You’ve been driving around that car of yours for years now, and you think it’s time for a new one. You have a couple options of how you can get rid of your old ride. Nowadays, dealers have put so much effort into making the trade-in process as easy and quick as possible. Don’t be intimidated by this process! Your car has trade-in value no matter what year, make, model, mileage or history it has seen–trust me! I’m here to share with you some do’s and don’ts when gearing up to trade in your vehicle. Out with the old, and in with the new!
DO: Your research! This is the first and easiest step you can take, and you can complete it by simply sitting on your couch–so why not?! Figure out how much your car is worth. There are plenty of online tools that can help you estimate your vehicle’s value. Click here to try one out!
DON’T: Just walk into this process blindly, doing research beforehand is key. Dealers are your friends, they are there to help you, but make sure you know what you’re talking about! Once you decide where you’d like to trade in your vehicle, go online to the dealer’s website and check out their trade-in tools and deals they are currently offering! I guarantee you almost every dealer out there has some sort of online information to help you begin your trade-in process. See for yourself–check out McCarthy Auto Group’s free online trade-in appraisal tool!
DO: Clean your car. You want to get the most out of your trade-in, so have your ride looking its best! Get the exterior a good wash and wax. For the interior, remove all of your personal items and vacuum out the whole thing.
DON’T: Feel like you have to make your old car look shiny and new. If you want to get it detailed, go right ahead! Dealers always say they can “see through the dirt,” so it isn’t imperative that your car is squeaky clean, but it doesn’t hurt to make a good impression!
DO: Fix small issues on your car yourself (or hire someone to do so). Check all of your car’s lights inside and out, and replace any that might be out. And, top off the fluid levels. These are simple steps you can take to add to that good impression you’re going for!
DON’T: Fix major issues. If there’s damage, what’s done is done. You can’t hide it, so leave that for the dealer to fix! You don’t want to spend a fortune having your car repaired, and the dealer can fix it for much less than what it would cost you. If there are more serious issues with your car, it lowers your vehicle’s value anyway, so leave that to be someone else’s problem.
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