As winter slowly but surely recedes here in Dell Rapids, we look ahead to the spring and one of its inaugural activities: spring cleaning. Much more than cleaning windows and scrubbing toilets, spring cleaning is an opportunity to take inventory of your life: a conscious un-cluttering of both your physical space and your mind as you prepare to conquer the year ahead.
Part of this process includes properly organizing your paperwork. As with anything else in modern life, car ownership involves a great deal of documentation. It can be overwhelming to keep everything tidy – but simplifying your auto needs is what we do here at Dells Auto, where you can purchase and finance your next vehicle in one convenient stop!
License & Registration: If you’ve ever seen someone get pulled over in a movie, chances are you know to always have your license and registration on you while driving. Make sure your registration is up to date; if the expiration date is near, take the steps needed to renew it. It should then be signed and stored somewhere in your vehicle, such as the glove compartment, underneath a back seat, or beneath the central console. As for your driver’s license, it should already be safely stored away in your purse or wallet – otherwise, your spring cleaning to-do list just got longer.
Proof of Insurance: Owning vehicle insurance is a requirement for every licensed driver. It’s another item you’ll want to keep in your car in the event that you’re pulled over. You should also have it on hand in case of an accident, so that you can exchange insurance information with the other driver. At the very least, keep a photo of your insurance card available on your phone.
Vehicle Title: Unlike your registration and insurance cards, the title to your car needs more protection than your glove compartment can offer. This sheet of paper is the only proof of ownership of your vehicle that you have, making it immensely valuable. Keep your title stored away in a secure and memorable location, such as a home safe.
Service & Maintenance Records: Though documenting your vehicle’s history of service and maintenance isn’t a requirement, it’s a good method of preparing ahead. It will keep track of what maintenance was performed when, so you'll know when you're due to schedule your next service appointment. More importantly, keeping detailed records of your car’s history will serve you well when it comes time to sell to prospective buyers.
While your registration and insurance should be kept inside the vehicle, we recommend keeping all other paperwork together. A secure space in your home is preferable, as it gives you regular access to your documentation. This includes the title and service records, but also any other relevant paperwork, such as warranty and emissions test documentation. If necessary, divide and categorize accordingly, i.e. keep your insurance payments bundled together. Make sure you have the proper storage space to accommodate everything, clearing shelves and drawers of unnecessary or out-of-date documents.
In today’s digital world, it’s important to back everything up. Make physical copies of your paperwork if that’s your preference, but also consider uploading your files to cloud storage. By digitizing, you’re ensuring your files will remain available to the world – even when you’re having trouble tracking down their physical counterparts.
Once you’ve collected and organized all relevant paperwork, your future suddenly becomes much more open. For starters, you now have everything you need to sell your car today! Once we help you take care of your old car, we'll help you find your next vehicle from our huge lot. Get started today by scheduling a test drive at Dells Auto – Dell Rapids' number one spot for used car shopping.