Four Things You Should Definitely Tell The Dealer About Your Trade-In

The more you get from the dealer for your trade-in, the less you have to pay for your new vehicle. How well you negotiate has a huge impact on what kind of deal you get from the dealer for your trade-in vehicle.

When you're turning your old car over to the dealer for evaluation, make sure you mention all of the following to get the best possible offer:

You've done the research on the vehicle's value.

Nowadays, it's easy to get an accurate valuation on a vehicle with the resources available on the Internet. Just visit a car valuation website and input the details regarding your vehicle. Then, print out the results and bring them with you to the dealer.

A car valuation website will usually give you three different values on the vehicle: a trade-in value, a retail sales value, and a private party sales value. While the trade-in value is likely to be the least of these three values, it's still an important starting point that you could use to negotiate with the dealer. If the dealer gives a value that's less than the suggested trade-in value, you should hold out for a higher offer. 

You've invested in detailing, equipment, or parts.

Anything you've paid for to raise the value or improve the condition of your vehicle should be mentioned in detail. It's easy to leave out particular details, but think back over the history of your ownership of the vehicle. Let the car dealer know that you've kept up on regular maintenance needs like oil changes and tire rotations. You should even mention if the car was given rust protection treatment when you purchased it. 

You purchased the vehicle at the dealership or at an affiliated dealership.

If you purchased your trade-in from the dealer you're purchasing a new vehicle from, let the dealer know. They might be willing to give a better deal if they know that you're a return customer. The best car salesmen know to build up relationships and attract return customers for a reliable stream of continuing income. 

You have other parties interested in purchasing it.

Understand that dealers tend to make a lot on trade-in vehicles. Dealers know that they can demand higher prices on the vehicles when they resell them. Buyers tend to be willing to pay higher prices to a dealer than they would be willing to pay to a private seller.

If you've already received some offers on the vehicle if you sell it privately, let the dealer know. This way, the dealer will know that these offers will have to be exceeded for you to be willing to sell the vehicle as a trade-in. Contact a business, such as Jack Burford Chevrolet, for more information.