Good Car Care = Good Resale Price: A How To

Cars are one of the most expensive assets an individual can own. And so it makes sense to want to not only take the best care of that asset but also ensure that you get the best use of it and ultimately when the time comes resell it at the right price. The latter is doubly more important in a country like UAE where vehicles are driven for a few years and then sold when a newer model upgrade is available. So if this sounds like you, read on as we discuss how you can ensure your car is practically close to new when the inevitable time to say goodbye approaches.

Checklist For Keeping Your Cars Resale Value High by Good Car Care

1. Change and clean your filters regularly
2. Drive with mechanical sympathy
3. Check and refill vehicle fluids
4. Maintain a good interior 
5. Avoid shifting your gear down to reduce car speed
6. Avoid potholes, and drive slowly on rough terrains
7. Don’t drive on an empty fuel tank
8. Don’t keep the car heavily loaded all the time
9. Check your tyres regularly, avoid potholes, and drive slowly on rough terrains
10. Don’t drive on an empty fuel tank
11. Don’t keep the car heavily loaded all the time

1) Change and Clean Your Filters Regularly

Oil filters, air filters, and A/C filters, all need to be changed on the regular. The lack thereof can result in some really expensive damage to your vehicle.

• Not replacing your oil filter can result in damages to your engine as the oil filter clogs and the engine does not receive its much needed and constant supply of filtered oil.

• Not replacing the air filter can affect your engine and cause it to stop completely in extreme cases. As the filter gets too dirty and clogged up, the combustion chamber won’t be able to suck in enough air to start the engine. Otherwise, a drop in power, decreased fuel efficiency, and even a hard time getting the engine to start may all be outcomes of that negligence. 

• A clogged AC filter will result in more energy consumption, and reduced airflow and cooling. In the long term however, the AC system will develop a horrendous odor and stink up your car. An overworked AC fan due to debris and a clog can cause damage to motors and depreciate the vehicle’s value in the process.

You don’t have to replace your filters every time, you can simply clean or even wash them. Generally, oil filters can be changed every two check-up intervals, but for dusty and sandy countries like the UAE changing it every interval would be extremely wise especially if you want to keep your vehicle’s value high.

Click the following link for a comprehensive guide on routine car services.

2) Drive With Mechanical Sympathy

What is Mechanical Sympathy? It means to utilize your vehicle with care and not put it under unnecessary stress. This can include things like handling the steering wheel gently and using the pedals/switching gears with care. For example:

• When stopping your car, pull your hand brakes up BEFORE changing the gear to park. This is because had you switched the gear first you would have placed a lot of undue pressure on the vehicle’s transmission and increased its wear and tear.
• Make sure you have completely let go of your car’s brake pedal before pressing on the acceleration pedal. Pressing both simultaneously wil damage some parts depending on the car, transmission type and model year, but in most cases will result in a heavy burden on the cars transmission, engine, and brakes. People in performance car circles are familiar with the term “launching a car” which involves pressing both pedals to launch a car into a speedy start. Not all vehicles are equipped to enable this and even with ones that do, these showy moves are heavy on the car. 
  • Drivers that are used to driving manual and have recently switched to an automatic transmission are prone to “two-foot drive” which will lead to this mistake being made as well.

3) Check and Refill Vehicle Fluids

Ensure that things like your engine coolants, engine oils, and water tanks are all filled with the RIGHT liquid products. Using the wrong oil viscosity or the wrong type of coolant (depending on the vehicle) might damage your engine or radiator respectively. Refer to your user manual to find out what kind of liquids your car requires.

4) Maintain A Good Interior

Establishing rules like “no eating in the vehicle” may be extremely wise. Although it’s true you can wash your car’s interior prior to its sale to make it look new, however, you want to ensure that you keep that number at a minimum. Ensuring no one eats in the vehicle will aid in that greatly. 

If you’re an Uber driver, don’t develop a habit of sleeping in the car. Unbeknownst to most people, doing this changes the way a car smells the same way cigarettes do.

Lastly and this one’s a no-brainer really: buy car seat covers from day one. A brand new vehicle interior sets the frame for prospective car buyers when resale time comes. Car seat covers from day one will do give you exactly that advantage.

5) Avoid Shifting Your Gear Down to Reduce Car Speed

Drivers of manual vehicles can find themselves shifting their gears down in order to slow the vehicle down as opposed to using the brake. Little to their knowledge this greatly harms the vehicle’s drivetrain, greatly reduces the engine’s lifespan, as well as damages the vehicle’s transmission and clutch.

6) Some Parting Words

Although good car care can take you a long way, problems are inevitable. If something feels wrong in your car it likely is, don’t risk things and get a good technician to look at your vehicle. Better safe than sorry. Also, don’t ignore any check engine or any other lights on the dashboard, those are usually precursors of more serious issues.

If you’re in the market for a new car, then check out our top 5 list for cars with the best resale value in the UAE.

And when the time comes to sell your car, then you can come directly to us. We buy any car regardless of condition — even scrap cars, Yes! scrap cars! We pride ourselves on completing the whole process (car inspection, buying offer, and paperwork) in 30 minutes. If this sounds appealing to you then head over to our free online car price estimator and we’ll reach out to you from there.