Tips on the Trade-In Process

At Auction Direct USA, we offer fair and affordable trade-ins for many of our preowned cars. A trade-in can be a fantastic way to get yourself credit toward your next upgrade and, in many cases, can get you a better deal than selling independently.

Many people simply don’t know where to start when it comes to trading in a vehicle, though. Let’s walk through a few of the most important steps and themes to give you a general idea of a few things you’ll need to do.

Determine Value

The first step will be determining the value of your used car, which has several factors involved. These include general condition, accident history, and any chips or paint issues with the car. A lesser-known area that’s also often included is timing and location – if you’re trading a no-top convertible in the middle of winter in Boston, for instance, you won’t get the same value in your trade as you would if you traded the same car in in the middle of summer in Los Angeles.

There are several online resources available to make this kind of information easy to access. Kelley Blue Book and the National Automobile Dealers Association are two of the most popular outlets here, and they’re both free.

Canvass Similar Products

To get a decent idea of what your car might or should be worth, you can take it around to a few dealers in your area and get comparison points. These types of activities not only increase the curb appeal of your car but also strengthen your potential negotiating position.

What Matters to Dealers

When looking for trade-in value, you have to think about what will be important to the dealer you’re trading with. The things that matter most to dealers include their current inventory and how your car adds to it, the model and age of the car, and the engine type. Their primary goal is this: How quickly can I recoup my money from this car? This makes popular car models easier to get high value from.

Ready to put your knowledge to use, or want to learn more? Speak to the car dealers at Auction Direct USA today.