Considering selling or trading in your car? Here’s some advise on how to get the best price.
My first car after the motorbike was a Golf I that turned out to have made of two wrecks welded together. I traded that in on a Mini 1100 that was great, because I went to a reputable dealer. They paid me very little for the Golf though. A lot of people buy only new, but more and more are buying good second-hand cars. Whatever your choice, you still have to trade in your old car. The trick is to keep your car in a condition that will give you the best price.
Firstly, go to a reputable dealer. Reputable refers to reputation, and that is the gold standard in buying and selling cars. Your reputable dealer will give you a fair price on your old car, pay you for what it’s worth, a price that means he can sell it for a fair profit. Your job is to demonstrate that value to the max. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Trade-In Value
The three major factors in determining the trade-in value are the age of the car, the mileage and the service record. You cannot change the first two, but you can make sure your service book is up to date and stamped by reputable service places. A service at Herman’s Hot Rods and Burger Bar will not go far in the value equation.
Take A Clean Car
Although good dealers will look at your car objectively, they are human. If you arrive in a car that is dirty and dull, and full of fast-food cartons and junk, it will bring down the price. Especially if the fast-food containers are not quite empty. In summer. If your car stinks, so will its price. Clean it properly, give it a polish, take out all the rubbish. Actually, through the life of your car, don’t leave rubbish in it at all. A stale stink is impossible to get out of a car, no matter how many pine-scented things you hang from the mirror.
Speaking of stink, no stink will stay with your car as long a second-hand smoke. Even smokers dislike it. If you smoke, that is your choice. If you smoke in your car, your choice is to lower its value.
Fixing Things
The jury is out on whether to fix things before you take it in. Mismatched or worn tires will lower the value, as will trolley dings or a broken mirror. Rust is a problem and will drop the price, because a top dealer will sell it on to a lower-level dealer. Your dealer is not a fool and fixing small defects will probably cost you more than it would raise the price.
It will help if you have four good condition hubcaps. Unless your floor mats are mint, the dealer will replace these anyway, so don’t spend money there.
If you have an engine light burning, get a quote on fixing the problem. If it is not too much, fix it, but if you don’t, you will at least know the cost of that particular trouble and how it should affect your price. But an engine light sort of tells the world you care that much.
The Bottom Line
Cars are expensive and they cost a lot to run. Unless you own property, your car will most likely be the most expensive thing you own. It is in your interest to keep its value as high as possible. Keep it clean, look after it, and when you trade-in or sell, make sure you go to a reputable dealer.
