How Do Dealers Value My Trade?

What Does a Dealership Look For?

The best way to start answering this question is by considering the following: What, exactly, are dealerships looking for in a trade-in? There’s sure to be a specific checklist, right? While our dealer will want to help you trade regardless, there are certain features that come into play when we assign a value, or worth, to a potential trade-in.

You already meet our standard for trades, but what do we look for, specifically? In short, we’ll be checking out the following:

• Your current ride’s make, model, and year
• Its condition and style
• Available add-ons, like accessories or upgrades

This is just a brief overview of what we look into when you first come on site. When you get into the nitty gritty details, you’ll see the reasons for each. Your vehicle’s condition, for example, is one of the biggest factors, because its functionality is arguably the most important part. An inspection will ensure that a car is in working condition, but you can talk to our team about it if you have any questions.

Similarly, as we’d look for good quality, a dealer might also look into the make, model, and year. This is because some vehicles tend to be more popular than others, and if you yourself drive one, it’s more than likely to be purchased as a used ride.

That’s not to say that lesser-known cars won’t sell—they surely will! A popular model is just always a quick grab for used car shoppers. A dealer might offer you an increased value because of its selling worth.

Increasing Your Value

So, you’ve read about what dealerships look for. Is there any way to change that value that they could propose to you? The answer is, actually, yes! While there are certain obvious aspects of your vehicle that can’t be changed, like its make or model, there are other factors that are in your control. If lowering your financing with an increased overall trade-in value is in your interest, then let’s get into how it’s done.

Dealerships will give your car an appraisal after reviewing the aforementioned features that stand out. As a result, the best way to go about enhancing your ride’s value is by working to improve its condition. This could be anything from conducting a deep clean—a bit of shine never hurt anyone—to more in-depth repairs.

If you’re aware of some basic repairs, like small scratches or dents, or even a replacement that needs to be made, you can take care of those, too. It’s not a necessary fix, per se, but it will absolutely bring your vehicle to the next level. Make those changes, then bring it in for an appraisal. This will thereby up your down payment on your next ride, because your vehicle’s trade-in value has scaled up.