A car title loan uses your vehicle as collateral against the amount you’re borrowing, and this naturally makes the value of your car one of the most important factors in the process. Every extra dollar of listed value you can add to your car is a dollar you can get in fast cash on a title loan.
We’ve seen every car situation possible at Utah Money Center, and we want to help put you in a situation to get the best loan possible. What are some things you can do to maximize the value of your vehicle before putting it up against a loan?
Maintenance
Nothing can lower the value of your car more quickly than a car that’s lacking on basic maintenance items. Would you want to buy a used car that needed multiple pricy repairs virtually as soon as you drove it off the used car lot? No, and these kind of undesirables lower your value in a loan as well.
If you have a trusted mechanic, or better yet a friend or loved one with a high level of car knowledge, you can ask their advice about maintenance calls you should make before you gauge your car’s value. Plus, anything you can do to get a great deal on a necessary repair could turn into extra cash in your pocket from your loan.
Keep Receipts
For any maintenance you do perform, even from years prior, keep the documentation handy. Uncertainty on your car’s upkeep over the years will cause many lenders to lower your loan amount. Keep detailed and lengthy records.
Tire Upkeep
Tires count as maintenance, but it’s so common for people to treat them as a completely separate entity that we’re doing so here as well. They’re part of the car, and because of the relative variability of tire pricing, you could come out on the bad end if you force the lender to factor a needed tire replacement into a deduction from your loan – they’ll likely default to the higher end of the pricing structure.
Appearance
Even if they’re low-cost fixes, doing everything you can to make your vehicle sparkle and appear outwardly beautiful can go a long way. Get dents or chips fixed, and try to keep the interior as fresh as possible. Smaller details than outward appearance have made a real impact on car loan value in the past, to be sure.
Want to learn more about title loans, signature loans or any of our other services? Our experts at Utah Money Center are standing by today.