The best ways to maintain your car’s value in the UAE

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When it comes to maintaining your car’s value, it’s all about looking after it and picking a car good at retaining its appeal to buyers.

Many of us are often simply too busy to spend hours polishing and cleaning our vehicle, but a few simple steps will help ensure you maximise the price you can get when selling cars in UAE.

Pick the right vehicle

top selling cars for expats in the UAEIt’s a simple fact that some cars are more appealing to prospective buyers than others. That quirky design in a unique colour may spring out at you in the showroom, but do you really think everyone will share your tastes?

Opt for a popular colour like white or black and a model at the top of the bestseller lists. Japanese brands tend to be most popular in the UAE due to their performance, reliability and maintenance costs. There’s always a buoyant market for a Toyota, Honda or Nissan.

Appearance matters

Take care of your vehicle with regular washing and waxing. Remember, you can be fined Dh500 for possessing an excessively dirty car in the UAE, so it absolutely makes sense to keep it clean.

Car interiors can quickly become dirty if you don’t keep on top of cleaning your upholstery, carpets and interior plastics. It doesn’t take long to give your vehicle a quick vacuum and polish on a regular basis.

Shade it

The UAE’s near-permanent sun can really take it out on your vehicle’s paintwork. Interiors can also fade when exposed to prolonged sunlight. So park your car in the shade when possible or invest in a good car cover.

Keep records

Make sure you follow your car’s maintenance schedule and keep a record of all servicing, repairs and work carried out. A well-maintained record will appeal to buyers and may inflate the price you can ask for when you come to sell the vehicle.

It’s also a good idea to keep a record of any accidents, scratches or bumps and be able to demonstrate that the damage was minor and that you had it fixed. Not paying attention to your vehicle will only devalue it and a lack of care can accelerate wear and tear.