Our fiesta is never cleaned inside or out, but its kept in perfect worthink condition.. looks can fool you
They can but most people are never going to buy a cosmetically poor condition car, no matter how well its been looked after mechanically.
My housemate has a Black Corsa and the bodywork is a state, even after I took 5 hours to detail it for him.
He reckons he is going to get 3 grand for it.....he wont get £300 for it because the bodywork is in such shoddy condition.
If im looking to buy a car, I would always pick one which has clearly been looked after both cosmetically and mechanically than just one or the other.
The odd stone chip and alloy mark is inevitible but letting the car look a state with dinks, scratches, swirls, overspray etc will not help sell a car.
Unless you plan to keep it forever, the few quid it costs to keep it clean and tidy, will make a huge difference when it comes to selling it in future.
Car sales are generally about looks for 98% of the population.