Dealership Trade-in Tips and Secrets

What’s Your Car Worth?

I will always recommend selling your trade-in on your own over trading it in at a dealership. You will be able to get much more money from your trade than with a dealership. I understand some people must trade because they don’t have the time or patience and that’s okay.

Two common practices during the trade-in process are offering you wholesale prices or less… and attempting to “hold money on your trade.” This means a dealer will initially offer less than what your vehicle is worth at the time of negotiation.

Table of Contents

If you must trade your vehicle in with a dealership

It’s understandable most people don’t want to worry about strangers coming to their house or have the time to sell their current car privately. These people prefer to just get it over with by trading it in at the dealership they’re buying another car from.

Trading your car at a dealership is a lot easier than trying to sell it privately. Some states will even give you a sales tax break by only making you pay sales tax on the “trade difference.”

If a dealer gives you $8,000 for your vehicle and your state sales tax rate is 8.25%, you will save $660 in taxes. Keep in mind, if you took the time to sell it for retail on your own, you may get $11,000 or more.

Must-Read Guides and Resources

How to Buy a New Car Below Factory Invoice Price – True dealer cost and the factory invoice price are not the same… dealer cost can be much lower.
Best Car Shopping Sites With Free Quotes – How to take advantage of online car-buying sites.
How to Buy a New Car Online – Not sure where to start? My step-by-step guide on how to buy a new car online.

Should I tell the dealer I have a trade-in vehicle?

The professional car salesman will tailor their “fact-finding” questions into normal conversation. These questions will be something like, “How do you plan to pay for your new car?” “Are you putting any money down on the vehicle?” And, “Will you be replacing or adding a vehicle with this purchase?”

Do not tell the dealer early in the car buying process you want to trade your car in. If a salesperson asks you if you’re trading in a vehicle, tell them “no” or “not at this time.” The reason you tell them you’re not trading early in the process is to keep the dealer as honest as possible. You still have the right to change your mind later in the process.

If you tell a dealer about your trade-in too soon. They may use this information against you during the negotiation process by giving you a very low purchase price on the car you want to buy and then make up the lost profit by holding on to your trade.

Read more about the very common trade-in value scam and how it works.

What not to say about your trade

Most car dealers will come right out and ask you what you want for your trade-in as soon as possible. What the dealer is trying to do is find out if you’ve educated yourself on your vehicle.

I don’t know how many times I would hear, “I think my car is worth $XX,XXX.” My next question to the customer was, “where did you come up with that number?” Most customers would then say, “I just think it’s worth that.”

Making a statement like this to a car salesman puts you at a huge disadvantage. You just let the dealer know you haven’t done your homework and they’ll most likely hit you with a very low value for your trade-in.

Step-by-step walkthrough on how to buy a new car | New Car Buying Cheat Sheet

What if you’re asked how much you want for your trade-in

As stated above, a dealer will ask early in the sales process if you’re trading a car. As harmless as this question sounds it’s a big part of the salesperson’s agenda. The dealer will use this information against you later during the negotiating stage. They will also ask you how much you want for your trade.

When you decide to bring up your trade. This is exactly what you should say if the salesperson or manager asks you how much you want for your trade:

“I have no idea, you tell me what it’s worth.”

A dealer does not like the above answer and will most likely keep prying to get a number out of you on what you think your car is worth. Hold your ground and act oblivious to how much your car’s worth. Whatever you do, don’t give them a figure, make them give you a figure first.

How to Estimate the value of your trade

The last thing you want to do is let a dealer tell you how much your trade is worth without doing some kind of research yourself. I guarantee you they will attempt to “steal” your vehicle from you by offering you much less than what it’s worth.

How to avoid a dealer low-balling you is by determining an estimated value of your trade before contacting a car dealership. This will keep the dealer from having the opportunity to take advantage of you when negotiating the value of your trade vehicle.

A vehicle appraisal is just one person’s opinion.

If you tell 10 used car managers to appraise the same car, you will get 10 different values of what they believe the car is truly worth.

I know I’m going to hurt some reader’s feelings out there but SENTIMENTAL VALUE does not add to the true value of your trade. What a vehicle is worth… what it’s worth. Even though it’s your first car or you’ve never had any problems with it, it’s only going to be worth so much money.

So how do you find out the value of your trade? It’s not an exact science, however, there are some steps you can take to get a good idea of what your car is worth.

How to get the most money for your trade

When you trade your car to a dealership you’re selling your car to the dealer. Your goal is to get as much money as you can for your trade-in.

As a dealer myself, I’ve appraised thousands of vehicles. I can tell you I’d personally deduct money if the car I was appraising was filthy dirty or full of trash.

Why would you make me get in and drive your nasty car around the block? I wouldn’t even want to sit in it! I promise you there are other dealers out there that feel the same way and will deduct money from the value of your trade.

On the other hand when I appraised a clean car that looked and drove like it was taken care of. I would be more inclined to value the vehicle higher than if it was filthy.

I’ve put together a list of some very effective tips to increase the value of your trade with little or no cost to you. These little tips will increase your chances of getting more money from a used car appraiser when he looks at your car.

Read more tips and tricks on how to get the most money for your trade-in.

Car Price Quotes

Use my recommended tools to find the best deals in your local area.

Rydeshopper
Edmunds
MotorTrend

Find the dealer with the lowest price and save. When dealers compete = You WIN!

How the used car appraisal process works

The appraisal or trade-in process is when you turn your keys over to the dealership and let them value your vehicle.

The used car manager or appraiser will look at your car, inspect it, test drive it, check the current market for your car and then put a wholesale value on your car. They will then present the value to you. At this time you either accept it or not.

When trading a vehicle you turn into the “Seller”
and the car dealer becomes the “Buyer.”

During the appraisal or trade-in process is when car dealers have an opportunity to enhance their profit. If you’re not educated about this process you can become a victim quickly.

How to sell an old junk car online

A dealer may tell you they are giving you an unbelievable amount for an old junk car but I promise you they’re going to attempt to make it up on your somewhere else during the car sale.

If you have a car that doesn’t run or it doesn’t have much value. You may want to look into an alternative other than trading it in with a car dealership.

There are many other ways to dispose of an old junk car and turning it into quick cash.

Read more on how to sell an old junk car.

Recommended sites that will buy your car

Peddle - is the fastest and easiest way to sell your car online. Enter some basic information about your vehicle. You will receive their offer to buy instantly. Once you accept the offer, they will come to you and exchange a check for your car.
View all car buying tools

Recommended sites for online car shopping

RydeShopper, Edmunds and Motor Trend are the quickest way to compare new car prices in your local area. These online sites will provide you with free, no-obligation price quotes and the discounts you receive will give you confidence on your next new car purchase. Walk away from the dealership knowing you received a good deal, not hoping you did.

Dealership Trade-in Tips and Secrets

If you must trade your vehicle in with a dealership

Should I tell the dealer I have a trade-in vehicle?

What not to say about your trade

What if you’re asked how much you want for your trade-in

How to Estimate the value of your trade

How to get the most money for your trade

Car Price Quotes

How the used car appraisal process works

How to sell an old junk car online

New Car Buying

Buying Used Cars

Car Trade-In Tips

Car Buying Guides

Extended Warranties

Auto Tool Reviews

Auto Cheat Sheet Insider