These 5 steps will get your car ready for sale

Whether you’re selling your car privately online or to a dealer for cash or trade-in, you want the car to look as appealing as possible. Experts say it’s worth putting in a little effort to

spiff up your ride before you place it on the market — but only to a point. Here's what the pros say. KNOW YOUR NUMBERS If you’re considering getting rid of a car, and it’s approaching

100,000 miles, it may be time to act, suggests Jennifer Bartusiak from CarMax, which appraises and buys thousands of used cars a month. Even if you’re selling on the private market, that

number is a psychological barrier for potential buyers, and that has financial implications, she explains: “After 100,000 miles the value can drastically decrease.” Likewise, cars more than

a decade old are more difficult to sell. Bartusiak says, “The cutoff between 10-year-old and 11-year-old vehicles can be substantial in affecting the offer you’ll receive.” CLEAN MATTERS

Remember the joy of getting behind the wheel of a clean, brand-new car? You want to re-create that experience for your buyer. If you can afford it, consider getting the car professionally

detailed. At minimum, tidy things up. Not only does that require clearing out fast-food wrappers, but also vacuuming, washing and waxing. Make sure to polish windows and mirrors, and invest

in a spray bottle of Armor All to spruce up your dashboard. Also, look under the hood. While you don’t want to power wash the engine bay, which can damage components, you should remove

debris and wipe away grime. SOME REPAIRS ARE WORTH DOING While situations differ, you generally don’t want to make repairs costing more than 10 percent of the car’s value, says Kimberlea

Buczeke of RepairPal.com, a site with a calculator that estimates repair prices based on your location and the age, make and model of your vehicle.