Have you noticed your car not running like it used to? Are you ready to upgrade to a shiny new one? Trading in is a great way to save money on your new upgraded vehicle. Trading in a vehicle is a very easy and straightforward process and can be a lot simpler than selling privately. Trading in your old car is also a great way to lower the monthly payments on your new car.
Whether trading in your car for a new car or even a used car, getting the most money back is very important and to do this, attention to details matters. Getting a fair price for your trade starts with one easy step prior to even coming into the dealership. That first step is, “Get your car prepped and ready to trade”.
Getting Ready to Trade Your Used Car for a New Car
Here are a few things you can do to ensure you get the most out of your trade-in before you go to sell your car:
- Clean the car, inside and out. Imagine what you would think if you went to purchase a car and it was covered in dirt and trash. What would you perceive as the value of that car? What would your idea of a fair price be for a car that was not clean? It’s not a bad idea to have your car detailed. Making a good impression gives the best chances at the best offer.
- Fix small issues yourself. This goes along with the thought process from above. You want to give a great first impression and to do so, be sure to check all of the car’s lights. This includes dome lights, and tail lights and replacing them if needed. It’s always a good idea to top off all fluid levels, such as coolant, washer fluid, and brake fluid. If your car needs more serious work, leave that for the dealer. Any major issues will lower the value of the trade-in, but the dealer can perform the repairs for less than it would cost you.
- Gather all important documents. Dealers can pull a vehicle’s history report but you will need to have a few other documents ready for the trade-in. This will include the title, registration and any service records you may have. A well-serviced vehicle will bring more value and having the documents to show that you have serviced the vehicle regularly will definitely help.
- Grab any extras. Do you have an extra set of keys? Does your navigation system have a DVD or SD card associated with it? Bring those along with you. In some cases, you can not get credit for accessories that are not complete.
- Conduct your own inspection. Are there any dents or scratches that can be worked out with a little elbow grease? Take a test drive, and pay close attention to anything that may be not right. Note them, whether electrical or even the need for new tires.
- Determine your car’s estimated value. Do this after you have inspected your vehicle. This will give you a good idea of what to expect realistically. You can use sites like Kelly Blue Book to determine this. This will give you a great starting point for negotiations.
At Greenville Nissan, we are always looking to give top dollar for trade-ins toward any of our new or used vehicles. We pride ourselves on making customers happy and making great deals. Our customers know that they can rely on us here at Greenville Nissan and they can always “Expect Miracles”.
