3 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Trade-In

Sep 7, 2015

trade-in-tips Trading your old vehicle in for a new one can sometimes feel like a hassle. You probably go into the process just assuming you’re going to lose money, or the dealer simply isn’t going to give you anything close to fair market value. That’s not always true, as long as you take the time to do a little research and set the proper expectations when trading in your old vehicle for a new one.

Research

Before you should even consider making a trip to a dealer and blindly accepting an offer that you’re told is reasonable, do some research. Knowing what your car is actually worth according to the Kelley Blue Book is half the battle. Not only do you know what your car is worth when going to the dealer, you’ll also have a price in mind for what’s acceptable to you.

Make It Look Nice

Your car doesn’t have to be perfect to get a reasonable trade-in value for it, but it does have to be clean inside and out. That means taking the time to clean your car by giving it a good scrubbing at a car wash and also taking the time to clean the inside out. Get rid of trash, vacuum the floors and seats, dust or wipe down the interior and dash, and make sure it smells nice.

Negotiate

You already know what your car is worth, now it’s just a matter of agreeing on a reasonable price you are willing to accept from the dealer for it. One point you really want to remember is to negotiate the value of your trade-in separately from the price of the vehicle you are buying. If you agree on an offer from the deal for your trade-in, have that applied as a credit towards the purchase price of the new car.