If the car needs a professional shampooing eg interior valeting for the seats due to a dog odour, this could be £50+.
4. Mileage
Mileage is an important factor in the vehicle retail price; the vehicle loses value the higher the mileage is.
5. Previous Owners
The resale price of the vehicle is affected by the number of previous owners- the desirability of the vehicle is lower the higher number of previous owners. Being more realistic with a lower vehicle price is the simplest way to deal with this issue.
6. Service History
If the amount of previous owners is high, service history may be a deciding factor; vehicle desirability is lessened with little to no service history. However, one should consider that if a vehicle has been serviced 5 times, it may just be the result of 5 previous owners each servicing it when bought, making this a potentially misleading figure.
7. MOT
{A vehicle with a short MOT will highly affect the ability of a vehicle to be sold and the value|The value and saleability of a vehicle will be highly affected by a short MOT|the ability of a vehicle to be sold at its full value will be high affected if it only has a short MOT). Taking into consideration the actual price of an MOT test first. Starting from £50, there is the unknown fear factor of what could be failed, brake discs, brake pads, and 2 tyres, the cost of this would start from £300. We would recommend getting a new MOT, to help sell your car, and so that the buyer knows they are getting great value for money.
8. Specification
When considering a vehicle purchase there are different varieties of model; a vehicle with greater specs will hold its value for longer and will be greater as a long term investment.
9. Saleability
The Saleability of a vehicle is the ability for it to be easily sold. Factors can include fuel type and consumption, engine transmission type (manual v automatic) and size, if a vehicle can enter Ultra Low Emission Zone or a certain tax bracket and insurance group. Although these factors may tick all boxes for one it may not for others, meaning it could be tough sell for a certain price without one or more of these factors.
10. Vehicle Colour
The colour of a vehicle can majorly affect the re-sale price of a vehicle, Certain coloured cars have much less of an appeal to the general public.
Conclusion
To understand how much your car is worth, a full vehicle appraisal will have to be undertaken. It seems daunting but appraising true value of a car required all these factors to be taken into consideration for a dealers every day. Click on over to this buy my car link if you would like an estimation. For greater clarity, we offer 3 different valuations pertaining to the various factors described above, and how they shoud be taken into consideration in affecting the price.
