Amit Kumar
Many car owners who were thinking to put up their car on sale in the pre-COVID era, are now waiting for the lockdown to get over and pass on their prized possessions. For many, a car is more than just utility. It is an experience, a part of their lives. Some might have already zeroed down on their next dream car.
Using this time of lockdown to prepare your car for showdown will probably save you time and even get you a better price than expected once the lockdown is relaxed. As people will continue to shun public transport and prefer to drive more personal vehicles to avoid risking exposure to the infection, here are those definitive tasks you should complete before taking the keys to the buyer.
Use the right tools to disinfect your cars’ interiors: Your car is composed of an array of materials including plastic, leather, cloth etc. Certain types of chemical disinfectants such as bleach or household cleaners can harm these materials hence it is imperative that you choose the right materials to disinfect your car.
Use disinfecting wipes to sanitize high touch areas of your car such as the steering wheel, gear, seats, dashboard, seat belts etc. If you don’t have disinfecting wipes available then use alcohol-based hand rubs instead of a hand sanitizer to clean the surfaces. Keep in mind that Isopropyl alcohol is not the right ingredient to disinfect leather materials.
Use soap and water for the same to gently wipe down your leather surfaces in the car. Keep washing your hands in between to avoid recontamination. Use a pair of sterile latex or plastic gloves while disinfecting your car. Don’t use cloth-based gloves as they will absorb any liquids and increase the risk of contamination. For touch screen panels on cars avoid using ammonia-based cleaning agents as they can strip off the coating on the device.
Use the right tools to disinfect your cars’ exteriors: On large surfaces such as the bonnet, the hood of the car, etc. use a combination of water-soluble disinfectants such as antiseptic liquids or soap to wash the car thoroughly.
To scrub the surfaces, use a non-scratch sponge or microfiber cloth instead of an abrasive sponge to ensure you don’t accidentally scratch the surface or coating of the car. Hose down underneath the car with a soap-based solution and let it dry out.
Be extremely careful to note that water can get into the exhaust or damage the electronics such as the air conditioning system so avoid hosing down the car with a high-pressure hose.
Cleaning the removables: Wash the removable parts of your car such as the foot mats, seat covers, etc. separately. Clean the rubber foot mats in a solution of soap and water for at least 1 min to remove all the grime.
If possible dry clean your seat covers separately else wash them with soap and water. Let them out to dry and don’t install them until a later date when you are planning to sell the car.
Keeping your documents in order: While preparing to sell your car, gather documents for your car such as the documents such as permits (all types), driving licence, registration certificate, Insurance copy & pollution certificate. If your license or vehicle fitness certificate has expired then you can renew it until June 30 under the new validity extension guidelines, failure to do which can attract a fine of Rs 5,000.
Pay all the traffic or other fines in advance. Renew the pollution certificate if it has expired and communicate to your insurer/bank about the car transfer details. Proper documentation will enable you to sell the car faster and even fetch a higher price than you expected.
To check for renewing your license visit your local RTO website to check for operational hours as work timings would be different owing to the lockdown and limited staff availability.
Test driving the car: While selling your car, the buyer may want to test drive the car hence you need to ensure the right hygiene and safety protocols are being followed before allowing the test drive.
Provide a pair of gloves to the buyer, mask, sanitise his/her hands before allowing him/her to touch any surface in the car and provide a steering cover for your car.
Preferably, seat yourself in the back seat during the test drive and do not allow the test drive to take place in your absence. After the sale is completed, encourage the buyer to sanitise the car again.
Getting a good deal on your car: To get a good deal on your car, find out about the current asking price of the model of your car from online platforms. This will allow you to understand the market’s expectations and ensure that you don’t undervalue the price of your car.
If your car has faced water damage in the past, then ensure that you mention the insurance claim availed on it to the buyer.
To summarize, the physical condition of the car is as important as the sanitization of the car. Understanding and anticipating the psychology of the buyer matters now, more than ever. The car buyer is not only looking at the car but also at the signals coming from the car seller.
A car seller who takes all the precautions in sanitizing the car comes across as a responsible and caring person for his car, for himself and for the community. That's exactly the kind of well-kept pre-owned car one would want to buy for himself even if it costs a bit more.
The author is the Business Head of OLX CashMyCar.
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