Out with the old and in with the new. This philosophy drives vehicle sales as drivers sell their old cars for newer ones. However, the process is not as simple as just saying, “I’m going to sell my car today.” It’s worth looking into what you have to maximize your profit or trade-in value. Aside from the obvious things that boost a vehicle’s value, like a well-maintained engine and no dents on the exterior, there are features that many people don’t consider can have a profound impact on the value of their vehicle.
Some of these features may seem obvious, but others are features you wouldn’t expect people to care too much about. We’ll be listing off some features that people consider must-have items so that you know what you have when it comes time to sell your car at Future Ford of Sacramento. From the mechanical side of things to the technology side, there are features that people seek, and your vehicle may have one or more. Let’s get started.
People Like to Be Comfortable
Think about this: whether you purchased your vehicle new or used, you likely put some thought into comfort. It’s not rocket science to determine that a base-level car will sell for less than a higher-tier trim of the same model. Opting for one of these higher-trim levels when purchasing your vehicle will usually bring improved materials and comfort. The features you chose when you initially shopped for the car you’re currently selling have a significant impact on the resale value of your vehicle, and the first set of features we’d like to point out are the seats.
The seats in your vehicle are more important than you think. There’s even a chance you opted for a higher tier trim simply to avoid manually-adjustable seats with cold cloth upholstery that lack any heating and ventilating features. Heated and ventilated seats fetch more money than those that lack one or both features. Naturally, a vehicle with more luxurious amenities will have a better chance of getting a good price when you sell it than a bare-bones model.
For starters, the materials your seats are crafted with play a large part because cloth seats are regularly reserved for base-level trims. Cloth seats are entirely serviceable, and some shoppers may not care too much about the materials in their seats––especially if the cloth lacks any physical damage––but that doesn’t mean the resale value will be the same. Leather seats can fetch more if there are no blemishes or cracks, and leatherette seating also fares better than cloth regarding resale value.
As we alluded to earlier, having manually-adjustable seats is anything but desirable. There’s no way to spin the concept of manually-adjustable seats into anything exciting or noteworthy––they’re bland, uncomfortable, and old-school. There’s a strong chance the vehicle you’re trading in may already have a power-adjustable driver’s seat, but there are a few more factors to consider. For example, a four-way power-adjustable seat will likely fetch more than a six-way manually-adjustable seat. You’ll also get more money from your trade-in if the front-row passenger seat is also power-adjustable. It’s not uncommon for lower-tier trims to offer the driver a power-adjustable seat but leave the passenger out of the mix, so vehicles that combine both will likely fetch more.
Power and Efficiency Always Matter
This one is rather straightforward: if your vehicle is performant, efficient, or both, it’ll likely have better resale value than vehicles with aging or base-level powertrains. Many cars can be purchased in a variety of powertrain configurations, so make sure you know what is under the hood when it comes time to value your vehicle.
For example, a Ford F-150 for sale in Roseville with the base V6 engine won’t fetch as much money as a truck with the V8 engine, the twin-turbo V6, or the Power Stroke diesel. For a pickup truck, the towing and payload capacities will also factor into how much money you can get for yours. Still, excellent performance is sought after with any vehicle, whether a sedan, SUV, or sports car.
Safety Features Are Important
Two aspects of safety go into the resale value of your car: how well it’s built and what type of safety features it includes. Starting with how it’s built, every vehicle released is under the watchful eye of safety organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS.) These organizations perform crash tests, and the best of the bunch receive distinctions like five-star overall safety ratings. Owning a vehicle that is generally well regarded for its build quality will increase its resale value because many shoppers are familiar with brands that hold up well, such as Honda, Toyota, and Ford––all of which can be at your used Ford dealer near Elk Grove.
However, build quality is only half the battle because if you’re selling a vehicle with modern driver-assist features, you’ll likely get more for your trade-in. Driver-assist technology has become the norm throughout the automotive industry, and manufacturers have implemented safety suites into their vehicles for the better part of a decade. For example, Honda has Honda Sensing, Chevy has Chevy Safety Assist, and Ford has Co-Pilot360. A safety suite or standalone features like Forward Collision Alert and Automatic Emergency Braking can help your vehicle’s resale value. Some driver-assist features that are commonly optional, such as Blind-Spot Monitoring, can also help tremendously.
Technology Is in High Demand
In the same way that people have upgraded their cell phones and home computers, vehicles have become more technologically advanced over the years, and upgrades are becoming more essential for those who want to keep up with the times. There are still a large number of drivers out there who own vehicles that don’t have an infotainment center, meaning they have yet to utilize features that have become commonplace in the past decade, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Drivers who have never owned a vehicle with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are likely looking to do so. If your car has any of these features built-in, you’re in a fantastic spot to get a decent trade-in value from your Folsom Ford dealership. This is especially the case if your vehicle goes the extra mile with features like a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot or, best of all, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All of these tech features are wrapped in infotainment centers, which come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not uncommon to see infotainment options like the Ford SYNC 3 system, but more modern systems like Ford’s SYNC 4 will fetch more money during the trade-in process.
Check Out Your Car’s Value Today
If selling your car is on your mind, then make sure to check its value and get an idea of how much money you’re sitting on. To get an accurate estimate at your convenience, simply fill out the Value Your Trade form on our website, and our team will get back to you with your car’s value. We always pay actual market value for cars and make sure our customers walk away with cash in hand. The trade-in value of vehicles is never static, so if you’re curious how much you can get for your car today, come visit Future Ford of Sacramento, and we’ll let you know how much you can get.
