What To Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle

BAY CITY, Mich.- If you are, or have ever been, in the market to sell your car in an effort to purchase a new vehicle, you had to make the decision whether to sell it on your own or trade it in. You may have read our feature on What To Expect WhenSelling Your Vehicle Yourself, and now we’re going to take you through What To Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle, honestly. This is not your typically How-To explanation. We’re going to tell you exactly what you can expect when you’re thinking about trading in your vehicle.

First off, it doesn’t matter if you’re selling your vehicle yourself or trading it in, it’s important to be upfront about the condition of the vehicle. If you decide to trade in your used vehicle, the dealer will usually check the history of the car so there is no use in hiding information about its condition.

Now, the first thing on your mind is probably your vehicle’s trade in value. While you have an advantage here by being able to shop around for the best trade in offer, you must also keep some other things in mind. Yes, some dealers will just tell you what you want to hear in regards to price, but that may not be how much you will actually get and that it most likely not the type of dealership you want to work with. So, prepare yourself by first researching what your vehicle may be worth on a site such as KBB.com.

Next, What You Can Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle if you choose to work with a reputable, honest dealership, is that you will begin to build a relationship with one of the sales people or the sales manager, whether it be over the phone, online, or in store. You should feel comfortable working with your dealer, and while you may have no experience in the automobile industry, it’s important to keep in mind that your sales person is actually at a disadvantage too. Why is this? An honest, knowledgeable salesperson knows that they must first gain your trust in order to proceed. They want to understand your ultimate goal in order to help you trade in or buy a vehicle that is truly beneficial to you. By understanding your needs, they can help you better. Not to mention, trading in a vehicle that is worth something to you, or purchasing a new vehicle, are both huge investments. It’s worth the time to build the relationship and feel 100% confortable with your dealer and salesperson.

Once that relationship is built, you can expect that the trade in value of your vehicle will be based on the actual cash value of the trade, not on the value of the vehicle you are interested in purchasing. While you can negotiate the trade in value, you will mostly only be able to adjust the price by the $100’s, not $1,000’s. You can also expect this offer to be less than if you were to sell your vehicle yourself. But this is okay because the dealership is now doing all of the work instead of you: advertising, insuring, and taking the liability of the vehicle, while covering the costs of doing business.

Whether you’re interested in selling your vehicle yourself or trading it in, there is a lot to consider before making a final decision. Take the time to decide which is best for you, and don’t be afraid to get the opinion of your reputable Bay City Area Chevrolet Dealer. We would be more than happy to help you figure out which option is best for your needs and wants. If you have any questions on What To Expect When Trading In Your Vehicle, feel free to stop by! Graff Bay City is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706. For more information on Graff Bay City, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our websites: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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Lisa Rechsteiner
General Manager
Graff Chevrolet, Inc.
Any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me at lrechsteiner@graffsales.com.