The exterior is the easiest and hardest part of the car to prep. The easy part is giving it a good wash and wax. The hard part is it can take a lot of time and money to do everything else if the vehicle has been neglected.
- Bring your car to a car wash or slop some buckets out to the driveway and do it yourself.
- Don't show a buyer a dirty car. There's no excuse.
- Rinse it with your garden hose if need be right about a half hour before a potential buyer shows up.
- Towel dry it after you rinse it. It's worth the effort.
- Buff out minor scratches on the car.
- Lubricate the door hinges if they squeak.
- Same thing with the trunk hinges, too. Aural cues can sink a prospective sale as fast as visual ones.
- Clean the outside glass, including the headlights and taillights.
- Cracked and damaged light housings should be replaced.
- Clean the area around the gas cap.
- Replace the gas cap if it's old. A dirty cap makes a buyer wonder if there are potential fuel line problems.
- Make your tires and wheels shine.
- Fill your tires with air.
- Replace your tires if they're in bad shape. It's worth the money because it becomes a major selling advantage.
- Get new lug nuts if yours are in bad shape.
- If all else fails, get it professionally detailed.
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