Pre-sale detailing - is it Worth it?
Discussion
New job and company car means my beloved Cayenne Turbo will have be sold in September. Because I'm not part exing I'll have to go the classified ad route (which i haven't done before - always part ex) and I've already started tidying, cleaning polishing etc.
The trouble is I'm no detailing expert and the bodywork has still got quite quite a few swirl marks, minor scratches etc. The colour doesn't help either.
What's the general consensus among PHers about getting a proper detailing job done prior to sale?
The reason I ask is that looking at the classifieds on PH and other sites there seems such a disparity in asking prices that its' hard to know where to pitch the asking price. Some appear to be massively over priced and will never sell, and the trade in values just don't seem enough (but i suppose everybody thinks that).
And given the disparity, will a pro detail pay for itself because it'll look so much better when a buyer turns up to view.
Or is the hard part getting buyers to see the car in the first place?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks
The trouble is I'm no detailing expert and the bodywork has still got quite quite a few swirl marks, minor scratches etc. The colour doesn't help either.
What's the general consensus among PHers about getting a proper detailing job done prior to sale?
The reason I ask is that looking at the classifieds on PH and other sites there seems such a disparity in asking prices that its' hard to know where to pitch the asking price. Some appear to be massively over priced and will never sell, and the trade in values just don't seem enough (but i suppose everybody thinks that).
And given the disparity, will a pro detail pay for itself because it'll look so much better when a buyer turns up to view.
Or is the hard part getting buyers to see the car in the first place?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks
don't spend big money on it is my advice.
get people in, and talk prices, most won't care about Swirls etc.
I try and agree prices over the phone subject to inspection, then if they turn up and find an issue I just knock the price down or offer to fix it.
most will only look at tyres, maybe brakes and check for dents. that's all the trade look at + windscreen chips and wheels scuffs.
make sure it's uber clean and it has no dents or wheel curb marks, those things are worth fixing as if you trade in it, they will pick up on those and offer less than it cost you to fix it.
to go the extra mile a Porsche 111 inspection is worth more money to you than a paint clean, it means you can then buy and offer a warranty on it if the cars not too old.
get people in, and talk prices, most won't care about Swirls etc.
I try and agree prices over the phone subject to inspection, then if they turn up and find an issue I just knock the price down or offer to fix it.
most will only look at tyres, maybe brakes and check for dents. that's all the trade look at + windscreen chips and wheels scuffs.
make sure it's uber clean and it has no dents or wheel curb marks, those things are worth fixing as if you trade in it, they will pick up on those and offer less than it cost you to fix it.
to go the extra mile a Porsche 111 inspection is worth more money to you than a paint clean, it means you can then buy and offer a warranty on it if the cars not too old.
Personally, I would make a bit of an effort.
- Thorough valet
- Some good quality pics in a nice setting
- Well worded ad
- Comprehensive Service File, neatly laid out
- Sensible price
The better you present it the more interest you will generate and the easier it will sell.
There are some lazy sellers out there and it's a huge disappointment to buyers when they turn up and the car isn't as nice as they'd hoped.
Also, a lot easier to sell privately if the car still has some warranty remaining.
- Thorough valet
- Some good quality pics in a nice setting
- Well worded ad
- Comprehensive Service File, neatly laid out
- Sensible price
The better you present it the more interest you will generate and the easier it will sell.
There are some lazy sellers out there and it's a huge disappointment to buyers when they turn up and the car isn't as nice as they'd hoped.
Also, a lot easier to sell privately if the car still has some warranty remaining.
Was all set to sell our Cayenne privately, but having been in the local OPC anyway asked them for a bid which was within £1k of what I was hoping to achieve privately so a no brainier to let it go for a hassle free transaction.
Suggest that you check with your own OPC as demand for current gen cars seems very strong at the moment.
Suggest that you check with your own OPC as demand for current gen cars seems very strong at the moment.
If the cars paintwork looks tired that would put me off right away.
Just take it down to the local handwash place £50 and it will be. sprucced up loads.
Test should be is if you were looking to buy the car, would you buy it looking as it does?
Also if a car appears fresh more likely to sell it - appearance is key in my book to drawing the buyer in.
Just take it down to the local handwash place £50 and it will be. sprucced up loads.
Test should be is if you were looking to buy the car, would you buy it looking as it does?
Also if a car appears fresh more likely to sell it - appearance is key in my book to drawing the buyer in.
I find detailing before sale does help, certainly putting the effort in shows prospective buyers that you care about your car and it is highly likely a lot of people are viewing multiple cars and yours will be the only one where someone has made an effort to present it for sale.
I am amazed at the number of lazy sellers out there, follow the advice above and it should sell pretty quickly.
Chris
I am amazed at the number of lazy sellers out there, follow the advice above and it should sell pretty quickly.
Chris
It makes all the difference
You make a decision to buy a car within a few minutes of seeing it, you drive around the corner onto the street and see it gleaming there.
If it's covered in deep swirls creating a dull, flat paint finish it's less of a "wow" factor for viewing buyers and is another thing to knock money off.
More and more people are coming to terms with swirl marks, scratches and imporoper washing.
You spend £350 on a decent enhancement and while you may not make £350 back it will mean that you will sell your car faster and leave potential buyers with less to try to bargain you down by..
I would and have walked away from cars which have not been cleaned or clearly not been cared for... it shows pride of ownership.
check out porschedetailer.co.uk
You make a decision to buy a car within a few minutes of seeing it, you drive around the corner onto the street and see it gleaming there.
If it's covered in deep swirls creating a dull, flat paint finish it's less of a "wow" factor for viewing buyers and is another thing to knock money off.
More and more people are coming to terms with swirl marks, scratches and imporoper washing.
You spend £350 on a decent enhancement and while you may not make £350 back it will mean that you will sell your car faster and leave potential buyers with less to try to bargain you down by..
I would and have walked away from cars which have not been cleaned or clearly not been cared for... it shows pride of ownership.
check out porschedetailer.co.uk
Edited by xjay1337 on Wednesday 6th August 16:33
If your selling it cheap then some people will look past appearance, in my experience even then though a lot of people will be put off.
Sell it just at the point it's expensive but not so expensive as to put people off, write a really good advert, take lots of good pictures with nice backgrounds, take the car somewhere nice, for gods sake don't take pictures that look like they are on a council estate, make sure it's clean and nicely polished, glass clean, tyres clean and plastics polished, clean under the bonnet and make sure plastics look shiny, clean out boot and make sure everythings in the right place (toolkit etc. All neatly arranged.) Empty car out other than book pack in glove box, make sure it's clean and smells nice.
Most of all make sure there aren't any issues, unless I'm buying a car as a doer upper I don't want to be seeing warning lights on the dash, nor do I believe the aircon "just needs regassing" I do however like it if the cars just been serviced and especially if a cambelt if fitted is recently done with receipts.
It's just common sense but it's easy to make your car stand out from the crowd.
Sell it just at the point it's expensive but not so expensive as to put people off, write a really good advert, take lots of good pictures with nice backgrounds, take the car somewhere nice, for gods sake don't take pictures that look like they are on a council estate, make sure it's clean and nicely polished, glass clean, tyres clean and plastics polished, clean under the bonnet and make sure plastics look shiny, clean out boot and make sure everythings in the right place (toolkit etc. All neatly arranged.) Empty car out other than book pack in glove box, make sure it's clean and smells nice.
Most of all make sure there aren't any issues, unless I'm buying a car as a doer upper I don't want to be seeing warning lights on the dash, nor do I believe the aircon "just needs regassing" I do however like it if the cars just been serviced and especially if a cambelt if fitted is recently done with receipts.
It's just common sense but it's easy to make your car stand out from the crowd.
Thanks for all the advice. I generally give the car a good valet every other week and when washed and polished up it looks good. Good photos at a nice location already done and obviously want to get a decent price so I'll do everything can to make it look good as I can.
The real question I'm asking is whether it's worth paying to get it looking 'showroom'
The real question I'm asking is whether it's worth paying to get it looking 'showroom'
If a buyer comes to see your car who is a regular on Detailing World you'll be in for a hard time, but if it's Joe punter you should be OK with a polish and wax, don't forget to polish the windows and put something on the black plastic trim and the tyres too...shiny cars sell.
Good photos is a must don't use a phone a DSLR or high quality compact is needed also have a look online for taking car photo tips.
Good luck with your sale.
Good photos is a must don't use a phone a DSLR or high quality compact is needed also have a look online for taking car photo tips.
Good luck with your sale.
If you are in or around the London area use Nigel 07931 852869. He detailed two of my cars. Outstanding job and very very reasonable. One which I bought used from a main dealer that burnt the paint when they mopped it 
. Got it all out. Phew!!! and the other because he did such an amazing job on Kerry's car I got him to detail my 24 year old Turbo R. Detailing seems such a poncy word. What Nigel did was take out all the swirl marks and scratches in the paint. Top man 
. Got it all out. Phew!!! and the other because he did such an amazing job on Kerry's car I got him to detail my 24 year old Turbo R. Detailing seems such a poncy word. What Nigel did was take out all the swirl marks and scratches in the paint. Top man I'd do it, every time. Last time was a very tired Ford bus thingy. Detailed (£250) and sold within 6 hours of going up for sale on here to the first person who saw it for the full asking price. Of course other factors are at play here, but I was able to rule out this one with little effort.
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