So you must be thinking about trading in your current car or truck. That’s great news since it means you will soon be driving a shiny new (or new-to-you) ride, which is always fun. But in order to make sure you are getting as much as possible for your trade to make the process go as smoothly as possible during the appraisal, there are a few things you should do first.
- Clean your vehicle (this is a must!)
Please invest the time to fully detail your vehicle inside and out. Even if you don’t normally keep your car spotless, you’ll be shocked at just how much of a difference a full interior and exterior scrub and wax can make. Make sure to take out all of your miscellaneous things from every storage compartment and clean those out too. When you end up trading at the end of the day, you don't want to leave a car full of trash and possible personal items.
Your vehicle’s appearance provides the first impression, and even though a dealership appraiser can envision what a dirty vehicle would look like cleaned up, it still helps your case to show a car that is tidy and well-maintained. Afterall, cleaning the car isn't free for the dealership. Often times we pay a detailer several hours to clean a car then we have an 3rd party company come in and do any finishing touches that are needed to make it 'lot ready'.
- Gather all of the documents you’ll need
I've never had someone come into the dealership and want the buying process to take as long as possible. On the flip side they don't want to be rushed either. In order to make the experience go as smoothly and seamlessly as possibly, please make sure you are bringing important items with you that may be needed by the dealership. This includes an up to date insurance card (let me emphasize 'up to date'), & your driver's license. If you are planning to finance, it is a good idea to bring your most recent paystubs, and proof of residency in the form of a utility bill that is 30 days current. In the era of COVID, plenty of banks want to verify someone is employed before handing out 10's of thousands of dollars.
If you are trading in a vehicle that is paid off, bring in your title! If you don't have the title or you lost it, we can do a lien search within the State of Ohio to verify it is paid off, but this equates to more paperwork that you'll need to sign. If you have a loan, bring your most current loan statement so we can quickly call the lender to get a full payoff. Last but not least, bring your registration! If you have your up to date registration we can transfer your plates for you so that you don't have to go to the BMV yourself!
3. Try to fix all small issues
Work to do your best to fix any small issues or repairs that need to be made to the vehicle. This includes things like replacing bulbs, wipers, topping off fluids, air filters, touching up any small scrapes, chip repair on a windshield, and any other mechanical or cosmetic issue that isn’t very expensive to fix.
If there are any larger cosmetic or mechanical issues that require attention, you’re better off letting the dealer handle them because it will likely cost you more to address them than you would receive in extra trade-in value from a dealership.
4. Find all of the maintenance records you can dig up
Keeping vehicle maintenance records is always a good idea because it shows that you’re a conscientious vehicle owner who has kept up with all scheduled maintenance and repairs. It makes sense to bring these records with you because cars that have maintained with scheduled maintenance will retain more of their value.
It will be up to the dealer to decide whether or not they will resell the vehicle with your records or not, but having them with you helps inform the appraisal process and shows that you’ve cared for the car you’re trading in.
- Don’t forget the extra set of keys!
I can't tell you how many times I've sold a car and given two keys, but only recieved one key for the trade. I'll ask you the question 'Do you have a second set of keys?' during the appraisal. It may seem like a that big of a deal, but even to a dealership, a second set of keys can cost upwards of $400 to have one cut and programmed to your trade in. Keep in mind, we aren't just paying for the key, we are paying for the technician to program is as well, which on some models can take up to an hour of labor.
When we finish an appraisal, we have a box where we note any issues. If you come in with a tire light, scratches, head light out, filthy inside an out, only one key; those will all be noted. On the flip side, if you bring a trade in that is spotless and as some would call it, 'sharp as a tack', that will be noted as well. I will leave it up to you to determine which one will yeild a higher trade in value!
And if you’re considering trading in your vehicle any time soon, make sure you see Jimmy Jones , AKA The Ohio Car Guy ! Call me at 614.432.5509!
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