Selling a modified car: How to secure the best price
It’s no secret that there are plenty of people out there who love to tinker with their vehicles original look and performance. From tuning the car to improve usability and performance to adding new features that change the overall aesthetic of a car, there’s a huge range of car modifications that owners make to customise their vehicles. Putting your own stamp on a car is a good way to make it stand out from the crowd, and express a little of your personality through the design and feature modifications you choose to make. However in most cases, the owner will eventually choose to sell their vehicle, meaning each of the modifications made to the car will likely still be in place when it comes time to sell. So, how do these customised cars fair during a resale? Does debadging a car affect car value? Will the modifications add extra interest and value, or simply put buyers off altogether?
30 second car valuation
Why modifications affect a car’s value
All our cars that qualify for it are sold with an AA Inspection Report. Obviously, those that are clear on this report tend to be mechanically sound and this increases the resale value. It gives the buyer confidence in the car.
Cars that are modified normally have flags/black marks on this report as the AA have to test under strict guidelines. You often find that with engine induction kits/remaps, suspension lowering and bigger wheels for example, that although they may have been modified professionally it changes the car as a whole, and therefore the AA can’t (and in most cases won’t) guarantee under the report and highlight their findings.
Buyers are wary of this and although there is a market for these types of vehicles, you do limit your buyer base. Therefore before purchasing, buyers must take into consideration the following:
Considerations before modifying your car
Given below are the main considerations buyers take into account before purchasing a modified car.
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Insurance
Insurance companies make certain assumptions when you take out a new policy with them. As far as insurance companies are concerned, your car is exactly as it came from the factory. If the car is heavily modified and not declared, you run the risk that insurance will not pay out in the event of an accident.
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Safety
This is probably most important of all. If the engine, suspension etc. has been altered, can the buyer be truly sure that it is safe? Buyers have to retail these cars at some point and don’t always wish to go to the expense of putting things right if it’s a ‘botched job’, so any rectifications the buyer will have to make before resale will again likely be removed from the value of the vehicle.
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Reliability
Performance modifications will generally make your vehicle less reliable in the long run due to the additional strain endured by its various components during higher speed, acceleration or ‘extreme’ usage over the years. With this in mind, buyers then have to judge whether the car has been modified professionally or not. In many cases modifications are done by the owners at local garages and not at official modification specialists, further lowering the reliability of the vehicle and casting further doubt in the buyer’s mind.
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Warranty and service plans
All cars come with a warranty. Most vehicles these days are also sold with a service plan as standard, with some higher-end products covering even more than the routine services with comprehensive plans. Yet with modifications, there’s a high risk of voiding manufacturer warranties and service plans, so if the modified car is newer and still under warranty, the buyer has to assume that the warranty may be useless, and therefore voids any value the warranty would have added.
How to sell modified cars
If you're looking to upgrade your car, you may be wondering, "What is the best way to sell a car?" Often, the biggest problem with selling a modified car is finding a buyer. As mentioned in the above section, modifying your car can significantly refine your buyer base. It’s fair to say that most domestic buyers who are in the market for a new vehicle are looking for something a little more predictable than a modified car.
Luckily, we provide a quick and simple service that allows you to sell any car to us, regardless of modifications, making webuyanycar the best way to sell a modified car. Simply begin by getting a free car valuation. Enter your reg number along with some other simple details and find out how much your car is worth in less than 30 seconds. Once you receive your initial online quote, you can then book an appointment at one of our 500+ UK branches, meaning there’s sure to be one within a short drive of your location.
At your appointment, you can sell your modified car to us quickly and easily, just be sure to bring as much of the service history and relevant paperwork as possible so we can see what work has been carried out on the vehicle.
What you need to bring to your appointment
So, if you’re happy with your online quote and want to dodge all of the hassle that comes with selling a car privately (which is especially prominent when trying to sell a modified car privately), then you came to the right place! As mentioned above, simply book an appointment to see one of our friendly expert vehicle purchasers at your local webuyanycar branch (our appointment-booking system will show following your online car valuation) and be sure to bring the following items along to your appointment:
Documents
- V5 document (or logbook)
- Car's service history (if it has one)
Your ID
- Photographic proof of ID (e.g. driving license, passport)
- A proof of address from the last 9 months (e.g. utility bill, council tax bill, bank statement)
Finance details
- Your UK bank details (so we can pay you)
- If there is outstanding finance, a letter from the finance company confirming their settlement figure
The more we know about the modifications made to the car, the better idea we have about any work or repairs that may need to be carried out on the vehicle, which will likely result in a better final valuation than a customised car with no official documentation.
So, if you're wondering, "Should I modify my car?" consider how this may affect the car's resale price. However, selling your customised car to webuyanycar couldn't be easier. Enter your reg today for the quick, easy and hassle-free way to sell your car!
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