When you decide to trade your existing vehicle in as part of your next car purchase you obviously want to get the highest trade in appraisal possible. A good trade-in car will knock a substantial amount off of the asking price of your new car, which means a lower loan and easier monthly payments. Make sure your car is ready for its appraisal by knowing what makes a good trade in car.
Do Realistic Research
You know the condition of your vehicle and need to approach the trade in process with that realistic knowledge in mind. Before you are fully committed to trading in your car to a dealership, do realistic research to determine the current fair market value of your car in its current condition. Car wholesale and auction websites can be helpful in learning whether or not your car is selling in the current market. For example, if you are trying to trade in a large truck with low gas mileage the trade in value will go down in a market trending toward smaller fuel efficient vehicles. The approximate appraisal values you find in that research will give you an idea of how much time and money would be reasonable to invest in getting the car ready to be traded.
Cleanliness
A good trade in car has been cleaned, and even thoroughly detailed, prior to arriving at the dealership. Mess or clutter will lower the appraisal of your car for two reasons. First, it means the dealership needs to pay employees to clean the car before it can be prepped for sale. Secondly, it gives the impression of general neglect and can make any small body or engine issues seem worse. Remove all unnecessary personal items and trash from your car’s interior and clean its exterior before its trade in appraisal.
Routine Maintenance and Repairs
A good trade in car has had most, if not all, routine maintenance and required repairs. It is incredibly difficult to make up for lost time when you want to trade a car into a dealership if you have not been keeping up with your car’s upkeep requirements. Oil changes, tire maintenance, and timely body and interior damage repairs throughout the time you own your car will help preserve its trade in value. The dealership is going to inspect and test drive your car, which will make any neglected repairs and maintenance obvious. While a used car with no accidents to speak of is the best kind of trade in car, if all accident related damage has been repaired or replaced the car can be resold and is a relatively good trade in car.
A good trade in car will be clean, well maintained, and owned by someone with a realistic idea of its current fair market value, both retail and wholesale. Practice attentive maintenance habits, do your research, and clean your car before bringing it to the dealership for a trade in appraisal.
