Minor dirt or grime eats away at the paint, which ruins the car’s appearance and lowers its value. Don’t let dirt, dust, sand and/or bird dropping sit on the car. Take good care of the exterior by washing the car regularly and wax as recommended. Keep it clean and you won’t have this problem. Know this - buyers love to bid prices down if there are cosmetic issues. If you keep a messy car, the seats, consoles, and steering wheel will wear down, which decreases a car’s value. Keeping a car’s interior clean is important not only for looks but also for its health. The more often you have your car maintenance, the earlier mechanics can catch issues and fix them before they cause more damage to the car. This includes oil changes, tune-ups, and major inspections. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to the letter to keep your car in great shape. The number one way to ruin a car’s value is to ignore its necessary maintenance. Our proven tips help keep your car in great shape and hold the value of your car: While you won’t walk away with a profit, you can increase how much you resell the car for. This is a proven routine that limits the financial burden of owning a car. In many cases, New Zealanders buy a second-hand car, drive it for a few years and then sell it. Most people look after their cars and don't drive them into the ground. This is usually because the parts are more expensive, and the car requires more maintenance.Īll cars depreciate, but that doesn’t mean you're unable to influence how much a car can hold its value. Size: Bigger cars depreciate faster than smaller cars.Accidents, not taking care of it, and shoddy bodywork can cause a car to be worth less. Overall condition: If a car experiences damage, it decreases the value.Whether it’s the history of how the car operates or what people think of the car, but it plays a role in the value. It’s just the consensus that makes this happen. Reliability: Certain makes and models are more reliable than others.Every time a new model comes out, older models lose value. New models: New car models come out annually even when you’re buying what feels like the latest model, a newer model is already in production and will be released soon.In the beginning, the mileage won’t affect the car’s value too much, but as you get into the higher mileage, the value decreases. It doesn’t work as effectively and has a lower useful life for every kilometre you drive. Mileage: As you drive your car, you wear it down.

We outline the critical depreciation contributors below: The reality is that the average car owner has little control over how much (or little) their car depreciates, given each use is for a purpose. Many different factors affect how fast a car depreciates.

Highest residual value cars