Where To Get The Best Trade-in Value for Your Car

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle but not sure what to do with your current car, consider trading it in. This way, you can earn money to put toward your new dream ride, and your old vehicle won’t take up unnecessary room at home. Our team at VW of Marion wants to help you figure out where to get the best trade-in value for your car.

Value Your Trade

Where To Get The Best Trade-in Value for a Car

Image by Robert Haverly is licensed with Unsplash License

You can get the best trade-in value for your car at your local dealership, like VW of Marion. Often, dealerships can give you a better deal when you’re trading in your automobile because they understand the market value and current demand for your make, model, and trim level. They also make the trade-in process much easier because they can do the hard work for you, and all you have to do is hand over your vehicle.

Why Trade Your Car in at a Dealership?

Usually, consumers find it better to trade their vehicle in at a dealership rather than using a third party or selling it themselves. There are many reasons for this, and one is that it’s less work for you as the seller. Once you bring your car into the dealership and agree on a price with the sales team, it’s up to the dealership to continue the selling process. They take care of taking clean, professional photos, creating the description, advertising the automobile, and finalizing the sale with the right paperwork.

If you were to sell on your own, those would all be your responsibility, and it can eat up a lot of your time. Additionally, it can be more secure to trade in or sell your car to a dealership because you know the money is legitimate and there won’t be any surprises later. Your local dealership knows the market value of your vehicle and may offer you a better deal than an outside source.

You may even put the money you earned toward a new vehicle and leave the showroom in a new ride, which you couldn’t do if you sold the car independently.

Tips for Getting a Good Deal by Trading in Your Vehicle at a Dealership

After you’ve made a plan to trade in your vehicle at the dealership, here are a few tips to ensure you get a fair deal:

Know the Value of Your Car

The first tip is to know the value of your car. It can make negotiation easier with the sales team and increase your chances of getting a nice deal when you have all the information about your car. Many factors can determine a vehicle’s value. For example, if you have an SUV, you may get a better deal than a sedan because SUVs maintain their value better and for longer. Other factors that can affect overall value include the automobile’s mileage, exterior and interior condition, past accidents, and other wear and tear.

To do this, you can use the feature on our website to determine your vehicle’s trade-in value.

Keep the Vehicle in Good Condition and Deep Clean It

Another tip for getting a high trade-in deal for your vehicle is to keep it in good condition and deep clean it before bringing it into the dealership. A clean car can help increase its value because it’s in good condition for the next driver. Another consumer might be willing to pay more for your used automobile if it’s in pristine condition compared to someone else’s used car, which is the same but may require more work with its condition.

Here are some areas to tidy before trading it in:

• Seats
• Floors and floor mats
• Exterior
• Wheels
• Windows
• Engine bay cleaning

Figure Out the Prime Time To Sell It

Figuring out the prime time to sell or trade-in your car may increase the amount of money you receive. Some months are better for selling certain makes and models than others. Some industry professionals recommend that if you trade your vehicle in, do it within the first two quarters of the year. They also recommend trading in your car after five years if you bought it new because, between five to seven years, the value can significantly drop, so you won’t get the best deal if you sold it earlier.

Additionally, vehicles can lose their value once you drive off the lot, so the earlier you sell it before you reach five years, the better deal you may earn.

Update the Maintenance Records and Bring Other Documents

The final tip is to update the maintenance records, including listing any accidents the vehicle has been in since you have had it. This is an essential list to bring to a dealership when you’re trading in your automobile because it helps the sales team see you’ve taken good care of it. The type of information you may want to include is recent oil change dates, previous inspection dates, and the last few tire rotation dates. There’s no need to add recall information about the vehicle because it’s likely the dealership is aware of brand recalls.

Additionally, if you’re considering getting a new car after trading yours in, there are a few documents you should bring with you in addition to the maintenance records:

• Trade-in paperwork
• Bank account information
• Loan pre-approval application
• Proof of income, like recent pay stubs
• Car insurance proof
• Identity proof, like a driver’s license or passport
• Proof of residence, like bank statements with your address or utilities bill

We know there are several other locations to get a good trade-in value for your vehicle, but choosing a dealership may offer you better and safer options. Contact us if you have questions about selling your automobile to a dealership. If you’re ready to sell, visit our showroom in Marion, Illinois, and speak with our sales team about trading it in.