Upgrade Your Ride

Trading in your used car is like handing the dealer a wad of Franklins. Unload it yourself and cash in. Savvy sellers spend time and, yes, money prepping their cars for sale. Then they add another $1,000 to the asking price. Here's how to clean up when selling a used car.

Wash, Wax, Repeat
"We eat with our eyes first," says Jon Zydenbos, of carscars.com. Feed the exterior a deep cleaner, then hit it with carnauba wax. Clear out the trunk. Clean the engine with a degreaser. Shampoo the interior. Four hours of cleaning—2 on the outside, 1 under the hood, and 1 on the inside—can add $400 to the selling price.

Replace the Tires
"Two things sell a car: shine and good tires," Zydenbos says. If your tires are worn, buy new ones. Or at least use a wheel cleaner and brush to get off the dirt. Then apply a "wet tire" spray to make them look new. Don't forget the spare. Spending $200 on new tires can mean an extra $400.

Put Four on the Floor
Mats, that is. Go with cloth, not rubber.

Exchange Your Fluids
A smart buyer will check under the hood. Make sure you have a recent oil-change sticker, the radiator fluid is green, and the transmission fluid is purple.

Remove the Dings
Many dealers will give your car a smoothing for around $200, using a paintless dent-removal system like Dent Wizard (dentwizard.com). This can net you as much as $300.

Perform a Self-Check
Order a carfax.com Vehicle History Report ($30)—which shows accidents, inspections, recalls, odometer readings, and other evidence of good care-giving—and give it to potential buyers. This lets them know they aren't looking at a lemon.

Round Up Your Maintenance Records
And put them in a binder. "You'll look like an honest guy," says Jeff Ostroff, of carbuyingtips.com.

Advertise Online
Don't rely on the local newspaper. Sites like autotrader.com, thebiglot.com, autoweb.com, and carsdirect.com reach millions of buyers each month. List as many options as possible. And don't underestimate the selling power of terms like "original owner," "nonsmoker," and "garaged."