How to Prevent Depreciation of Your Vehicle

We've all heard the term 'depreciation' before, but not as many of us are quite aware of what it really means. Plainly, it is the loss of value over time. In vehicles, this depreciation comes from people being less willing to pay for older used cars which may need more service and be in worse shape than a newer example of the same model.

However, the amount of money lost to depreciation won't be the same for every car. If you take care of your vehicle with regular maintenance and address problems before things fully break, you're already better off than many people on the road. Preventative maintenance will also ensure all parts on your car remain in great condition and will leave adjusters little reason to subtract from a valuation. That being said, keep in mind that cars don't typically gain much value from expensive maintenance and upgrades in the same way investing in home renovations might.

If you've kept the inside of your car in good shape, that alone can go a long way during valuation if adjusters come to find that most cars similar to yours have far more worn interiors. As interior surfaces are unfortunately quite delicate, we recommend taking small steps often to maintain them. Firstly, moisturizers or lotion on your hands can damage interior plastic coatings over time, so be careful of how & when you apply. Secondly, utilizing UV-blocking window tints and putting up a windshield visor when you're parked outside in the summer will keep leather and plastic from fading and aging due to intense sun. It's also a good idea to keep any strong odor sources out of the car – pets, tobacco, and other scents can be impossible to eliminate. As for the outside, we do recommend waxing your car occasionally to protect painted surfaces. But past that, you're not getting much value from doing more, so just aim to keep everything clean.

Wear inside and out can leave adjusters subtracting value left and right. Severe damage can even be the reason your car misses out on a second life as a rebuilt vehicle!