A little elbow grease is worth the effort. If you're cleaning the car yourself...

• Do the bits you don’t normally do – door, boot and bonnet openings, plus the engine bay.
• Vacuum the carpets and polish the hard surfaces with a good quality car cleaning kit. Throw out all rubbish and anything loose.
• Clean windows inside and out. Polish trims, especially chrome and black the tyres.
• Alternatively, a more time effective option would be to get your car groomed, you can find car groomers in your area with a quick Google search.
• Top up all the fluids, including power steering, automatic transmission, window washers, and radiators. It’s also good to change the oil, to help create the impression the car has been looked after. Old oil is dark brown or black rather than a reassuringly clean gold colour. Check that the tyre pressures are even.
• Make sure all receipts and ‘associated materials’ are on hand, like service records, so you can show the buyer if they ask.
• Go to the NZTA Transaction Centre and complete the Notice Of Disposal online forms. These forms can also be found at your local NZ Post Office, VINZ or VTNZ.
• Ensure you’ve paid all outstanding registration fees. You’re still liable for them if it’s unregistered when you sell it.