- The best way to get the most for your trade is to take good care of the car. Maintain it in good running order. Change the oil regularly. Get dings and scratches repaired. Think about how used cars look on a dealer's lot. They are clean, run well and have good paint and glass. If your trade needs a lot of cleaning and repair to be in that condition, you will receive a lower value.
Find out the trade in value of your car. The websites of Kelley Blue Book, Nada Guides and Edmonds have excellent resources for determining the value. Be realistic about the condition of the car. Excellent condition value is not a reasonable expectation for any trade-in. - A car dealer wants used cars on his lot that are late model, in excellent condition and with low miles. It is a bonus if the car is of the same brand as his new car franchise. Cars that do not meet these requirements will be sold to a wholesaler or at auction.
If your trade is a vehicle the dealer would like to have on her used car lot, there will be more flexibility to increase the trade-in value. A car that is going to wholesale will be bought at a price to prevent a loss on the sale.
The used car manager will drive your trade-in and inspect it for damage. He is looking for items to mark down the value. In the blue book, there will be a value addition for low mileage cars. The used car manager will often forget to add in the low mileage credit. A car dealership wants your trade-in, but they want to buy it at the lowest possible value. - During the negotiation, the sales person and sales manager will use tactics to have you mentally lower the value of your trade-in. You must have a good understanding of the fair value of your trade-in. Do not accept the first offer. You want to receive a value close to the trade-in value from your research.
Do not let the sales manager offer you a higher value for your trade-in by increasing the price of the car you want to purchase. If the salesman starts talking about "trade allowance," he is artificially increasing the trade-in value by charging you a higher price somewhere else. The price of the car you are buying and the value of your trade-in are separate negotiations, and you should work on each value. - To get the best value, a trade-in should be clean and in good mechanical condition. However, do not go to the car dealership with the glove box and trunk all cleaned out. The sales person or used car manager will look in these areas. Cleaning them out is a giveaway to the sales person that you plan to go home in a new car.
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