Should I wash my car before a trade-in?

I think we've all heard the saying that first impressions are important. It applies to us as humans and so many other things. Actors get typecast and those that have played villains seldom get love on the streets. That restaurant you tried once and had a bad experience at may have put you off of the brand forever. The fact is that while your initial impressions of these things pained you, they may very well be something entirely different. The same goes for cars.

Related: Why is my car's trade-in value so low?

The first impression of a car is a lasting one. If you see a grubby car, covered in what is clearly old mud, brake dust and litter in the cabin, you instantly form an opinion on how the car is cared for and how it's been maintained. Your expectations lower when you start to consider the drive. Are the wheels still balanced? It the alignment shot? When last was the oil changed? 

All of this means that you devalue it in your mind without giving it a genuine chance. The same applies when you want to trade in your own car.

 

Trading in

While it's not your responsibility to wash the car before trading in as most dealerships will give the car a full valet before putting it back on their floor to sell, presenting a clean car at the time of trade-in will give you the best chance at getting an accurate and respectable amount for your car. It will allow the sales agent or appraiser to form an honest opinion of your car without being negatively affected by the state in which it's presented. As you form those initial impressions, so do they.

You may think that presenting a dirty car will hide the scuffs, scratches and imperfections in the paint but you'll be doing more damage to your chances if you present them with an untidy, unkempt car. The agent will start to question the service history and wonder about the condition of the mechanicals and it may prompt them to dig deeper into the state of the car than you would possibly like.

Presenting them with a clean, shiny car will immediately tell them that you've looked after the car as best as you can and imply that you've kept up with the maintenance and servicing. This perceived value will usually offset any deductions because of scratches, stone chips or minor dents.

 

How clean should it be?

In short, there's no such thing as too clean. While it's not necessary to go full-tilt and have the vehicle detailed, paint correction and all, a good, hearty valet service will have it looking amazing and hopefully lift some of the marks, both inside and out, that would ordinarily detract from its perceived value.

A decent carpet and upholstery clean will revitalise the interior and have it looking as good as possible, removing unwanted odours as well. Removing the built-up grime on the controls will do wonders when it comes time for the inspection.

A lick of tyre dressing will help the tyres look newer than they may be, but it will never replace the worn tread, just so you know. It's also a good idea to tidy up the engine bay. A few blasts with a compressor will get rid of most of the dust and dirt that accumulates over time.