Minimising Car Depreciation

The blog this week is about the importance of maintaining your car in order to minimise the value depreciating when it comes to selling it on. Here we will give you some handy tips to help you maintain the value of your Volvo or Toyota, or any vehicle for that matter. Running a car has become a major expense, especially with the ever-increasing fuel prices. Everyone wants to save money on a monthly basis, maybe for that annual holiday or your children’s university fund or for home improvements. Maybe it is to counteract the constant increases in your weekly food shops or increased utility bills. Read on to find out more:

There are certain issues to remember when selling a car in order to achieve the best price. Factors to help you achieve the best re sale price can include:

• Fitting certain extras to a car such as alarms can increase the sale price - but don’t get carried away with all the latest hi tech gadgets - you could end up shelling out a lot of money but adding no real value - also be wary of altering your vehicle - it may affect your insurance – answer insurance questions honestly. Avoid heavy modifications. Try and keep the vehicle in its original factory condition. Custom body kits, aftermarket engine tunes or loud exhausts alienate mainstream buyers and slash the resale value.
• Regular car servicing can add to the vehicles value come resale time - a well maintained and fully serviced car will always attract a better resale value than one that has not been serviced and maintained. It gives the potential buyer peace of mind. It shows them that you have looked after it properly. Always keep all the paperwork together so you have a full folder to pass onto the new buyer showing when things like timing belts etc were changed. Try and sell before key thresholds. Trade it in before major mileage milestones (eg 60,000/100,000 miles) or before a major service is due.
• A full-service history can add hundreds of pounds so keep all documents safe - receipts/invoices and ensure your service book has been stamped by the garage. A well-maintained Volvo or Toyota will be way more attractive to a potential buyer than one that has skipped services as these will be red flags to potential buyers. They will immediately be thinking they have to spend more money on the car, so it gives them a reason to knock down the price they offer you.
• Always make sure the car is in good condition inside and out; this means professional cleaning before selling - but also looking after the interior and exterior whilst you own the car. Don’t leave food and drink spills in the interior – either clean it up yourself or get a professional in to do it at the time it happens. Smoking in your car will also devalue it – its near on impossible to get rid of the smell of cigarettes out of a car’s interior so will put off potential buyers especially those who do not smoke.
• New cars can lose 40-50% of their value in the first 3 years. Be aware of the car’s resale value by checking car pricing guides - a car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it at the end of the day. A car sold privately, and a car sold through a garage attract very different prices sometimes - always check similar makes and models for comparison. A 10-year-old car with 100,000 miles on the clock will not be the same price of the exact make and model 10-year-old car with only 50,000 miles on the clock
• Advertise the car in different places including online car trading magazines and internet auction sites to gain the best coverage for your car. You can also use places like Facebook marketplace for free and put a sign up in your car when its parked up at work or at home. Its better to sell a convertible in the spring or summer and SUV’s or 4x4’s in autumn and winter.
• Be wary of buyers or traders who consistently try to bully the seller into a reduced price. There are some places that will offer a price and then try and knock money off for every minor detail. We all know someone who has experienced this type of behaviour. You could always approach independent dealerships to see if they would like to buy your car. This would save you money in private advertising costs. And it would save them money on auction buying fees.

Car depreciation is simply a fact of owning and maintaining a car. A new car can depreciate in value by thousands of pounds within the first few years, especially if high mileage is involved. We have said time and time again in our blogs over the years that a well-maintained vehicle will always attract a higher selling price than one that has been poorly maintained.

Buyers should keep depreciation factors in mind when buying a new car as depreciation will make a financial difference come resale time. If you are only planning on keeping the car for a couple of years it may be way more cost effective to buy a car that is already a year or two old. More and more people are looking at leasing options - especially as the depreciation of a new car is sometimes up to 60% - research all the options available to you before parting with your hard-earned cash! Truly understand what is expected of you at the end of your lease if that is the route you chose to take. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

ACC UK Limited
Farnborough, Hampshire
Serving surrounding areas across North Hampshire and Surrey

Call us today on 01252 370701 to book in your MOT, service or repair

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, GRA – Outstanding Automotive Service Excellence 2025, GRA – Outstanding Customer Service – Automotive Sector UK 2026, Motor Trader Indies Garage of the Year Award 2025, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire