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Preparing Your Vehicle for Trade-In

If you are interested in upgrading to different car, you should Preparing Your Vehicle for Trade-In Preparing your car for trade-in isn’t difficult but it does take a little bit of time and effort. Here are the things you should do to prepare your vehicle for trade-in.

Repair any issues

This includes replacing the wheels if they are damaged, and fixing scratches and dents. Scratches and dents can significantly impact the trade-in value of your vehicle so you’ll want to address those before you attempt to trade your car. A mobile dent and scratch repair service like Colors On Parade can make this step easy and simple because they come to you. You can skip the body shop and have the repairs done at home or at work.

Take care of personal items inside your vehicle

Remove all loose change from the console, anything you may have under your seats or in your glove compartment. Make sure to take out everything so that it does not fall out while inspecting the vehicle at a dealership. This also ensures that there is nothing left behind by accident when you hand over the keys which can cause extra costs for you later on. Remove valuables such as CDs or electronic equipment like MP3 players just to be safe.

Clean your car thoroughly

This includes vacuuming all seats and cleaning out the trunk, as well as the front and back of your car. Make sure to wipe down your car’s interior since it may be shiny and new at first but can quickly fade away with time and use. Cleaning also makes it easier for you to spot any additional flaws that may need repairing before trading in your vehicle. You should then take a step outside and clean your cars exterior by washing it using soap and water. After you’ve done this, make sure to dry it off with an absorbent cloth such as a microfiber towel so that no streaks are left behind. Making sure there aren’t any watermarks left behind makes the car appear newer.

Determine the value of your vehicle

Use the Kelly Blue Book website to get an idea of what your car is worth so you know what the dealership should offer. After determining how much your vehicle is worth, you should make sure that the imperfections on it aren’t too bad. You want to make sure that they aren’t big enough to cause a problem while trading in the vehicle at a dealership. Repair any imperfections that impact your car’s value such as dents and scratches.

Shop around for the best offer

Before you trade in your vehicle, make sure that you’ve shopped around to find out how much other dealerships are offering. Don’t accept the first offer given by a dealership even if you think it is fair. You should feel confident about your car’s worth so spend some time thinking over how much the car is actually worth before trading it in. Shopping around gives you an idea of what other places might be offering and lets you get the best price possible for your vehicle.

Preparing your car for trade-in by repairing issues, cleaning it thoroughly and removing all personal items helps you get the best offer for your vehicle. A little bit of time and effort is worth the pay-off you’ll see in the dealership’s offer and resale value of your vehicle.