You could be missing out on over £250 when selling your old car by losing an everyday item
DRIVERS have been warned they could be missing out on over £250 when trying to sell an old car by losing an everyday item.
Brits who fail to keep track of the vital piece of kit could see potential buyers “put off”, according to experts.
Steven Edwards, editor at sales platform MOTORS, explained why having a spare set of keys on hand could bump up the value of your vehicle.
He said: “If you are missing the extra set of keys for your car you’ll want to get them replaced to avoid missing out on hundreds of pounds.
“New buyers are likely to be put off by the prospect of having to buy a spare pair of keys themselves, decreasing the value of your vehicle.
“Having a spare pair of keys is valuable for many reasons, not least if you go on to lose the original key.”
Car key replacement costs can easily run into the hundreds, especially in today’s age of high-tech fobs and keyless ignition.
For some luxury models, a new key could even cost thousands so making sure two are provided when you buy a motor is essential.
The flip side of that is that when you try to sell your car, it’s vital to have both sets available for the customer.
Failing to do so could knock an estimated average of £252 off the price.
Steven also suggested that it could give the impression that the vehicle “hasn’t been very well maintained“, weakening potential buyers’ trust in you/
This was backed up by specialists at WeBuyAnyCar, who say that not having both keys could mean it “takes longer” to sell and that you may have to offer a “significant discount.
They added: “Unless the cost would make the sale unprofitable, obtaining replacement keys should be worth your while.”
It comes after a supercar influencer revealed how she quit her 9 to 5 to chase her dream and now drivers her £500k dream car
Meanwhile, a Scottish council was forced to replace its solar-powered speed cameras due to an embarrassing mishap.
Seven major mistakes Brits make when selling cars
- Not having the car cleaned – cost: £200
- Missing spare keys – cost: £250
- Having an MOT due within 3 months – cost: £328
- Leaving warning lights on dashboard – cost: £400
- Failing to repair scratches – cost: £420
- Missing/out of date paperwork – cost £425
- Poor quality photos – cost: sale price