First impressions count: Try to fix things that affect your car’s appearance. Replace broken headlights, touch up scrapes and scratches, wash and wax your car, clean up the interior and use
baking soda to remove odors.

Safety first: Buyers want to know the car they’re buying is safe. Warning light issues should be fixed, old tires replaced, and cracked windshields repaired.

Basic maintenance: Change the oil, check transmission fluid, rotate the tires, and check the tire pressure. Buyers want to know the car they buy has been cared for.

Who are you selling to? You’ll get more for your car selling to a private party than you will selling to a dealer. If you do sell to a dealer, though, dealers can make repairs cheaper than you could. What might cost you $1000 to fix may only cost a dealer $400. You could actually come out $600 ahead letting the dealer take care of it.

Check the Blue Book value: Services like Kelley Blue Book that help you determine the value of your car generally factor in the condition of your vehicle. Compare the value of your car, for example, if it is considered in “good” condition versus “excellent”. Would the difference in these two values justify the cost of the repairs?

Tires:

Since the tires are what connect the vehicle to the road, they are at the top of this list. The maintenance for tires is not expensive but if it is neglected, it can cause some of the most expensive problems. Rotate and balance on a regular schedule. Have the tires aligned and check the tread depth. Be sure the lug nuts are tight on a weekly basis.

Filters:

The filters keep the air clean not only for the occupants in the cabin, but for the engine as well. If the air filter is not changed on a regular basis, air will not flow freely into the engine and a dirty fuel filter can cause the engine to slow down or begin to sputter.

Lubricants:

Change your oil. And also your transmission fluid also needs to be occasionally changed. When these fluids have been in the vehicle a while, they begin to fill with metal pieces and other debris from the road. They also break down and offer less protection for the engine and transmission.

Wipers:

Wipers are not thought of until a torrential rain comes down while on a long road trip. It is best to replace these as soon as wear is noticed (on a sunny day.)

Battery posts:

This may be the most neglected of all the simple maintenance jobs, but if this one is put off, it can literally shut down the whole car. Lift the hood and look at the battery. If a white residue can be seen around the posts, it must be scrubbed off with a wire brush, or one day you may find yourself stranded.

Major repair bills can be avoided most of the time if some regular maintenance is a priority. With a bit of care, your car can last for hundreds of thousands of miles.

The biggest reason for selling your car yourself is that you can get a better price for it than you would if you traded it in at a dealership. This is because it’s in the dealership best interest to get your car at the lowest price, so they can maximize their profit when they resell it.

The first step in selling your car is to know the market in which you live. Go to Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book and get an estimate on your car. Using these two pieces of information, work out a price that you think will be competitive enough to get the car sold.

The key thing to remember is that prices tells a lot about the car to potential buyers. If the price is not competitive enough, that tells them you do not are willing to wait to get the price you want. If the price is even more competitive than other cars of the same brand and year, that tells buyers that not only do you want this car gone, but you are willing to price it lower in order to get it sold. This will bring the buyers flocking. But be careful, pricing too low will send up re flags for buyers too.

Before even listing it, you should make sure that your car has as much curb appeal as possible. Wash the car, take care of any rust spots and even wax it if you think it will make it look better. Clean the brake dust off the tires and shine them up with a product like Armor All. If you really want to make a good impression, run a check on the vehicle’s VIN number and present the report to buyers when they show up.

When you list the car, list everything wrong with it that you can think of. The key is to let the customer know that you are there to give them the best deal possible. To do that, on the listing use the words “or best offer”, abbreviated as OBO, next to the price. This means that you are willing to accept the best offer. Buyers love a deal.

• Make: Honda
• Model: Accord
• Year: 2006
• Mileage: 80,000
• Price: $9,000

Buying a used Honda Accord can save you more than 50% off its original price. With a soft leather interior, more often seen in luxury vehicles, tilt-steering, a premium surround-sound system, and above average interior space, the high quality Honda Accord is our top used car pick. Anyone searching a used car lot will notice more than a few Accords with 300,000 or more miles. An 80,000 mile, good condition Honda Accord may very well be in its vehicle infancy, with a full life ahead of it.

• Make: Toyota
• Model: Camry
• Year: 2006
• Mileage: 80,000
• Price: $8,800

The Toyota Camry is a “must-test-drive.” The flagship vehicle of the Toyota brand for more than 20 years, the Camry sports a nearly silent interior, precision handling for the sharpest corners, and ample space for driver and passengers. The quality and dependability that the Toyota Camry provides is unparalleled.

• Make: Chrysler
• Model: Town and Country
• Year: 2006
• Mileage: 80,000
• Price: $9,500

If you need to comfortably transport 6-7 passengers, a pre-owned Chrysler Town and Country may be your best bet. Loaded with creature comforts such as tilt-steering, dual-air-conditioning, a Town and Country for under $10,000 is a great value, considering its original MSRP of more than $25,000. Anyone who has enjoyed driving a Chrysler van already knows about the easy-to-reach, simple-to-operate, intuitive controls, and high quality interior materials.

• Make: Cadillac
• Model: CTS
• Year: 2007
• Mileage: 20,000
• Price: $18,000-$22,000

Beautiful, powerful, all-leather luxury: these are just a few of the words that describe one of our unique picks, the 200+ horsepower Cadillac CTS. You can get one of these dependable beauties for less than half their original sticker price, with under 20,000 miles. The CTS is a bargain!

• Make: Hyundai
• Model: Accent
• Year: 2002
• Mileage: 60,000
• Price: $3,000-$4,000

For those on a tight budget, who want a tight ride, the Hyundai Accent may be the perfect fit for you. The Accent is fun to drive, and will not break you at the bank, or the gas pump. An Accent can be had with very few miles for $4,000 or less.

• Make: Hyundai
• Model: Tiburon
• Year: 2007
• Mileage: 50,000
• Price: $12,000

If you want to drive a sports car, the Tiburon excels in performance, but especially in price. For less than the price of the cheapest new car, you can squeal off the lot in a low-mileage, fully loaded Hyundai Tiburon, and save gas at the same time! The Tiburon clearly illustrates the value difference between what you can get “new” versus a gently pre-owned vehicle.

Choices were as simple as AM/FM stereo radio, cruise control, power steering and power brakes. However, as the car industry has evolved as a whole, so has the market for options. Now it is possible to completely customize and ‘pimp’ your car to fit your personality whether adding a back-up camera, alloy wheels, intelligent keys, Bluetooth technology, or an onboard navigator or low-jack. These choices are only a small sample of the bewildering array available to you.

However, not everything you add on to your car increases its resale value. Some things actually decrease the value, making it much harder to find buyers for your car and forcing you to lower your asking price.

The real value of your car is not what it might do for the next buyer, but what it can do for you right now. This means that you should first customize your car to please yourself. So if you don’t like sun-roofs or moon-roofs, then don’t add one just because it would make your car look more like a luxury car. Instead focus on those things that appeal to you without at the same time destroying its appeal for a future buyer.

What Options Add Value?
Rims are a popular choice because they improve vehicle handling and performance.

Electronic gear is fast becoming popular with buyers. Items like GPS navigation appeal to those who constantly take new routes and Bluetooth technology appeals to hands-free drivers, especially in states like California, where it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving.

What Options Reduce Value?
This is actually a tricky issue, because the reason an option exists is because it has a market share. In other words, a manufacturer makes it because someone likes it. However, not all options appeal to everyone.

So, then, these are the two things that reduce a car’s value.

One, there are just too many options. Your car looks more like a contraption from a sci-fi movie or something straight out of a B-rate James Bond ripoff action flick than a practical, dependable, and easy-to-operate vehicle.

Two, you have accessories that have not been professionally installed and that cause problems with the car’s functions. For example, a DVD system that has not been professionally installed in a car can cause problems with the car’s electrical systems.

Tip #1: Buy Ahead; Use a Major Booking Site
Just as you often book your flight and your room ahead of time, do the same with your rental car. If possible, package the rental car in with the flight, the room, or both. Many bundled discounts are available that essentially offer you a free rental car as part of the package. If you cannot find a deal here, look to the rental car company’s website itself. You can at least get some savings going directly through their website ahead of time. Take Tip #2 into consideration even when using a booking agency or company’s website.

Tip #2: Take the Shuttle into Town
Sure, it can be a hassle but if getting the least expensive rental car deal is important to you, then take the airport shuttle into down. Those on-site car rental agencies have to pay a premium to the airport, a premium that they pass on to the customer. You might be amazed that you can get a much more competitive deal from the same company in town then they would offer you at the airport.

Tip #3: Discount Codes and Coupons
Have you ever noticed that when you rent a car they will often ask you if you have a discount code or coupon to apply to the purchase? You do not need to be a preferred customer to have these codes. Thanks to the Internet, these discount codes are widely available via websites that specialize in them. Monitor these deals even after you book your rental car because many companies will allow you to apply them on top of the booking savings.

Tip #4: Avoid Rental Car Insurance
Rental car companies try to sell rental car insurance to all of their customers. When you consider that the majority of those customers do not require the insurance, this is tantamount to a racket. If you have personal automobile insurance, chances are that your personal policy covers all rental cars. Verify this and then decline any additional coverage.

Tip #5: Bring a Digital Camera
Think ahead and have your digital camera handy. They are so convenient today that there is no excuse not to have one available. Take five minutes to walk around the car with the rental company rep. Photograph the car at all the angles. Note all the damage and have the rep sign off on it. This may seem like a waste of time but you would be amazed how often rental car companies try to apply surcharges for minor dings and nicks.

With these tips, a little patience, and a little due diligence, you should have no difficulty finding the best car rental deal possible. Good luck.

Clean Machine
When a dealer inspects a car for trade-in, the first thing he notices is the cleanliness of the car. This is considered a reflection of how the automobile was maintained. If the car is dirty and unkempt, many dealers assume it was not well maintained. Start by de-cluttering the interior.

Remove any trash and clean out the glove box and door compartments. Vacuum all carpeted areas and shampoo, if necessary. Wipe down all surfaces. However, be careful to check the owner’s manual, some interiors have specific cleaning requirements. Finally, remove all personal items hanging from the mirror or placed in the cup holders. Don’t forget the exterior. Be sure to wash it and clean the tires. In most cases, it is not necessary to have it professionally detailed; a carwash is usually sufficient.

If it’s Broken, Fix it
One person’s trade-in becomes someone else’s “new” car. Broken items will need to be fixed or replaced before a dealer resells the car. This will be taken into account when determining the trade-in value. Broken items can also be red flags and dealers may wonder what else may be broken. It is imperative that cracked windshield, damaged tires, warning lights and burned out bulbs be replaced.

Trade-in Research
It is important to know the value of the trade-in. In today’s virtual world, there are many options to verify wholesale value. Research the base model of the car and available options. Verify which options have been installed. Locate all of the car keys, dealers may deduct up to $200 or more per missing key. Finally, transferable warranties also add trade-in value. Be sure to provide the paperwork to the dealership.

By following the above tips, you will increasing the value of your trade-in vehicle and be able to afford a nicer car.

You can find police car auctions online, but in order to bid you’ll have to attend a live auction and bid in person. Online auction sites that offers police auctions are only providing information on how to gain access to police auctions in your local area.

Over the years police car auctions have grew in popularity thanks to the internet. This can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. The blessing is that people who didn’t know police car auctions existed are now being introduced to their existence everyday online. But on the flip side, the curse is that there may be more competition at the auctions due to the online visibility that police car auctions are receiving.

If you’re interested in buying a car from a police car auction, the first thing to find out is where the “cars to be auctioned” came from. The cars can be repos from loan defaulters, seized vehicles from drug dealers and other criminals or confiscated vehicles due to a host of different reasons.

Finding out where the cars came from can be beneficial to you prior to the auction, because if the cars are predominantly repossessed cars, you may want to brush up on your auto mechanics knowledge. People who are in severe default in their auto loans usually do not take care of their vehicles, so therefore, if you bid on a repossessed car and win, the car may be in need of a little immediate maintenance.

When it comes to getting cars at the cheapest price possible at police car auctions, it is best to arrive early. Most police car auctions allow the public to inspect the cars 30 minutes to an hour prior to the official start of bidding. This is the time to get a jump start over the other bidders by seeing what cars are being offered for auction. If you desire you should bring a pad and pen to write down information about the cars that interest you the most.

Basic information to write can be if the exterior /interior are in good shape, if the tires still have quality tread, or any other worthwhile details that are important to you. By taking down important notes about the vehicles, you’ll know which cars to pursue more aggressively. Police car auctions are great for saving money on transportation needs, but if you bid on a random car, you may just win a car that isn’t worth buying even at a very cheap price.

One of the first things you need to do is decide what you want. Are you looking for a brand new car or a used model? What sort of car brand are you interested in? Do you need a large car for family, or are you looking for something smaller and sporty?

Once you know more about the type of car you want, you can then explore your price range and budget and whether or not you desire a new or used model. Knowing as much going into this hunt is important because it will help you narrow down your hunt.

Take the time to figure out the average price of your desired vehicle. You can figure this out by consulting with a local bank or just by averaging the quotes you see online. Once you know the general price of a car, you will be able to spot a deal once you see it!

Next, take the time to visit a price comparison website. You can no doubt find listings upon listings of cars this way. Take the time to look to see what features are offered with which prices. If the car is used, pay attention to its history and how many miles it has on it. You want a car that is sure to last more than a year. Thus, pay attention to the details so that you can find a stellar car!

Visit local dealership websites if you want to find a cheap car online. This website will often explain what cars the business has in stock. Thus, you can find both used and brand new models by perusing these websites. Often, the prices of these cars will be listed. Compare such prices to the quotes you found elsewhere and remember that you will most likely be able to negotiate a slightly lower price once your on the dealer’s lot.

Lastly, don’t count out visiting classifieds-focused websites and online auction websites. This is a great way to find cars for sale from individuals. Finding a car this way may very well be a way to find some great deals!

1. Honda Accord 2003-2007

The Honda Accord has always been an excellent investment for used car buyers. It’s rare for a vehicle to hold 80% of its value after five or more years, but a Honda Accord in excellent condition, with fewer than 80,000 miles, will retain most of its value.

2. BMW Z4 Series 2006

German engineering values precision, power, and style, making the BMW Z4 Series an excellent investment. Although the Z4 Series is not the best family car due to its compact size, for those single buyers or weekend pleasure drives, a Z4 with about 65,000 miles is the best option for your dollar.

3. Toyota Camry Wagon 1994 LE Wagon 4D

Few 16 year old vehicles can boast the kind of impressive, long-standing value of the Toyota Camry Wagon. In the 1990’s, Toyota was renowned for its virtually flawless engines and excellent performance record. In a rare example of a car outperforming its mileage, a Camry with over 120,000 miles is far more valuable than other vehicles in this category.

4. Honda Civic 1998 EX Sedan 4D

Although the Accord has garnered recognition as the top of the line Honda vehicle, the Civic offers buyers great features at an affordable price. The best part: the Civic holds its value even at 90,000+ miles.

5. Subaru Legacy Sedan 1995 4D

Subaru values excellent engineering and solid, durable design, making it a joy to drive, even as it ages. With a solid value at 90,000+ miles, this used Subaru retains its financial charm.

One final note on purchasing excellent used cars: a manual transmission can be a better investment than an automatic, mainly because the repairs to a manual are usually cheaper than having to replace an entire automatic transmission.